MSI Raider 16 Max HX B2WJ
Pros
Cons
The MSI Raider 16 Max HX B2WJ is a high-end gaming notebook built around Intel’s Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU. It features 32 GB of DDR5-6400 memory, a 16-inch 2560 x 1600 OLED display with a 240 Hz refresh rate, and extensive connectivity including USB4, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4. Despite its powerful hardware, reviewers note that the laptop is not excessively bulky for its class, weighing 2.6 kg. Its display quality and port selection are major strengths, while peak performance can be impressive in demanding workloads. However, gaming performance does not consistently surpass cheaper laptops with lower-tier components by a meaningful margin. With a 70% average rating and a price around €4,765, the Raider 16 Max HX B2WJ appears best suited to niche users such as AI-focused professionals rather than value-focused gamers.
Specifications
Primary Camera: 2.1 MPix
Price comparison
Average of 3 scores (from 4 reviews)
Reviews for the MSI Raider 16 Max HX B2WJ
The new Raider 16 Max HX packs an insane level of power even when compared to most larger 18-inch gaming laptops, but be prepared for a somewhat thick and heavy system.
Source: Hot Hardware
As we finalize our thoughts on the MSI Raider 16 MAX HX, it's important to keep things in context. My previous laptop review was of a gorgeous thin & light system that made specific sacrifices for the form factor. The Raider 16 MAX HX is a laptop that refuses to make sacrifices, though. It's not as sleek as the Dell XPS 16 I was speaking of previously, and it lacks a level premium feel due to the mostly-plastic construction. Thad said, it's also potentially the fastest 16" laptop we've ever tested, depending on the workload. All of our issues with this system come down to minor frustrations with a few of MSI's design decisions. The proprietary power plug is probably the biggest, for repairability reasons, but we understand why MSI had to go that route; USB-C can't carry enough juice, and a barrel plug has its own drawbacks. The onboard speakers aren't great but many gamers with headsets might not use them much anyway, and the Steelseries GG software requirement is basically a nitpick on a machine with 32GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the things we love about this machine are legion: awesome performance, a gorgeous OLED screen, plenty of ports for external devices, a solid keyboard layout for folks that actually want to get things done, and very easy access to the most important upgrades. If the RAMageddon settles down next year, you could throw a pair of hot-clocked CSODIMMs and a 4TB PCIe 5.0 SSD in this thing in five minutes. As with any product review, it all comes down to pricing and your personal priorities in the end, and that's where this machine really blows its competitors out of the water. If you're OK with its few setback, then this machine delivers bombshell 16-inch laptop performance for $4,299 MSRP. That's pricey, but considering that an identically configured Alienware 16 will run you $4,709, it's competitive. The thing is, this system isn't available at MSRP; in fact, it appears to currently be a Micro Center exclusive, where it's presently selling for just $3,499. That is, frankly, a great price for this class of machine. If you have use for an incredibly powerful 16" laptop with a glorious OLED display and decided gamer aesthetics, you'd better get on the road to your nearest Micro Center store before this HotHardware Editor's Choice machine sells out. Hopefully it comes to this page at Amazon soon. There's also an AMD-powered version with an RTX 5080 on board that's kicking around Amazon as well.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 05/29/2026
Source: PC World
The MSI Raider 16 Max HX has some good things going for it. For a system packing such high-end components, it’s surprising that it isn’t bulkier. It has an excellent display and robust connectivity options, but that isn’t quite enough to set it apart from the pack. And while it can deliver extreme performance that lets it pull ahead of its competition, it doesn’t consistently outperform more affordable machines running on lower-tier hardware. Its leads are often quite narrow. As it stands, the MSI Raider 16 Max HX’s edge may be confined to specific use cases such as AI applications, where its specific hardware can shine. But as a gaming workhorse, there’s better value elsewhere.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 05/08/2026
Rating: Total score: 70%
Foreign Reviews
Source: Gamestar
DE→ENSingle Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/20/2026
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: HKEPC
zh-TW→ENSingle Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 04/25/2026
Comment
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop: The GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile uses the GB203 chip and utilizes 10,496 shaders / CUDA cores of the maximum 10,752 that the chip has. This makes the RTX 5090 Laptop more similar to the RTX 5080 desktop variant (same chip) than the Desktop RTX 5090 with 20,760 cores and higher clock rates.
These graphics cards are able to play the latest and most demanding games in high resolutions and full detail settings with enabled Anti-Aliasing.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Ultra 9 290HX Plus: Mobile high-end CPU for gaming notebooks based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Offers 24 cores and is a refresh in 2026 of the 285HX with higher base clock and e-core clock rates (+100 MHz).» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
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