The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has an emphasis on screen resolution, battery life, and a lighter, thinner form, making it suitable for professionals who prioritize media quality and portability for everyday use. It also accommodates MacOS-specific applications, which may be preferred for certain creative fields. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 has a larger screen, higher storage capacity, increased memory, and a more powerful graphics card with a faster refresh rate, catering to those who need high performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, gaming, or engineering and are willing to accept a heavier and bulkier device with Windows as the operating system. Choose the MacBook if you need portability and MacOS with better battery life; opt for the MSI if performance and a larger display for demanding applications are top priorities, despite a higher cost. 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 16 (Late 2019)
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Good portability
Very good 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
6.4/10
7.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
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 16 (Late 2019) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16, with its AMD Radeon Pro GPU and standard screen refresh rate, is fair for 3D tasks, while the MSI Katana 17's Nvidia RTX GPU and higher refresh rate screen make it very good for gaming and 3D, further supported by the broader gaming compatibility offered by its Windows operating system.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The MSI Katana 17 outshines the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) for engineering and design due to its superior CPU and GPU, double the RAM, and a larger, though lesser resolution, screen, which are crucial for demanding software and multitasking. However, the MacBook Pro ranks higher in portability, screen quality—including higher resolution and color accuracy—and has a much quieter operation, making it a solid choice for on-the-go professionals who prioritize display finesse and working in varying environments.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
6.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 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 16's screen provides crisp images and vibrant colors due to its high resolution and wide color gamut coverage, making it excellent for engineering and design applications where color accuracy is crucial. However, its lower refresh rate compared to gaming-oriented laptops makes it less suitable for 3D tasks, which often require smooth motion for the best experience. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17, with its emphasis on size and performance at a lower price point, offers generally good visibility for everyday tasks, but its narrower color gamut and average screen attributes may not satisfy professionals in engineering and design.
Battery
12.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 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
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has 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 16 (Late 2019) 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
$540
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $540 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is favored for general use due to its superior screen quality, exceptional keyboard, and robust battery life, all packed in a more portable design compared to the MSI Katana 17. However, the MSI Katana 17 stands out with its double the storage and memory, which, alongside a better cooling system, might make it preferred for those who handle more demanding tasks and can manage with less battery life and portability.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.8/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) to be 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
7.9/10
7.5/10
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
"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 16 (Late 2019) 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
102,795
Recommendations made
22,273
Consumer hours saved
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.