The MSI Raider GE68 HX 14VHG is one of the manufacturer’s top-tier gaming laptops, available in a wide range of configurations. Since I am sometimes criticized for being overly negative in comments, I’ll start by stating that, as of now, this series of laptops is priced between approximately $2,400 and $3,800 in stores, depending on the configuration level.
The configuration levels primarily differ in terms of the graphics card options. The most expensive Raider GE68 HX 14VIG comes with the RTX 4090 graphics card, followed by today’s reviewed model, the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG, which has the RTX 4080. Next in line is the Raider GE68 HX 14VGG with the RTX 4070, and finally, the Raider GE68 HX 14VFG with the RTX 4060. The models with less powerful graphics cards will also have lower-wattage power supplies, but everything else in this series remains identical across all laptop versions.
The Raider GE68 HX 14VHG (and other versions in this lineup) is built like a tank, using the best materials, with attention to connectivity ports and the cooling system. My only complaint would be the noise from the cooling system, but given the Intel Core i9 processor and the RTX 4080 graphics card, it’s understandable.
Technical Specification
| Feature | Specification |
| Processor | 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX, 2.2 GHz (36 MB cache, up to 5.8 GHz, 24 cores: 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores) |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop (12 GB GDDR6, 2280 MHz Boost Clock, 175 W, 240 W CPU-GPU Power with MSI OverBoost Technology) |
| RAM | 32 GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM (max 96 GB) |
| Display | 16″ UHD+ (3840 x 2400), 16:10, 120 Hz, MiniLED, IPS-Level |
| SSD | 2 TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD (supports NVMe PCIe 5.0 SSD) |
| Ports | 1x Type-C (USB3.2 Gen2 / DisplayPort), 1x Type-C (USB3.2 Gen2 / DisplayPort/ Power Delivery 3.0), 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 1x SD card reader, 1x HDMI 2.1 (8K @ 60 Hz / 4K @ 120 Hz), 1x RJ45 |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) + Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 357 x 284 x 22.20-27.85 mm |
| Weight | 2.75 kg |
| Battery | 99.9 Wh, 330 W charger |
| Additional Features | RGB backlit keys, RGB on the lid and around the bottom of the chassis, 1080p webcam |
| Software | MSI Center, MSI True Color |
| Price | $3,200 |
Design and Build
From the moment you take it out of the packaging, you can feel that this is no joke – the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG weighs more than you’d initially expect. If we consider it from the perspective of build quality and cooling system capabilities, this is good, even great.
I really like the new approach of using 16″ screens with a 16:10 aspect ratio. This doesn’t make the laptop significantly bigger, but the screen area increases noticeably. In the case of the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG, there’s also a slight protrusion behind the screen where a few ports are located, and probably part of the cooling system too. But still, this is not the largest laptop I’ve seen.
The front of the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG features RGB LEDs with a transparent insert covering them. This is one of the flashiest RGB LED implementations. The MSI dragon logo on the lid is also illuminated. These RGB lights can synchronize with in-game events, provided the software supports this feature.
The range of ports is extensive, though it’s worth noting that the square-shaped USB ports are only on the right side of the laptop, which isn’t very convenient when you need to connect a mouse or another USB Type-A accessory.
As I mentioned, the biggest issue with the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG, at least from my perspective, is the cooling and the noise level of the cooling system. Yes, the hardware here demands significant cooling power – in fact, it’s almost the most powerful hardware you can pack into a laptop – but you must be prepared for the cooling fans to run constantly.
Screen
The Raider GE68 HX 14VHG we reviewed comes with a 4K+ resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and MiniLED backlighting. For everyday use, this screen feels perfectly matched to the laptop’s power, with vibrant colors, deep blacks, and visible details. In short, the display is nearly outstanding.
However, if we consider this 4K+ resolution from a gaming perspective, things aren’t quite as perfect. It requires a lot of power to run games at 4K+ resolution. Of course, with the power of the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG, many games will reach 120 frames per second, but the latest AAA titles won’t even come close to 120 frames per second at 4K+ resolution.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is quite decent for gaming, and for typing, it’s acceptable but nothing more. The keyboard has rather aggressive backlighting, which shines through the transparent WASD keys and doesn’t really help in seeing the letters on the keys in a darker room. However, the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG still has one of the best keyboards among gaming laptops, even though it’s not particularly special when compared to the comfort of office laptop keyboards.
The touchpad is large and comfortable, with no complaints here.
Battery
The Raider GE68 HX 14VHG has the largest possible battery capacity allowed on a plane. This battery will last close to 3.5 hours for office work, but you need to be cautious when gaming, as performance drops significantly when the laptop is unplugged. The performance reduction is so drastic that some of our test games either refused to start or took more than 4 minutes to launch.
Application
Switch the laptop to the highest available performance mode. I ran a few performance tests both with MSI Center enabled and without this special mode, but I didn’t see any noticeable gains. MSI Center provides a glimpse into the laptop’s performance, load, and disk usage, but that’s about it.
There’s also a screen color adjustment app, which launches automatically with Windows 11 by default.
Performance
As expected, the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG is not immune to the processor’s so-called throttling, where the clock speed is reduced to prevent the laptop from overheating.
In the Passmark PerformanceTest 9.0, this laptop achieved an absolute leader position, with other tested gaming laptops scoring between 3500 and 6300 points. Even the seemingly more powerful ROG Strix SCAR 18 with an RTX 4090 graphics card was surpassed by about 3500 points.
In the Cinebench test, the Raider achieved a very high score again – other tested laptops scored between 4500 and 5500 points. Once again, ASUS was surpassed by about 1200 points, which is a significant advantage for MSI.
However, the SSD speeds lag behind ASUS, as the ASUS had two NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 configuration. But the MSI Raider GE68 HX 14VHG can also support NVMe PCIe 5.0 SSDs, which could bring the speeds closer to ASUS levels.
Now, in the 3D Mark tests, the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG slightly falls behind the ROG Strix SCAR 18, since ASUS managed to include the RTX 4090 graphics card. The biggest differences in favor of ASUS were seen in the Night Raid and PC Mark Office tests, but the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG still performed very well.
In the built-in performance tests of various games, the Raider GE68 HX 14VHG with Ultra settings and full-screen 4K+ resolution provided a fairly high frame rate. However, I would have preferred the laptop to be equipped with a 1440p+ resolution, as this could have doubled the frame rate. Oddly, our usual fourth game, Tom Clancy’s The Division, refused to run for some reason.
Conclusion
The MSI Raider GE68 HX 14VHG is definitely more of a desktop replacement than a portable laptop due to its weight. The power brick also adds to the overall weight, making it less convenient to carry around in a bag.
In terms of power, there should be no complaints, as long as you’ve chosen the screen resolution you prefer at the time of purchase. The Raider GE68 HX 14VHG reviewed here came with a 4K+ display with MiniLED backlighting, but personally, I would opt for the 16″ QHD+ (2560×1600) with 240 Hz, even though it lacks the MiniLED. This resolution seems more suitable for the laptop’s performance.
Overall, this is definitely one of the coolest, if not the absolute best, gaming laptops I’ve seen. It’s rare to come across a device that you don’t want to return to the manufacturer, and this is one of those rare occasions.
