MSI Stealth 18 HX AI A2XWJG-035US / MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-223US

Arrow Lake-HX generation 24-core processor (8 performance, 16 efficiency) on the Intel HM870 chipset. There is no Hyper-Threading, so each core runs one thread.

This is the Zen 5 version with 64 MB of L3 cache; the 9955HX3D with 128 MB of cache is a separate processor. AMD gives a 55 W default TDP with a 55–75 W configurable range.

The laptop RTX 5090 is not the same card as the desktop RTX 5090. 150 W is the ceiling MSI sets for this thin chassis, so slightly lower GPU performance than thicker 175 W models is expected. MSI quotes 1824 AI TOPS.

The laptop RTX 5080 is a different chip from the desktop RTX 5080. 175 W is the top power limit for this GPU; with MSI OverBoost Ultra the combined CPU and GPU power reaches 260 W. The GPU is soldered and cannot be replaced.

The 16:10 panel is an LCD lit from behind by many small LED zones; local dimming gives high brightness and contrast in HDR content, though halos can appear around bright objects in dark scenes. MSI’s family page describes the panel as "IPS-Level".

The same family also has SKUs with FHD+ 144/165 Hz, UHD+ 220 Hz and UHD+ Mini LED 120 Hz panels. 240 Hz shows motion more smoothly in fast games, provided the game reaches high frame rates.

Both slots come populated, so an upgrade means replacing the modules. MSI lists support up to DDR5-6400; the actual speed depends on the memory combination and the CPU.

There are two SO-DIMM slots; MSI supports up to 96 GB. Actual speed depends on the memory combination and the processor.

There is no second SSD slot; MSI advises consulting a service centre before upgrading the SSD.

Of the two M.2 slots one is PCIe Gen4 and the other PCIe Gen5 compatible; a second SSD can be added.

Thunderbolt 4 carries 40 Gbit/s data and video over the USB-C shaped port. This model has no Thunderbolt 5.

MSI describes the USB-C ports as Thunderbolt 4 compatible. HDMI 2.1 outputs 8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 120 Hz. The USB-A generation differs between MSI documents, so it is not given here.

SD Express uses a PCIe/NVMe interface for much faster transfers with compatible cards; ordinary SD cards are still read.

The IR camera enables Windows Hello face sign-in.

99.9 Wh is just under the common airline carry-on battery limit. Full GPU performance needs the 280 W adapter.

Gaming performance is available on the adapter; power limits drop on battery.

The IR camera enables Windows Hello face sign-in.