The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is known for its high-quality build, excellent retina display, and seamless integration with other Apple products which could be valuable if you already use Apple devices. It also tends to have strong performance for creative work like video editing and music production, and offers good battery life, but is usually more expensive. The MSI Katana 17, on the other hand, typically provides a larger screen and is geared more towards gaming, with dedicated graphics that may also make it suitable for demanding 3D tasks. However, it may not have as long battery life as the MacBook and is likely more cumbersome to carry around. If your priorities lean towards portability, battery life, and creative tasks, and you don't mind paying extra, the MacBook Pro might be the better choice. If you prefer a larger screen, gaming, or 3D work and are looking to save money, the MSI Katana 17 could be a more suitable option. 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 14 (2021)
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
7.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.8/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
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
8.3/10
7.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
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
9.2/10
6.9/10
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high-resolution display, exceptional brightness, and wide color coverage, crucial for precision in design work. In contrast, its display is not designed for high refresh rates, which makes it less optimal for 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The MSI Katana 17, while offering a decent display for general tasks, doesn't match the MacBook's color accuracy and brightness for engineering tasks, and its average screen refresh rate doesn't quite meet the needs of high-end gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
13.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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 14 (2021) 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
$1,905
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) to be very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in portability and battery life, with a high-resolution Mini LED screen and an efficient Apple M1 Pro processor suitable for various tasks, while the MSI Katana 17 offers more storage and RAM, a larger screen, and a dedicated graphics card by Nvidia RTX, making it better equipped for tasks requiring more resources, though at the expense of portability and battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.4/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is equipped with a high-performance CPU and integrated GPU designed for demanding tasks, while its Mini LED screen delivers exceptional quality with wide color coverage, making it ideal for engineering and design; however, its portability is limited due to its heavier weight and smaller screen compared to the MSI Katana 17, which boasts a large screen, dedicated high-end GPU, and plenty of RAM for complex engineering software, but has a lower battery life and lesser screen color accuracy, which may be a tradeoff for users requiring mobility and intensive long-duration work.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
"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 14 (2021) 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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