If you prioritize a higher-quality display and longer battery life, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 could be a good choice for you, as it comes with a touch screen, higher resolution, and more battery capacity. It also offers a more powerful processor suitable for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning. However, if cost is a major concern, and you're looking for a laptop that is a bit more affordable and still offers good performance for engineering and general use, the MSI Katana 15 might be preferable, though it does have a less powerful GPU and a lower battery capacity. Both have ample storage and similar RAM, but the ASUS is slightly better equipped for high-end tasks and visuals. Keep in mind the ASUS is also a bit lighter, potentially making it easier to carry around. 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 ASUS ROG Flow X16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good portability
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the ASUS ROG Flow X16.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
7.7/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.4/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 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
7.7/10
7.0/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the ASUS ROG Flow X16 is somewhat better.
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
8.5/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
502.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers a crisp and vibrant display with its high resolution and brightness, which enhances the everyday viewing experience, whereas the MSI Katana 15 provides a decent but less impressive display due to its lower brightness and resolution. The Flow X16's extensive color coverage, including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, makes it ideal for professionals in engineering and design, where color accuracy is critical, but the Katana 15, with fair color gamuts, falls short for those precise tasks. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the Katana 15's and Flow X16's lower refresh rates lead to less fluid motion compared to laptops designed specifically for these purposes, with the Flow X16's superior panel type and resolution only partially offsetting this disadvantage.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 has 4 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
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,300
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a price of $1,300 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow X16 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 stands out for general use with its higher screen quality offering better brightness and colors, a more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, and longer battery life, along with a premium 2-in-1 design for versatility. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 15 is less portable due to its shorter battery life but compensates with a newer generation Intel CPU and higher-quality GPU, making it well-suited for gaming and other demanding tasks at a potentially more affordable price.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
7.6/10
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
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.
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How the ASUS ROG Flow X16 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"Above all else, the Asus ROG Flow X16 is one thing - versatile! It is a thin, mobile work device, it's a 2-in-1, tablet, a powerful workstation and even a gaming PC. But something even more surprising: It does all of these things really well without making any big blunders. It's anything but a lazy compromise. Because, despite its compact dimensions and 2-in-1 functionality, the hardware isn't throttled and boasts, at least in turbo mode, above-average performance."
"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 ASUS ROG Flow X16 or the MSI Katana 15
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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