The MSI Vector A16 HX A8W gaming laptop sits alongside the regular Vector 16 HX AI as a high-end gaming laptop meant for high-refresh FHD and 60 FPS QHD gaming. Combined with a color-accurate 2560x1600 240 Hz IPS display, the Vector A16 HX can also be used as a content creation machine. So, if you want a powerful gaming notebook that can serve as a decent desktop replacement, the MSI Vector A16 HX is a pretty good option to consider.
This is especially true now, as Walmart has slashed the MSI Vector A16 HX price by a massive $700.99. As a result, the Vector A16 HX is only $1,299. This is an excellent price when we consider the power the laptop is packing under the hood.
MSI Vector A16 HX A8W specifications
The MSI Vector A16 HX on sale is powered by a 16-core Ryzen 9 8940HX CPU, an RTX 5070 Ti laptop GPU with 12 GB of VRAM, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage, and a 16-inch QHD+ display. There are two SO-DIMM and two M.2 slots that allow you to increase the max RAM and storage to 96 GB and 4 TB, respectively. However, whether you’d want to increase the RAM, seeing the current pricing trend, is a different topic.
On the outside, the robust chassis incorporates a 24-zone RGB keyboard with a curious layout, a spacious trackpad, and a good port selection that includes all the essentials. For instance, there are two USB 4 ports, two Type-A connectors, an SD card reader, and more.
Other notable details include a sizable 90 Wh battery, FHD webcam with an IR blaster for secure log-in, and Wi-Fi7/BT 5.4.
The MSI Vector A16 HX will put this hardware to good use, as our review of the Intel variant, the Vector 16 HX AI, revealed that there was a lot to like about the machine. Aside from a Core Ultra 7 255HX CPU, our review variant is roughly identical to the AMD model on sale, with the same GPU, same RAM/storage, and display. So, check out our detailed testing to see how the MSI Vector A16 HX will stack up in real life.
As a short summary, the combination of the Ryzen 9 8940HX and the RTX 5070 Ti laptop will ensure plenty of gaming performance. QHD gaming at 40+ FPS is perfectly possible using the highest settings in the most demanding AAA titles. So, older and lighter games will play even better.
For the display, the 16-inch QHD+ panel will do a good job of rendering games and displaying media. However, it is nothing special. If you want stunning image quality, we highly recommend getting a dedicated OLED monitor from Amazon, as they are much more reasonably priced than in the past.
Finally, we have to mention here that the MSI Vector 16 HX got toasty and loud under load. So, the Vector A16 HX on sale is likely to behave similarly. Therefore, it is not a notebook that you can place on your lap during gaming.
All in all, the MSI Vector A16 HX available for just $1,299 at Walmart is definitely an offer worth considering. The retailer is also offering free returns till January 31, 2026. So, you can always return the machine if you come across a better deal during Black Friday.
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
Source(s)
slickdeals, Walmart (linked above), Teaser image: MSI, Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash, edited







