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MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Katana 15
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What we think

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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

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Gaming and AI

6.3
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
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.

Software Development

7.8
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
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.

Screen Quality

7.6
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
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.

Battery

20.0 Hours
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life.

Portability

Very Good
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
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
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
7.2
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.

Cost

$1,249
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
$949
Product image
Product image

$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

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General Use

7.7
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
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.

Engineering and Design

7.3
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
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.

Content Creation

7.8
MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Katana 15
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.

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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)MSI Katana 15
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)MSI Katana 15

GENERAL

Price
$1,249
$949
Release Date
October 1, 2020February 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61''14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98''
Weight
3 lbs4.96 lbs
Width
11.97"14.13"
Depth
8.36"10.2"

INTERNAL

Processor
Apple M1Intel i5-12450H
RAM
8 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
45
RAM Slots
02
Storage
256 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
20 Hours4 Hours
Battery Capacity
58.2 Wh53.5 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
13.3"15.6"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
2560 x 16001920 x 1080
Refresh Rate
60Hz144Hz
Display Brightness
491 nits258 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
10/107.2/10
Portability Score
8.9/106.9/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
10/107/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
9.5/107.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
9.5/107.5/10
Webcam
720p720p
Fingerprint Reader
YesNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
03
USB-C ports
21
USB-C Charging
YesNo
Display Outputs
12
Thunderbolt Version
3N/A

Shopping

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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

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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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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.

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