If you prioritize a sleek design, longer battery life, and a robust operating system tailored for general use or creative professions, the MacBook Pro 13 is a sensible option, particularly if macOS and its exclusive software are important to you. On the other hand, if you require more screen real estate, prefer Windows, or need the additional power for gaming, 3D rendering, or certain types of engineering software, the MSI Katana 17 is a better fit, despite typically being slightly more expensive. Keep in mind that the MSI will likely be heavier and may not match the MacBook in battery life. 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 (2022)
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 17
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.9/10
4.3/10
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is only fair.
The MacBook Pro 13 with its Apple M2 GPU is fair for 3D because, while it offers a high-quality display and silent operation, its integrated GPU and 60Hz screen refresh rate are less powerful and slower compared to dedicated gaming machines.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a more powerful CPU and a dedicated GPU, which is preferable for demanding engineering software and graphics-intensive design work, plus higher RAM and storage capacity enhance performance and data handling. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 has an impressive screen quality and is more portable, but its integrated GPU and lower RAM may limit its capability in heavy engineering tasks compared to the MSI.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
6.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13’s screen excels in general use and engineering due to its high-resolution display, which offers crisp and detailed visuals, coupled with strong brightness levels for easy viewing in various lighting conditions, plus wide color coverage for accurate color work in design tasks. Conversely, while the MSI Katana 17’s screen is suitable for everyday tasks, it has lower color fidelity, making it less ideal for professional design work where precise color representation is critical. Both laptops are not optimized for 3D applications as they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth rendering and viewing of fast-moving images, affecting the overall 3D experience.
Battery
20.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 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
Very Good
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Katana 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) with its high-quality retina display, light weight, and long battery life is a convenient choice for general use, especially if portability and screen quality are priorities. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 offers more storage, significantly more RAM, and a powerful processor and graphics unit, making it better suited for heavier tasks but at the expense of portability due to its larger size and shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.8/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and MSI Katana 17 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
7.8/10
7.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the MSI Katana 17
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.
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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