MSI Raider A18 HX A9WIG-082US / ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JZR

MSI Raider A18 HX A9WIG-082US: A9WIG-082US (US, part no. RAIDERA18HX082): Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU 16 GB, 32 GB DDR5, 2 TB Gen5 SSD, 18-inch UHD+ Mini LED, Windows 11 Pro, Core Black. The RTX 5090 A9WJG, the Ryzen 8000 HX A8WIG and the Intel-based Raider 18 HX AI are separate models.

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 Raider A18 HX A9WIG-082USASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JZR
Release year20252024
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 16 GB GDDR7; up to 175 W including TGP and Dynamic Boost; boost up to 2,287 MHz

175 W is the highest GPU power MSI gives in this chassis; CPU and GPU together can draw up to 260 W (OverBoost Ultra). The desktop RTX 5080 is a separate card.

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
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, 2.5–5.4 GHz

The processor’s stacked extra cache, called 3D V-Cache, keeps frequently used game data close, which helps frame rates especially in large open-world games.

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
Display18-inch UHD+ 3840 × 2400, 16:10, 120 Hz Mini LED; VESA DisplayHDR 1000; 100% DCI-P3

The Mini LED backlight dims zones individually for high HDR brightness and deeper blacks; DisplayHDR 1000 is the tier certifying 1,000-nit peak brightness. Because of the high resolution, refresh is limited to 120 Hz.

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 DDR5-5600 (2 × 16 GB); two slots, up to 96 GB

Both slots come filled; reaching 96 GB means fitting two 48 GB modules.

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
Storage2 TB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen5 x4); one PCIe Gen5 and one PCIe Gen4 M.2 slot

The second M.2 slot runs at Gen4; an added SSD there tops out at Gen4 speed.

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
Ports2 × USB4 Type-C (DisplayPort and PD 3.1; Thunderbolt 4 compatible); 3 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A; HDMI 2.1 (8K 60 Hz / 4K 120 Hz); 3.5 mm audio combo jack

The USB4 ports are listed as compatible with Thunderbolt 4 accessories, but MSI does not state separate Thunderbolt certification; PD 3.1 allows USB-C charging, while full gaming power needs the 400 W adapter.

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
Card reader and networkFull-size SD card reader (UHS-III); 2.5 Gbit Ethernet; MediaTek Wi-Fi 7; Bluetooth 5.4

UHS-III gives faster reads than UHS-II with compatible cards; the full-size slot reads camera cards without an adapter.

MSI		—
Audio, camera and keyboardDynaudio-tuned 4 × 2 W speakers and 2 × 2 W woofers; 1080p IR camera with privacy shutter; SteelSeries per-key RGB, 99 keys

The IR camera enables Windows Hello face sign-in; the physical shutter blocks the camera.

MSI		—
Battery and adapter99.9 Wh, 4-cell lithium-ion; 400 W adapter

99.9 Wh is just under the limit for laptop batteries allowed on planes.

MSI		—
Size and weight404 × 307.5 × 24–32.05 mm; 3.6 kg

The weight excludes the 400 W adapter.

MSI		39.9 × 29.4 × 2.31–3.08 cm; 3.10 kg ASUS
Operating systemWindows 11 Pro; fTPM 2.0 MSI—
Warranty and colour1-year limited warranty (1-year global coverage); Core Black MSI—
Wireless—Wi‑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 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