CES 2023 | MSI Raider GE78 HX announced with a 16:10 240 Hz screen, Raptor Lake HX processors and an exorbitant price tag ^↺

Last year, MSI unveiled the MSI Raider GE77 with top-of-the-line Alder Lake HX processors. Its successor, the Raider GE78 HX, is set to continue that legacy with cutting-edge hardware from Nvidia and Intel. This time, the upgrades are more incremental, and MSI takes some effort to list them in detail. Like its predecessors, the MSI Raider GE78 HX will not be cheap, with its base variant starting at US$2,999. It will be available for purchase in the coming weeks.

The Raider GE78 HX's name somewhat gives away its CPU choices. It runs Intel's newest, most powerful Core i9-13980HX processor. A Geekbench listing from earlier hinted at this, but now, MSI has made it official. For the GPU, one can pick between an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 4080. MSI claims the CPU and GPU can draw up to 250 Watts of power in total, but even that won't satiate the power-hungry Ada Lovelace and Raptor Lake chips. MSI's Cooler Boost 5 tech, combined with a dual-heat pipe design, should help keep thermals in check.

Those looking for a fancy mini LED/OLED display may have to seek other OEMs, as MSI has stuck with a basic 17.3-inch QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) 16:10 240 Hz IPS LCD panel for the Raider GE78 HX. An FHD+ 165 Hz variant of the same panel is also available. MSI has also thrown in an IR-enabled webcam, complete with a privacy shutter. There are RGB strips across the back of the laptop and along the edges to complete its gamer aesthetic. As expected, per-key RGB illumination is also included.

The MSI Raider GE78 HX supports up to 64 GB of DDR5 5,200 memory and 2 TB of solid-state storage. I/O options include one Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C ports, two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, one HDMI 2.1 port, an Ethernet jack, a micro SD card reader and a 3.5mm audio jack. The laptop has six speakers tuned by Dynaudio and supports Wi-Fi 6E. Like most gaming laptops, it has a 99.9 Wh battery and a beefy 330 Watt charger.