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I tested the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) and it performs better than its price suggests – but there’s one big sacrifice you’ll have to make

5:18 am | August 29, 2025

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025): Two-minute review

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a gaming laptop that promises top-tier performance at an affordable price. It doesn’t exactly convey its power visually, looking rather muted compared to others in this class. However, it does exude a fair amount of elegance, which belies its budget price tag.

It’s surprisingly thin and free from bulk, although it’s still quite heavy. The lid hinges are pleasingly small, and the bezel around the screen is very minimal – in fact you’ll struggle to find a more slender frame on even the best gaming laptop models.

Build quality is also respectable, although the keyboard doesn’t look the most premium. Thankfully, the keys themselves feel great, offering sufficient dampening, travel, and feedback, which makes them a joy to use when gaming.

And, on that front, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) acquits itself very well. The RTX 5050 in my unit performed remarkably well, achieving very high frame rates with demanding graphics settings selected, although Cyberpunk 2077 labored considerably on the highest preset, with disruptive stutters, lag, and visual glitches. But dropping the settings down slightly improved the experience greatly, while maintaining plenty of visual fidelity.

Close-up of keyboard on ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) — (Image credit: Future)

More bothersome, however, was the noise the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) generated, which is distractingly loud and pretty much rules out playing without headphones. At least the unit stays relatively cool for the most part, with any heat steering clear from any touchable surface.

The large 16-inch, 1920 x 1200 display of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is certainly good enough to represent AAA games faithfully, but it’s not the best in class, guilty of looking a little washed out at times. It also lacks the high brightness levels of its rivals, and is a little too reflective.

As mentioned, the keys feel great to use when gaming, but the cramped layout – owing to the inclusion of a number pad – can make typing awkward, at least for someone as ham-fisted as me.

This isn’t too big a gripe, though, and if you’re willing to put up with the incessant noise and can settle for gaming at close-to maximum settings, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a respectable performer that won’t break the bank – at least not to the extent other gaming laptops will.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Price & Availability

$1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499
Available now
Well-priced for the spec

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) starts from $1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499 and is available now. In the US, we couldn't find a model equipped with an RTX 5050; the base model here appears to start with a 5060 instead.

This is a decent price for a 16-inch laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. There are few compromises, too, with the 1920 x 1200 resolution being the main concession. But the overall design and build quality of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) aren’t what you’d call cheap.

However, the Acer Nitro 16 AMD is cheaper by a significant amount. This has a less impressive spec, though: the base Nitro 16 AMD gets an RTX 4050 GPU, an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and only 512GB of storage. It’s also quite bulky and doesn’t exactly look premium. We were very pleased with its 1080p performance, though, and we also liked its keyboard.

Value: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Specs

	ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Base Config	ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Maximum Config
Price	$1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499	$1,699.99 / £1,699.99
CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 260 Processor 3.8GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.1 GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)	AMD Ryzen 9 270 Processor 4.0GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.2GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, 8GB	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, 8GB
RAM	8GB DDR5	32GB DDR5
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	16-inch, FHD+ 16:10 (1920 x 1200, WUXGA), 165Hz, IPS, Anti-glare display, G-Sync	16-inch, FHD+ 16:10 (1920 x 1200, WUXGA), 165Hz, IPS, Anti-glare display, G-Sync
Ports and Connectivity	1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery	90WHrs	90WHrs
Dimensions	13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)	13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)
Weight	4.85lbs (2.20kg)	4.85lbs (2.20kg)

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Design

Close-up of trackpad on ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Surprisingly thin
Very thin screen bezel
Good-feeling keyboard

To my personal delight, ASUS hasn’t done much to gamify the appearance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). It has a minimal aesthetic and the whole unit looks surprisingly elegant for a gaming machine.

It isn’t saddled with the typical gaming laptop bulk, either. The chassis is pleasingly thin and the rear protrusion is comparatively small. While it's still quite weighty, again it’s not as heavy as some of its rivals.

The lid hinges look rather smart, and are easy to operate yet provide plenty of stability, while the bezel around the display is very small, allowing almost all of the allotted space to be used.

There are a few missteps in the design, though: the corners of the base are a little too sharp, and the keyboard looks a little cheap. A number pad is also included, which unfortunately makes the whole layout a little more cramped than it otherwise would be. Still, I did appreciate the translucent WASD keys, which distinguishes them from the others.

Underneath the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) are four rubber feet and plastic strips that raise the unit from the surface by a fair amount, which helps to improve airflow.

You’ll find the usual selection of ports on the TUF Gaming A16 (2025), with most of them located on the left side. They’re sensibly ordered, too; I particularly appreciated the headset jack being at the front and the power port at the back.

Along with an ethernet port and an HDMI port, you’ll also find two USB-C ports on the left – one is 3.2 Gen 2 and the other 4, but both support external display connections. On the right are two USB-A ports, which are again logically located, since it makes them amenable to connecting peripherals such as mice.

Design: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Performance

Close-up of webcam on ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025), with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Impressive AAA performance
Quite loud
Display not the most vibrant

I was impressed by the overall performance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset – which the game selected by default – I was getting roughly between 175-200fps, depending on the in-game environment.

Turning the preset to Ray Tracing: Ultra naturally resulted in a decrease, but I was still in the respectable region of 115-150fps. Ray Tracing: Overdrive caused a further dip, down to 70-100fps, but with the added bane of significant stuttering and input lag, as well as some strange visual artefacts and pop-in effects. Suffice to say this isn’t a setting I can recommend playing on.

Nonetheless, the above demonstrates a laudable effort on the part of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). However, the price is paid in noise – a loud one. Under load it’s a veritable cacophony, as the fans whir away with considerable force. Needless to say this can be quite disruptive, requiring one of the best PC gaming headsets with strong noise cancellation to drown it out.

At least the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) stays relatively cool. Any heat generated is confined to reasonable temperatures, and concentrated mainly at the very back of the unit – although this can spread to the underside, so if you are using the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) on your lap, your legs might get a little toasty. Mercifully, though, the heat doesn’t encroach on the keyboard or the sides of the chassis, so there’s no chance of scorching your fingers.

The 1920 x 1200 display on my unit provided sufficient sharpness, even at 16 inches, and proved to be very bit as smooth and responsive as you’d expect from its 165Hz refresh rate. Colors appear vibrant enough, but they can look a little washed out at times. What’s more, the maximum brightness level isn’t that high, and reflections can rear their ugly heads under certain lighting conditions.

Close-up of left side ports on ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025), open on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

The keys are tactile and well damped, and have more travel and resistance than those on your typical laptop, which makes them easy and satisfying to use when gaming. I also appreciated the prominent nub on the W key, making it easy to locate.

While the keys also feel good to type on, the aforementioned cramped layout can hamper the A16's productivity credentials. I never fully got used to it, and what’s more the large trackpad does encroach on your hand placement, so you need to take care in not pressing down too hard.

The trackpad is smooth and makes for effortless swipes and gestures, but it can be inconsistent in registering taps, sometimes requiring a harder hit than normal. This might be a moot point for many gamers, though, since they’ll likely be pairing the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) with one of the best gaming mice.

Typical of many Asus products, there are a few annoying pop-ups from Armory Crate, as well as some bizarre notifications from Nvidia about display mode changes, which usually appear when booting up a game; for some unknown reason the system frequently thought two displays were connected.

Thankfully, this didn’t seem to affect performance in any way, and Windows at least makes it easy to change projection settings with the Win+P shortcut. Aside from these niggles, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) provides a pretty seamless experience overall, as you might expect given the power on tap.

Performance: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Battery Life

Back of ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025), open on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

The battery life of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is pretty impressive. It managed to last two hours and ten minutes in the PCMark gaming battery test, which is close to the time achieved by the Acer Nitro 16 AMD.

In our movie playback test, where we ran a short film on a continuous loop, it lasted an impressive 12 hours and 18 minutes. What’s more, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is also quick to charge, taking just under two hours to fully replenish.

Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)?

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is priced very competitively considering the spec. The relatively low resolution is about the only sacrifice.	4 / 5
Design	It’s surprisingly thin and elegant for a gaming laptop, and it also appears built to a high standard	4 / 5
Performance	The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) delivers high frame rates in AAA titles with demanding settings, although it won’t handle max presets all that well, and the noise is bothersome.	4 / 5
Battery Life	It performed well in our series of battery benchmarks, and it's fast to charge, too.	4 / 5
Total	The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) seems to have achieved its aim of delivering high performance at a relatively low price point, which makes it a tempting proposition for those on a budget – if they can put up with the noise.	4 / 5

Buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) if...

You want a sleek design
For a large powerhouse, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) does remarkably well to keep the bulk to a minimum, and the build quality seems reasonably solid, too.

You’re on a budget
The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is very well priced, especially considering its powerful spec. The 1920 x 1200 resolution is about the only major cutback.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best display
While it’s perfectly good enough for gaming, the colors can look a little washed out, and it’s prone to irksome reflections, too.

You want peace and quiet
The sound of the fans when gaming, even at moderate settings, is persistent and distracting, so a good pair of headphones are a must.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro 16 AMD
Our current pick as the best affordable gaming laptop, the Nitro 16 AMD does most of the important things right. The 1080p performance impressed us, while the 165Hz refresh rate is very welcome at this price point, especially since it’s cheaper than the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). Read our full Acer Nitro 16 AMD review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
If you’re willing to go with a model a few years old, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another capable gaming laptop at a relatively low cost. This again has solid 1080p performance and a fast refresh rate, although it’s let down somewhat by the middling battery life and poor trackpad. Thankfully, these areas are where compromises are some of the least egregious. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)

Tested for a few days
Used for gaming and everyday tasks
Plentiful PC gaming hardware experience

I tested the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) for a couple of days, during which time I used it for gaming and everyday tasks such as typing and browsing.

I played various games, including Cyberpunk 2077, which is a demanding test for systems and remains a cutting-edge AAA experience. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to assess the gaming, creative, and productivity credentials of PCs, as well as storage speeds and battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I’ve experienced plenty of systems and hardware. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops, from gaming machines to those designed for productivity and general use.

First reviewed: August 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested an outrageous Acer Predator laptop with Nvidia 5090 GPU, and I wish I could recommend it, but I just can’t at this price

12:10 pm | July 31, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Razer Blade | Comments: Off

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI: Two-minute review

The Acer Predator Helios 18 AI is a top-tier gaming laptop with a phenomenal spec that’s sure to whet the appetites of even casual gamers. Despite what lurks inside, its exterior is remarkably restrained. At 18 inches, it's obviously very large, but the black finish and lack of branding keep its profile reasonably low. However, that large rear protrusion and ostentatious RGB lighting give away its intentions.

I think Acer has done well to keep the Predator Helios 18 AI as slender as possible. Of course, this is all relative given the size of laptop we’re dealing with here, but it’s impressively thin for the most part, although it thickens at the rear.

Build quality is also excellent, equaling the best gaming laptops in this regard. Premium materials are employed everywhere, and the hinge for the lid is smooth and easy to operate, while offering plenty of stability once set.

The keyboard is tactile and snappy, and the generous spacing of the keys makes it easy to type and game on the Predator Helios 18 AI. The number pad somewhat compromises the layout, though, with the space bar paying the highest price; it’s a little too short for my liking.

On the other hand, the large trackpad does a fine job of not interfering while using the keyboard, with accidental contact failing to register in my experience. It’s also very smooth and accurate, should you wish to use it over one of the best gaming mice.

Considering its mighty spec, the Predator Helios 18 AI performs as well as you might expect. Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages ran with aplomb, each delivering fps figures in the hundreds with maximum graphics settings, including those for ray tracing.

Rear of Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

You will have to endure constant fan noise when gaming, but thankfully this isn’t egregious when the default Balanced mode is selected in the Predator Sense app. The Predator Helios 18 AI also generates a fair amount of heat, which can spread to the sides and the keyboard after a while. Again, though, this isn’t bad enough to cause an issue.

The biggest price you’ll have to pay for all this performance is… well, the price. Starting at $3,000, the Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive. I struggle to think who’ll need such a large and powerful laptop, and be willing to pay this much for one.

Of course, the entire gaming laptop market is a premium one, but there are better value alternatives out there if you don’t need an 18-inch display and triple-digit frame rates, such as the excellent Razer Blade 16 (2025) or the MSI Katana 15 (2023), the latter of which we think is currently the best budget gaming laptop around.

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Price & Availability

Starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299
Hugely expensive
Better value alternatives

The Predator Helios 18 AI starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299 and is available now. It comes with spare WASD and arrow keys, as well as a thermal pad upgrade kit for the RAM.

You don’t need me to tell you what an eye-watering sum this is. It’s understandable considering the spec, and my review unit was even more outlandish, equipped with a 3840 x 2400 display and 192GB of RAM(!).

Prices are similar to the Razer Blade, which performs similarly too. If you want something that’s even better value, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is, in our view, one of the best budget gaming laptops around, if you’re happy to game at 1080p.

Value: 2.5 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Specs

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Specs
	Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Base Config	Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Review Config
Price	$2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7299	TBC
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB)	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (24GB)
RAM	64GB DDR5	192GB DDR5
Storage	2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD	2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD
Display	18-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS	18-inch WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS
Ports and Connectivity	3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery	99Wh	99Wh
Dimensions	401 x 308 x 29.6mm	401 x 308 x 29.6mm
Weight	3.5kg / 7.7lbs	3.5kg / 7.7lbs

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Design

Close-up of left side ports on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Large but surprisingly thin
Relatively understated
Excellent build quality

Given its large display size, the Predator Helios 18 AI is a reasonably understated gaming laptop. The rear bulge that extends beyond the lid hinge gives it some distinction, and the RGB lighting can light up the whole unit like a Christmas tree if you want it to (the bar that runs along the front edge and wraps around the side is especially striking). But switch this off and you’ll struggle to tell it apart from the best business laptops.

It’s quite bulky, although I think the Predator Helios 18 AI does an admirable job of keeping its dimensions contained considering the beastly components that lay within. The front end is reasonably thin, but thickens as it moves towards the back. This increased size does allow for larger vent openings, though, so it’s a worthy sacrifice to improve cooling performance.

The overall build quality is hard to fault. All the materials that are used look and feel premium and durable. The lid is also impressively smooth to operate yet remains sufficiently stable when set in position.

Underneath you’ll find three feet that run across the width of the Predator Helios 18 AI, and they provide plenty of grip on desktop surfaces. They also raise the chassis from the surface by a significant degree, again allowing for improved ventilation.

There are plenty of ports on the Predator Helios 18 AI. On the left, you’ll find an ethernet and a USB-A port, as well as an SD card slot and a 3.5mm audio in/ out jack. On the right are two more USB-A ports, which is a sensible location considering this is where you’ll likely be connecting external peripherals.

On the rear are two USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and a large power cable port. As you would imagine, the power supply is large, but unfortunately the cable running from the brick to the jack end is quite short. Owing to my setup, this meant I had to keep the brick on my desk rather than placing it on the floor, which was quite the inconvenience.

Design: 4 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Performance

Close-up of rear ports on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Fantastic AAA performance
Vibrant and sharp display
Some fan noise and heat

Gaming with the Predator Helios 18 AI didn’t get off to a particularly auspicious start. When I ran Cyberpunk 2077 for the first time, the game’s benchmark function recorded a disappointing 42fps, with the maximum 3840 x 2400 resolution and Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected.

Some tinkering with the graphics settings resulted in modest improvements to performance, but it wasn’t until after restarting the game a couple of times that things suddenly improved: I started getting about 100fps, even in busy in-game environments, without lowering the resolution or any other graphical settings.

Similar figures were achieved when I played Doom: The Dark Ages, although I did have to change the DLSS mode from Auto to Ultra Performance to get there. Thankfully, this made no discernible difference to the image quality.

And on that front, both games looked fantastic on the WQUXGA display. Colors were accurate and vibrant, if very slightly washed-out. This is a common issue on many IPS displays, but here the effect did little to detract from the awesomeness of the visuals.

The ultra-high 3840 x 2400 resolution in my review unit offered incredible levels of sharpness, while the high response times resulted in super-smooth gameplay. It’s also capable of very high brightness levels, which helps to keep pesky reflections at bay.

Close-up of trackpad on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI performed in our series of benchmark tests:

Geekbench 6.2:
Single - 2,803
Multi - 16,720
Cinebench R24:
Single - 125 13.89x
Multi - 1,728
3DMark:
Fire Strike - 36,158
Time Spy - 17,341
Port Royal - 12,994
Night Raid - 60,951
PCMark10:
8,885
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p Low - 469fps
1080p Ultra - 361fps
1080p Ray Tracing: Overdrive - 128fps
Battery test:
Movie playback - 3 hours and 2 minutes
PCMark10 (Gaming) - 1 hour 27 minutes

Fan noise is constant when gaming on the Predator Helios 18 AI, but I didn’t find it distractingly loud. The volume increases considerably if you set the Predator Sense profile to Performance mode, though – then you’ll really need one of the best PC gaming headsets to drown out the noise.

The Predator Helios 18 AI does a good job of keeping temperatures down. Its underside doesn’t get too hot, although over time heat leaks out of both sides, which can be a little distracting for your mouse hand. After a couple of hours of gaming, I noticed the bottom of the keyboard became quite hot, too, especially around the space bar.

It wasn’t hot enough to make using the keyboard a problem, though. And what’s more, the keyboard on the Predator Helios 18 AI is great to game with. The keys are clicky but damped enough to make them tactile.

They’re a little on the small side (although they’re generously spaced apart), owing to the inclusion of the aforementioned number pad. This compromises the layout somewhat – especially the space bar, which isn’t as long as I would’ve liked, and therefore somewhat awkward to hit with my left thumb.

The trackpad on the Predator Helios 18 AI is large and very smooth, making it easy to use. Mercifully, it also appears unaffected by contact with the sides of your palms, meaning it won’t accidentally register movements while your hands lean over it to use the keyboard.

Performance: 5 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Battery Life

Close-up of keyboard with RGB lighting on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI — (Image credit: Future)

Large 99Wh capacity
Underwhelming longevity
Quick to charge

The battery life of the Predator Helios 18 AI isn't particularly impressive. Despite its 99Wh capacity, it lasted just under 90 minutes PCMark10's battery test for gaming scenarios.

This makes it considerably worse than the Razer Blade 16 (2025), which managed about an hour more, but much better than the MSI Katana 15 (2023), which didn’t even last one hour.

Charging the Predator Helios 18 AI back up to full is a surprisingly quick process, though – and given the size of the power brick, you would hope it would be.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Predator Helios 18 AI?

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive, and only worth it if you need the absolute best gaming performance in laptop form.	2.5 / 5
Design	The Predator Helios 18 AI is very large, but is admirably thin considering what’s inside. It’s brilliantly made, too, and the RGB lighting is tastefully vibrant.	4 / 5
Performance	My review unit had an RTX 5090 and an Intel Core Ultra 9, so naturally its performance is out of this world. The display is excellent, too.	5 / 5
Battery Life	The Predator Helios 18 AI can't last an especially long time, but at least it's capable of replenishing quickly.	3.5 / 5
Total	There’s no denying this is a ferocious gaming machine; you can’t really ask for more from a gaming laptop. But the astronomical price puts it beyond the reach of many gamers, and there are many better value propositions out there.	3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want the best portable performance
With Nvidia RTX 5000 series GPUs available, the Predator Helios 18 AI can achieve astonishing fps figures, while the CPU and configurable RAM are equally capable components.

You want a large display
At 18 inches, the screen is more than big enough for laptop gaming, and renders AAA titles in all their glory.

Don't buy it if...

You want to save money
You’ll need plenty of cash to buy even the base model, and there are better value options out there.

You want a truly portable device
You’ll want something much smaller and lighter than the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI if you’re constantly on the go.

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Also Consider

Razer Blade 16 (2025)
We were already big fans of the Razer Blade 14 from 2024, but the Blade 16 (2025) surpasses it in many ways. Like the Predator Helios 18 AI, it too can be equipped with an RTX 5090, and is built to a similarly high standard. It’s a shame there’s no 4K option this time round, though, and it’s still about as expensive as the Predator Helios 18 AI. Read our full Razer Blade 16 (2025) review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
Our current pick as the best gaming laptop for those on a budget, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) gets the balance right between price and performance, impressing us with its 1080p gaming. The trackpad and battery life might be weak points, but these are areas in gaming laptops where we’re willing to forgive shortcomings. As your first foray into the sector, it’s a great place to start. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI

Tested for a few days
Played AAA games
Extensive PC gaming experience

I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI for a few days, during which time I played games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages, both AAA titles that provide stern tests for rigs owing to their demanding, cutting-edge graphics.

I also ran TechRadar’s series of benchmarking tests, including a battery test where I played a movie on a continuous loop until the Predator Helios 18 AI shut down.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have experienced a number of systems and components. I have also reviewed laptops previously, as well as copious amounts of gaming hardware.

First reviewed: July 2025
Read more about how we test

I’ve tested laptops for years, and the Alienware 16 Area-51 is easily one of the best gaming laptops ever made

7:00 pm | July 19, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: AAA, CPU, RAM, RGB | Comments: Off

Alienware 16 Area-51: Two-minute review

There are only a few gaming laptop releases that’ll impress buyers this year as much as the Alienware 16 Area-51. Everything about this work of premium art and technology oozes perfection.

Though the configuration I reviewed came out to around $3,249.99 / £3,349 / AU$5,497.80, there’s plenty of scalability in terms of both price and component options, with systems starting at $1,999.99 / £2,149.01 / AU$4,198.70.

The design alone places this as one of the best gaming laptops going, thanks to a futuristically sleek design that mirrors its desktop sibling with “fluid contours and soft surfaces” that blends nice angles, lovely multi-zone customizable lighting, smart port placement, clever ventilation, a clear glass panel on the bottom to show of the internals, and much more.

The phenomenal design philosophy is matched with gaming performance that’ll impress enthusiasts and competitive gamers alike. All of that power is pumped out through a 16-inch 2560x1600 display that offers a 240Hz refresh rate as well.

However, holding the display back significantly is the image quality. Despite featuring 100% DCI-P3, 500 nits of brightness, and Nvidia G-Sync, images lack crispness and can come off as smudged a bit as well. Thankfully, the Dolby Atmos-certified speakers provide great, nuanced sound for gaming alongside general music listening.

That doesn’t even count the amount of extras that are featured on the Area-51 16, such as the option to have a full RGB mechanical keyboard, which makes it to where serious players don’t have to use a USB slot and lug an extra keyboard around.

Even outside of gaming, the mechanical keyboard makes general computing tasks a thrill thanks to how fantastic keystrokes feel. In a cool touch, the touchpad itself glows with customizable lighting too.

All of this greatness does come at the cost of borderline abysmal battery life, which comes with the territory of most high-end gaming laptops.

Those in need of more juice for long flights or times without a nearby electrical socket may be in some trouble. Regardless, the Alienware 16 Area-51 is out of this world when it comes to laptop gaming.

Alienware 16 Area-51: Price & availability

An Alienware Area-51 16 laptop on a desk — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much does it cost? Starting at $1,999.99 / £2,149.01 / AU$4,198.70

When is it available? Available now

Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Alienware 16 Area-51 is now available through Dell’s online store and other digital retailers, starting at $1999.99 / £2,149.01 / AU$4,198.70. Buyers in the US, UK, and Australia can choose from a range of configurations and options tailored to their Windows gaming needs.

My review unit was configured with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD Storage comes in at $2,849.99 / £3,298.99 / AU$5,497.80. Other features include the 4K web camera and mechanical keyboard options.

While not the most expensive laptop in its size class, it's not the cheapest either, but its starting price is very good for a laptop with this kind of premium feel.

Value: 4 / 5

Alienware 16 Area-51: Specs

	Alienware Area-51 16 (Lowest Configuration)	Alienware Area-51 16 (Review)	Alienware Area-51 16 (Highest Configuration)
Price:	$1,999.99 at Dell.com \| £2,149.01 at Dell.com \| AU$4,198.70 at Dell.com	$2,849.99 at Dell.com \| £3,298.99 at Dell.com \| AU$5,497.80 at Dell.com	$5,499.99 at Dell.com \| £5,779 at Dell.com \| AU$$8,847.30 at Dell.com
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 255HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 275HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 275HX
Graphics:	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
RAM:	16GB DDR5-6400MT/s	32GB DDR5-6400MT/s	64GB DDR5-6400MT/s
Screen:	16" WQXGA 2560x1600 240Hz 3ms 100% DCI-P3 500 nit, NVIDIA G-SYNC + Advanced Optimus	16" WQXGA 2560x1600 240Hz 3ms 100% DCI-P3 500 nit, NVIDIA G-SYNC + Advanced Optimus	16" WQXGA 2560x1600 240Hz 3ms 100% DCI-P3 500 nit, NVIDIA G-SYNC + Advanced Optimus
Storage:	1TB SSD	1TB SSD	12TB (3 x 4TB) PCIe SSD (4TB PCIe SSD in Australia)
Ports:	1X SD Card Slot, 1 x 3.5mm Headset Jack, 2 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, 1 x HDMI 2.1	1X SD Card Slot, 1 x 3.5mm Headset Jack, 2 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, 1 x HDMI 2.1	1X SD Card Slot, 1 x 3.5mm Headset Jack, 2 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, 1 x HDMI 2.1
Wireless:	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 (2x2 320Hz) MIMO 802.11be Wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.4	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 (2x2 320Hz) MIMO 802.11be Wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.4	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 (2x2 320Hz) MIMO 802.11be Wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.4
Camera:	1080P Webcam	4K Webcam	4K Webcam
Weight:	7.49 lbs \| 3.40 kg	7.49 lbs \| 3.40 kg	7.49 lbs \| 3.40 kg
Dimensions:	14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 ins \| 365 x 290 x 28.5mm (W x D x H)	14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 ins \| 365 x 290 x 28.5mm (W x D x H)	14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 ins \| 365 x 290 x 28.5mm (W x D x H)

Alienware 16 Area-51: Design

Sleek, rounded design with a beautiful liquid teal colorway and RGB lighting nearly everywhere
Nice rear port selection and SD Card slot
Comfortable experience with the mechanical keyboard

As noted before—and it bears repeating—the Alienware 16 Area-51’s design is truly breathtaking. From the moment you unbox it, the spaceship-inspired curves and sleek, dark liquid teal finish immediately signal a premium, high-end machine that stands out in any setting. While closed, there are some noticeable design choices that truly set this gaming laptop apart from others.

Every angle of the Area-51 16 is picturesque from top to bottom. This includes the top panel featuring the standard Alienware logo that is backlit by customizable RGB.

At the bottom, you get to see the laptop’s Cryo-Chamber structure, allowing direct airflow to the laptop’s core components. This also raises the device for both comfort and larger air intake. For added measure, there’s a clear Gorilla Glass panel showing the AlienFX fans that also has customizable lighting.

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A nice selection of ports is located on the rear, which offsets the display hinge by about a few inches. That portion also features a customizable RGB light ring that circles it from top to bottom, too.

This allows access to three USB-A, two USB-C with Thunderbolt, a single HDMI port, and a power port. Those are joined on the left side by an SD Card slot and a 3.5mm headset jack. Smartly designed V-Rail edges make opening and closing the gaming laptop a smooth

When opened, the display offers either an FHD or a 4K webcam at the top. Below, the mechanical keyboard provides a satisfying feel for both gaming and typing, complete with customizable RGB lighting, and is flanked by a speaker system with two 2W woofers, two 2W tweeters, and Dolby Atmos certification.

The smooth, precision glass touchpad at the bottom also features customizable RGB lighting, adding to the laptop’s premium, tailored experience. Usage is made extra comfortable through a pillowed palm rest, which helps when gaming or when doing general web browsing tasks for long periods.

The Alienware Area-51 16 is just so thoughtful in the engineering and design. There’s a visual appeal and functional enhancements that elevate the ownership experience here in ways that feel luxurious yet cool.

Design: 5 / 5

Alienware 16 Area-51: Performance

Incredible power for modern AAA games with high frame rates
Can control power output through Alienware Command Center
Display performance is awesome though image quality suffers

Alienware 16 Area-51 CPU benchmarks
Benchmark		Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single-core		3,126
Geekbench 6.4 Multi-core		20,498
Crossmark Overall		2,338
Crossmark Productivity		2,173
Crossmark Creativity		2,587
Crossmark Responsiveness		2,145

Gaming and high-end creative task performance match the design perfectly on the Alienware 16 Area-51. The Intel Core Ultra 9, Nvidia RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD in my configuration was probably the ideal way to make the most of the 16-inch 2560x1600 resolution display when it comes to configuration options.

I was able to play all the latest, visually arresting AAA games at 60+ frames per second without problems using Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, Forza Motorsport (2023), Doom: The Dark Ages, and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows.

Alienware 16 Area-51 GPU benchmarks
Benchmarks		Score
3DMark Fire Strike		37,813
3DMark Time Spy		21,070
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra		14,073
3DMark Time Spy Extreme		10,558
3DMark Speed Way		5,613
3DMark Steel Nomad		5,142
3DMark Port Royal		13,966

There are ways to push frame rates even higher thanks to Nvidia’s DLSS upscaling technology. The base configuration option is great for 1080p and 1440p gaming, while the max configuration is good enough for 4K gaming if users plan on connecting to a compatible monitor.

The Area-51 16-inch is powerful enough to edit high-resolution photo and video content without any problems in apps like Adobe Premiere and Photoshop.

Despite pushing the Area-51 16-inch to max capabilities, I didn’t hear much fan noise and it didn’t get too hot, mostly thanks to the Area-51 16-inch's Cryotech cooling and smart vent placement.

Game		Average FPS
Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ultra, 1080p)		52
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)		58
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)		63
Monster Hunter Wilds (Max, 1080p)		83
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very high, 1080p)		183
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)		201

Like other Alienware devices, the Command Center app is a great way to augment power delivery to focus on a quieter fan speed, focus on battery (though it doesn’t help much), and full-on performance power. Other features of the Command Center include the ability to manage various game settings alongside customizing the various RGB lighting zones around the gaming laptop.

Gaming and the display performance are good enough to make me forget how average-looking the display is when it comes to image quality, suffering from washed-out colors that aren’t very crisp.

Performance: 5 / 5

Alienware 16 Area-51: Battery life

General computing tasks usage will give around 4 hours of usage between charges
Trying to game is only going to provide about two hours

Gaming laptops at this level rarely excel in battery life, and the Alienware 16 Area-51 is no exception. In our PCMark 10 gaming battery test, it lasted around two hours, typical for machines in this category.

More disappointing is its performance in everyday tasks: during our Battery Informant Web Surfing test, it managed just over four hours with power-saving settings like reduced RGB lighting and lower brightness.

With lighting and medium volume levels on, the battery dipped to roughly three hours before needing a recharge. It would be nice to see the power-focused sect of gaming laptops reach the level of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.

On the positive side, the Alienware Battery Defender technology promises to balance power consumption with temperature monitoring to give the battery a longer life.

Charging takes a little over a few hours to reach full battery life, and there isn’t any quick charging. The power adapter brick is also pretty large as well so be mindful when traveling.

Battery life: 3 / 5

Should I buy the Alienware 16 Area-51?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	Gaming laptops are expensive by nature but the lower configuration versions of the Alienware 16 Area-51 do come at an attractive price.	4 / 5
Design	Between the smooth sleek chassis with lovely RGB lighting everywhere, port placements, fan placement and see-through bottom, this is the coolest looking gaming laptop ever made. This is the perfect match of form and function.	5 / 5
Performance	No matter which configuration you choose, you’re getting top-tier components that offer impressive scalability in performance options.	5 / 5
Battery	Battery life is pretty average so users are going to have to make sure they are near some power outlet.	3 / 5
Average rating	Image quality and battery life issues aside, this gaming laptop is worth every penny.	4.25 / 5

Buy the Alienware 16 Area-51 if...

You require one of the best-designed gaming laptops available
The Alienware 16 Area-51 is beautifully designed with a lovely chassis, properly placed ports, and awesome RGB lighting.

You need premium performance
Various configurations for top-of-the-line Intel Core CPUs and Nvidia RTX 50 series GPUs mean a variety of performance options.

You want some good extras
Great sounding speakers and a mechanical keyboard mean that serious gamers don’t have to use a USB port for an external one.

Don't buy it if...

You need better image quality
Though the performance of the 16-inch display is great, colors aren’t crisp and can feel a bit washed out. This means that gamers who are on the creative content side may have some issues.

You want better battery life
Gaming laptops aren’t usually known for their battery life, so expect similar results with the Area-51 16-inch.

Also Consider

If our Alienware Area-51 16 has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Razer Blade 14 (2024) review

Though it may not have the colorful lighting of the Area-51 16 and loses about two inches of display real estate, the Razer Blade 14 is a powerhouse that’s also portable.

Read the review here

MSI Katana 15

Anyone looking for an ultra-affordable gaming laptop that’s good for 1080p gaming performance should definitely check out the MSI Katana 15.

Read the review here

How I tested the Alienware 16 Area-51

Tested the gaming laptop over the course of a week
Games tested include Forza Motorsport (2023), Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II and Doom: The Dark Ages among others
General computing tasks include Tidal, Google Chrome and Adobe Suite

During my week with the Alienware 16 Area-51, I spent my time split between work during the day and gaming at night.

During the day, I used Google Chrome for web browsing, Gmail, Docs, and Sheets. Other software used includes Tidal to test speakers and Adobe Suite software like Photoshop, alongside Premiere Pro for creative tasks.

Outside of standard benchmark tests for games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong, I tested out plenty of modern games, including Forza Motorsport (2023), Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, and Doom: The Dark Ages. I also managed to handle a few video conferences, which allowed me to test out the webcam as well.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Two-minute review

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is an ideal desktop replacement with more than enough power to take on just about everything in PC gaming spaces and at max settings for the most part.

While there are some situations you might need to bring some settings down a smidge (cough*Cyberpunk 2077*cough), that’s only really due to the higher resolution OLED panel that only requires a bit of power.

Starting at $2,909.99 / £2,700 / AU$4,999, the Legion Pro 7i comes with an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, Nvidia RTX 50-series GPUs, a 16-inch 2560 x 1600p OLED display, and up to 64GB DDR5 RAM and 2TB PCIe SSD storage.

Along with the performance and OLED screen are a nice assortment of ports, a full keyboard, and a responsive touchpad that is, unfortunately, not ideally aligned.

For some, especially those who don’t take their gaming laptops on the road all that much, this might be among the best gaming laptops out there. But poor battery life might make one take pause if you plan on getting a laptop that you want to use regularly untethered.

Still, if you have the cash and don’t plan on transporting your gaming laptop often (or have a big backpack), the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is worth a look, especially if you want a larger 16-inch screen for your gaming experience.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Price and availability

A Lenovo Legion Pro 7i on a table — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

How much does it cost? Starting at $2,909.99 / £2,700 / AU$4,999
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i might not be Lenovo’s most expensive gaming laptop – that honor goes to the Legion Pro 9i – but it’s still very expensive. Its most affordable price is a sizable $2,909.99 / £2,700 / AU$4,999.

Starting out with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD, pricing goes up from there. The review unit I have, upgraded with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 and 2TB SSD, costs $3,559.99 / £2,990.00 / AU$6,839.00, while the maxed-out configuration of Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and 2TB SSD is a jaw-dropping $4,424.49 / £3,900.00 / AU$7,079.00.

As expensive as the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is, larger gaming laptops tend to come with an even heftier price tag. The Origin EON17-X v2 I reviewed last year started at $3,400.00 (about £2,610.00 / AU$5,120.00) for a configuration of Intel Core i9-14900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, 16GB of RAM, and a 17-inch 1440p@240Hz screen.

Of course, you can customize the lid on the EON17-X v2 with whatever design you want, but this does make the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i look affordable in comparison.

Price: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Specs

The underside of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

No matter which configuration you choose, the CPU you get is the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, a 24-core/24-thread processor with a peak frequency of 5.4GHz.

However, there is some wiggle room with the GPU where you can choose from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080, or RTX 5090, 32GB or 64GB RAM, and between 1TB or 2TB SSD storage.

	Lenovo Legion Pro 7i base configuration	Lenovo Legion Pro 7i review configuration	Lenovo Legion Pro 7i max configuration
Price:	$2,909.99 / £2,799.99 / AU$4,999.00	$3,559.99 / £2,990.00 / AU$6,839.00	$4,424.49 / £3,900.00 / AU$7,079.00
CPU:	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
Graphics:	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU
RAM:	32GB DDR5	32GB DDR5	64GB DDR5
Screen:	16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), OLED, HDR 1000 True Black, 500 nits, 240Hz	16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), OLED, HDR 1000 True Black, 500 nits, 240Hz	16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), OLED, HDR 1000 True Black, 500 nits, 240Hz
Storage:	1TB SSD	2TB SSD	2TB SSD
Ports:	HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C (power delivery 140W), 3x USB-A, Headphone / mic Combo, RJ45	HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C (power delivery 140W), 3x USB-A, Headphone / mic Combo, RJ45	HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C (power delivery 140W), 3x USB-A, Headphone / mic Combo, RJ45
Wireless:	Wi-Fi 7 / BlueTooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7 / BlueTooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7 / BlueTooth 5.4
Camera:	720p with e-privacy shutter	720p with e-privacy shutter	720p with e-privacy shutter
Weight:	Starting at < 2.72kg / 6lbs	Starting at < 2.72kg / 6lbs	Starting at < 2.72kg / 6lbs
Dimensions:	21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″	21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″	21.9mm-26.6mm x 364mm x 275.9mm / 0.86″- 1.04″ x 14.33″ x 10.86″

Considering that the base configuration is still fairly expensive, it’s no wonder that all the configurations keep the more premium appointments. Specifically, no matter what you do, you’ll get that OLED 1600p @ 240Hz panel with HDR 1000.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Design

The right-side ports on the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

This is a big computer
Large keyboard, touchpad aligned to the left
Lots of ports including Thunderbolt 4

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is big. It is a 16-inch laptop, after all. It’s fairly imposing in its matte “Eclipse Black” finish with only Legion emblazoned on the back of the lid and Lenovo in silver on the top back as flourishes. It’s also a little over an inch at its thickest.

This is not the most portable of gaming laptops. So, while it makes for a great desktop replacement, leave plenty of space in your backpack if you plan on getting this.

The left-side ports on the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Almost all the venting is underneath and back, so you don’t have to worry about hot air being blown onto you when gaming, assuming you’re using a mouse situated next to the laptop.

Besides the large 16-inch OLED screen, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i comes with a full-size keyboard complete with a ten-key numpad. There aren’t any standalone hotkeys, but plenty of keys have secondary functions, so I didn’t really miss them.

The keyboard of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The keycaps have a quality feel to them with a concave shape and textured feel that makes typing a relative pleasure. I do find the keyboard to feel a little big for some reason and find myself sometimes pressing the wrong button when reaching (mainly when gaming).

The touchpad is not oversized, but it’s set off to the left, which makes sense as the keyboard with the Numpad pushes the natural hand placement to the left as well. However, I’m not a fan of the touchpad’s placement – I would prefer it to be a bit more centered. At least, it’s accurate and responsive.

If you do want to use the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i as a desktop replacement, you’ll be happy to know that the port selection is fairly plentiful. It comes with an HDMI 2.1 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, and a USB-C port, both of which support DisplayPort 2.1. There are also three USB-A ports and an Ethernet one, along with an eShutter button for privacy’s sake.

Design: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Performance

A Lenovo Legion Pro 7i on a table playing a game — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Strong performance that’s limited somewhat by the power-hungry panel
Can run most games at max settings with speedy results
Sound quality is pretty good

Considering the powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and higher-end Nvidia 5000-series GPUs – I tested the model with an RTX 5080 – not to mention a minimum of 32GB of RAM, the gaming performance here is going to be quite robust.

Now, all that hardware has to power the 16-inch OLED panel which has a 2560 x 1600p resolution with a refresh rate of 240Hz. That panel also manages 500 nits of brightness and has HDR 1000 True Black support.

So, that can knock off up to 20 or 30 fps from the Lenovo Legion 7i’s performance if you want to take full advantage of this laptop’s display. It’s worth noting that it also achieves a DCI-P3 of 100%, making this a sharp looking, vibrant display. I definitely preferred running games like South of Midnight, Starfield, RoboCop: Rogue City, and Cyberpunk 2077 at that higher resolution.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Synthetic Benchmarks
Benchmark		Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core		3,103
Geekbench 6.4 Multi Core		19,829
Crossmark Overall		2,163
Crossmark Productivity		1,998
Crossmark Creativity		2,525
Crossmark Responsiveness		1,727
25GB File Copy Transfer Rate (MB/s)		2,030.38
3DMark Fire Strike		34,434
3DMark Time Spy		16,928
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra		11,388
3DMark Time Spy Extreme		8,337
3DMark Speed Way		4,301
3DMark Steel Nomad		3,999
3DMark Port Royal		10,958

Speaking of, I was able to run all those games at basically max settings, including Ray Tracing where applicable, with smooth results and crisp, clear images. I didn’t experience any skipping, stuttering, or screen tearing. Any way you cut it, this is a powerful gaming laptop that will hold up.

If you look at our benchmarks, you can get a solid idea of what to expect. Cyberpunk 2077 with everything maxed will look good and will be smooth enough, but won’t really take advantage of that high refresh rate as it gets just an okay 30 fps on average on 1600p, so if you plan on playing at the display's native resolution, make sure to use DLSS for the best experience.

However, there are plenty of games where I can achieve up to and above 100 fps even before compromising on settings.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gaming Benchmarks
Game & settings		Frames per second
Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ultra High, 1080p)		45 fps
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)		45 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)		50 fps
Metro: Exodus (Extreme, 1080p)		63 fps
Monster Hunter Wilds (Very High, 1080p)		73 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very High, 1080p)		163 fps
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)		144 fps
Web Surfing Battery Informant		4:37
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test		1:36

As mentioned before, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a four-speaker system. I didn’t mention that it supports Nahimic Audio, so you get some spatial audio support. Laptops often have mediocre audio at best, but this one sounds pretty good.

Besides the usual caveat that laptop speakers will never surpass dedicated headphones or speakers, the sound is full with plenty of clarity. There’s not a lot of rumble (to be expected, of course), but there’s not anything else missing from the frequency range.

Lastly, the webcam with its 5MP resolution looks good and is pretty smooth to boot. If you get this laptop to stream, you might not need to get a dedicated webcam. It’s also nice that it has a privacy eShutter button.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Battery life

Suffers from the typical short battery life of a gaming laptop
Doesn’t do a great job of retaining charge while in sleep mode

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Battery Test Results
Web Surfing Battery Informant		4:37 hours
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test		1:36 hours

The battery life on gaming laptops is typically not all that great. There are some exceptions, but a powerhouse sporting a 16-inch OLED screen with a 1600p resolution is not going to be one of them.

For proof, just look at our benchmarks. In our web surfing test, it lasted a whopping four and a half hours. That’s not great, but this isn’t a new MacBook Air that lasts almost 15 hours, nor is it supposed to be.

It’s not surprising that in the PCMark 10 gaming benchmark, it lasts just over an hour and a half. If you want extended cordless gaming, you should probably get a Steam Deck (or one of its competitors).

A little more concerning and a little more unexpected is the fact that the battery runs down even when in sleep mode. Now, this is not atypical, but there are plenty of laptops that don’t drop down to 35% battery life after being unplugged for a day, even though they haven’t been used.

Battery life: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i?

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	It may start at a hefty two grand asking price, but that’s not unusual for large screen gaming laptops.	4 / 5
Design	This laptop is massive, making it more of a desktop replacement than a portable gaming machine. At least, it has plenty of ports.	4 / 5
Performance	The gaming performance here is pretty great, only really limited by the fact that it also has to power an OLED screen.	4.5 / 5
Battery Life	The battery life is not great, though about what one would expect with a gaming powerhouse. However, it could do better holding a charge when asleep.	3.5 / 5
Final score	Despite a high cost and low battery life, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is a very powerful machine, ideal for those wanting a gaming desktop replacement.	4 / 5

Buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i if...

You want a powerful desktop replacement
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is quite big, and it’s quite powerful. If you’re looking for something that can replace a gaming desktop, this model is more than capable.

You want an OLED screen
The OLED screen here comes with a higher resolution and frame rate, not to mention strong HDR support and DCI-P3 color coverage. If you want a good OLED screen with your gaming laptop, you’re certainly getting it here.

You can afford it
This laptop has the latest and greatest powerful components (at least for a laptop), so it comes with a hefty price tag. Consider this one if money is no object.

Don't buy it if...

You have a limited budget
If you have limited cash for a gaming laptop, then the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is going to be out of your price range, considering its starting price is around 2K.

You want good battery life
Gaming laptops typically don’t have good battery life, and this laptop is no different. If you want one that can last a while without being plugged in, there’s a short list of options out there that don’t include this one.

How I tested the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i

Tested for a couple weeks
Used it for work, gaming, and streaming
Played different types of games

I used the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i for a couple of weeks, playing all sorts of games including Battlefield 2042, RoboCop: Rogue City, and Cyberpunk 2077, to get a feel for what this laptop is capable of.

I tried them at max settings, including Ray Tracing where applicable, mainly Cyberpunk, to see where their limitations are. I wrote most of this article on it and used it for some day-to-day browsing and streaming.

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is ideal for gamers who want a desktop replacement that can handle just about everything gaming-wise and have the budget to afford that kind of gaming rig.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.

First reviewed July 2025

Can a gaming laptop replace your PC? I put the MSI Titan 18 HX AI to the test for three weeks

2:43 am | July 17, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: CPU, GPU, PC, Razer Blade | Comments: Off

MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Two-minute review

MSI Titan 18 HX AI gaming laptop's back lid — (Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

When I think "gaming laptop," I think of a portable machine with just enough juice to squeeze out 60 FPS in modern titles at medium settings. The MSI Titan 18 HX AI, however, seeks to break that mold and offer something closer to a desktop replacement, boasting a tagline of "total dominance."

With enough power under the hood to crank out 90+ FPS in fairly demanding titles like NBA 2K25 and Black Myth: Wukong, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI lives up to its name. It's a behemoth of a laptop, weighing in at 7.93 lbs (3.6kg) and sporting an RTX 50-series GPU.

It's not going to live out of your backpack - it's going to sit still on your desk and look pretty doing it. But it does offer much more portability than a traditional desktop PC.

As for that massive 18-inch display, it's a joy to game on. The miniLED 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate offer the perfect balance between high refresh rate competitive gaming and high fidelity story gameplay. You're probably not going to hit 4K and 120 FPS in most titles, but the ability to pick is enough for me, especially on a laptop.

There are only a few areas I wish the Titan 18 HX executed differently - namely, the trackpad and cooling system. While the trackpad is a nice size, I found myself muttering under my breath at the accidental inputs and unclear distinction between left- and right-clicks far too often.

As for the cooling system, I can tell you with complete certainty that this is not a fanless laptop. If you've ever heard a jet engine whirring up, you have a good idea of what the MSI Titan 18 HX AI sounds like under load.

And then there's the price. There's no beating around the bush; this system is going to cost you an arm and a leg. But when you consider the hardware on offer in a (somewhat) portable machine, that price point starts to make more sense. Still, it's a tough pill to swallow.

When all is said and done, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is an incredibly performant machine with a few scant drawbacks and a price point that makes it perfect for a select few.

MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Price and availability

How much does it cost? Starting at $5,799.99 / £5,999.99 / $11,799AU
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? US, UK, and Australia

With great power comes great...asking prices. You get what you pay for with the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, and you get quite a bit. At a starting price point of just under $6,000, with options to upgrade the CPU, RAM, and display for a higher premium, that's going to prove a very high barrier to entry for most.

Frankly, you can find a lot of the best gaming PCs on the market well under that price point and still have some cash left over to get yourself a gaming handheld or decent gaming laptop.

But if you're set on a top-of-the-line laptop, you'll have to pay for it.

It looks like the only model available in Australia is the MSI Titan 18 HX AI Dragon Edition Norse Myth, which features the same set of specs along with a unique graphic on the lid and trackpad.

Price: 2.5 / 5

MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Specs

MSI Titan 18 HX AI A2XWJG: Specs
Price	Starting at $5,799
CPU	Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 200HX series
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU, 24GB GDDR7
RAM	Up to 96GB DDR5-6400
Display	18-inch UHD+ (3840x2400), MiniLED, 120Hz
Storage	3x M.2 SSD slot (NVMe PCIe Gen4), 1x M.2 SSD slot (NVMe PCIe Gen5)
Ports	2x Thunderbolt 5, 3x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 1x SD Express Card Reader, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm headphone jack
Wireless	802.11 be Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth v5.4
Camera	IR FHD (1080p, 30 FPS)
Weight	3.6 kg (7.93 lbs)
Dimensions	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm

MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Design

MSI Titan 18 HX AI gaming laptop on black mouse pad — (Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

Big and bulky
Clean aesthetics
Noisy fans under stress

In terms of design, the first thing you'll notice is how large this laptop really is. It's not afraid to take up space, and at 7.93 lbs (3.6kg), there's some serious heft to it. It's not making our list of the best thin and light gaming laptops anytime soon, but it was never trying to.

Instead, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI's design lends itself more to a desktop replacement than a portable gaming rig. Don't get me wrong, it would still be far easier to lug this laptop around in a large backpack, tote, or suitcase than a traditional gaming PC. But I wouldn't opt for a Titan if you're planning to take your gaming laptop to and from college or a friend's house.

Imposing size aside, the Titan 18 HX looks great. It features an understated black and grey design with subtle accents like an MSI logo on the clamshell lid and light texturing on the speakers and chassis. If you have to have your RGB, you'll be happy to know the Cherry mechanical keyboard is per-key customizable.

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MSI Titan 18 HX AI's keyboard and trackpad — (Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

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MSI Titan 18 HX AI keyboard and trackpad — (Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

Speaking of the keys, this is one of the first gaming laptops that didn't make me want to break out my own typing piece. It does come with a high-pitched metallic pinging sound on some keys that I'm not crazy about, but the typing feel is quite springy and satisfying. Plus, you get a full-sized keyboard with a tenkey numpad and function keys here, which is a big plus for quick adjustments and games that utilize a lot of inputs.

Moving to the port selection, you've got a Kensington security slot, two USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports, and an SD Express card reader on the left side. On the right, you get two Thunderbolt 5 USB-C ports, another USB-A 3.2 Gen2 slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Around the back side, there's an HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ45 slot, and a slot for your 400W power adapter.

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MSI Titan 18 HX AI port selection — (Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

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Overall, that's a really solid port selection you'd be hard-pressed to complain about. I love seeing the USB-A and USB-C combo here as a lot of PC peripherals (including the best gaming mice) still use that tried and true USB-A connection.

Now, for something I wish were a bit different: the cooling. When I tell you these fans are loud, it doesn't quite do it justice until you've heard them yourself. I had to raise the volume of the game I was playing multiple times just to hear over the whir required to keep that RTX 5090 cool.

This is only when the laptop is under load, so if you're just browsing the web or listening to music, you get a pretty noise-free experience. But this is a gaming laptop after all, and unless you're sticking to Stardew Valley (in which case, don't shell out for this laptop), those fans are going to make themselves known.

Design: 4 / 5

MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Performance

MSI Titan 18 HX AI Intel and Nvidia stickers — (Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

Outstanding 1080p and 1440p performance
Solid 4K capabilities
Offers fast-paced, competitive gaming and gorgeous story gameplay

Performance is the name of the game for the MSI Titan 18 HX AI. With an Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX processor, RTX 5090 laptop GPU, and a whopping 64GB of DDR5 RAM (upgradeable to 96GB), this laptop is the heavyweight main event of the evening.

MSI Titan 18 HX AI Benchmarks
Benchmark		Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core		3,046
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core		22,082
Crossmark Overall		2,269
Crossmark Productivity		2,033
Crossmark Creativity		2,757
Crossmark Responsiveness		1,760
25GB File Copy Transfer Rate (MB/s)		2,636
3DMark Fire Strike		40,374
3DMark Time Spy		22,437
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra		15,621
3DMark Time Spy Extreme		11,644
3DMark Speed Way		6,094
3DMark Steel Nomad		5,530
3DMark Port Royal		15,289
Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ultra High, 1080p)		54 fps
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)		59 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)		71 fps
Metro: Exodus (Extreme, 1080p)		93 fps
Monster Hunter Wilds (Very High, 1080p)		87 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very High, 1080p)		196 fps
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)		220 fps
Web Surfing Battery Informant		2:16
PCMark 10 Gaming Battery Test		1:37

I've been on a sports sim kick lately, with titles like NBA 2K25 and Rematch dominating my playtime. While 2K25 is fairly demanding, the Titan chewed through it like nothing, easily spitting out 90-120 FPS at 2K resolution. Rematch, on the other hand, is pretty lightweight, but that just means the 120Hz display can really shine.

I also ran the MSI Titan 18 HX AI through synthetic benchmarks and tested it in several triple-A games, including Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, and more, which you can check out in the chart above.

Performance definitely takes a hit at 4K, but many of the games are still playable at around 30-70 FPS. Plus, if you tweak a few settings and use upscaling where available, you can definitely land a sweet spot between decent frame rates and gorgeous 4K visuals, even without Frame Generation.

You'll also get a solid rendered FPS at 4K with DLSS 4, so Multi-Frame Generation won't introduce the kind of noticeable input latency that it would on less powerful devices, so feel free to turn it on and maximize the capacity of the 120Hz display when you can.

Performance: 5 / 5

MSI Titan 18 HX AI: Battery life

MSI Titan 18 HX AI gaming laptop closed lid — (Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

Considering this is a gaming laptop with a 50 series GPU, Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX and a massive 120Hz display, the battery life here is actually pretty passable. Not to mention that with a machine this bulky, it's going to be plugged in most of the time anyway, so battery life isn't a big concern in my eyes.

It's not going head-to-head with the Razer Blade 16 anytime soon in terms of battery life, so if you're looking to game on the go at 4K without a power bank or outlet nearby, forget it.

But it does buy you about an hour and a half from full charge to dead under moderate stress (at 60Hz with RGB off), and if you need to break it out of your bag to send a few quick emails and watch a little Netflix, it'll get the job done.

Battery life: 3 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Titan 18 HX AI?

MSI Titan 18 HX AI scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	While you do get a lot of horsepower with the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, the price tag isn't pretty. You're looking at well over $5,000 for a gaming laptop here, even if you do get a mobile RTX 5090.	2.5 / 5
Design	Gripes are far and few between when it comes to design - I wish the trackpad was a bit more consistent, and the fans get very loud under load. But you get a fantastic port selection, gorgeous display, satisfying keyboard, and sleek aesthetics.	4 / 5
Performance	This is where the Titan 18 HX really shines. You can crank the settings at 1080p or 1440p, and even get a respectable 60FPS at 4K with some settings tweaks.	5 / 5
Battery Life	It's a powerful gaming laptop, so you shouldn't expect all-day battery here. But for the hardware under the hood, it's actually pretty decent.	3 / 5
Final score	Overall, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is a fantastic desktop replacement that offers more portability than a traditional tower PC.	4 / 5

Buy the MSI Titan 18 HX AI if...

You need more portability than a tower PC
While "portable" isn't one of the first words I would use to describe the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, it is definitely easier to move than a traditional tower PC, monitor, and peripherals setup.

You want paramount performance from your laptop
There's serious power packed into this gaming laptop, including an RTX 5090, Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM.

Don't buy it if...

You're looking for something affordable
While the MSI Titan 18 HX AI is many things, affordable is far from one of them. You're going to have to pay for what you get here, and there are plenty of gaming laptops at half the price or cheaper.

You need to move your laptop often
While the Titan offers some semblance of portability, it wouldn't be my first pick for tossing in a bag and taking to work or a friend's house.

Also consider

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W
The Vector A18 HX A9W is like the Titan's little brother. It still packs a punch in the performance department, but at half the asking price.

Read our full MSI Vector A18 HX A9W review

Razer Blade 16 (2025)
The Razer Blade 16 (2025) is our top pick of the best gaming laptops for a reason - well, several reasons actually. It also comes equipped with an RTX 5090, but comes in at nearly $2,000 cheaper.

Read our full Razer Blade 16 (2025) review

How I tested

I used the MSI Titan 18 HX AI for over three weeks
Gaming, media, and everyday browsing
Our suite of gaming laptop benchmarks, including synthetic and in-game

I used the MSI Titan 18 HX AI A2XWJG as my primary gaming system for three weeks. I played several different titles, including NBA 2K25, Rematch, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. I also put the Titan to the test with everyday browsing and media enjoyment on YouTube, Max, Gmail, and more.

We put the Titan 18 HX through its paces in our suite of gaming laptop benchmarks, including synthetic tests and in-game benchmarking.

If you want to learn more about how we test our laptops and desktops, check out this page.

First reviewed July 2025

MSI Raider A18 HX review: big in power, big in size… as in literally too big

2:53 pm | June 11, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: CPU, GPU, RAM, Total War | Comments: Off

MSI Raider A18 HX: Two-minute review

The MSI Raider A18 HX is a high-end, premium gaming laptop with a price point to match. Featuring some of the absolute best specifications on offer on the market right now, there’s no need to worry about low frame rates or poor game quality when sporting this titan of a machine.

You do get absolutely brilliant gaming performance on the MSI Raider A18 HX, however this is the expectation when it comes to a laptop at this price point. This device is by no means an option for those who are budget-conscious, however, but you get gaming performance like no other, a stunning 4K display, and a laptop which is future-proofed for years to come.

It does, however, come with some big flaws. Of course, you’d expect an 18-inch gaming laptop to be large, but this device really and truly is on another level in terms of both size and weight.

It’s a behemoth of a device which does have its perks, such as an immersive screen size and lots of ports, but on the other hand, it's so large to a point I wouldn’t necessarily consider it portable. It also only features a 2TB SSD, which despite sounding large, will easily be filled with the size of AAA titles in this day and age.

MSI Raider A18 HX: Price and availability

How much does it cost? $5,609.99 / £4,799
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? UK and US

The MSI Raider A18 HX is a top-of-the-line laptop in terms of performance and of course that comes with a matching price point. Coming in at over $5,000 for the highest specification edition of this laptop, this price point is not for the faint of heart. Considering the specifications of the laptop, the price point does make sense as similar options are around the same price point.

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, which also features a RTX 5090 graphics card and a larger SSD, will set you back $4,499.99 / £5,099.

You can currently get this laptop in the UK, US and other select regions across the world. However, it’s currently not available in Australia.

Value: 4 /5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Specs

Closed lid of the MSI Raider A18 HX — (Image credit: Future)

MSI Raider A18 HX: Specs
	Base configuration	Review configuration
Model	Raider A18 HX A9WIG-003	Raider A18 HX A9WJG-002
Price	$4,499.99 / £3,999	$5,609.99 / £4,799
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Processor
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
RAM	64GB DDR5	64GB DDR5
Screen	Mini LED, 18inch, 3840 x 2400p, 120Hz refresh rate	Mini LED, 18inch, 3840 x 2400p, 120Hz refresh rate
Storage	2TB SSD	2TB SSD
Ports	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x SD Card reader, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x SD Card reader, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Camera	HD Camera (30fps, 1080p)	HD Camera (30fps, 1080p)
Weight	3.6kg	3.6kg
Dimensions	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm

The MSI Raider A18 HX is a top-end gaming device where you can either opt for the Nvidia RTX 5090 or Nvidia RTX 5080 graphics cards. While both of these provide high-level graphics performance, if you really want the best of the best in terms of specifications then of course the Nvidia RTX 5090 is the clear option.

All the other specs between these two devices are identical, so no matter which option you pick up, you’ll be getting a mighty processor as well as an almost excessive amount of RAM with 64GB at your disposal.

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Various angles of the MSI Raider A18 HX laptop — (Image credit: Future)

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MSI Raider A18 HX: Design

Large and heavy
18-inch screen looks fantastic
Plenty of ports

When first unboxing the MSI Raider A18 HX, all I could think was… woah. Weighing in at 3.6kg, this definitely isn’t the lightest of laptops, and pair this with the absolutely massive size measuring at 404 x 307.5 x 32.05 mm, this device is almost certainly too big for most laptop backpacks.

Being an avid collector of laptop bags, I tried it in a whole load of different bags, and the only thing I could fit this device in was a suitcase. This is definitely something to take note of if you’re planning to use a gaming laptop on the go.

Size aside, the laptop itself is very traditionally gamer-y in terms of style. You get red accents around the edge of the device as well as RGB on the logo and along the bottom bezel. Contributing to this aesthetic is the font of the keyboard, which is quite aggressive.

You get a stunning 18-inch screen with this laptop with a 3840 x 2400 resolution, perfect for playing AAA titles in 4K. However, for those who play competitive titles where frames win games - you also get a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring you have the best of both worlds with this display.

The MSI Raider A18 HX features 3 USB-A ports, 2 USB-C ports and a headphone jack. You also get an ethernet port and HDMI port on the back of the device. While this is more than enough ports for a standard set up of gaming peripherals, you’ll likely need extenders if you’re hoping to run a full streaming setup.

Design: 3 / 5

Side view of the MSI Raider A18 HX — (Image credit: Future)

MSI Raider A18 HX: Performance

Can become unstable when battery drops too far
Top-tier gaming performance
Fans get loud

MSI Raider A18 HX: Benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 80877 ; Fire Strike: 42898 ; Time Spy: 18448
GeekBench 6: 2867 (single-core); 12285 (multi-core)
CrossMark: Overall: 1578 Productivity: 1532 Creativity: 1851 Responsiveness: 1067
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 203 ; (1080p, Low): 454
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 167 ; (1080p, Low): 198
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 306 ; (1080p, Low): 204
PCMark 10 Battery Life: 1hr 27mins
TechRadar movie test: 1hr 45mins

I did have some teething issues when first booting up the MSI Raider A18 HX. At first it was freezing frequently and at one point in the middle of benchmarking it completely froze and I needed to hold down the power button to shut it off. I realised the main issue was when the battery dropped below 10% - it became practically useless, even when I adjusted power saving settings to ensure the best performance.

I resorted to using the laptop plugged in the majority of the time because of the power draw, and risking dropping below 10% battery and having the entire system shut off was not a gamble I was willing to take - especially when playing online. However, when the laptop did work as intended, it was absolutely fantastic, I got top-tier performance from every single title I booted up in Ultra.

Whether I was running lower-intensity titles or AAA games, which did send the fans of the laptop into orbit, I was able to get amazing quality graphics and high frames every time.

It’s worth noting that - as with a lot of gaming machines of this calibre - it did get very hot and very loud quite quickly, with fans going full throttle as soon as I would boot up a game in 4K.

The speakers on the laptop are pretty good, while they of course don’t match headset-level quality, they are perfectly fine for gaming with.

However, if you're looking for pinpoint-accurate directional audio, you won’t really find that from laptop speakers in general anyway, and should in vest in the best PC speakers.

Performance: 4 / 5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Battery life

The battery life was the biggest let down of this laptop. Of course, most gaming laptops have a very high power draw since they contain some pretty intense components, but the MSI Raider A18 HX really was unbelievably low.

When playing AAA games at 4K, I got less than an hour out of the laptop before it would shut itself off. Considering the performance issue I experienced when reaching low battery levels, this rendered the device even more useless for portability.

In tune with the size of the laptop, you get an absolutely gigantic 400w charging brick which also contributes to the lack of portability. However, the perk of having such a big charging brick is that your laptop will charge back to full battery very quickly with mine going from 10% back to 100% in around an hour.

It’s clear that this laptop was designed to remain plugged in at all times, whether it's due to the size of the device itself, the size of the charger or just the battery life in general. While it is a gaming laptop, it’s clearly one intended to remain stationary.

Battery life: 1 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Raider A18 HX?

MSI Raider A18 HX with its charging cable on a wooden floor — (Image credit: Future)

MSI Raider A18 HX: Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Value
Value	4 / 5	Priced appropriately based on specs, the one downside here is the lack of availability in certain territories
Design	3 / 5	Despite coming with a gorgeous chassis, it’s hard to look past just how big this laptop is which takes away from its portability.
Performance	4 / 5	You get fantastic performance here which is let down when you get to lower battery percentages.
Battery	1 / 5	The battery is a major letdown when it comes to this laptop to the point I wouldn’t even consider using it unplugged.
Average rating	3 / 5	The MSI Raider A18 HX is huge and chugs through its battery, but there's no faulting the level of performance for the price, even if it comes at the (literal) cost of everything else.

Buy it if...

You want top-of-the-line performance
The specifications of this laptop are some of the best on the market right now, which deliver top-tier performance

You want something with the traditional gamer aesthetic
You get a traditional gamer-y style with this laptop including RGB and aggressive font

You want a built-in 4K display
You get a stunning display on this laptop which makes for a beautiful gaming experienceView Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want a portable gaming solution
Despite being a laptop, this device is so large that it means portability is essentially non-existent.View Deal

You need something with good battery life
All that power comes at the cost of (expectedly) woeful battery life. You'll need to keep a wall socket handy for this oneView Deal

MSI Raider A18 HX: Also Consider

Razer Blade 14

If you’re looking for a powerful gaming laptop which provides you with immaculate performance regardless of if you’re looking for stunning visuals or high frame rates all packed into a compact and stunning chassis, then the Razer Blade 14 is a great option.

MSI Katana 15

The MSI Katana 15 is a great budget option for those who are looking for a powerful gaming laptop without having to fork out too much cash. You can pick it up at less than £1,000 and still get decent AAA performance in 1080p.

How I tested the MSI Raider A18 HX

I spent two weeks using the MSI Raider A18 HX as my everyday laptop for work and leisure. I was sure to use the device all day for my typical work day, and then also used it for gaming in the evening. I took it on the go with me to different locations where I needed to work to see how it would feel outside of my workstation. As well as using it every day I also benchmarked the laptop using a range of different benchmarking software.

First reviewed: June 2025

MSI Raider A18 HX review: big in power, big in size… as in literally too big

2:53 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: CPU, GPU, RAM, Total War | Comments: Off

MSI Raider A18 HX: Two-minute review

It does, however, come with some big flaws. Of course, you’d expect an 18-inch gaming laptop to be large, but this device really and truly is on another level in terms of both size and weight.

MSI Raider A18 HX: Price and availability

How much does it cost? $5,609.99 / £4,799
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? UK and US

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, which also features a RTX 5090 graphics card and a larger SSD, will set you back $4,499.99 / £5,099.

You can currently get this laptop in the UK, US and other select regions across the world. However, it’s currently not available in Australia.

Value: 4 /5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Specs

MSI Raider A18 HX: Specs
	Base configuration	Review configuration
Model	Raider A18 HX A9WIG-003	Raider A18 HX A9WJG-002
Price	$4,499.99 / £3,999	$5,609.99 / £4,799
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Processor
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
RAM	64GB DDR5	64GB DDR5
Screen	Mini LED, 18inch, 3840 x 2400p, 120Hz refresh rate	Mini LED, 18inch, 3840 x 2400p, 120Hz refresh rate
Storage	2TB SSD	2TB SSD
Ports	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x SD Card reader, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x SD Card reader, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Camera	HD Camera (30fps, 1080p)	HD Camera (30fps, 1080p)
Weight	3.6kg	3.6kg
Dimensions	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm

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MSI Raider A18 HX: Design

Large and heavy
18-inch screen looks fantastic
Plenty of ports

Design: 3 / 5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Performance

Can become unstable when battery drops too far
Top-tier gaming performance
Fans get loud

MSI Raider A18 HX: Benchmarks

Whether I was running lower-intensity titles or AAA games, which did send the fans of the laptop into orbit, I was able to get amazing quality graphics and high frames every time.

It’s worth noting that - as with a lot of gaming machines of this calibre - it did get very hot and very loud quite quickly, with fans going full throttle as soon as I would boot up a game in 4K.

The speakers on the laptop are pretty good, while they of course don’t match headset-level quality, they are perfectly fine for gaming with.

However, if you're looking for pinpoint-accurate directional audio, you won’t really find that from laptop speakers in general anyway, and should in vest in the best PC speakers.

Performance: 4 / 5

MSI Raider A18 HX: Battery life

Battery life: 1 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Raider A18 HX?

MSI Raider A18 HX: Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Value
Value	4 / 5	Priced appropriately based on specs, the one downside here is the lack of availability in certain territories
Design	3 / 5	Despite coming with a gorgeous chassis, it’s hard to look past just how big this laptop is which takes away from its portability.
Performance	4 / 5	You get fantastic performance here which is let down when you get to lower battery percentages.
Battery	1 / 5	The battery is a major letdown when it comes to this laptop to the point I wouldn’t even consider using it unplugged.
Average rating	3 / 5	The MSI Raider A18 HX is huge and chugs through its battery, but there's no faulting the level of performance for the price, even if it comes at the (literal) cost of everything else.

Buy it if...

You want top-of-the-line performance
The specifications of this laptop are some of the best on the market right now, which deliver top-tier performance

You want something with the traditional gamer aesthetic
You get a traditional gamer-y style with this laptop including RGB and aggressive font

You want a built-in 4K display
You get a stunning display on this laptop which makes for a beautiful gaming experienceView Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want a portable gaming solution
Despite being a laptop, this device is so large that it means portability is essentially non-existent.View Deal

You need something with good battery life
All that power comes at the cost of (expectedly) woeful battery life. You'll need to keep a wall socket handy for this oneView Deal

MSI Raider A18 HX: Also Consider

Razer Blade 14

MSI Katana 15

How I tested the MSI Raider A18 HX

First reviewed: June 2025

Acer Nitro 14 review: overpriced for the performance on offer

12:48 pm | June 3, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, CPU, GPU, Razer Blade | Comments: Off

Acer Nitro 14: Two-minute review

The Acer Nitro 14 is the latest compact gaming laptop from the Taiwanese hardware company looking to bring a (largely) affordable solution to an otherwise premium form factor, with a couple of considerations made towards its design and hardware.

While the Acer Nitro 14 doesn't stand among the best thin and light gaming laptops or the best gaming laptops in general, it does offer solid performance, decent enough value for money, and a respectable battery life that makes it worth considering if you can find the machine discounted in 2025.

The main trade-off with a smaller machine as opposed to a more traditional 15-inch and 16-inch model is the choice of graphics cards inside this 14.5-inch gaming laptop. Armed with either an RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 (even during the arrival of the newer RTX 50 series laptops), it's something of a harder sell in 2025 considering it's also more expensive than many different alternatives.

Turning to the performance, the Acer Nitro 14 largely achieves 60fps in 1080p gaming when using its RTX 4060 configuration (the model we received for review). Demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are solid, but factoring in the age of these games, it's not the most telling sign for the things to come in the future. The 8GB GDDR6 VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are (just barely) enough for now, but what does that mean for PC gaming in the next few years?

The Acer Nitro 14 compact gaming laptop photographed on a coral background. — (Image credit: Future)

Design-wise, the Acer Nitro 14 is solid but far from exciting. On the positive side of things, it has a sleek enough, primarily plastic frame and a bright RGB keyboard. However, getting your hands involved is where the cracks begin to show. The membrane keyboard is on the mushier side of things, and the trackpad is frankly poor. You'll be better off getting a wireless gaming keyboard and a proper mouse for navigation, and be sure to prop the rig up to aid airflow (it gets hot - more on that later).

The deck is somewhat stacked against the Acer Nitro 14. It's not a terrible gaming laptop by any means. However, it also doesn't excel in any particular way, meaning it's worth investing in another similarly priced (or cheaper) alternative instead.

Acer Nitro 14: Price & Availability

How much is it? Starting from $1,099 / £1,199
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can get it in the US and the UK

One of the biggest deciding factors for considering the Acer Nitro 14 is its price point. The RTX 4050 variant (the weakest of the lot) is available for $1,099 / £1,199 in the US and the UK, respectively. Our review unit is the RTX 4060 model, which carries an MSRP of $1,249 and an RRP of £1,299. However, it's worth pointing out that this machine has enjoyed regular discounts in the two territories since its launch near the end of 2024, so you may get a better deal by shopping around.

Straight off the bat, we recommend going for the RTX 4060 version as opposed to the RTX 4050 variant, as the former will be much more capable of gaming in 1080p. With that said, $1,249 / £1,299 for an RTX 4060 laptop is on the pricier end of things, especially in 2025 when the RTX 50 series launch is imminent, with budget Blackwell devices on the horizon.

We then need to look at how the Acer Nitro 14 compares to other small-factor gaming laptops. It's worth noting that 14-inch models are (generally) pricier than their more standard 15-inch equivalents. The similarly priced competition includes the Asus TUF Gaming A14, Gigabyte 14 Aero OLED, and the HP Omen 14 Transcend, all of which can be picked up for around the same price with an RTX 4050 or 4060 configuration in 2025.

The Acer Nitro 14 is definitely on the budget end for a smaller laptop, and leagues cheaper than leading models like the Razer Blade 14. However, its otherwise-aggressive pricing is sure to weaken over time, because it's about to be replaced by more capable hardware, making purchasing it right now less than ideal unless you've found an aggressive discount.

Value: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Specs

Acer Nitro 14 Specs
	Acer Nitro 14 Base Config	Acer Nitro 14 Review Config
Price	$1,099 / £1,199	$1,249 / £1,299
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS	AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 6GB	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB
RAM	16GB LPDDR5	16GB LPDDR5
Storage	512GB Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD	1TB Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD
Display	14.5-inch IPS 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 120Hz @ 300 nits	14.5-inch IPS 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 120Hz @ 300 nits
Ports and Connectivity	USB Type-C x 1; USB 4 x 1; USB 3.2 x 2; HDMI 2.1 x 1; 3.5 mm jack x 1; Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3	USB Type-C x 1; USB 4 x 1; USB 3.2 x 2; HDMI 2.1 x 1; 3.5 mm jack x 1; Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3
Battery	76Wh 4-cell (Claims up to 9 hours of playback)	76Wh 4-cell (Claims up to 9 hours of playback)
Dimensions	22.84 x 324.12 x 255.9 mm	22.84 x 324.12 x 255.9 mm
Weight	2kg / 4.4lbs	2kg / 4.4lbs

Two configurations of the Acer Nitro 14 are available in the US and UK; one features an RTX 4050 and the other has an RTX 4060 inside. The key difference between the two variants is the available VRAM of the mobile graphics processor, with the former having 6GB GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus and the latter having 8GB GDDR6 memory on a larger 128-bit bus. Depending on region, you'll have the choice of either the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS or the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor.

Outside of the GPUs on offer, the hardware inside of the Acer Nitro 14 is solid. Both Ryzen 8000 series processors are fast and responsive for gaming, productivity, and AI workloads, however, you are paying a premium on the smaller 14-inch form factor considering the lower-end graphics solution here.

It's very common to find much more capable RTX 4070 gaming laptops for around the same price (or cheaper), such as the Asus TUF Gaming A16, Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, Lenovo LOQ 15, and MSI Katana A15 AI in 2025. You'll note that these machines are all a touch larger, at either 15-inch or 16-inch, so be wary of the premium attached to going more compact.

Specs: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Design

Average build quality
Primarily plastic construction
Lacking trackpad and keyboard

The most immediate thing about the Acer Nitro 14's design is the size of the display itself. As its name denotes, it's a 14.5-inch gaming laptop, which is fairly lean in terms of weight; it's less than one inch thick and is 2kg / 4.4lbs in heft. It's far more the sleekest or slimmest gaming laptop in the form factor, for that kind of thing, you're better off looking at the Razer Blade 14 (0.7-inch thick at 1.84kg / 4.05lbs), but then you're going to pay double for a device of a similar spec.

Then we get to the style of the Acer Nitro 14, which is so-so. The manufacturer has prioritized function over form here with its primarily plastic construction and (fairly) dull IPS LCD display. While the 1200p resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio are nice additions, filling up the bezel, it's let down by a peak brightness of only 300 nits with no HDR to speak of. It's not entirely unexpected in a laptop of this range, but it is disappointing considering that games and media won't pop much on this panel. The 120Hz refresh rate is nice, and about what you'll top out of in certain lesser-demanding games; any higher would have been wasted on this lower-end rig.

While the keyboard looks particularly fetching with its multi-zone RGB lighting, actually using it is another story. It's spongey with a lacking tactile feel and one of the cheapest-feeling and acting trackpads that I've used in some time. While fit for purpose, they detract from the user experience. Instead, I would recommend pairing the PC with one of the best gaming keyboards and the best gaming mouse at the very least, but you'll likely also have a Bluetooth (or USB) gamepad, too.

Design: 2.5 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Performance

Achieves 60fps in 1080p
CPU is held back by the GPU
Gets loud and hot under load

The Acer Nitro 14 is a decent performer in 1080p for gaming and general computing applications. However, it's unlikely to blow you away with its just-respectable performance prowess. Starting with gaming, the laptop did fine in demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Total War: Warhammer 3, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with average framerates in ultra/high settings above the 60fps mark. This is due to the RTX 4060 and its 8GB GDDR6 VRAM; if you are thinking of going for the cheaper RTX 4050 variant (with 6GB GDDR6 memory), then you're unlikely to achieve 1080p and 60fps with the sliders maxed out.

The 120Hz display is more likely to be useful when dropping down the settings or playing less demanding PC games, though. That's because I observed 132fps in Total War: Warhammer 3 on Low (showing the process of CPU-bound games backed by the Ryzen 7 chip), and it was a similar story in Cyberpunk 2077 on Low (83fps). Despite still being visual showcases for hardware, the titles are older now, with the games being released a handful of years ago. You may struggle to achieve 60fps in 1080p in today's games in 2025.

Acer Nitro 14 Benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Nitro 14 held up in our industry-standard tests conducted over the last few weeks.

Geekbench 6.2:
Single - 2,392
Multi - 11,736
Cinebench R24:
Single - 1,719Multi - 16,106
3DMark:
Fire Strike - 22,862
Time Spy - 9,557
Port Royal - 5,357
Speed Way - 2,347
PCMark10:
7,490
CrossMark:
Overall - 1,613
Productivity - 1,583
Creativity - 1,669
Responsiveness - 1,542
Red Dead Redemption 2:
1080p Low - 83fps
1080p Ultra - 64fps
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p Low - 108fps
1080p Ultra - 64fps
1080p Psycho RT - 44fps
Total War: Warhammer 3:
1080p Low - 132fps
1080p Ultra - 71fps
Battery test: 1 hour 59 minutes

Synthetic benchmarks tell the story of the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS's prowess inside of the Acer Nitro 14. The processor has eight cores (16 threads) and a maximum boost clock of 5.1 GHz, which is how we can see the strong performance in the likes of Cinebench R24 and Geekbench 6. It's a Ryzen AI chip with its own NPU rated at 16 TOPS, so Microsoft Copilot comes pre-installed (even with a dedicated key on the board). Gamers are unlikely to get much use out of this, but the NPU should be respectable enough for AI workloads.

To get the most out of the RTX 4060 mobile graphics processor, I recommend using Nvidia DLSS's upscaling and Frame Generation technology where supported. It'll downscale the picture to 720p and then blow the image back up to 1080p, but it's likely going to be a difference between a playable framerate and a less-than-ideal one. This is evidenced by Cyberpunk 2077 struggling to hit 60fps with "Psycho" RT functionality enabled.

While the Acer Nitro 14 is far from the noisest or hottest gaming laptop I've tested, it certainly lets its presence be known. Acer has confidently backed its "Liquid Metal Thermal Grease" for the heatsink on the CPU to the motherboard, and while the core temperatures are about average, you'll still see upwards of 70° and 80° when moderately gaming (or doing other hardware-intensive tasks).

It's not a problem that's unique to the laptop, but it's more common in 14-inch models, given their more compact design. I recommend using a laptop riser or a dedicated cooling pad to ensure top performance, and never to use it in bed (or on any plush surface) that covers the rear fans.

Performance: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Battery Life

Acer claims up to nine hours
Windows estimated up to three hours
Around two hours of media playback and less for gaming

The battery life of the Acer Nitro 14 is nothing special, but it's far from the worst I've seen from a budget gaming laptop. The company claims around nine hours of general use, but you certainly won't see a lifeline like that either gaming or consuming media.

Windows estimated just under three hours when on battery power with the machine idle or lightly in use, with activities such as web browsing. Dimming the screen and enabling battery saving mode might get you to the claimed rates, but it seems situational. When on battery power, the laptop lasted just under two hours in our battery test with media playback and just under this when gaming.

It's disappointing, considering the compact size of the Acer Nitro 14 means you would probably want it in your bag to kill time when not working or at school. However, carrying around the bulky charger kind of kills that idea. Again, this isn't an issue unique to the laptop, as many gaming laptops struggle with their battery, but it also doesn't buck the trend either.

Battery Life: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Acer Nitro 14?

Acer Nitro 14 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The Acer Nitro 14 is on the pricier side, considering its hardware, but that's the premium for a more compact laptop.	3 / 5
Design	It's a laptop that puts function over form, with a chunky, plastic chassis. However, it's small enough for your bag.	2.5 / 5
Performance	Gaming in 1080p at 60fps is no problem in demanding games, but it will likely struggle to maintain this in the near future.	3 / 5
Battery Life	Middling battery life with around two hours of media playback and slightly less when gaming. You're going to need to keep its charger nearby (or rely on mains power) for extended use sessions.	3 / 5
Total	The Acer Nitro 14 is a solid gaming laptop that largely achieves what it sets out to do, but there are cheaper and better options out there that you should consider instead.	3 / 5

Buy it if...

A small gaming laptop is a must

If you're opposed to a 15-inch or 16-inch gaming laptop then the Acer Nitro 14 will get the job done. It just don't won't be very exciting.

You can find it discounted

At MSRP, the Acer Nitro 14 is a hard sell. However, with the right discount, it could be a great investment, especially with the arrival of the new RTX 50 series laptops.

Don't buy it if...

You can find an RTX 4070 laptop for less

The RTX 4060 inside of the Acer Nitro 14 is just about enough for today's games, but already shows signs of struggling. You could try and find a higher-end GPU in a laptop if you want more peace of mind, as many can be found for the same price during sale periods.

You need a laptop for work or school

The Acer Nitro 14's lacking battery life, mushy keyboard, poor trackpad, and dull screen make it a poor fit for productivity use, which is a shame given its otherwise excellent CPU.

Acer Nitro 14: Also Consider

Razer Blade 14 (2024)

The Razer Blade 14 (2024) doesn't come cheap. However, it's our number one pick for the best gaming laptop that money can buy. If you want leading performance in a sleek aluminum chassis, then it may be worth considering instead.

Read our full Razer Blade 14 review.

HP Omen Transcend 14

It's a touch pricier at MSRP but is frequently discounted in the US and the UK to near that of the Acer Nitro 14. HP's small gaming laptop features a vastly superior OLED display in a smaller and lighter package.

Read our full HP Omen Transcend 14 review.

How I tested the Acer Nitro 14

Tested for over a week
Industry-standard benchmarking
Used in real-world applications

I tested the Acer Nitro 14 over a week, benchmarking the machine with our suite of industry-standard synthetic benchmarks and gaming performance to see what it was capable of before deciding on my verdict.

I've been a hardware editor for over five years and a PC gamer for much longer. In my career, I've reviewed dozens of laptops over the years and have experience with all kinds of machines, of which I've weighed the Acer Nitro 14.

First reviewed April 2025

I ditched my PC for the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W gaming laptop – here’s my verdict after three weeks

11:00 pm | May 31, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: GPU, Indiana Jones, PC, Resident Evil | Comments: Off

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Two-Minute Review

Holding the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W — This thing is heavy, seriously... (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

It's simple. If you're out for a powerful gaming laptop, capable of reaching high and smooth frame rates with minimal performance issues, the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W is your answer. Using Nvidia's RTX 5080 laptop GPU and AMD's Ryzen 9 9955HX processor, gaming is a breeze at its native 2560x1600 resolution without using Team Green's DLSS upscaling technology; however, when it is used, achieving high frame rates is a cakewalk.

It shines best in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Indiana Jones: The Great Circle, and Resident Evil 4 remake. It can struggle when attempting to use ray tracing at maximum graphics settings and at a 4K resolution without enabling DLSS, but that's exactly what Nvidia's tools are there for.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 had very little trouble reaching over 100fps, and edged close to the 100fps mark when running on ECO-Silent mode (which is incredible as I'll dive into later), helping reduce the workload and high temperatures, thanks to MSI Center's user scenario options.

With a 240Hz refresh rate, playing less demanding titles like Hades that can reach such frame rates, was an immersive and astonishing gaming experience. I know I've previously said that 144 or 165Hz refresh rates are more than enough for gaming, but with any game that can stay at 240fps without any significant dips, it's very impressive.

It's not all perfect though; this laptop is not ideal for long trips or playing on the go, as it's incredibly heavy (especially when including its 400W power adapter), and you'd need a large backpack to fit the 18-inch laptop in for travels. I found it difficult to use for long hours on a sturdy mini bed desk, with worries that it would snap its legs in pieces, and even at my main gaming desk, with its power adapter taking up space – so, portability isn't the best here.

This isn't an inexpensive system either - however, if you can afford the expense and you're looking for one of the best gaming laptops to provide great gaming performance, look no further.

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Price & Availability

How much does it cost? Starting at $2,999.99 / £3,199 / AU$6,599 (for RTX 5080 configuration)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? In the US, UK, and Australia

There's no denying that the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W is a very expensive piece of hardware, instantly locking most gamers out of a potential purchase. However, for those who can afford it, you're getting the bang for your buck with a system that is capable of matching a variety of desktop builds.

With both a powerful AMD processor and Nvidia GPU, it's more than enough to satisfy most gamers' performance needs; the Ryzen 9 9955HX excels at single-core and multi-core processes, which you'll see later below.

With this configuration (A9WIG-006UK), there is no OLED or mini-LED display available, which would've slightly softened the blow of the high price, with an immersive and brighter screen – but that shouldn't hinder the gaming experience here.

The issue is that it's more or just as expensive as some pre-built gaming PCs, which is somewhat reasonable since it's using a CPU as powerful as those in high-end desktops – but the RTX 5080 discrete desktop version is the stronger GPU.

Regardless, this is a gaming laptop that packs plenty of processing power in a beefy and sturdy chassis, cooled very well with its Cooler Boost 5 tech using a 'Dedicated Cooling Pipe', so it's not very surprising to see it cost so much.

Still, the point remains; unless you're adamant on travelling with the Vector A18 HX A9W and using it on the go (which I wouldn't recommend because portability isn't that great here), or just want a PC you can move around your home easily, it might be a better choice to buy a desktop rig.

Value: 2.5 / 5

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Specs

Resident Evil 4 remake running on MSI Vector A18 HX A9W — You knew you'd see Resident Evil 4 at some point in this review... I'm obsessed with it (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

	MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-006UK (Review model UK)	MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-223US (Base model US)	MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-076US (Highest config)
Price	£3,199	$2,999.99	$3,959
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9955 HX	AMD Ryzen 9955 HX	AMD Ryzen 9955 HX
GPU	Nvidia RTX 5080	Nvidia RTX 5080	Nvidia RTX 5080
RAM	32GB DDR5	32GB DDR5	64GB DDR5
Storage	2TB NVMe Gen 4x4	1TB NVMe Gen 4x4	2TB NVMe Gen 4x4
Display	18" QHD+(2560x1600), 240Hz Refresh Rate, IPS-Level, 100% DCI-P3(Typical)	18" 16:10 QHD+(2560 x 1600), 240Hz, 100% DCI-P3 IPS-Level Panel	18" 16:10 QHD+(2560 x 1600) 240Hz 100% DCI-P3 IPS-Level Panel
Battery	4-Cell, 99.9 Whrs	4-Cell, 99.9 Whrs	4-Cell, 99.9 Whrs
Ports	2x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 4/DP&PD 3.1 (Thunderbolt 4 Compatible), HDMI 2.1	2x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 4/DP&PD 3.1 (Thunderbolt 4 Compatible), HDMI 2.1	2x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 4/DP&PD 3.1 (Thunderbolt 4 Compatible), HDMI 2.1
Dimensions	15.91" x 12.09" x 1.26"	15.91" x 12.09" x 1.26"	15.91" x 12.09" x 1.26"
Weight	3.6 kg / 7.9lbs	3.6 kg / 7.9lbs	3.6 kg / 7.9lbs

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Design

Chassis of MSI Vector A18 HX A9W — (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

I absolutely love the chassis of the Vector A18 HX A9W as it has a sturdy build, and perhaps most importantly, a great cooling pipe design. Even when gaming on Extreme Performance, temperatures were never too high, often hitting a maximum of 77 degrees Celsius.

Its speakers aren't particularly a standout, but are serviceable and get the job done, especially with an equalizer and 3D surround sound available to improve audio immersion. It's also always easier to use Bluetooth speakers or headphones that have much better bass and clarity.

The two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports present are ideal for fast file transfers and for those who aren't keen on expanding internal storage with a new SSD, who would rather use an external one. It also features an HDMI 2.1 port on its rear, right next to its power adapter port – and one particular aspect I don't like is the slightly short length of the wire, which often forced me to place the chunky adapter on the desk.

Ports on the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W — Cool design, right? (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

With an 18-inch screen, you're getting the best you could possibly ask for when it comes to portable gaming – and if you've got a spacious desktop setup, it's a great experience.

However, the screen size and the weight are the only two main issues I have in this region, as you're going to have trouble fitting this in most backpacks for travel, and it's very heavy to carry around.

At 7.9 lbs, it had me paranoid that it would make my mini desk meet its demise, and while it's understandable considering all the powerful components, you should be aware that this laptop isn't built for portability (especially while carrying the adapter around, too).

Regardless, this is a beefy gaming laptop power-wise, and these gripes weren't too significant to spoil my experience overall.

Design: 4 / 5

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Display

My review model of the Vector A18 doesn't exactly have the best display available, as it's neither OLED nor mini-LED – both of which offer greater contrast and brightness. However, that doesn't stop it from being an immersive display that I found ideal for intense and competitive multiplayer gaming sessions.

It's thanks to the 240Hz refresh rate and 2560x1600 resolution, which matches up well with the horsepower of the RTX 5080. There aren't many games that are going to run at 240fps (unless you significantly lower graphics settings or resolution), but the ones that do, look absolutely incredible.

I must admit, coming from the consistent use of an OLED ultrawide, it took a little bit of an adjustment to become accustomed to an IPS LCD panel again – but that's to be expected when scaling down from one of the best display types (and it would be unfair to knock points off here because of that).

It's worth noting that HDR isn't present either, which often goes a long way at providing better color accuracy and detail in both brighter and darker images.

Regardless, the Vector A18 HX A9W has a 100% DCI-P3 coverage, so I never once felt dissatisfied or urged to calibrate or adjust color profiles. It also helps that you're getting a full 18-inch screen, which I believe is the sweet spot for portable laptop gaming (besides it probably being why it's so heavy).

The one downside I ran into is playing games that don't have 16:10 aspect ratio support. To put it simply, if you dislike black bars filling out portions of your screen while gaming, you're not going to like it here. So, it's definitely worth considering before committing to a purchase, but there are no other gripes from me.

Display: 4 / 5

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Performance

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W running Black Ops 6 — Sweaty Call of Duty lobbies... we love to see it (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

RTX 5080 is a beast of a laptop GPU
The combo with AMD's Ryzen 9955HX processor is fantastic
The CPU's performance is incredible, matching desktop processors

The biggest highlight of the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W is its performance, almost across the board. It shouldn't come as a surprise for me to say that the RTX 5080 laptop GPU is an absolute powerhouse, and crushes the 2560x1600 resolution in most triple-A games – and DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation is a game changer when used where necessary (essentially anything as demanding as Cyberpunk 2077).

In CPU-bound games, AMD's Ryzen 9955HX processor shines bright with 16 cores and 32 threads, ensuring the Blackwell GPU can do its job without any major bottleneck. In synthetic tests, both single-core and multi-core scores soared above chips like Apple's M1 Max in Cinebench 2024, and in real-world gaming tests, the results were consistent, as I didn't notice anything ominous regarding performance frame rates and frame pacing.

Most importantly, MSI Center features three different user scenario modes: ECO-Silent, Balanced, and Extreme Performance, which can all be used in any of the three Discrete, MSHybrid, or Integrated Graphics modes.

For the best results, I stuck with Discrete Graphics mode, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how great ECO-Silent was, in particular. Using a lower TDP (power consumption), temperatures are significantly decreased, and the fans are silent, hence the name ECO-Silent – but I came away shocked at the frame rates I was hitting using this mode.

At 1600p on ECO-Silent, Cyberpunk 2077 at maximum graphics settings without ray tracing and DLSS Quality, it ran at a solid 77fps, sometimes reaching the low 80fps mark, with a 1% low of 66fps.

In Assassin's Creed Shadows – a game that is arguably nearly as demanding on PC hardware as Cyberpunk 2077, and frankly, needs Frame Generation for higher FPS – ran at an average of 40fps on maximum graphics settings at 1600p, using DLSS Quality on ECO-Silent.

With the same graphics settings applied to Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, it hit an average of 62fps; if that doesn't indicate how impressive ECO-Silent mode is, then I don't know what will. It's the best option for gamers who are bothered by fan noise and higher temperatures, while you still get very impressive performance results.

It gets even better with Balanced and Extreme Performance; the former has fans only a little louder than ECO-Silent, and is the way you should use the Vector A18 HX A9W for gaming (it's also MSI's recommended option), as it gives you a true reflection of what this machine is capable of, evident in the performance charts above.

Sticking with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Balanced mode was 41% faster than ECO-Silent, with an average of 94fps and 1% low at 77fps.

In the case of Extreme Performance, expect a whole lot of fan noise and higher temperatures, in favor of the best possible performance. In most cases of casual play, I hardly needed to use this mode, as the FPS boost wasn't significant enough coming from Balanced mode. However, it's absolutely essential for gaming at 4K, especially if you're using ray tracing.

It mustn't go without mention that DLSS Multi Frame Generation (when you have a decent base frame rate) is an absolute treat. It makes Cyberpunk 2077's Overdrive path tracing preset playable without needing to adjust graphics settings; yes, increased latency is worth noting, but I honestly didn't think it was too impactful in this case.

Performance: 5 / 5

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Battery

Male holding the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W's adapter — This heavy adapter is your best friend... forget about the battery (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

As it is with most gaming laptops I've used, the battery life isn't terrible, but it's also not great either – so, decent at best. We're still seemingly a long way off from battery tech improving, especially for gaming laptops and handheld gaming PCs, but I give the Vector A18 HX A9W its plaudits for being at least average here.

It has a 99.9WHr battery, and switching MSI Center's user scenarios, battery life can vary. While playing Resident Evil 4 remake on Hybrid mode and Extreme Performance, the laptop lasted a full hour, starting at 85% before draining. Knocking the scenario settings down to Discrete mode and Balanced (with 50% brightness) allowed it to last another 10 minutes from the same battery percentage.

If you ask me, I wouldn't even bother gaming without the power adapter because, as expected, performance is significantly worse. Bear in mind, there's a 400W power adapter ready to handle the combined 260W of power from the RTX 5080 and the Ryzen 9 9955HX.

On the other hand, while web surfing in Balanced mode and Integrated Graphics, results were a little bit more impressive; at 59% battery, it took exactly 51 minutes to fall to 6%. When at 100%, it lasted 3 hours and 25 minutes during YouTube playback, so it's decent enough for those who want to use this laptop for work or multitasking.

However, the biggest downside is the charging time, as it takes a total of 2 hours to fully charge. It's already not great that the battery drains within 3 hours outside of gaming, but the addition of a long charge time isn't beneficial if you're looking to use it while on the go.

Portability isn't a strong suit, and these battery results are one of the main reasons why, especially when paired with the hefty design.

Battery: 3 / 5

Should you buy the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W?

Buy it if...

You're looking for one of the best gaming laptops

The MSI Vector A18 HX A9W is one of the best gaming laptops you can find on the market, providing fantastic performance results in games with Nvidia's powerful Blackwell RTX 5080 GPU and AMD's desktop-rivalling Ryzen 9955HX processor.

You want an immersive high refresh rate display

It's great for games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 or Counter-Strike 2, which rely on fast refresh rates, with access to 240Hz here. The laptop GPU is capable of achieving high frame rates with the right graphics settings.

You plan on moving around your home with a powerful gaming machine

The Vector A18 HX A9W is great for those who wish to move around their home using different displays in different rooms, without a big desktop PC case taking up space.

Don't buy if...

You need a laptop with long battery life

While the Vector A18 HX A9W's battery life isn't bad, it's also not the best either, as you might find with most gaming laptops, and you shouldn't consider this if that is a dealbreaker.

You want to game or work on the go

Coinciding with its average battery life, you won't get great performance without using its 400W power adapter, which is required to utilize the RTX 5080 and Ryzen 9955HX's combined 260W of power.

It's also very heavy and won't fit in most backpacks due to the display's 18-inch size.

You want an affordable gaming laptop

Affordability and the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W are completely distant, as all configurations have an eye-watering cost using either the RTX 5070 Ti or the RTX 5080.

How I tested the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W

I tested the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W for three weeks, running multiple games and synthetic benchmarks. It kept me away from my main desktop gaming PC for a while, with Multi Frame Generation being a significant reason in why, and while I don't want game developers to become over-reliant on Nvidia's DLSS tech, it's great when implemented properly.

Navigation and web browsing was a breeze too, with 32GB of RAM and a powerhouse CPU giving me all I needed to acknowledge that this was a gaming laptop that enthusiasts won't want to miss out on.

I’ve reviewed dozens of gaming laptops, and the new Razer Blade 16 with Nvidia’s RTX 5090 is one of the best I’ve ever seen

4:00 pm | March 28, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Razer Blade, RTX | Comments: Off

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Two minute review

Weeks of stock shortages and scalping later, I can finally breathe: RTX 5000 laptops are here, offering a fresh path into Nvidia's glorious ray-traced future that doesn't involve selling your soul on Ebay - though you might need to sell a kidney to afford the new Razer Blade 16, especially if you're eyeing the top-of-the-line RTX 5090 configuration graciously provided to me for this review.

Yes, Razer is not beating the 'pricey hardware' allegations any time soon; the new Blade 16 starts at a wallet-battering $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95, and the higher-spec configurations rocket beyond the four-thousand mark in the US, UK, and Europe.

Don't get me wrong, though: the sky-high pricing is just about the only criticism I have here. Razer's iconic 16-inch laptop has undergone a subtle redesign - and I mean subtle, bordering on indistinguishable - that provides a range of small but worthy improvements, and at the heart of it all, Nvidia's Blackwell GPU lineup delivers boosted performance and a new wealth of features ready to do battle with the best gaming laptops.

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background. — (Image credit: Future)

I'll get into the real meat of these graphics upgrades later on, but here's the short version: this thing goes hard. Between DLSS 4, Multi Frame Generation, Reflex 2, and the general generational improvements from RTX 4000, even the most demanding titles deliver crisp, speedy frame rates on the QHD+ OLED screen - and the 240Hz refresh rate means you won't find your game performance capped by the display.

The Razer Blade 16 isn't all steak and no sizzle, either. This is one classy-looking gaming laptop, as I've come to expect from Razer, with an anodized aluminum chassis, per-key RGB lighting, and the same overall top-notch build quality any previous Razer owner will be well accustomed to. Again, scroll on down to that Design section for all the juicy deets, but I will take a quick moment here to remark on the new-and-improved keyboard, which now features greater key travel and smoother actuation than previous models to provide a more pleasant typing experience as well as responsive inputs when gaming.

With how difficult it's proving to get your hands on a desktop RTX 5000 GPU, many will be looking towards the incoming slate of Blackwell-equipped laptops to scratch that hardware upgrade itch. If that's you - and you can stomach the price tag - then the Razer Blade 16 is the laptop to pick.

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Price and availability

How much is it? Starting at $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

There's no getting around it: this is one expensive laptop, even pricier than the previous RTX 4000 Razer Blade 16 we reviewed back in late 2023. Granted, you're getting a hell of a lot of gaming power for your money, but it's still pricey.

The Razer Blade 16 (2025) will cost you $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95 for the base configuration: that gets you an RTX 5070 Ti, 10-core AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 processor, 32GB of ultra-speedy LPDDR5X 8,000MHz memory, and a 1TB SSD. That's right - the long-standing industry baseline of 16GB of RAM is out, 32GB is the new standard for Razer.

There are a few different configurations, with more RAM or storage and an upgrade to either an RTX 5080 or 5090. The top-spec model costs a piggy-bank-busting $4,899.99 / £4,299.99 / AU$7,999.95, packing the RTX 5090 along with a 12-core Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, 64GB of RAM, and a huge 4TB of storage (in the form of two 2TB SSDs). Every version has the same 16-inch 240Hz QHD+ OLED display; sadly, there's no 4K model on offer, which does feel like a somewhat odd omission considering that the RTX 5090 is absolutely capable of 4K gaming.

I really can't stress enough that this is a comically enormous amount of money for the average PC gamer. As a fun little exercise, I went looking online for used cars that cost less than the Blade 16 review unit I'm typing this review on. 47,764 results. Oof.

Still, when scalpers are selling RTX 5090 cards on Ebay for upwards of four thousand bucks, it's not an entirely unattractive proposition. I mean, you're getting the whole system here, while the additional cost of a full desktop PC build capable of supporting Nvidia's latest flagship GPU without bottlenecking isn't exactly cheap. I have no doubt there will be laptops from other manufacturers that offer the same (or at least similar) specs at a lower price, but there will be sacrifices made - whether that's chassis materials, display quality, or memory speed.

Value: 2.5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Specs

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Design

Same classic Blade finish with premium-feel anodized metal casing
New keyboard design is a real improvement
Chassis is lighter and more compact than previous models

Razer has long held a reputation as a company known for using premium materials for its hardware, and the new Blade 16 certainly doesn't buck this trend: every Blade begins life as a singular slab of tempered aluminum, which is then precision-milled into shape and electrochemically anodized to create a wear-resistant color finish designed to last.

Although the overall aesthetic of Razer's modern Blade lineup has changed very little over the years - compare this laptop side-by-side with the Razer Blade we reviewed back in 2018, and you'll see what I mean - there have been some small adjustments this time around, and all of them are good changes.

For starters, the laptop has been retooled to reduce the overall weight and size; there's a limit to this, especially with a 16-inch display, but Razer has managed to cut down the total package volume by almost 30%. It's almost half a centimetre thinner than the previous-gen Blade 16 (4.59mm, to be precise), and it adds that half-centimete to the length of the laptop instead - in practice, this doesn't make the Blade 16's footprint any appreciably larger, but does make it look and feel a lot thinner. It's also 310 grams lighter than the previous model.

Razer has also seen fit to improve the keyboard this time around, and it makes for a more satisfying typing experience than previous Blades. The key travel has been increased by 50%, and the actuation force sits at a finely-tuned 63G, providing a good amount of physical feedback that helped me avoid misinputs while both gaming and typing. The keys are quite widely spaced, which makes it comfortable to use even for long periods.

Naturally, this Blade now comes with a dedicated button for Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant for Windows, though I doubt most buyers will have much cause to use that. More interesting is the new row of five programmable macro keys, giving you instant access to the functions you use most often.

Additionally, this ain't your daddy's backlit RGB keyboard: not only does the full layout have per-key RGB lighting, but multiple keys actually feature two LEDs beneath the keycap, enabling a nifty feature where holding down Fn or Shift switches the illumination to instantly highlight the relevant keys. You can see what I mean in the GIF below - it's a small bonus, but I rather like it.

A GIF showing the swap-lighting effect on the Razer Blade 16's RGB keyboard when the Shift and Function keys are pressed. — (Image credit: Future)

The touchpad is nothing to write home about (let's be honest, you'll be using a mouse anyway), but it is nice and large with a firm click to it. There's also a pretty straightforward 1080p webcam and microphone array, both of which work fine.

More impressive are the speakers: a six-speaker array with THX Spatial Audio support makes for one of the best audio experiences I've seen on a laptop. It's no secret that laptop makers often skimp on speaker quality because so many people will simply connect a headset anyway, but that's certainly not the case here. The bass is rich and punchy, and the midrange is crystal clear; high pitches are a little bit thin, but it's still a strong showing overall.

I'm not going to dedicate a huge amount of time here to the pre-loaded Razer Synapse software package, but I will say that there are some welcome improvements over the old (and rather wonky) version. Tweaking your system performance and lighting effects is nice and straightforward, as well as syncing and modifying any Razer peripherals you want to use.

I can't not talk about the screen, of course. Razer's hardware lineup has always offered high-end display configurations, often employing OLED panels, which remains the case here - though as I mentioned further up in this review, there's strangely no 4K configuration available this time around. Instead, every 2025 Blade 16 model comes with the exact same 16-inch 240Hz OLED display, with a resolution of 2560x1600. That's a 16:10 aspect ratio, which I'm personally a big fan of on laptops.

Still, it's an undeniably gorgeous screen: colors are bright and vibrant, contrast is sharp, and blacks are deep. It looks fantastic in motion while playing games like Cyberpunk 2077; the rainy, neon-splattered streets of Night City after dark are vividly colorful and realistic on this display.

One feature that I'm always happy to see is upgradability. Unfortunately, the RAM in the Razer Blade 16 is soldered, but the SSD is user-upgradable. In fact, anything less than the 4TB configuration (which uses two 2TB SSDs) comes with an empty NVMe slot for you to easily plug in a second drive if you want to expand the storage yourself.

Lastly, we've got a nice broad port selection here, with two USB-C ports, three USB-As, an HDMI port for connecting a second display, the omnipresent 3.5mm headphone jack, and finally a full-size SD card reader for creative users - a wise inclusion considering that this laptop can comfortably pull double duty as a work system (more on that later).

Design: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Performance

Best-in-class performance
RTX 5090 and Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 are a deadly combo
New Nvidia features offer a huge performance boost

Enough about aesthetics: this is a gaming laptop, so how well does it run games? The answer is: extremely well, especially once you factor in Nvidia's DLSS and frame-gen tech.

Our standard testing process involves running games without using any form of upscaling or frame-gen tech, and you can see the results below. It's worth noting that the 2024 Razer Blade 16 with RTX 4090 I've used for comparative purposes has an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, which quite literally has double the core count of the Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 chip in this laptop, so without implementing Nvidia's latest goodies, the differences are relatively minor in many games.

Performance is still strong, make no mistake - but if you're aiming to play the latest games at maximum graphical settings on this laptop's native 1600p resolution, you're going to want to use DLSS.

Kick DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation (MFG) into gear, and it's a totally different story. I tested a few different supported titles at their respective maximum presets with ray tracing enabled, and both enjoyed a serious performance bump with Nvidia's fancy AI-powered software enabled.

There's been quite some debate about tools such as resolution upscaling and frame generation, not least due to the use of AI for both, and I admit I've been skeptical in the past. Here, it's a revelation. Earlier iterations of DLSS - and the frame-gen model seen in the previous RTX 4000 generation - were imperfect, prone to impact lag and visual glitching, especially on hardware that would struggle to hit 60fps without any AI-assisted add-ons. But DLSS 4 and MFG work phenomenally well on a laptop packing an RTX 5090; in Alan Wake 2, a thoroughly beautiful (and therefore demanding) game, I was lucky to reach above the 60fps mark without any upscaling or frame-gen enabled. With those settings turned on? 200fps, easy.

Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 and Returnal saw similarly massive framerate bumps. In Cyberpunk, the maxed-out ray-tracing preset struggled a bit at native resolution, scoring a meager average of 43 fps. With DLSS 4 and MFG, it averaged 217fps while still looking absolutely stunning. In Returnal, 113fps went to 240fps (which was the active cap) at 1440p - it doesn't have the option to run at the Blade 16's 1600p 16:10 resolution, but still, you get the idea.

It looks so good now, too; gone are the tearing and blurring I noted in my early experiments with DLSS, without any appreciable amount of input latency either. I imagine it's still there, perhaps noticeable to a pro esports gamer playing a twitchy shooter like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, but I certainly wasn't able to detect it.

Of course, DLSS 4 and MFG aren't available universally. Developers have to add support for the functionality, although there's also a new DLSS Override option for 'force-enabling' it in unsupported games, which I deployed for Returnal - as far as I could tell, it worked without issues, though of course that's just for one modern game.

Performance in synthetic tests was also strong, with good - though not world-beating - performance across both gaming and creative workloads. If you're hoping to use this laptop for professional creative work, it won't let you down. In fact, the performance it offers compared to the weight of the laptop is among the best I've ever seen, making it ideal for working on the go.

It's worth noting here that the 2024 Blade 16 actually outperforms the new model across several of our tests, but again, we can put that down to the significantly more powerful CPU found in the 2024 model. The power efficiency of the Ryzen chip is not to be understated, though - take a look at the battery life section, and you'll see what I mean.

Performance: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Battery life

Surprisingly good battery life
Almost a full day's regular use, about two and a half hours of gaming
Charges fast but uses a proprietary charger

Battery life is rarely a selling point of gaming laptops, but I was pleasantly surprised with the battery life on the Razer Blade 16. In the PCMark 10 Gaming battery test, it lasted for almost two and a half hours; in real-world tests, I found this figure highly accurate, assuming you're playing with the battery efficiency preset on in Windows and brightness at 50% or lower.

Outside of gaming and running similarly demanding software, the Blade 16 offers some impressive longevity for a gaming laptop. The 90Whr battery lasted for almost seven and a half hours in our Battery Informant Web Surfing test, and it also holds charge remarkably well when not in use. This is likely due to the improved Nvidia Optimus tech, which offloads graphical processing to the Ryzen CPU's integrated graphics when you're not playing games or running GPU-intensive apps. Razer claims that the new Blade 16 offers 'up to 11 hours' of use, which is probably true if you really try to squeeze the battery with minimum brightness and power-saving mode turned on.

Although it needs a fairly chunky power adapter with a proprietary Razer connector, the Blade 16 also charges very quickly, charging up to 50% in about 30 minutes and 100% in just over an hour.

Battery Life: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Razer Blade 16 (2025)?

Buy the Razer Blade 16 (2025) if...

You want the best gaming performance there is
The RTX 5090 laptop GPU inside this laptop is a monster, delivering top-notch frame rates in games and offering the full suite of performance-boosting Nvidia software.

You want a gaming laptop you can use for work
Thanks to its surprisingly strong battery life and great capabilities when it comes to handling creative and AI workloads, the Razer Blade 16 can comfortably pull double duty as a work laptop when you're not using it for gaming.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
Starting at over two grand, this is not a cheap gaming laptop by any means.

You want something compact
Although Razer has worked miracles reducing the weight and thickness of the new Blade 16, no 16-inch laptop can reasonably be called 'small'.

Also consider

If my Razer Blade 16 (2025) review has you considering other options, here is another laptop to consider:

Razer Blade 14 (2024)
If you're in the market for something a bit more svelte, consider the Blade 16's little sibling, the Blade 14. These aren't available with RTX 5000 GPUs, however - at least, not yet. But you still get the same excellent design and build quality, and a lower price tag too.

Read our full Razer Blade 14 (2024) review

MSI Titan 18 HX
Another absolute beast of a gaming laptop, the Titan 18 HX from MSI is a strong pick if you're looking for a gaming laptop that can also function as a premium workstation PC. With an Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and up to 128GB(!!!) of RAM, this is one of the finest desktop-replacement systems on the market.

Read our full MSI Titan 18 HX review

How I tested the Razer Blade 16 (2025)

I spent just over a week with the Razer Blade 16 (2025), using it almost every day for both work and gaming. I don't always love working, but damn, if this didn't make it more pleasant.

Naturally, we ran plenty of performance tests on the Blade 16, taking additional time to test out the new DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation features on a handful of supported titles. What I played the most was Warframe, which isn't in our testing suite but look, I'm an addict.

In terms of work, I used the Blade 16 for everything from word processing to web browsing to image editing, and even took it out into my garden to work in the sun and put the battery life and display to the test in a real-world setting - both held up great.

First reviewed March 2025

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