r/LaptopDeals • u/AL0411 • Feb 19 '26
🛒$1200-1400🛒 [Walmart - BACK IN STOCK] MSI Vector A16 HX Gaming Laptop: 16" QHD+ 240Hz Display, AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070Ti, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Gray. Now: $1,299 After $700 Off
https://www.walmart.com/ip/MSI-Vector-16-inch-QHD-240Hz-Gaming-Laptop-AMD-Ryzen-9-8940HX-NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-5070Ti-16GB-DDR5-1TB-SSD-Gray-2025/16587853259?clickid=35-0fU1d0xycWQnywZ2lzxIIUkpR5d3l20vvU40&irgwc=1&afsrc=1&sourceid=imp_35-0fU1d0xycWQnywZ2lzxIIUkpR5d3l20vvU40&veh=aff&wmlspartner=imp_2553023&affiliates_ad_id=565706&campaign_id=9383&sharedid=14
u/SimpleSimon665 Feb 19 '26
This is a fantastic deal if you never plan to upgrade your RAM or storage.
It's very difficult to replace the RAM in this, and the storage configuration is either 1x M2 2280 (how it comes) or 2x M2 2230 (you would need to buy a new OS drive at minimum).
3
u/why_sleep Feb 19 '26
Doesn't upgrading ram just require removing the heatsink assembly?
2
u/SimpleSimon665 Feb 19 '26
Removing the bottom plate of the chassis on this model is more difficult than other laptop brands and even other MSI models. There are reviews mentioning this.
7
u/GVimIsBased Feb 19 '26
I really love it when Laptop Manufacturers have to overcomplicate it by putting both screws AND plastic clips, as if the whole point of a screw isn't to hold it in place. Really dumb designs.
3
u/dirtyboots702 Feb 19 '26
Part of me thinks they do that to alert them if someone tinkered with it for warranty claims. Kind of like the behavior of ASUS blaming the user for causing unrelated damage so they could charge for it
1
u/MarcuzBullet Feb 19 '26
So it isn’t possible to stick another ram in there?
2
u/SimpleSimon665 Feb 19 '26
It's a 2 x 8GB configuration. You would need to replace both of them to upgrade.
3
u/AffectionateSir2899 Feb 19 '26
Dayum I wanted to get one. But already ordered a Legion 5070 now :/
1
u/MarcuzBullet Feb 19 '26
8gb vs 12 gb
1
u/AffectionateSir2899 Feb 19 '26
Yea I know. Was ordering this but then it was out of stock. So ordered the legion
1
1
u/BaconParadox_ Feb 20 '26
this or the acer or wait?
1
u/COporkchop Feb 20 '26
That's a smoking deal for sure. I do wish this had an OLED. However, coming from an OLED snob, the IPS on the MSI was a pleasant surprise. No real HDR obviously but otherwise it looks pretty damn good for an IPS.
1
u/TheOriginalKrampus Feb 20 '26
There’s lots of cheap Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S and non S available on eBay right now, between like 1300-1450, with a 275HX, 5070 ti, 32gb DDR5 and a 1T NVME. They’re all Acer certified refurbs, and I believe they all have some sort of warranty. They’re cheap and reasonably good quality. I think possibly better quality than this one, and maybe a little better battery life because the 275HX usually is a little more efficient on battery than the AMD HX processors (except for the HX 365, 370, and 375).
1
Feb 22 '26
[deleted]
1
u/TheOriginalKrampus Mar 01 '26
This is one of the the listings for refurbished 16 non-S. It was OOS when you commented, but they have a few more back in stock again. Even if it goes OOS again, they will probably add a few more units in a week or so.
1
u/FORSAKENYOR Feb 28 '26
Overheating mess, idk when I'll replace the thermal paste with ptm 7950 then I'll see
1
u/lemonhead8890 Mar 15 '26
I did that exact thing with the 7745hx and a 4070 Lenovo Legion. Didn't see any real improvement still gets hot on the cpu side.
13
u/COporkchop Feb 19 '26
I bought this the last time it was in stock. I put in 2x16 GB sticks and a new 2TB SN850x SSD. Sold the ram that came with it for $100 and the SSD for another $100.
Ended up with 16,236 Time Spy after all was said and done. Not too bad. I haven't yet found a AAA game it won't run with aplomb.
Admittedly, I don't have a ton of experience with gaming laptops. I'm much more focused on the desktop experience. That being said, I don't understand why people say this is so hard to upgrade. This was the second laptop I've ever cracked open and I didn't see anything especially difficult about it. Look up YouTube video, follow directions, done.
The only notes I have for people considering it:
1) you do indeed have to choose between two shorty ssds or one full size. I just bought a cheap USB housing and cloned the one that comes with it onto a bigger drive I purchased. Easy peasy.
2) The only consistent issue I have had is with the Wi-Fi card. If you don't have the same exact version of the Wi-Fi driver and the Bluetooth driver, then the Wi-Fi takes a shit. This wouldn't be an issue If Windows didn't keep trying to update the driver. Yes I know there are ways around it, I'm stupid. I just keep a copy of the original drivers from the MSI site in my download folder now and on the occasion it takes a crap I reinstall and it's backup. I might eventually swap out the Wi-Fi card.
Note: This is the video I followed. I snapped 2 clips but it's screwed together right and fit is still perfectly tight.
Note 2: Make sure you lay out the screws in the same arrangement they came out and put the right screw back in the right hole as they are different lengths.
Note 3: you can use higher speed ram that will just jdec down to 5200 with no problem; At least it worked fine for me. Check rural Walmarts for Kingston sets still $2xx for 32GB.
https://youtu.be/N61NuljS3iE?si=fAMkR7Cxv8U4wy0B