MSI Raider A18 HX A9WIG-082US / ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) GU605MI-QR194X

MSI Raider A18 HX A9WIG-082US: A9WIG-082US (US, part no. RAIDERA18HX082): Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU 16 GB, 32 GB DDR5, 2 TB Gen5 SSD, 18-inch UHD+ Mini LED, Windows 11 Pro, Core Black. The RTX 5090 A9WJG, the Ryzen 8000 HX A8WIG and the Intel-based Raider 18 HX AI are separate models.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) GU605MI-QR194X: GU605MI-QR194X: Core Ultra 9 185H, RTX 4070 Laptop GPU 8 GB (105 W = 85 W + 20 W Dynamic Boost), 32 GB LPDDR5X, 2 TB SSD, 240 Hz OLED, Windows 11 Pro; Platinum White in ASUS’s image. The GU605 series spans SKUs from the RTX 4050 to the 4090 and from the Core Ultra 7 155H to the Core Ultra 9 185H; not every GU605MI SKU has the same memory or display.

SpecificationMSI Raider A18 HX A9WIG-082USASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) GU605MI-QR194X
Release year20252024
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 16 GB GDDR7; up to 175 W including TGP and Dynamic Boost; boost up to 2,287 MHz

175 W is the highest GPU power MSI gives in this chassis; CPU and GPU together can draw up to 260 W (OverBoost Ultra). The desktop RTX 5080 is a separate card.

MSI		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, 8 GB GDDR6; ROG Boost 1655 MHz at 105 W (85 W + 20 W Dynamic Boost)

Dynamic Boost shifts a 20 W share of power to the GPU when CPU load is low, so 105 W is a conditional ceiling rather than a constant level. In the same series RTX 4060 SKUs are listed at 100 W and RTX 4080/4090 SKUs at 115 W. The GPU is soldered and cannot be upgraded.

ASUS
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, 2.5–5.4 GHz

The processor’s stacked extra cache, called 3D V-Cache, keeps frequently used game data close, which helps frame rates especially in large open-world games.

MSI		Intel Core Ultra 9 185H: 16 cores, 22 threads, 2.3 GHz base, up to 5.1 GHz, 24 MB cache; Intel AI Boost NPU (up to 11 TOPS)

The NPU runs constant AI tasks such as background blur and noise suppression at low power instead of the CPU/GPU.

ASUS
Display18-inch UHD+ 3840 × 2400, 16:10, 120 Hz Mini LED; VESA DisplayHDR 1000; 100% DCI-P3

The Mini LED backlight dims zones individually for high HDR brightness and deeper blacks; DisplayHDR 1000 is the tier certifying 1,000-nit peak brightness. Because of the high resolution, refresh is limited to 120 Hz.

MSI		16-inch ROG Nebula OLED, 2560 × 1600 (16:10), 240 Hz, 0.2 ms; 100% DCI-P3; G-Sync; Pantone Validated; anti-glare low-reflection (AGLR) coating

G-Sync matches the refresh to the game’s frame rate to reduce tearing. It is not a touchscreen. Some SKUs in the same series use an IPS-level panel.

ASUS
Memory32 GB DDR5-5600 (2 × 16 GB); two slots, up to 96 GB

Both slots come filled; reaching 96 GB means fitting two 48 GB modules.

MSI		32 GB LPDDR5X 7467 MHz, soldered to the board; dual channel; not expandable

Because memory cannot be added later, capacity has to be chosen at purchase.

ASUS
Storage2 TB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen5 x4); one PCIe Gen5 and one PCIe Gen4 M.2 slot

The second M.2 slot runs at Gen4; an added SSD there tops out at Gen4 speed.

MSI		2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD; 2 M.2 PCIe slots in total (including the one in use)

The second M.2 slot allows an additional SSD.

ASUS
Ports2 × USB4 Type-C (DisplayPort and PD 3.1; Thunderbolt 4 compatible); 3 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A; HDMI 2.1 (8K 60 Hz / 4K 120 Hz); 3.5 mm audio combo jack

The USB4 ports are listed as compatible with Thunderbolt 4 accessories, but MSI does not state separate Thunderbolt certification; PD 3.1 allows USB-C charging, while full gaming power needs the 400 W adapter.

MSI		1 × Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gb/s, DisplayPort, charging); 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (DisplayPort, charging); 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A; HDMI 2.1 FRL; SD card reader (UHS-II, 312 MB/s); 3.5 mm combo audio

Both USB-C ports support external displays and charging; there is no Ethernet port.

ASUS
Card reader and networkFull-size SD card reader (UHS-III); 2.5 Gbit Ethernet; MediaTek Wi-Fi 7; Bluetooth 5.4

UHS-III gives faster reads than UHS-II with compatible cards; the full-size slot reads camera cards without an adapter.

MSI		—
Audio, camera and keyboardDynaudio-tuned 4 × 2 W speakers and 2 × 2 W woofers; 1080p IR camera with privacy shutter; SteelSeries per-key RGB, 99 keys

The IR camera enables Windows Hello face sign-in; the physical shutter blocks the camera.

MSI		—
Battery and adapter99.9 Wh, 4-cell lithium-ion; 400 W adapter

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

MSI		—
Size and weight404 × 307.5 × 24–32.05 mm; 3.6 kg

The weight excludes the 400 W adapter.

MSI		35.4 × 24.6 × 1.49–1.64 cm; 1.85 kg ASUS
Operating systemWindows 11 Pro; fTPM 2.0 MSI—
Warranty and colour1-year limited warranty (1-year global coverage); Core Black MSI—
MUX and graphics switching—MUX Switch + NVIDIA Advanced Optimus

The MUX switch connects the display directly to the NVIDIA GPU, removing the overhead of routing through the integrated GPU in games; Advanced Optimus makes this switch automatically without a restart.

ASUS
Wireless—Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax, tri-band) 2×2; Bluetooth 5.2

ASUS notes that Bluetooth features may vary with the OS and drivers.

ASUS
Keyboard, camera and lighting—Single-zone RGB backlit keyboard; 1080p FHD IR camera (Windows Hello); Slash Lighting on the lid

Slash Lighting is a programmable LED strip on the lid, controlled through AURA Sync.

ASUS
Audio—4 speakers with 2 tweeters and dual-force woofers; Smart Amp; Dolby Atmos; Hi-Res (headphones); 3-microphone array with AI noise cancelling ASUS
Battery and power—90 Wh, 4-cell lithium-ion; 200 W adapter with rectangular plug; a 100 W USB-C adapter is also listed

Which adapter is in the box varies by country and model. Full GPU power should not be expected when charging over USB-C.

ASUS
Operating system and security—Windows 11 Pro; firmware TPM; BIOS administrator and user passwords ASUS
In the box—ROG Zephyrus G16 Sleeve (2024), ROG Impact gaming mouse, USB-C 100 W adapter

Accessories may vary by country.

ASUS