MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWGKG-211US / ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JZR

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) G834JZR: G834JZR-BS91-CB: Intel Core i9-14900HX, GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU 12 GB, 32 GB DDR5 (2 × 16 GB), 1 TB SSD, 18-inch 2560 × 1600 Mini LED 240 Hz display. The RTX 4090 G834JYR, the 2025 SCAR 18 and the 16-inch SCAR 16 are separate models.

SpecificationMSI Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWGKG-211USASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JZR
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, 32 threads, 2.2 GHz, up to 5.8 GHz, 36 MB cache

The HX series is Intel’s high-power family that brings near-desktop core counts to laptops.

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 4080 Laptop GPU, 12 GB GDDR6; ROG Boost 2330 MHz at 175 W (150 W + 25 W Dynamic Boost)

ASUS adds a 50 MHz overclock to the 2280 MHz boost clock. Dynamic Boost shifts 25 W from the CPU to the GPU depending on load. The GPU is soldered and cannot be replaced.

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 2.5K (2560 × 1600, WQXGA) 16:10 Mini LED; 240 Hz, 3 ms, DCI-P3 100%, G-Sync, anti-glare; ROG Nebula HDR Display, Pantone Validated

Mini LED backlighting dims thousands of small LEDs in zones for higher brightness and contrast in HDR; slight halos may be visible around bright objects. ASUS states the display works with a MUX switch and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus.

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
32 GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM (2 × 16 GB); 2 slots, up to 64 GB, dual channel

Both slots come filled; upgrading means replacing the modules. ASUS notes memory speed can vary by 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
1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD; 2 × M.2 PCIe slots

The second M.2 slot allows an additional SSD.

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

No card reader is listed. ASUS notes the LAN port does not support Power over Ethernet (PoE).

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

Wi‑Fi 6E can use the less crowded 6 GHz band with compatible routers.

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

Warranty terms can vary by country of purchase.

MSI
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Battery and power—90 Wh, 4-cell lithium-ion; 330 W adapter (ø6.0 mm, 20 V 16.5 A)

ASUS notes that whether the adapter is included varies by country and model. The adapter must be connected for full GPU power.

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 cancellation, array microphone; 720p HD camera

Windows Hello face recognition is not listed for the camera.

ASUS
Operating system and security—Windows 11 Home; firmware TPM, BIOS password ASUS
Size and weight—39.9 × 29.4 × 2.31–3.08 cm; 3.10 kg ASUS