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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 is less expensive and has a processor with good general performance; it's suitable for everyday tasks and offers solid portability. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 costs a bit more, but comes with a more powerful graphics card for gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, and has twice the storage space, while being slightly less portable due to higher weight. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire Vero 15
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire Vero 15 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications owing to its Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, which is more powerful than the Intel Iris Xe present in the Acer Aspire Vero 15, as well as its higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz compared to the Acer's 60Hz, offering a smoother visual experience. While both devices have similar CPUs and screen quality, the superior GPU and refresh rate in the MSI Katana 15 lead to improved gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.7
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire Vero 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 offers high-quality graphics with its high-performance CPU and integrated GPU suitable for less demanding engineering software, paired with excellent portability due to its lower weight and good battery life. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 has a dedicated high-end GPU enabling more demanding engineering and design tasks, alongside a higher refresh rate screen providing smoother visuals, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life, reducing its portability.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
264.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire Vero 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 and MSI Katana 15, while suitable for general tasks, have screens that might not be as vibrant or sharp due to their average resolution and brightness, affecting viewing quality and detail. Engineering and design professionals may find these models lacking as they don’t cover a wide color spectrum, which is crucial for precise color work. Gamers and 3D designers may be disappointed with the refresh rate, limiting the smoothness of fast-paced visuals and rendering.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.2
The MSI Katana 15 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire Vero 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$665
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 has a price of $665 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
264.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 and Acer Aspire Vero 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 delivers dependable general performance with a high-quality CPU and sufficient RAM, coupled with a portable design and good battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks without frequent charging. The MSI Katana 15, while also offering sufficient RAM and a robust CPU for general use, excels with a higher-quality screen and superior graphics performance, but this results in reduced battery life and slightly less portability, making it ideal for more graphics-intensive applications.
Content Creation
7.2
7.4
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 and Acer Aspire Vero 15 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.1
7.0
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Acer Aspire Vero 15 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire Vero 15 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$665 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1195G7 | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 48 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 264 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire Vero 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matt Elliott | October 2021
"The Acer Aspire Vero is an eco-friendly Windows 11 laptop. Made with PCR plastic, the Acer Aspire Vero stands out from the midrange laptop pack with a funky, eco-friendly design. Powering Microsoft’s latest operating system is a Core i7 chip from Intel’s latest series, integrated Intel Xe graphics, and an ample 16GB of RAM. The laptop feels snappy, but its battery life disappoints. I also have a few quibbles with the display and keyboard, but they’re relatively minor. With a longer runtime, the Aspire Vero would earn a stronger recommendation for students or anyone looking for an eco-friendly, big-screen laptop."
MSI Katana 15
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NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The MSI Katana 15 B12 combines a Gen12 CPU with an RTX 4050, which is actually not a bad idea for a budget gamer. The CPU is anything but bad and the GPU in the Katana 15 proves to be significantly more efficient than last year's models. However, our main point of criticism for budget gamers is the price: while you can get budget laptops with RTX 3060 from around US$800, you pay a whole US$1,499.99 here! The efficiency advantages of the RTX 4050 do not justify this price premium."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire Vero 15 or the MSI Katana 15
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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