Something to look forward to: While desktops transition to bleeding-edge PCIe 5.0 storage, MSI is one of the first companies to take that step for laptops. This week, the company is showcasing several new models featuring that technology at CES, along with the latest chips from Intel and Nvidia.
Among the new laptops that several manufacturers unveiled at CES 2023 this week are a few from MSI that introduce PCIe 5.0 SSDs to notebooks. The company has several models, but only the top-end variants support the cutting-edge storage standard. These include the new flagship Titan GT77 HX and two new Raider models.
The Titan features two slots for PCIe 4 SSDs and a third for PCIe 5. The new Vector, Stealth, Katana, Pulse, Sword, and Cyborg laptops support PCIe 4 only.
The first PCIe 5 SSDs emerged last year, offering speeds over 10 GB/s --- around twice as fast as most PCIe 4 SSDs. Although PCIe 5 storage is still relatively expensive, analysts say their prices could fall by half by the middle of this year. Users upgrading to PCIe 5 SSDs should know that they currently offer benefits in a limited range of workloads which could widen when more developers start utilizing Microsoft's new DirectStorage API.
Fast storage is far from the only cutting-edge hardware MSI's new laptops feature. The Titan, Raider, Vector, Stealth, Katana, Pulse, and Sword systems include Intel 13th-generation Raptor Lake processors, Nvidia RTX 40 series GPUs, high refresh-rate displays, and DDR5 RAM. Most also have MUX switches to optimize performance with their discrete GPUs.
Leading the lineup, the Titan packs an i9-13980HX with a 5.6 GHz boost clock, a laptop RTX 4090, and a 4K HDR 144Hz Mini LED screen. Both Raider models feature 1440p 240Hz screens and i9 CPUs. Combined, they offer the choice between an RTX 4060, 4070, 4080, and 4090. Release dates for MSI's new laptops are not yet known, but the company confirms that early-bird pre-order offers are already available.
The models featuring PCIe 5 are likely to be expensive. Tom's Hardware reports that the flagships will break the $5,000 mark, but the lower-end Pulse, Katana, and Cyborg systems will be more affordable. Among the CES debuts, these devices compete with Dell, Acer, and Razer laptops that also feature Raptor Lakes and RTX 4000 GPUs.