MSI Raider GE78 HX review: powerful gaming laptop but way too noisy

The MSI Raider GE78 HX 14V is unashamedly a gaming laptop. With a modern and edgy case and an incredible LED RGB light bar, this laptop certainly looks the part. The display would have benefited from being 4K but has instead prioritised following in the footsteps of many other gaming laptops by introducing a 16:10 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, all the hardware is top-notch and of the latest generation. Beginning with an Intel Core i9 processor HX series (14th Gen) and ending with a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, the GE78 HX 14V is at the top of the rankings. This hardware delivers great performance when it comes to processing power and video rendering.

It's not all good news, though. I was disappointed by the unbelievable level of fan noise from the cooling system but if you're happy wearing a pair of headphones all the time, then you won't notice the problem. Noise levels aside, when it comes to specifications and looks, this laptop leaves many in its wake.

MSI Raider GE78 HX review: Price

The MSI Raider GE78 HX 14V is available for £2,499 in the UK or $2,999 in the US, although it does come in a range of different configurations. Whatever you decide, you'll be guaranteed the incredibly quick and powerful Intel Core i9 processor HX series (14th Gen). If you're happy with a previous-generation Intel CPU, then you can opt for the MSI Raider GE78 HX 13V instead.

In terms of graphics cards, the model I tested included the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, which is ideal for fast and realistic ray tracing. When paired with the maximum amount of RAM, 96GB, that's quite the combination.

The display, for the price, is rather incredible too. The 17” QHD+ (2560x1600) screen looks lush, and the 240Hz refresh rate delivers smooth gaming without interruption.

MSI Raider GE78 HX review: Design

The GE78 HX certainly looks the part. As soon as I unboxed it, I could tell that I was going to love everything about the design. The reflective MSI badge, and red trim line between the hinge and display set the laptop apart right out of the gate. The hinge opens effortlessly without even a hint of the keyboard lifting up and out of place.

The keyboard and trackpad are in perfect ratio to each other and both are comfortable to use. The keyboard also has soft-touch keys that make operation an absolute breeze. The inclusion of a full numpad is another big win, although the keys around the right-hand shift key are a little bit more squished than I would have liked.

The trackpad is a good size and is nice and responsive. Unfortunately, you can only click up to 75% of the way up from the bottom of the trackpad. As a regular user of a MacBook Pro, I think I'm spoilt with the ability to click 100% of the pad.

The overall design of the case is edgy but not aggressively so. It makes for a super modern and sleek design that will appeal to gamers. The addition of what seems like 100s of LEDs in the keyboard and across the base makes it an illuminating extravaganza.

All of this results in a case that is 380 x 298 x 28.75 mm and has a weight of 3.1 kg. It certainly is on the heavy side and even though it might fit into a good-sized laptop bag, you certainly wouldn't want to be carrying it for too long.

MSI Raider GE78 HX review: Display

The 17-inch display really looks incredible, especially given the 16:10 aspect ratio. Having that additional height really helps to stabilise the overall balance of the laptop as well as give extra display room when playing games or working on creative projects.

The QHD+ resolution (2560×1600) is better than FHD but falls short of 4K, which brings into question the longevity of this device. With an increasing number of games being 4K, surely that is the future. There's no problem when downscaling but if you want to experience those 4K games in all their glory, then you'll need an external monitor to go with this laptop.

There are no problems when it comes to the refresh rate, though. At 240 Hz, games will be buttery smooth and result in an incredibly satisfying gaming experience.

MSI Raider GE78 HX review: Key features

INTEL CORE i9 PROCESSOR 14900HX

The 14th-generation Intel processor is everything you'd want from a gaming CPU. A total of 24 cores (8 P-Cores + 16 E-Cores) and 5.8GHz P-core Max Turbo Frequency result in speed and responsiveness that are the best they have ever been. Intel's CPU will not only provide what's needed for today's complexity of games but also the next generation of games.

GEFORCE RTX 40 Series

Utilising the latest Ada Lovelace architecture, the 40 series of NVIDIA's GPUs are perfect for delivering all the performance that is required. Being RTX, they are also able to deliver ray tracing technology for games that employ that type of lighting calculations. This GPU can ensure the highest level of frames per second for ultra-smooth gaming.

Cooler Boost 5

Keeping the laptop hardware cool enough to keep functioning and not get damaged is paramount for gamers. MSI's Cooler Boost 5 addresses this challenge by crafting tailored solutions for both the CPU and GPU. The provision of larger fans and broader heat pipes helps to minimise any overheating problems. Be warned, though, intense gaming sessions will result in a lot of fan noise.

MSI Raider GE78 HX review: Power and performance

It's one thing to boast an incredible specification of CPU, GPU, and MSI overboost ultra technology, but it's another thing to actually live up to that. We therefore run laptops through a series of benchmark tests using both Geekbench and Cinebench. We also ran a transcoding test using Handbrake.

The Raider GE78 HX 14V performed admirably in all the tests, beginning with the Geekbench 6 CPU single-core score that came in at 2,494. The same test but for multi-core, was 9,941. To put it in perspective, one of the best gaming laptops on the market at the moment is the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16. This racked up a single-core score of 2,851 and a multi-core score of 16,801. It's fairly even for single-core but struggles in the multi-core aspect.

Moving over to Cinebench r23, the GE78 HX 14V received a CPU single-core score of 2,125 and a multi-core of 26,490. This is almost identical to the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16. The Geekbench OpenCL GPU score came in at 75,339, which is very impressive.

When I transcoded a 10-minute, 34-second 4K video to 1080p, I found that the laptop took 9 minutes, 55 seconds. Nothing wrong with that time!

In terms of battery performance, given that it's a gaming laptop, there were no surprises that it struggled significantly. The 99.9Wh battery managed between 4 and 6 hours with normal usage. This went down rapidly when 'Mystic Light' was turned on. You'll want to take your battery charger with you wherever you go.

I can put up with the poor battery but one thing I struggled with was the noise generated from the cooling system. I appreciate that if you want your hardware to stay cool, then you're going to pay for it in terms of noise levels but, at times, these were unbearable. To be fair to MSI, the fans weren't in overdrive all the time and maybe I just need to get used to wearing headphones while gaming.

Should I buy the MSI Raider GE78 HX?

If you're a gamer, then absolutely. The latest generation Intel CPU and GeForce 40 series GPU make this a force to be reckoned with. When paired with a super comfortable keyboard and a bright 17” QHD+ (2560x1600) 240Hz display, there's very little not to love.

I think the laptop will also appeal to creatives, including 3D artists and real-time developers, who want the best GPUs and ray tracing technology. The 16:10 aspect ratio of the display will really help provide that extra amount of screen real estate for getting work done.