ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LX / MSI Katana 15 HX B14WFK-487

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LX: G835LX-SA129X variant: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24 GB), 64 GB DDR5 and 2 × 2 TB SSDs in RAID 0, Windows 11 Pro. The RTX 5080 G835LW and the 16-inch SCAR 16 are separate models; within the G835LX family memory, storage and operating system can differ by country.

MSI Katana 15 HX B14WFK-487: B14WFK-487 (Germany): Core i7-14650HX, RTX 5060 Laptop GPU, 16 GB DDR5, 512 GB, 15.6-inch FHD 144 Hz, Core Black. The family’s QHD 165 Hz B14WFK US SKUs and the RTX 5070 B14WGK versions are separate configurations.

Specification	ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LX	MSI Katana 15 HX B14WFK-487
Release year	2025	2025
Processor	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 cores / 24 threads, up to 5.4 GHz, 36 MB cache, 13 TOPS NPU) The cores are a mix of performance and efficiency cores; there is no Hyper-Threading, so core and thread counts are equal. ASUS	Intel Core i7-14650HX; 16 cores, up to 5.2 GHz, 30 MB cache Raptor Lake-HX Refresh generation; 8 performance and 8 efficient cores, 24 threads. There is no separate NPU for AI. MSI
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU; 24 GB GDDR7; ROG Boost 1647 MHz; 175 W (150 W TGP + 25 W Dynamic Boost) 1647 MHz is the 1597 MHz boost clock plus a 50 MHz ASUS overclock. 175 W is the highest total graphics power; the 25 W Dynamic Boost share moves to the GPU when CPU load is low. The GPU is soldered and cannot be upgraded. ASUS	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU, 8 GB GDDR7; up to 115 W with Dynamic Boost; boost up to 2497 MHz The laptop RTX 5060 is not the same card as the desktop RTX 5060; NVIDIA lists 45–100 W for the laptop version, and MSI reaches 115 W by shifting an extra 15 W with Dynamic Boost. That is the top power class for the RTX 5060 Laptop GPU; performance depends on cooling and power mode. MSI quotes 572 AI TOPS. MSI
GPU switching	MUX Switch and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus The MUX switch connects the internal display directly to the NVIDIA GPU to reduce latency in games; Advanced Optimus does this switch without a restart. ASUS	—
Display	18-inch ROG Nebula HDR Mini LED; 2560 × 1600 (16:10); 240 Hz; 100% DCI-P3; G-Sync; anti-glare low-reflection (AGLR) surface; Pantone Validated The Mini LED backlight dims in many small zones independently, which keeps dark areas dark in HDR content; it is not as precise as pixel-level OLED control. ASUS	15.6-inch Full HD (1920 × 1080), 144 Hz, IPS-level wide-view panel, thin bezel, anti-glare 144 Hz shows game motion more smoothly at up to 144 frames per second. US versions of the same family use a 165 Hz QHD panel; this SKU is Full HD. MSI
Memory	64 GB (2 × 32 GB) DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM; 2 slots; up to 64 GB Both slots are filled in this variant and ASUS’s stated maximum is already reached; an upgrade means replacing the modules. ASUS	16 GB DDR5-5600 (2 × 8 GB, dual channel); 2 SO-DIMM slots, up to 96 GB The two modules run in dual channel; because the slots are socketed, memory can be upgraded later. MSI
Storage	2 TB + 2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, RAID 0; 2 × M.2 slots RAID 0 combines the two drives into one fast volume; if either drive fails all data can be lost, so regular backups matter. ASUS states that only single-sided SSDs are supported. ASUS	512 GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD; 1 × M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot This SKU has a single M.2 slot; to add storage the installed SSD has to be replaced with a larger one. MSI
Ports	2 × Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C; DisplayPort, Power Delivery, G-SYNC); 3 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A; HDMI 2.1 FRL; 2.5G LAN; 3.5 mm combo audio jack Thunderbolt 5 can offer up to 120 Gb/s in one direction, useful for fast external storage and high-resolution monitors. Independent testing criticised the lack of rear ports. ASUS	1 × USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s, DisplayPort and USB-PD 3.0 up to 100 W); 3 × USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s); HDMI 2.1 (4K 120 Hz, 8K 60 Hz); Gigabit LAN; 3.5 mm combo audio The USB-C port can drive an external display and accept up to 100 W USB-PD charging; a 240 W adapter is supplied. There is no Thunderbolt or card reader. MSI
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band, 2 × 2); Bluetooth 5.4 A compatible router is needed to benefit from Wi-Fi 7 speeds. ASUS	Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211; Bluetooth 5.3 MSI
Keyboard and camera	Per-key RGB keyboard with numeric keypad and Copilot key; 1080p IR camera (Windows Hello) ASUS	—
Audio	4 speakers; Dolby Atmos; Hi-Res audio; AI noise cancelation ASUS	—
Battery and power	90 Wh 4-cell lithium-ion battery; 380 W adapter; plus a 100 W USB-C adapter The 380 W adapter is needed for gaming performance; the 100 W USB-C adapter is for light use and charging on the go. ASUS notes that box contents can vary by region. ASUS	—
Operating system	Windows 11 Pro ASUS	Windows 11 Home MSI
Lighting	AniMe Vision dot-matrix display on the lid; Aura Sync light bar ASUS	—
Size and weight	39.9 × 29.8 × 2.35–3.20 cm; 3.30 kg The carried weight rises noticeably with the adapters. ASUS	359 × 262 × 25.5 mm (excluding feet); 2.4 kg MSI
In the box	ROG backpack, ROG Fusion II 300 headset, ROG Gladius III Mouse P514 ASUS notes that accessories can vary by region. ASUS	—
Cooling	—	Cooler Boost 5 dual-fan cooling MSI
Keyboard, camera and audio	—	4-zone RGB gaming keyboard with numpad and Copilot key; 120 × 75 mm Precision touchpad; 720p 30 fps webcam; stereo speakers, Nahimic 3 MSI
Battery and adapter	—	75 Wh, 4-cell lithium polymer (internal); 240 W external adapter MSI
Warranty	—	2 years with pick-up and return service; optional 1- or 2-year extension These terms are for the German SKU; warranty may differ in other countries. MSI