175 W GPU in the MSI Raider 16 Max HX averages only 147 W in Extreme Performance mode

The MSI Raider 16 Max HX may be a great gaming laptop, but it arguably has far too many power profile modes to keep track of. Furthermore, it's essentially impossible for the end user to know exactly what each mode entails without looking for external sources as MSI provides no documentation or in-software details about the modes for the end user.

Our table below summarizes the major power profiles (Quiet, Balanced, Extreme Performance, Apex, and Cooler Boost) for the Raider 16 Max HX and how they each impact system performance. Of course, results will vary depending on configuration and model, but MSI ships the same software features across all of its gaming laptops and so the pattern between each mode should remain quite similar regardless of model.

An interesting observation worth mentioning is that performance when gaming is essentially identical between Balanced mode and Extreme Performance mode even though Balanced mode is noticeably quieter. Maximum GPU TGP is also unfortunately locked behind Apex mode or Cooler Boost mode which are the two loudest power profiles of the system. We recommend gaming on Balanced mode over Extreme Performance mode as the latter offers minimal benefits when fan noise is a concern. Otherwise, be sure to enable Apex mode or Cooler Boost mode to squeeze a few more frames from the GPU.

Additional benchmarks and comparisons can be found on our review of the Raider 16 Max HX here.