MSI has announced quite a few workstation-grade laptops at CES 2023. Unlike its gaming laptop offerings, which include heavy hitters such as the Raider GE78 HX, they focus more on aesthetics and portability while compromising on some processing power. The MSI Creator Z17 HX and Creator Z16 HX, however, are exceptions as they pack the most powerful processors from Intel’s Raptor Lake lineup. One can purchase the Creator Z16 HX starting at US$2899 and the Z17 HX at US$2,999.

There isn’t much of a spec difference between the MSI Creator Z17 HX and Creator 16 HX. Both laptops feature 16-inch QHD+ (16:10) touch-enabled LCD panels. The Z17 HX is certified for use with the MSI Pen, but the Z16 X isn’t for some reason. On the flip side, the Creator Z16 HX is Calman verified but not the Creator Z17.

However, the major difference between the Creator Z17 HX and Creator Z16 HX lies in the CPU choice. The former gets an Intel Core i9-13950HX while the latter maxes out at a Core i9-13900HX. Models with an Intel Core i7 HX processor are also available. One gets to pick between an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 or RTX 4060 for the graphics card. Higher-end models would have been ideal, but MSI’s reasons to skip them could have something to do with the laptops’ chassis.

The Creator Z17 HX and Creator Z16 HX support up to 64GB of DDR5 5,400 memory and a 2 TB NVMe SSD. I/O is mostly identical across both SKUs, with the Creator Z17 HX getting one extra Thunderbolt 4.0 port, along with the other Thunderbolt 4.0 port, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port, HDMI port, an SD card slot and a 3.5mm audio jack. the laptops draw power from a 90 Wh battery and support 240 Watts fast charging.

Anil Ganti – Senior Tech Writer – 1222 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2019

I’ve been an avid PC gamer since the age of 8. My passion for gaming eventually pushed me towards general tech, and I got my first writing gig at the age of 19. I have a degree in mechanical engineering and have worked in the manufacturing industry and a few other publications like Wccftech before joining Notebookcheck in November 2019. I cover a variety of topics including smartphones, gaming, and computer hardware.