MSI Katana 15 2025 vs MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 Comparison

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MSI Katana 15 2025

15.6 inches | January 2025

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MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

18 inches | January 2025

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MSI Katana 15 2025 vs MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 Comparison Overview

MSI Katana 15 2025

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MSI Crosshair 18 HX...

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MSI Katana 15 2025

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MSI Crosshair 18 HX...

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In this review, we will be comparing Katana 15 2025 and Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025, two laptops by MSI. MSI Katana 15 2025 was introduced to market in January 2025 and MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 was launched in January 2025. Both Katana 15 2025 and Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 were launched within the same month so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and available technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Katana 15 2025 and Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 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 Katana 15 2025 and MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI Katana 15 2025 Key Specs

Launched in January 2025
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 14650HX,Intel Core i9 14900HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop 8GB,GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB,GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB
16GB,32GB,64GB,96GB Ram
359 x 262 x 25.5 mm (14.13 x 10.31 x 1 inches)
Weight: 2.4 kg (5.29 lbs)

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)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Katana 15 2025 and Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 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 Katana 15 2025 over MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Weight	2.40 kg vs 3.10 kg	0.7 kg lighter
Side Bezel Thickness	6.8 mm vs 8.2 mm	1.4 mm thinner bezels
Charging Port Position	Left, Right vs Left, Bottom	Flexible cable positions
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x)	Faster RAM

Reasons to choose MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 over MSI Katana 15 2025

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~83% vs ~71.4%	Larger screen area ratio
Display Size	18 inches vs 15.6 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	240 Hz vs 144 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen PPI	168 ppi vs 141 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 14.9 TFLOPS	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No

Common Strengths of MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and MSI Katana 15 2025

Launch Dates	January 2025 vs January 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 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 5.0 (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 Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 and MSI Katana 15 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 Katana 15 2025 vs MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI Katana 15 2025 and the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.4 kg (5.29 lbs)	3.1 kg (6.84 lbs)
Surface Area	941 cm2 (145.7 inches2)	1131 cm2 (175.3 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~71.4%	~83%
Side Bezel Thickness	~6.8 mm	~8.2 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.15 kg/inch	0.17 kg/inch
	0.33 lbs/inch	0.374 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Black

Comparison of the MSI Katana 15 2025 and the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 External Dimensions

Weight

Katana 15 2025 weighs 2.4 kg (5.29 lbs), whereas the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 weighs 3.1 kg (6.84 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 Katana 15 2025

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Avg: larger than 17.0"

Thickness Comparison

MSI Katana 15 2025

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Avg: larger than 17.0"

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 Katana 15 2025 is 0.15 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 is 0.17 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 Katana 15 2025 vs MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i7 14650HX Intel Core i9 14900HX	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
Base Frequency	2.2 GHz	2.7 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5.2 GHz	5.4 GHz
Number of Cores	16 (8P + 8E)	24 (8P + 16E)
Number of Threads	24	24
L3 Cache	30 MB	36 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (16EU)	Arc Graphics (4-Cores)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	3 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 Katana 15 2025 and MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPU ( Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX ) and compare them:

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB	GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop 8GB GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop 8GB
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	115 W	115 W
Nvidia Optimus	MUX	Yes, Advanced Optimus
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	14.9 TFLOPS	18.4 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	2560	3328
TMUs	80	104
ROPs	32	48

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 Katana 15 2025 has a FLOPS value of 14.9 TFLOPS whereas the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 ' has a FLOPS value of 18.4 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 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	5600 MHz	6400 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	DDR5
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	96 GB	96 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 5.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Katana 15 2025 and the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025, 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 Katana 15 (2025)	MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI (2025)
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	75 Wh	90 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left, Right	Left, Bottom
Charge Power	240 W	240 W

On the other hand, the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 features a higher battery capacity of 90 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the Katana 15 2025's 75 Wh.

Battery Comparison

MSI Katana 15 2025

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Avg: larger than 17.0"

STORAGE
The Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 offers a larger max storage capacity of 4 TB, providing more room for storing files and data compared to the Katana 15 2025's storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	2
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 Katana 15 2025 vs MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI Katana 15 2025 and MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 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. Katana 15 2025 has a display size of 15.6".On the other hand, Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 has a larger18.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Katana 15 2025 is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025's total usable screen area is 939cm² / 146inch².

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

MSI Katana 15 2025

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Avg: larger than 17.0"

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

MSI Katana 15 2025

Avg: 15.0-15.9"

MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025

Avg: larger than 17.0"

MSI Katana 15 2025 vs MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 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 Katana 15 2025 and Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 feature 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Katana 15 2025 and Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 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. Katana 15 2025 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both Katana 15 2025 and Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 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 Katana 15 2025 nor Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 has an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Katana 15 2025 and Crosshair 18 HX AI 2025 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	3x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	No	Thunderbolt 4
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