The Apple MacBook Pro is more expensive, but it offers superior display quality, a more powerful custom processor, and larger battery capacity, resulting in better overall performance and longer battery life, which could be crucial for tasks like video editing or design work. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 features dedicated gaming-grade graphics and a larger storage capacity right out of the box, making it suitable for gaming and storage-intensive tasks. The MacBook Pro is less heavy, making it more portable, but the MSI has a wider variety of ports, which can be convenient if you frequently connect multiple devices. The MacBook Pro runs macOS, which could be a deciding factor if you prefer Apple's ecosystem or require specific macOS-only software. The MSI runs Windows, which is more common for gaming and general compatibility with a wider range of software. 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 (2021)
Excellent for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
7.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in general use due to its potent CPU, ample RAM, superior screen quality with a high-resolution Mini LED display, extensive battery life, and high portability, although it's on the heavier side compared to smaller models. The MSI Katana 17 matches in CPU and RAM capacities, has a larger screen with a lower resolution IPS display, and features a dedicated high-performance GPU which is great for gaming, but its battery life is shorter and it's less portable due to its size and weight. Both laptops come with high-quality keyboards, ample storage, and manage heat and operational noise effectively, but the MacBook's superior battery life and screen quality stand out for general usability.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
7.9/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3456 x 2234
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 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both good for gaming and AI, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) with its powerful integrated GPU and higher-resolution Mini LED display is good for 3D work, especially in macOS environments, but note that many games are not compatible with Mac. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 boasts a higher refresh rate and a dedicated high-performance Nvidia GPU that makes it very good for gaming and 3D tasks on Windows, offering broader game compatibility and superior graphics processing.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.8/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
8.9/10
7.5/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
9.4/10
6.9/10
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
497.0 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 (2021) has a high-resolution display with bright and vibrant image, ideal for general use, and it covers a wide range of colors making it suitable for engineering and design work; however, its refresh rate is lower, which is less optimal for 3D applications that benefit from smoother visuals. The MSI Katana 17 has a decent display for everyday tasks but might not be as bright or sharp as the MacBook, and its color range is narrower, which can be a drawback for precision work in engineering and design. While both laptops do not excel in gaming and 3D due to modest refresh rates, the MSI's performance in these areas is particularly limited, affecting the fluidity of motion in fast-paced scenes.
Battery
17.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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
Good
Fair
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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 (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
$1,949
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in engineering and design due to its robust CPU and GPU tailored for intensive tasks, extensive RAM for multitasking, and superior screen quality with high resolution and color accuracy. In comparison, the MSI Katana 17 offers a powerful standard CPU and dedicated gaming graphics card, ample RAM, and a quality screen but trades off on portability and display quality compared to the MacBook, while excelling with ports for peripherals and higher operating noise tolerance.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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 (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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