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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) typically offers a sleek design, great build quality, long battery life, and is well-suited for general use, multimedia tasks, and programming. However, it may be more expensive and have limited port selection compared to other brands. The MSI Katana 15 is likely to offer more powerful hardware suitable for gaming, 3D rendering, and other intensive tasks at a more affordable price, but with tradeoffs such as a bulkier design, shorter battery life, and potentially louder fans during heavy use. Consider the MacBook Pro if you prioritize portability and battery life for daily tasks and the MSI Katana if you need more power for demanding applications. 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 Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.6
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its integrated Apple M1 GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate offers moderate capabilities for 3D tasks but may fall short for high-end gaming, while the MSI Katana 15's Nvidia RTX 4060 dedicated GPU and faster 144Hz screen refresh rate make it superior for gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, the MSI's compatibility with a wider range of games due to its Windows operating system adds to its suitability for gaming compared to the MacBook Pro, which cannot run many popular games.
Software Development
7.8
7.0
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.6
6.8
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) provides a high-resolution and bright display that enhances visibility and clarity, which is crucial for general use, along with a wide color gamut that benefits engineering and design tasks requiring color accuracy. However, its screen falls short for 3D applications due to a lower refresh rate that can't smoothly handle fast-moving graphics. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 offers adequate resolution and brightness for general tasks and engineering work, but its limited color range and modest refresh rate aren't ideal for color-critical design work or the high frame rates desired in gaming and 3D contexts.
Battery
20.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 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
Very Good
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.2
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) offers solid performance for general use with its Apple M1 CPU and integrated GPU, a long battery life, and is highly portable with a light build and high-quality screen, making it suitable for users needing mobility and silent operation.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.7
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is renowned for its superior screen quality, with high color accuracy and resolution beneficial for detail-oriented engineering and design work, though it has less powerful RAM and graphics compared to the MSI Katana 15, which offers a dedicated graphics card and more RAM ideal for demanding software used in these fields.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and MSI Katana 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,249 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 20 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58.2 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 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 | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
MSI Katana 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
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 Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the MSI Katana 15
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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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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.
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