A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 is a more affordable option with good general performance and a lower weight, making it more portable, but with moderate power and display quality. It would be suitable for everyday tasks and light to moderate workload scenarios. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17, while more expensive, offers higher performance with advanced graphics capabilities and a larger display, which is beneficial for gaming, 3D applications, and intensive engineering software, but it is heavier and might be less convenient to move around frequently. The choice depends on whether you prioritize cost savings and portability, or performance and advanced graphic capabilities for more demanding tasks. 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 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.3
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
264.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Aspire Vero 15 are both good for general use, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 offers a balance with good battery life and heat management, enhancing its portability for general use; however, its performance is outpaced by the MSI Katana 17, which has a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, providing very good general use performance at the cost of shorter battery life and less portability.
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.9
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire Vero 15 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.6
8.4
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire Vero 15 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 is suitable for engineering and design due to its capable processor and integrated graphics, adequate memory, and good screen quality, all within a portable form factor; however, the MSI Katana 17 is considered better for these tasks thanks to its higher-performing dedicated GPU, more powerful CPU, double the memory, and larger, high-refresh rate screen, albeit at the expense of increased weight and size, making it less portable.
Content Creation
7.2
7.8
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Aspire Vero 15 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
264.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire Vero 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 offers an adequate display for everyday tasks with decent resolution and brightness, but it lacks the color range needed for precise engineering and design work, and its lower refresh rate is not ideal for smooth gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Katana 17, however, provides a better visual experience for typical use with higher brightness and sharper image quality, but it still falls short for professional color work due to limited color gamuts, and gamers might find the refresh rate insufficient for high-speed gaming that demands quick frame transitions. Both laptops compromise on certain aspects of the display to meet different price points and usage cases, with the Acer catering more towards casual use and the MSI leaning slightly towards better general performance, but neither being optimal for specialized tasks like high-end design or competitive gaming.
Battery
7.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 has 3 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
17.3in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.2
The MSI Katana 17 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
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire Vero 15 has a price of $665 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Software Development
7.1
7.5
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Aspire Vero 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire Vero 15 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire Vero 15 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$665 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.4" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1195G7 | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 48 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
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 | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 6.2/10 | |
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
See more
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 17
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire Vero 15 or the MSI Katana 17
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
109,995
Recommendations made
23,833
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
