MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-223US / ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JYR

MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-223US: Vector A18 HX A9WIG-223US: Ryzen 9 9955HX, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU 16 GB, 32 GB DDR5, 1 TB SSD, 18-inch QHD+ 240 Hz, Cosmo Gray. The A9WIG-076US comes with 64 GB / 2 TB and Windows 11 Pro; the RTX 5070 Ti A9WHG and other display options are separate SKUs.

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JYR: G834JYR-R6125X: Intel Core i9-14900HX, GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU 16 GB (175 W = 150 W + 25 W Dynamic Boost), 18-inch 2.5K 240 Hz Mini LED display, 2 × 32 GB DDR5-5600, 2 TB + 2 TB SSD (RAID 0), Windows 11 Pro. The RTX 4080 G834JZR, the 2023 SCAR 18 (G834JY) and the 2025 SCAR 18 (G835L) are separate models; memory and SSD capacity depend on the retail SKU.

SpecificationMSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-223USASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2024) G834JYR
Release year20252024
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 9 9955HX; 16 cores / 32 threads, 2.5–5.4 GHz

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

MSI		Intel Core i9-14900HX: 24 cores (8 P + 16 E), 32 threads, 2.2 GHz, up to 5.8 GHz, 36 MB cache

P-cores handle games and single-threaded loads, E-cores take background and multi-core work.

ASUS
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 16 GB GDDR7; up to 175 W with Dynamic Boost; boost up to 2287 MHz

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

MSI		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, 16 GB GDDR6; 2090 MHz ROG Boost at 175 W (2040 MHz boost + 50 MHz OC; 150 W + 25 W Dynamic Boost)

175 W is the maximum GPU power when Dynamic Boost borrows budget from the CPU; the base sits at the top of NVIDIA’s 80–150 W range for this GPU. The laptop GPU is not the same product as the desktop RTX 4090.

ASUS
Display18-inch 16:10 QHD+ (2560 × 1600), 240 Hz, IPS-level panel, 100% DCI-P3

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

MSI		18-inch ROG Nebula HDR, 2560 × 1600 (16:10) Mini LED; 240 Hz, 3 ms; 100% DCI-P3; anti-glare; G-Sync; Pantone Validated

Mini LED backlighting dims and lights zones behind the LCD so dark areas look deeper in HDR. 240 Hz means motion at up to 240 frames per second in suitable games; G-Sync matches refresh to frame rate to reduce tearing. 100% DCI-P3 covers the cinema colour space.

ASUS
Memory32 GB (2 × 16 GB) DDR5-5600

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

MSI		2 × 32 GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM (64 GB), dual channel; up to 64 GB

Both slots are populated; the modules are not soldered. ASUS notes memory speed can vary with the CPU.

ASUS
Storage1 TB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen4 x4)

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

MSI		2 TB + 2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD (RAID 0); two M.2 PCIe slots (both used)

RAID 0 joins the two SSDs into one drive for speed and capacity; if one SSD fails, all data in the array can be lost. ASUS says only single-sided SSDs are supported because of components near the M.2 slot.

ASUS
Ports2 × USB4 Type-C (DisplayPort, Power Delivery 3.1); 3 × USB-A; HDMI 2.1; RJ45 2.5 GbE; SD card reader; headphone/mic jack

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

MSI		1 × Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbit/s, DisplayPort / G-SYNC), 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gbit/s, DisplayPort / power delivery / G-SYNC), 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbit/s), 1 × HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1 × 2.5G LAN, 3.5 mm audio

Thunderbolt 4 can also connect an external GPU enclosure or dock. The RJ45 port does not support Power over Ethernet, only data.

ASUS
WirelessMediaTek Wi-Fi 7; Bluetooth 5.4 MSIWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) triple band 2×2, Bluetooth 5.2

Wi-Fi 6E can use the less congested 6 GHz band with a suitable router; ASUS notes the band may be unavailable in some countries.

ASUS
Keyboard and cameraSteelSeries 26-zone RGB keyboard (99 keys, with number pad); IR FHD camera with privacy shutter

The IR camera enables Windows Hello face sign-in.

MSI		—
Audio4 × 2 W speakers; array microphone MSI—
Battery and adapter4-cell 99.9 Wh lithium-ion; 400 W adapter

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

MSI		—
Size and weight404 × 307.5 × 24–32.05 mm; 3.6 kg MSI39.9 × 29.4 × 2.31–3.08 cm; 3.10 kg ASUS
Operating system and warrantyWindows 11 Home; 1-year limited warranty (including 1-year global coverage) MSI—
Graphics switching—MUX Switch + NVIDIA Advanced Optimus

The MUX connects the display directly to the RTX GPU to cut latency in games; Advanced Optimus can switch without a restart.

ASUS
Keyboard and lighting—Per-key RGB backlit chiclet keyboard; Aura Sync rear glow, logo and light bar ASUS
Audio and camera—4 speakers with Smart Amp, Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res certification for headphones, AI noise cancelling, array microphone; 720p HD camera ASUS
Battery and power—90 Wh, 4-cell lithium-ion; 330 W AC adapter (20 V, 16.5 A, ø6.0 mm) and 100 W USB-C adapter

Full performance needs the 330 W adapter; the 100 W USB-C adapter is for light use and charging on the go. ASUS says the battery can reach 50% in 30 minutes with the proper adapter while the laptop is shut down. Bundled adapters can vary by country.

ASUS
Operating system—Windows 11 Pro ASUS
Security—Firmware TPM, BIOS administrator and user password ASUS