MSI Crosshair 18 AX is one of the most affordable 18-inch gaming laptops with the Core Ultra 9 275HX – NotebookCheck.net News
The spacious MSI laptop retails for just $1700 compared to well over $2500 or even $3000 for most other 18-inch models. There are some cut corners, of course, but they’re not as bad as you may think.
MSI has a handful of 18-inch gaming laptops to choose from including the Raider 18, Titan 18, Stealth 18, and Vector 18. The Crosshair 18 is the least expensive option by far at just $1700 through Costco. The system even ships with the same Arrow Lake Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU alongside P3 colors as found on many enthusiast-level gaming laptops meaning buyers won’t be skimping on processor performance just because of the lower price.
Nevertheless, cut corners are inevitable and there are a few to be aware of. The display, for example, is QHD+ instead of 4K for lower PPI than most other 18-inch gaming laptops. The GPU tops out at the GeForce RTX 5070 with no RTX 5070 Ti or higher options anywhere to be found. And lastly, the chassis is largely matte plastic and so it lacks the rigidity or intricate luxuriousness of pricier alternatives.
The Crosshair 18 is not bad by any means especially for the price. Not every user can afford RTX 5090 graphics or 4K mini-LED displays on their 18-inch laptops, after all. We recommend checking out our review on the Crosshair 18 to learn more about what the system has to offer.
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Allen Ngo – Lead Editor U.S. – 5380 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2011
After graduating with a B.S. in environmental hydrodynamics from the University of California, I studied reactor physics to become licensed by the U.S. NRC to operate nuclear reactors. There’s a striking level of appreciation you gain for everyday consumer electronics after working with modern nuclear reactivity systems astonishingly powered by computers from the 80s. When I’m not managing day-to-day activities and US review articles on Notebookcheck, you can catch me following the eSports scene and the latest gaming news.
Allen Ngo, 2025-08-31 (Update: 2025-08-30)
