MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWGKG-211US / ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JYR

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWGKG-211US: D2XWGKG-211US: Core Ultra 7 255HX, RTX 5070 Laptop GPU, 32 GB DDR5, 1 TB, Cosmo Gray. The D2XWFKG version of the same chassis uses an RTX 5060 Laptop GPU; other SKUs go up to a Core Ultra 9 275HX.

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JYR: G834JYR-R6125X: Intel Core i9-14900HX, GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU 16 GB (175 W = 150 W + 25 W Dynamic Boost), 18-inch 2.5K 240 Hz Mini LED display, 2 × 32 GB DDR5-5600, 2 TB + 2 TB SSD (RAID 0), Windows 11 Pro. The RTX 4080 G834JZR, the 2023 SCAR 18 (G834JY) and the 2025 SCAR 18 (G835L) are separate models; memory and SSD capacity depend on the retail SKU.

SpecificationMSI Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWGKG-211USASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JYR
Release year20252024
ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 255HX; 1.8–5.2 GHz; Intel HM870 chipset

Other SKUs of the Crosshair 16 HX AI family use up to a Core Ultra 9 275HX.

MSI		Intel Core i9-14900HX: 24 cores (8 P + 16 E), 32 threads, 2.2 GHz, up to 5.8 GHz, 36 MB cache

P-cores handle games and single-threaded loads, E-cores take background and multi-core work.

ASUS
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU, 8 GB GDDR7; boost up to 2347 MHz; up to 115 W with Dynamic Boost

In MSI OverBoost mode, the processor and graphics card can draw up to 170 W combined; actual power varies by scenario. MSI quotes 798 AI TOPS for the GPU.

MSI		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, 16 GB GDDR6; 2090 MHz ROG Boost at 175 W (2040 MHz boost + 50 MHz OC; 150 W + 25 W Dynamic Boost)

175 W is the maximum GPU power when Dynamic Boost borrows budget from the CPU; the base sits at the top of NVIDIA’s 80–150 W range for this GPU. The laptop GPU is not the same product as the desktop RTX 4090.

ASUS
Display16-inch QHD+ (2560 × 1600), 16:10, 240 Hz; wide-viewing-angle thin-bezel panel; 100% DCI-P3

MSI’s family page lists the panel type as IPS-level. 100% DCI-P3 indicates coverage of the wide colour space used for cinema and HDR content. MSI gives no brightness or HDR figure for this SKU.

MSI		18-inch ROG Nebula HDR, 2560 × 1600 (16:10) Mini LED; 240 Hz, 3 ms; 100% DCI-P3; anti-glare; G-Sync; Pantone Validated

Mini LED backlighting dims and lights zones behind the LCD so dark areas look deeper in HDR. 240 Hz means motion at up to 240 frames per second in suitable games; G-Sync matches refresh to frame rate to reduce tearing. 100% DCI-P3 covers the cinema colour space.

ASUS
Memory32 GB (2 × 16 GB) DDR5-5600; 2 slots

According to the family page, the two slots take up to 96 GB and support up to DDR5-6400; actual speed depends on the memory and processor combination.

MSI		2 × 32 GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM (64 GB), dual channel; up to 64 GB

Both slots are populated; the modules are not soldered. ASUS notes memory speed can vary with the CPU.

ASUS
Storage1 TB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen4 x4); 1 × PCIe Gen4 and 1 × PCIe Gen5 M.2 slot

The free slot can be used for an extra SSD; MSI recommends consulting an authorised service centre for storage upgrades.

MSI		2 TB + 2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD (RAID 0); two M.2 PCIe slots (both used)

RAID 0 joins the two SSDs into one drive for speed and capacity; if one SSD fails, all data in the array can be lost. ASUS says only single-sided SSDs are supported because of components near the M.2 slot.

ASUS
Ports1 × Thunderbolt 4 (DisplayPort, PD 3.0); 3 × USB-A 5 Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen1); HDMI 2.1; RJ45 Gigabit LAN; 3.5 mm combo audio

The only USB-C-type connection is the Thunderbolt 4 port, which handles both external displays and USB-C power. According to MSI, the HDMI 2.1 output drives an external display at 8K 60 Hz or 4K 120 Hz. There is no card reader.

MSI		1 × Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbit/s, DisplayPort / G-SYNC), 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gbit/s, DisplayPort / power delivery / G-SYNC), 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbit/s), 1 × HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1 × 2.5G LAN, 3.5 mm audio

Thunderbolt 4 can also connect an external GPU enclosure or dock. The RJ45 port does not support Power over Ethernet, only data.

ASUS
WirelessIntel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2×2); Bluetooth 5.3 MSIWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) triple band 2×2, Bluetooth 5.2

Wi-Fi 6E can use the less congested 6 GHz band with a suitable router; ASUS notes the band may be unavailable in some countries.

ASUS
Battery and adapter90 Wh, 4-cell lithium-ion; 240 W adapter MSI—
Keyboard, camera and audioSteelSeries 24-zone RGB keyboard (99 keys, anti-ghosting); 720p camera with shutter; 2 × 2 W speakers; microphone array

24-zone lighting allows separate colours for key groups; anti-ghosting aims to keep simultaneous key presses from being lost.

MSI		—
Dimensions and weight359 × 266.4 × 21.8–27.9 mm; 2.5 kg MSI—
Operating systemWindows 11 Home MSIWindows 11 Pro ASUS
SecurityFirmware TPM 2.0; Kensington lock slot; webcam shutter MSIFirmware TPM, BIOS administrator and user password ASUS
Warranty1-year limited warranty (includes 1 year global coverage)

Warranty terms can vary by country of purchase.

MSI		—
Graphics switching—MUX Switch + NVIDIA Advanced Optimus

The MUX connects the display directly to the RTX GPU to cut latency in games; Advanced Optimus can switch without a restart.

ASUS
Keyboard and lighting—Per-key RGB backlit chiclet keyboard; Aura Sync rear glow, logo and light bar ASUS
Audio and camera—4 speakers with Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res certification for headphones, AI noise cancelling, array microphone; 720p HD camera ASUS
Battery and power—90 Wh, 4-cell lithium-ion; 330 W AC adapter (20 V, 16.5 A, ø6.0 mm) and 100 W USB-C adapter

Full performance needs the 330 W adapter; the 100 W USB-C adapter is for light use and charging on the go. ASUS says the battery can reach 50% in 30 minutes with the proper adapter while the laptop is shut down. Bundled adapters can vary by country.

ASUS
Size and weight—39.9 × 29.4 × 2.31–3.08 cm; 3.10 kg ASUS