ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LX / MSI Raider A18 HX A9WIG-082US

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 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.

SpecificationASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LXMSI Raider A18 HX A9WIG-082US
Release year20252025
ProcessorIntel 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		AMD 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
GraphicsNVIDIA 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 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
GPU switchingMUX 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		—
Display18-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		18-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
Memory64 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		32 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
Storage2 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		2 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
Ports2 × 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		2 × 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
WirelessWi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band, 2 × 2); Bluetooth 5.4

A compatible router is needed to benefit from Wi-Fi 7 speeds.

ASUS		—
Keyboard and cameraPer-key RGB keyboard with numeric keypad and Copilot key; 1080p IR camera (Windows Hello) ASUS—
Audio4 speakers; Dolby Atmos; Hi-Res audio; AI noise cancelation ASUS—
Battery and power90 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 systemWindows 11 Pro ASUSWindows 11 Pro; fTPM 2.0 MSI
LightingAniMe Vision dot-matrix display on the lid; Aura Sync light bar ASUS—
Size and weight39.9 × 29.8 × 2.35–3.20 cm; 3.30 kg

The carried weight rises noticeably with the adapters.

ASUS		404 × 307.5 × 24–32.05 mm; 3.6 kg

The weight excludes the 400 W adapter.

MSI
In the boxROG backpack, ROG Fusion II 300 headset, ROG Gladius III Mouse P514

ASUS notes that accessories can vary by region.

ASUS		—
Card reader and network—Full-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 keyboard—Dynaudio-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 adapter—99.9 Wh, 4-cell lithium-ion; 400 W adapter

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

MSI
Warranty and colour—1-year limited warranty (1-year global coverage); Core Black MSI