Msi Titan 18 Hx A14vig Laptop Review: Year Of The Dragon

At CES 2023, we puzzled MSI about why that they had no 18-inch gaming computer within the works when Asus, Alienware, and Razer have been all launching their very own respective 18-inch choices. It wasn’t till CES 2024 that we in the end noticed a correct 18-inch MSI fashion within the type of the Titan 18 HX. It can be just a little overdue to the occasion, however its specs and {hardware} are simply as aggressive.

Our evaluate configuration comes supplied with the brand new 14th gen Intel Raptor Lake Core i9-14900HX CPU, 175 W GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, and 120 Hz Mini-LED 4K (2400p) show for roughly $4999 USD. There aren’t any lesser configurations to be had with other CPUs, GPUs, or shows on the time of writing that means.

Possible choices to the Titan 18 HX come with different 18-inch gaming laptops just like the Asus ROG Strix G18, Alienware m18, Razer Blade 18, or the Acer Predator Helios 18.

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The brand new chassis is an evolution of the Titan GT77 reasonably than the flashier and retro-inspired GE78. When in comparison to the GT77, the Titan 18 provides two-tone silver and blue colours to enrich the in a different way jet black external. MSI may be shying clear of “pointless” RGB lighting fixtures by means of taking out the LED bar alongside the rear.

Possibly probably the most recognizable side of the Titan 18 is the flat glass extending around the palm rests and clickpad. The clickpad is thus flush with the palm rests and it’s illuminated with RGB results. The outcome is a sleeker and smoother design whilst nonetheless preserving the high-end gamer aesthetic.

Chassis pressure from the magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis is superb with best minor warping when pushing down at the keyboard middle. It for sure feels extra sumptuous than the standard plastic surfaces of inexpensive MSI fashions just like the Cyborg or Katana. On the other hand, the hinges will have been less attackable for a greater sense of longevity and all the gadget is one large fingerprint magnet.

Significantly, the 16:10 18-inch Titan 18 HX has a smaller footprint than the 16:9 17.3-inch Titan GT77 on account of its shorter rear finish. In flip, on the other hand, the more recent fashion is noticeably thicker by means of virtually 10 mm to be probably the most thickest 18-inch gaming laptops to be had. It isn’t essentially the heaviest as that crown is going to the Alienware m18 R1, however it is nonetheless noticeably heavier than the Asus ROG Strix G18 or Razer Blade 18 by means of over 500 g each and every.

MSI has introduced again the entire ports from final yr’s GT77 aside from for the devoted mini-DisplayPort. Ports have additionally been rearranged maximum noticeably alongside the rear to cut back muddle. When put next, the ports at the GT77 have been tightly packed alongside the left and proper edges.

Whilst the chassis has been made over, the gradual card reader has now not. Transferring 1 GB of pictures from our UHS-II check card to desktop takes round 12 seconds to be 2x slower than the cardboard readers at the Razer Blade 18 or Alienware m18 R1.

WLAN is equipped by means of the Killer BE1750x which is the gaming variant of the BE1750W. The module helps Wi-Fi 7 although Wi-Fi 7 routers aren’t but mainstream. We skilled no connectivity problems when paired to our Wi-Fi 6E check router.

A 2 MP webcam wit bodily privateness shutter and IR sensor come usual. The digital camera may have brightness problems as proven by means of our shot beneath.

The ground panel is secured by means of 12 Phillips screws for quite simple servicing. On the other hand, understand that a manufacturing facility seal decal should be damaged to take action.

As soon as within, customers have direct get right of entry to to 4x SODIMM slots, 3x M.2 2280 SSD slots (2x PCIe4 x4, 1x PCIe5 x4), and the detachable WLAN module. Final yr’s GT77 may just improve as much as 4 SSDs when compared and so garage choices are moderately extra restricted this time round.

The retail field features a USB mouse (M99 Professional), velvet cleansing fabric, 256 GB USB flash force, and a Fortunate the Dragon keychain. Surprisingly sufficient, the keychain is black as a substitute of crimson which is how the mascot is normally depicted.

A one-year restricted producer guaranty comes usual if bought in the United States.

The per-key RGB Cherry ultra-low profile mechanical keyboard comes usual on all configurations very similar to what’s to be had on positive Alienware fashions. The typing revel in is likely one of the very best we now have had on any computer on the subject of trip and comments as the variations are in an instant noticeable when in comparison to usual membrane-based keys. The principle problem, in fact, is the louder and high-pitch clatter particularly when urgent the Input and House keys. That is unquestionably now not a keyboard you need to be the use of in study rooms or libraries.

Sadly, now not each secret is mechanical at the Titan 18 HX. The numpad and arrow keys are membrane-based as a substitute and they really feel softer and quieter when pressed.

The 13 x 8.2 cm clickpad is RGB illuminated identical to on some Alienware fashions. The variation right here, on the other hand, is that the MSI clickpad is totally flush with the encircling palm rests for a clean and transition-free edge-to-edge floor. This method is swish and attractive, however it is much less sensible than a standard clickpad with tactile edges and corners. Urgent all the way down to enter mouse clicks may be made harder and unreliable particularly for multi-touch inputs like dragging and shedding. The usual packaging features a unfastened USB mouse and so it is transparent that MSI was once leaning against shape over serve as when designing the clickpad.

The Titan 18 HX is likely one of the first 18-inch laptops to send this yr with a 120 Hz 4K mini-LED show. When in comparison to IPS and OLED, mini-LED panels will also be a lot brighter whilst nonetheless providing an identical DCI-P3 colours and black ranges as OLED for higher HDR improve. On this case, the Titan 18 HX show can succeed in as much as 1155 nits on HDR mode consistent with our colorimeter to improve HDR1000 playback. If on SDR mode, the show is restricted to about 470 nits which has similarities to many IPS panels.

Understand that HDR mode isn’t to be had if working on battery continual. Most brightness drops to simply 323 nits when working on batteries even though the show continual saver characteristic is disabled. We aren’t positive if the latter is a trojan horse, however the dip in brightness is for sure noticeable between battery and mains. 

Sadly, the key problem to the show is that it does now not improve G-Sync or variable refresh fee (VRR). It may also be very continual hard on account of its excessive brightness ceiling as demonstrated in our Energy Intake phase beneath. The show remains to be however probably the most very best we now have noticed on any computer for each gaming and multimedia functions.

MSI advertises no Pantone calibration efforts regardless of the excessive asking worth of the Titan. Moderate grayscale and colour deltaE values are however nonetheless excellent out of the field at 3.2 and three.77, respectively.

Black-white and gray-gray reaction instances for mini-LED are tough to measure thru conventional manner. On the other hand, we will say subjectively that ghosting is a non-issue when gaming. Fast motions seem clean and without a smearing for an revel in that is nearer to OLED or an IPS show with very rapid reaction instances.

Flickering is provide at a relentless frequency on all brightness ranges together with the utmost.

Outside visibility is appropriate if beneath color, however the rest brighter and the display turns into washed out. The ultra-bright backlight is not possible if working on battery continual as discussed above.

We set MSI Middle to discrete GPU mode and Excessive Efficiency mode with Cooler Spice up energetic previous to working the benchmarks beneath. Cooler Spice up is MSI’s logo title for optimum fan pace mode. Homeowners will have to transform aware of MSI Middle as it’s the regulate hub for tracking gadget vitals, putting in MSI-specific updates, and toggling maximum options.

Keyboard lighting fixtures is managed by means of a separate pre-installed app referred to as SteelSeries GG.

Uncooked functionality from our Core i9-14900HX is basically neck-to-neck with the Core i9-13950HX in final yr’s GT77. Thus, do not be expecting any noticeable functionality features when working conventional CPU-heavy packages. The 14th gen Raptor Lake-HX CPU does now not have new AI features both in contrast to at the Meteor Lake sequence which integrates an NPU.

MSI is making ready to release its AI Artist app in February for laptops supplied with 14th gen Intel CPUs. This system leverages Intel’s AI acceleration to generate artwork in accordance with activates at a neighborhood stage as a substitute of depending on cloud products and services for a sooner consumer revel in. If you don’t have any hobby in AI-enhanced packages, then an older thirteenth gen Intel CPU can serve you simply as smartly.

PCMark effects are inside of only a few share issues of final yr’s GT77 to indicate no primary functionality variations between their CPUs and GPUs when working on a regular basis duties.

Word that RAM functionality is slower from our 128 GB configuration by means of as much as 30 to 40 p.c when in comparison to the 32 GB configuration of the Alienware m18 R1. That is to be anticipated as RAM functionality at upper capacities is restricted by means of the getting older SODIMM interface.

LatencyMon presentations DPC problems when opening more than one browser tabs of our homepage. 4K video playback at 60 FPS on iGPU mode is in a different way absolute best without a dropped frames recorded.

Our unit comes with two Samsung MZVL22T0HDLB PM9A1a PCIe4 x4 NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 configuration for switch charges drawing near 13000 MB/s as a substitute of the standard ~7000 MB/s for many unmarried PCIe4 x4 SSDs. The drives would showcase no throttling problems when stressed out beneath DiskSpd for a number of mins.

The Titan 18 HX can improve a unmarried PCIe5 M.2 SSD as smartly, however such drives proceed to be restricted in inventory and so maximum configurations this present day send with PCIe4 x4 drives as a substitute.

The 175 W cellular GeForce RTX 4090 GPU in our Titan 18 HX would go back just about similar 3DMark rankings to final yr’s GT77 supplied with the similar GPU. In different phrases, do not be expecting the brand new MSI gadget to accomplish any sooner than ahead of regardless of the brand new fancy exterior design. It is however probably the most quickest gaming laptops available in the market with functionality ranges maximum very similar to the desktop GeForce RTX 4070 Tremendous.

Enabling or disabling Cooler Spice up does now not seem to seriously affect functionality as proven by means of our Time Secret agent effects desk beneath although there are vital fan noise variations between the 2 modes. Thus, Cooler Spice up is best beneficial if core temperatures are a priority or when overclocking. Working on Balanced mode as a substitute of Excessive Efficiency mode, on the other hand, would cut back graphics functionality by means of about 10 p.c.

All present titles run easily at the cellular RTX 4090 even with maximum settings on most. On the other hand, the GPU starts to combat just a little at 4K with F1 22 and Cyberpunk 2077 averaging best 44 FPS each and every. In those eventualities, it is beneficial to allow DLSS particularly for the reason that show now not does now not improve G-Sync. As an example, working Cyberpunk 2077 at local 4K and Extremely RT settings would reasonable simply 21.6 FPS while enabling DLSS Auto and Body Era would spice up the common to 89 FPS.

Fan noise and behaviour are at once tied to the MSI Middle continual profiles: Excessive Efficiency with Cooler Spice up on, Excessive Efficiency with Cooler Spice up off, Balanced, and Silent. Gaming with Cooler Spice up on will also be as loud as 63 dB(A) vs. 57.3 dB(A) if Cooler Spice up is off. On the other hand, for the reason that functionality variations between the 2 modes are very minor as famous above, it is beneficial to sport with Cooler Spice up off to keep away from the computer sounding like a hair dryer.

Fan noise when gaming on Balanced mode tops out at 53 dB(A) to be noticeably quieter than both of the 2 Excessive Efficiency modes. On the other hand, bear in mind that the functionality deficit is greater if working on Balanced mode as discussed above. Be ready for an excessively loud gadget regardless when gaming.

Unusually, floor temperatures listed below are moderately hotter than what we recorded at the unibody Razer Blade 18 regardless of the thicker design of the MSI. Scorching spots would succeed in simply over 41 C and 37 C with Cooler Spice up energetic and inactive, respectively. in comparison to 35 C to 40 C at the Razer. The recent spots are fortunately against the rear of the gadget the place arms and palms are not likely to the touch. We by no means discovered the palm rests or keys to be uncomfortably heat when gaming.

CPU temperature beneath load can transform hotter than anticipated even though Cooler Spice up is enabled. Working Witcher 3 to constitute conventional gaming so much, as an example, would reason the CPU stabilize at 97 C and 90 C with Cooler Spice up on and off, respectively. In the meantime, the GPU would stabilize on the extra cheap 60 C vary. Repeating this check at the Razer Blade 18 or Alienware m18 R1 would lead to an identical GPU temperatures however cooler CPU temperatures within the low 80 C vary as a substitute.

Word that there aren’t any primary functionality variations between Cooler Spice up on and Cooler Spice up off very similar to what we noticed in our GPU Efficiency phase above. Each GPU clock charges and board continual draw when working Witcher 3 would stay quite consistent at 2370 MHz and 169 W, respectively. 

Total continual intake is in most cases upper than different 18-inch gaming laptops because of the hard 95 W CPU, 175 W GPU, and ultrabright 4K 120 Hz mini-LED show. Merely idling on desktop would draw between 13 W and 54 W relying at the brightness environment and dGPU/iGPU environment which is a wider vary than at the Asus ROG Strix G18 or Acer Predator Helios 18 each and every with usual IPS panels.

If gaming, the MSI gadget remains to be one of the crucial hard laptops. Working Witcher 3 would draw virtually 340 W in comparison to simply 265 W and 311 W from final yr’s GT77 or Alienware m18 R1, respectively, all with the similar RTX 4090 GPU.

New to MSI laptops this yr is the redesigned AC adapter which is now each slimmer and extra robust than ahead of. Previous AC adapters have been rather massive particularly the 330 W model that might send with robust laptops just like the Raider GE78. The Titan 16 HX makes use of a 400 W AC adapter (~18.8 x 8.8 x 3.2 cm) that is about 35 p.c smaller for upper power-per-volume. The upper capability adapter lets in for extra constant functionality and charging charges when working hard so much. When put next, maximum different high-performance gaming laptops proceed to send with best 330 W or smaller AC adapters.

We are in a position to report simply over 4 hours of real-world surfing use when set to Balanced mode with the dGPU inactive. It isn’t very lengthy, however this is to be anticipated shape an 18-inch powerhouse with a 120 Hz mini-LED show. Even idling on MSI’s Battery Saver mode on the lowest brightness environment for a very best situation would final slightly below 6 hours. Effects from the Alienware m18 R1 or Razer Blade 18 are an identical.

Charging from empty to complete capability with the integrated AC adapter takes about 2 to two.5 hours. The gadget may also be recharged with third-party USB-C adapters albeit a lot more slowly. Understand that best probably the most two USB-C ports helps USB-C Energy Supply.

With out a new Nvidia GPU this yr for laptops, MSI needed to refresh the whole lot surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Customers are getting a brand new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, better keys, and a brand new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K show to accompany the excessive ticket. These kind of adjustments are a step up from final yr’s GT77, however customers are in the end getting the similar gaming functionality out of each fashions.

Highlights of the Titan 18 come with its mini-LED show and Core i9-14900HX CPU. The previous is definitely spectacular and probably the most very best tactics to observe HDR content material on any computer, however the loss of G-Sync improve is difficult to forget about particularly on a flagship gaming fashion. In the meantime, the brand new CPU plays virtually identically to the thirteenth gen Core i9-13950HX as discovered at the GT77 which makes it really feel like not anything greater than a rebrand. The Titan 18 can subsequently be thought to be a big jump ahead towards the GT77 because of the entire exterior adjustments, however the Intel and Nvidia internals really feel stagnant when compared.

The MSI Titan 18 HX is likely one of the quickest gaming laptops of the yr with an similarly spectacular 4K mini-LED show. On the other hand, it plays virtually identically to final yr’s GT77.

In case you are attracted to the huge and ultra-bright 18-inch mini-LED show, then the Titan 18 HX is likely one of the best puts the place you’ll to find one on the time of writing. If now not, then possible choices just like the Alienware m18 R1, Asus ROG Strix G18, or Razer Blade 18 all be offering G-Sync, sooner refresh charges, and the similar GeForce RTX 4090 possibility in thinner and oftentimes lighter chassis designs.

The Titan 18 HX as reviewed is now delivery on Amazon for $5800. MSI may be providing the fashion at once thru its legit web page at decrease beginning costs.