ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LX / MSI Vector 16 HX AI A2XWIG-058US

The cores are a mix of performance and efficiency cores; there is no Hyper-Threading, so core and thread counts are equal.

The chip also includes an Intel AI Boost NPU, a block set aside for running AI tasks at low power.

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.

The RTX 5080 Laptop GPU is not the same product as the desktop RTX 5080 card; its power limit and cooling conditions differ.

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.

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.

MSI describes the panel as "IPS-level", which does not necessarily mean it is an IPS panel. 240 Hz makes motion smoother in fast games, provided the game produces high frame rates.

Both slots are filled in this variant and ASUS’s stated maximum is already reached; an upgrade means replacing the modules.

The MSI USA table lists the installed modules as DDR5-5600; the 6400 in the spec sheet is the top speed the platform supports. The slots take replaceable modules.

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.

MSI says storage upgrades should go through a service centre. The Gen5 slot can give higher sequential speeds than Gen4 with a compatible SSD.

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.

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

Some SKUs in the same family use Wi-Fi 6E AX211 and Bluetooth 5.3; this configuration ships with the Wi-Fi 7 card.

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.

The carried weight rises noticeably with the adapters.

ASUS notes that accessories can vary by region.

The A2XWIG letters mark the RTX 5080 Laptop GPU configuration; RTX 5070, 5070 Ti and 5090 versions of the same chassis are sold under other codes. Memory, SSD and Wi-Fi card vary by SKU number.

MSI notes the figure may vary by scenario. 175 W is the upper limit NVIDIA allows for the RTX 5080 Laptop GPU; the card draws less in lower power modes and on battery.

The Thunderbolt 5 ports carry data, an external display and charging over one cable with compatible devices. The laptop reaches full performance on its 330 W adapter; USB-C charging runs at lower power.

The USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports transfer up to 10 Gbit/s. HDMI 2.1 can drive a 4K TV or monitor at 120 Hz.

The infrared camera enables Windows Hello face sign-in.

Warranty terms vary by country of sale.