MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 vs Dell 15 Comparison

Laptop to replace

 Change

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026

16 inches | January 2026

Speed 7

Size 4

Display 6.5

Gaming 5.5

CHECK AT AMAZON

 Change

15.6 inches |

Speed 4

Size 0

Display 4.5

Gaming 2

CHECK AT AMAZON

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 vs Comparison Overview

MSI Crosshair 16 HX...

See at AMAZON

MSI Crosshair 16 HX...

See at AMAZON

In this review, we will be comparing Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and 15, two laptops from MSI and Dell. MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 was introduced to market in January 2026 and was launched in January . As you can see, 15 is 56 years older than Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026. Let's see if this age difference between two laptops makes a big difference.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and 15 are members of Dell's series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

MSI Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
MSI Stealth 16 AI+ 2026	January 2026	16.0"	354 x 246 x 16.65-19.99 mm	1.99 kg (4.39 lbs)
MSI Prestige 16 Flip AI+ C3M	January 2026	16.0"	357.7 x 254.3 x 11.9-13.9 mm	1.66 kg (3.66 lbs)
MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ D3M	January 2026	14.0"	315.6 x 221.9 x 11.9-13.9 mm	1.37 kg (3.02 lbs)
MSI Prestige 16 AI+ C3M	January 2026	16.0"	357.7 x 254.3 x 11.9-13.9 mm	1.59 kg (3.51 lbs)
MSI Prestige 14 AI+ D3M	January 2026	14.0"	315.6 x 221.9 x 11.9-13.9 mm	1.32 kg (2.91 lbs)
MSI Prestige 13 AI+ A3M	January 2026	13.3"	299 x 210 x 15.9 mm	0.89 kg (1.96 lbs)
MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026	January 2026	16.0"	359 x 266.4 x 21.8-27.9 mm	2.5 kg (5.51 lbs)
MSI Crosshair A16 HX AI 2026	January 2026	16.0"	359 x 266.4 x 21.8-27.9 mm	2.5 kg (5.51 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 Key Specs

Launched in January 2026
16.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB
16GB Ram
359 x 266.4 x 21.8-27.9 mm (14.13 x 10.49 x 0.86-1.1 inches)
Weight: 2.5 kg (5.51 lbs)

Key Specs

Launched in January 1970
" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core 3 100U
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)
4GB Ram
()
Weight: 1.9 kg (4.19 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and 15 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 over Dell 15

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~77.6% vs ~83.5%	Larger screen area ratio
GPU Type	Dedicated vs Integrated	Dedicated GPU unit
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs No	Connects to the local network via Ethernet RJ45
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs No	Easily see the keys under low light

Reasons to choose Dell 15 over MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026

Weight	kg vs 2.50 kg	2.5 kg lighter
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x)	Faster RAM
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader

Common Strengths of Dell 15 and MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026

Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	DDR5 vs DDR5	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6E vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Numeric Pad	Yes vs Yes	Fast way to input numbers

Common Weaknesses of Dell 15 and MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 vs : Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and the .

Physical Specs
Weight	2.5 kg (5.51 lbs)	1.9 kg (4.19 lbs)
Surface Area	956 cm² (148.2 inches²)	845 cm2 (130.9 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~77.6%	~83.5%
Side Bezel Thickness	~7.2 mm	~11.3 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.16 kg/inch	kg/inch
	0.352 lbs/inch	0 lbs/inch
Colors	Gray	Black, Silver

Comparison of the MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and the External Dimensions

Weight

Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 weighs 2.5 kg (5.51 lbs), whereas the 15 weighs 1.9 kg (4.19 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026

Avg: 16.0-16.9"

Avg: "

Thickness Comparison

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026

Avg: 16.0-16.9"

Avg: "

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 is 0.16 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the is kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ14 HT7407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 vs : Internals Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX	Intel Core 3 100U Intel Core i5 1334U Intel Core i7 1355U
Base Frequency	2.4 GHz	1.2 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5.2 GHz	4.7 GHz
Number of Cores	20 (8P + 12E)	6 (2P + 4E)
Number of Threads	20	8
L3 Cache	30 MB	10 MB
Integrated GPU	Arc Graphics (4-Cores)	Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm	10 nm

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and .

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX

Laptops with: Intel Core 3 100U

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB	Intel UHD Graphics (64 EU)
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	115 W	15 W
Nvidia Optimus	MUX
Type	Dedicated	Integrated
FLOPS	18.4 TFLOPS	1.3 TFLOPS
Memory Size	8 GB	System Shared
Memory Type	GDDR7	DDR5
Memory Bus	128 bit
Memory Speed	~24 Gbps	5.2 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	3328	512
TMUs	104	32
ROPs	48	16

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 has a FLOPS value of 18.4 TFLOPS whereas the ' has a FLOPS value of 1.3 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB 96GB	4GB 8GB 16GB 32GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	1x4 GB
RAM Clock	6400 MHz	5200 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	DDR5
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	96 GB	32 GB
Total Slots	2	2

With a larger RAM capacity of 16 GB, the Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the 15's RAM capacity of 4 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

There is no evaluation yet.

BATTERY

BATTERY	90 Wh	41 Wh 54 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left, Bottom	Left
Charge Power	240 W	65 W

Moreover, the Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 has a battery capacity of 90 Wh.

Battery Comparison

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026

Avg: 16.0-16.9"

Avg: "

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 4 TB, the Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the 15's max. storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB	128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	1
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 vs : Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 has a display size of 16.0".On the other hand, 15 has a smaller " display.The total usable screen area of the Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 is 742cm² / 115inch² whereas the 15's total usable screen area is 0cm² / 0inch².

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026

Avg: 16.0-16.9"

Avg: "

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 vs Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to 15 (v6).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and 15 have USB-A ports. Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 has 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while 15 has 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and 15 have USB Type-C ports. Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 has 1x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while 15 has 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. 15 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and 15 feature an HDMI port. Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 offers 1x HDMI 2.1, while 15 offers 1x HDMI 1.4.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
15 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Crosshair 16 HX AI 2026 and 15 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v6.2)	v5.3	v5.3
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 4.0	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	Thunderbolt 4	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 1.4
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	Optional
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	No
SD CardReader	No	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	No