MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 vs MSI Cyborg 17 Comparison

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MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

18 inches | January 2025

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MSI Cyborg 17

17.3 inches | July 2025

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MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 vs MSI Cyborg 17 Comparison Overview

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MSI Cyborg 17

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MSI Cyborg 17

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In this review, we will be comparing Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and Cyborg 17, two laptops by MSI. MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 was introduced to market in January 2025 and MSI Cyborg 17 was launched in July 2025. There is only 6 months difference between Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and Cyborg 17 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and Cyborg 17 are members of MSI's series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

MSI Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
MSI Cyborg 15 2025	July 2025	15.6"	359.3 x 245.25 x 22.15-23.15 mm	2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)
MSI Cyborg 17	July 2025	17.3"	399.3 x 258 x 21.2-22.2 mm	2.5 kg (5.51 lbs)
MSI Cyborg A15 AI	July 2025	15.6"	359.3 x 245.25 x 22.15-23.15 mm	2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)
MSI Cyborg A17 AI	July 2025	17.3"	399.3 x 258 x 21.2-22.2 mm	2.5 kg (5.51 lbs)
MSI Titan 18 HX AI 2025	January 2025	18.0"	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm	3.6 kg (7.94 lbs)
MSI Raider 18 HX AI 2025	January 2025	18.0"	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm	3.6 kg (7.94 lbs)
MSI Vector A18 HX 2025	January 2025	18.0"	404 x 307.5 x 24-32.05 mm	3.6 kg (7.94 lbs)
MSI Vector 17 HX AI 2025 A2XWJ	January 2025	17.0"	380.34 x 297.97 x 22.85-28.75 mm	3 kg (6.62 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and MSI Cyborg 17 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 Key Specs

Launched in January 2025
18.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB,GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB
16GB,32GB,64GB,96GB Ram
404 x 280 x 25.6-29.9 mm (15.91 x 11.02 x 1.01-1.18 inches)
Weight: 3.1 kg (6.84 lbs)

MSI Cyborg 17 Key Specs

Launched in July 2025
17.3" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core 5 210H,Intel Core 7 240H,Intel Core 9 270H
GPU: GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop 8GB,GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB
16GB,32GB,64GB,96GB Ram
399.3 x 258 x 21.2-22.2 mm (15.72 x 10.16 x 0.83-0.87 inches)
Weight: 2.5 kg (5.51 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and Cyborg 17 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 18 HX AI 2025 over MSI Cyborg 17

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~83% vs ~80.1%	Larger screen area ratio
Display Size	18 inches vs 17.3 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	240 Hz vs 144 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen PPI	168 ppi vs 127 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
Max Brightness	500 nits vs 300 nits	Brighter Screen
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	4 nm vs 5 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	18.4 TFLOPS vs 8.6 TFLOPS	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-A Ports	3x USB 3.2 vs 2x USB 3.2	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No

Reasons to choose MSI Cyborg 17 over MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Weight	2.50 kg vs 3.10 kg	0.6 kg lighter
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x)	Faster RAM

Common Strengths of MSI Cyborg 17 and MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Launch Dates	January 2025 vs July 2025	Both laptops are recent models
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	PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	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 v6E	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
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs Yes	Fast connection to Network via ethernet cable
Numeric Pad	Yes vs Yes	Fast way to input numbers
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of MSI Cyborg 17 and MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support
Fingerprint Sensor	No vs No	No fingerprint login feature

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 vs MSI Cyborg 17: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and the MSI Cyborg 17.

Physical Specs
Weight	3.1 kg (6.84 lbs)	2.5 kg (5.51 lbs)
Surface Area	1131 cm2 (175.3 inches2)	1030 cm2 (159.7 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~83%	~80.1%
Side Bezel Thickness	~8.2 mm	~8.2 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.17 kg/inch	0.14 kg/inch
	0.374 lbs/inch	0.308 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Black

Comparison of the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and the MSI Cyborg 17 External Dimensions

Weight

Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 weighs 3.1 kg (6.84 lbs), whereas the Cyborg 17 weighs 2.5 kg (5.51 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

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

MSI Cyborg 17

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

MSI Cyborg 17

Min

Average

Max

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 18 HX AI 2025 is 0.17 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the MSI Cyborg 17 is 0.14 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
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 vs MSI Cyborg 17: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX	Intel Core 5 210H Intel Core 7 240H Intel Core 9 270H
Base Frequency	2.7 GHz	2.2 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5.4 GHz	4.8 GHz
Number of Cores	24 (8P + 16E)	8 (4P + 4E)
Number of Threads	24	12
L3 Cache	36 MB	12 MB
Integrated GPU	Arc Graphics (4-Cores)	Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4 (48EU)
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 18 HX AI 2025 and MSI Cyborg 17.

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

Laptops with: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX

Laptops with: Intel Core 5 210H,Intel Core 7 240H,Intel Core 9 270H

Dell Alienware 16 Aurora Compare

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB	GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	115 W	45 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes, Advanced Optimus	Yes, Advanced Optimus
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	18.4 TFLOPS	8.6 TFLOPS
Memory Size	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR7	GDDR7
Memory Bus	128 bit	128 bit
Memory Speed	~24 Gbps	~24 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	3328	2560
TMUs	104	80
ROPs	48	32

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 18 HX AI 2025 has a FLOPS value of 18.4 TFLOPS whereas the MSI Cyborg 17 ' has a FLOPS value of 8.6 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI Cyborg 17 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB 96GB	16GB 32GB 64GB 96GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	6400 MHz	5600 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	DDR5
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	96 GB	96 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and the Cyborg 17, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI (2025)	MSI Cyborg 17
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✔ Good performance.	✔ Good performance.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	⚠ Can run using CPU + RAM fallback. Expect slower performance.	⚠ Can run using CPU + RAM fallback. Expect slower performance.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	⚠ Possible with CPU + RAM fallback using quantized models.	⚠ Possible with CPU + RAM fallback using quantized models.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	90 Wh	55.2 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left, Bottom	Right
Charge Power	240 W	120 W

Moreover, the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 boasts a larger battery capacity of 90 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Cyborg 17's55 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

MSI Cyborg 17

Min

Average

Max

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 4 TB, the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Cyborg 17's max. storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	1
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

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 18 HX AI 2025 vs MSI Cyborg 17: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and MSI Cyborg 17 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 18 HX AI 2025 has a display size of 18.0".On the other hand, Cyborg 17 has a smaller 17.3" display.The total usable screen area of the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 is 939cm² / 146inch² whereas the Cyborg 17's total usable screen area is 825cm² / 128inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 features a higher pixel density with 168 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

MSI Cyborg 17

Min

Average

Max

Refresh Rate
The Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 offers a higher refresh rate of 240 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Brightness
The Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 offers a higher maximum brightness of 500 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

MSI Cyborg 17

Min

Average

Max

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 vs MSI Cyborg 17 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both laptops offer the same Wi-Fi standard (v6E), ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

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 18 HX AI 2025 and Cyborg 17 have USB-A ports. Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 has 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while Cyborg 17 has 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and Cyborg 17 feature 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 18 HX AI 2025 is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. Cyborg 17 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and Cyborg 17 feature an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors.

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
Neither Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 nor Cyborg 17 has an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and Cyborg 17 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	v6E
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	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 3.2	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	Thunderbolt 4	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	No	No
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes