MSI unveils suite of new gaming laptops prioritizing power and portability at CES 2026

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The Raider, Stealth, and Crosshair see new revisions for this year

MSI Raider 16 Max gaming laptop on a dark background with bright lights
(Image credit: MSI)

MSI has long held the position of 'most powerful' in my best gaming laptop recommendations, at with the new Raider 16 Max HX, it's looking to take that title even further.

Announced at CES 2026, the latest addition to MSI's sprawling gaming laptop lineup brings 300W of total power to the 16-inch form factor, with 175W dedicated to the RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 under the hood. Both of those configurations come equipped with Intel's Core Ultra 200HX processors, themselves being fed 125W of juice. This is a premium, power-focused machine for those going all out on the latest generation - but the brand wants its new contender to last as well.

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ gaming laptop on a dark background with CES Innovation Awards badge

(Image credit: MSI)

MSI has also unveiled even more of its 2026 lineup at CES, with the new Stealth offering a more portable form factor than its predecessor while still adding an additional 20W of power to its GPU.

The Crosshair range is also seeing the Max treatment this year. The 16 Max HX model brings Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors to the cheaper range, with RTX 50-Series GPUs in tow as well. This is a more value-oriented rig, but the new generation is still pushing up to 200W of total power (30W more than last year), while a 24-zone RGB keyboard into the mix.

A lot of these rigs are following the main trends set out in 2025. Aside from those new generation graphics cards, we're looking at thinner, more efficient machines with faster OLED displays. Intel's new processors will hopefully give these slimmer machines an edge in their power handling, with many previous-generation options struggling to maintain composure without a cable.

However, where the Raider's concerned, this is the year for going all out on the RTX 5090. While only the Max model is fully configurable up to the RTX 5090, it's looking to follow in the footsteps of its larger predecessors with its no-nonsense approach to framerates.

MSI is keeping its lips sealed around shelf dates and pricing, so I expect more details to follow in the coming weeks.

I'm also hunting down all the best Razer laptops and the best Asus gaming laptops on the market. Or, take a look at the best Alienware laptops I've tested so far.

Tabitha Baker
Tabitha Baker
Managing Editor - Hardware

Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector. 

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