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Updated January 12, 2024·
In choosing between the Acer Nitro 16 and the MSI Katana 17, consider that the Acer Nitro 16 offers generally better performance and a higher resolution screen, which may be preferred for gaming or creative tasks. It also has longer battery life, making it a better option if you're frequently mobile. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 has a larger screen, more storage, and more memory, which can be beneficial for multitasking and storage-intensive applications. It's also lighter and thinner, giving it an edge in portability. However, the MSI tends to be slightly more expensive, so if budget is a concern, the Acer might be the more cost-effective choice. 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 Nitro 16
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Acer Nitro 16.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.3
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 16 delivers sharp and vibrant visuals suitable for everyday tasks due to its higher resolution and brightness, making text crisp and colors pop which benefits both general use and detailed engineering work; its enhanced color accuracy covering wider color gamuts is crucial for professional design software, providing more precise color replication. However, its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for the fast-paced action in gaming and 3D rendering where smooth motion is key. The MSI Katana 17, while still providing decent resolution and brightness for general activities, falls short in color precision for design tasks, and its lower refresh rate isn't optimal for the high-speed visual demands of gaming and 3D content.
Battery
9.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 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.
Cost
$1,050
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16, while good for general use due to its solid CPU and RAM, higher screen resolution, and effective heat management, is less portable and has a heavier weight than the MSI Katana 17, which excels in general use by offering more storage, double the RAM for multitasking, and a larger screen despite a lower resolution, all contributing to a better general use experience but with trade-offs in battery life and portability.
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 16 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 is highly suitable for gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, providing smoother visuals. In comparison, the MSI Katana 17, while still good for these tasks with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, offers a slightly lower screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which might not be as smooth as the Nitro 16 but still performs well for most gaming and 3D scenarios.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.8
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 16 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
7.7
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and MSI Katana 17 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Acer Nitro 16 and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | 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 | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2023
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
MSI Katana 17
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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 Nitro 16 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.
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