2026 is a big year for gaming, as there are lots of major titles coming out. As such, now is a great time to upgrade to a gaming laptop, especially if you want to play big games like Resident Evil Requiem and 007: First Light in the best experience possible. This is especially the case if you’re like me and have been using the same gaming laptop for years.
When buying a new gaming laptop, it’s worth getting something that you can reliably game on for years. After all, I’ve tried only buying the cheapest gaming laptop, and I ended up regretting it as it wasn’t able to run triple-A games that smoothly, even just 1-2 years after I got it. As such, there’s merit to splurging on a more powerful machine, especially as it can be your gaming partner not just for two years, but even for 5 or more years.
With this in mind, the new MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI is very much a great option. This is thanks to its combination of great design, coupled with its powerful hardware and top-notch display that make it an excellent partner for triple-A and esports gaming.
So, if you’re in the market for a new gaming rig, here’s a quick rundown of why the MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI is a worthy choice as your next PC gaming partner.
Gamer Looks that aren’t Just for Show
Looks-wise, the Crosshair 16 HX AI definitely looks the part as a gaming laptop. This is thanks to its “futuristic spacecraft design” that combines eye-catching patterns with a sleek finish. Adding to the gamer look is the laptop’s 24-zone RGB backlit keyboard. With this, you can choose between colorful light cycles or opt for a more “aggressive” all-red color scheme.
The laptop’s looks aren’t just for show though. That’s because it’s also designed with usability and reliability in mind. For starters, the laptop has a wide array of connectivity options. These include an HDMI 2.1, a Thunderbolt 4, and three USB Type-A ports. The three USB Type-A ports are quite welcome, especially for users who want to connect more peripherals.
Along with connectivity, cooling is another key focus for this laptop. The Crosshair 16 has MSI’s Cooler Booster 5 technology, featuring 2 fans (that are 26% larger than before) and 5 pipes. With this setup, the Crosshair 16’s CPU and GPU could be utilized more effectively, enabling better performance.
Intel Core Ultra and RTX 50 Series – A Powerful Combo
Speaking of performance, the Crosshair 16 HX AI won’t disappoint in this regard. This is thanks to the laptop’s Intel® Core™Ultra 9 processor 275HX and GeForce RTX™ 5070 laptop GPU combo.
According to Intel®, this Core™ CPU should deliver nearly PC-level performance, thanks to its 24-core design. It also has an integrated NPU AI engine, meaning users can enjoy improved performance for AI-powered apps in their workflow.
As for the RTX™ 5070 laptop GPU, this graphics card should have enough hardware muscle to run even triple-A games with high frame rates. According to NVIDIA, even this laptop’s RTX™ 5070 laptop GPU should be powerful enough for 4K gaming courtesy of DLSS 4 next-gen AI upscaling. This means the Crosshair 16 HX AI should have enough power to play games on an external 4K display. On the other hand, if you’re playing on the laptop’s QHD+ screen, you should be able to get even better results, meaning you can also take advantage of its fast refresh rate.
For reference, here’s a quick rundown of how well the new Crosshair 16 HX AI can run triple-A and esports titles:
As you can see, gaming performance does not disappoint, as the laptop has enough power to run triple-A games like Control at High Graphics settings with ease. As noted in the chart, these games were tested on the laptop screen’s native resolution, which is notably higher than Full HD.
Esports titles like Overwatch also run fast, enough that it reaches high framerates. As mentioned, this should look great on the laptop’s high refresh rate screen.
Gaming-Grade Visuals
While the Crosshair 16 HX AI has enough power to play games on a high-res external display, you don’t need that to get a good gaming experience on the visual side. That’s because the laptop already has a quality display.
Specifically, the new MSI Crosshair packs an IPS-level display with a QHD+ resolution, coupled with up to 240Hz refresh rate. Thanks to this, you can enjoy crisp visuals that look and feel smooth.
The screen isn’t just made for gaming, as it’s also made with productivity in mind. This is courtesy of its 100% DCI-P3 panel, along with the taller 16:10 aspect ratio. For years now, we’ve shifted our preference to 16:10 displays on laptops, so it’s nice to see this new Crosshair model come with one.
MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI is the Complete Package
As I mentioned above, in my experience, it’s often worth splurging on a more powerful gaming laptop, especially considering how long it can be used for. If you buy a capable laptop, you can game on it for five or even more years. In this regard, the Crosshair 16 HX AI is a worthy option, given that its CPU and GPU combo make it quite future-proof.
What’s more, choosing a laptop with great cooling is also important. After all, a powerful laptop won’t work well in the long run if it lacks proper cooling. Again, the Crosshair shouldn’t disappoint here, as its cooling system and design (which features plenty of big vents and ample space) mean it should keep temps to a manageable degree, even in long-term use.
Taking these into account, we think the Crosshair 16 is very much a worthy upgrade option, especially with its current promo offer.
The MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI is Available with a Special Promo
Right now, you can buy the MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI at a special promo price of PHP 133,495. To sweeten the deal, MSI has a limited-time promo where each purchase of the laptop will come with an M99 Pro Gaming Mouse and a PHP 2,000 SM e-voucher.
The discount and freebies are available during the promo from March 1 to April 5, 2026, only.
Full Promotion Details: https://ph.msi.com/Promotion/Summer-Sale-2026/nb