A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
ROG Strix G15
Company ProductName Specs











Katana 15
Company ProductName Specs











What we think

Chevron down
PerfectRec Logo
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

When choosing between the ASUS ROG Strix G15 and the MSI Katana 15, consider your priorities. The ASUS has a robust GPU suited for gaming but may not perform as well in newer games or intensive 3D tasks due to its older GPU model compared to the MSI. Both have the same storage and memory size, which is adequate for most users. If you often work on battery, the ASUS offers slightly longer battery life, but neither is particularly long-lasting, so carrying a charger is advisable. Portability is similar, with both being in the midrange weight for gaming laptops. The MSI has a more recent processor and GPU which might provide a slight edge in newer games and tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning; plus, it comes with Windows 11 out of the box. Both laptops have IPS displays with decent color coverage, so they're suitable for media consumption and general use. The choice ultimately depends on your balance between gaming performance and general use, with the MSI likely offering better gaming and 3D performance. 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 Strix G15
  • Good overall display quality
  • Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
  • The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the ASUS ROG Strix G15.

Key differences

Chevron down

Gaming and AI

7.0
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
7.6
5.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS ROG Strix G15 are both good for gaming and AI, though the MSI Katana 15 is somewhat better.

Screen Quality

7.1
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
284.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.

Battery

5.5 Hours
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
4.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life.

Build Quality

7.8
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
7.2
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality, though the ASUS ROG Strix G15 has somewhat better build quality.

Cost

$1,249
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
$949
Product image
Product image

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

The ASUS ROG Strix G15 has a price of $1,249 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
Image of Laptops
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop

Key similarities

Chevron down

General Use

7.7
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
284.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.

Engineering and Design

7.6
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
7.7
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
5.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS ROG Strix G15 are both good for engineering and design.

Content Creation

7.7
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
7.4
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for content creation.

Software Development

7.2
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
7.0
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development.

Portability

Good
ROG Strix G15
Katana 15
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G15 to have good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Give feedback

We’re constantly working to improve.

How the ASUS ROG Strix G15 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops

Chevron down

Spec Comparison

Chevron down
ASUS ROG Strix G15MSI Katana 15
ASUS ROG Strix G15MSI Katana 15

GENERAL

Price
$1,249
$949
Release Date
May 1, 2021February 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
13.9'' x 10.2'' x 0.92''14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98''
Weight
4.63 lbs4.96 lbs
Width
13.94"14.13"
Depth
10.2"10.2"

INTERNAL

Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HXIntel i5-12450H
RAM
16 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
45
RAM Slots
22
Storage
1024 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
5.5 Hours4 Hours
Battery Capacity
56 Wh53.5 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
15.6"15.6"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
1920 x 10801920 x 1080
Refresh Rate
144Hz144Hz
Display Brightness
284 nits258 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.8/107.2/10
Portability Score
7.1/106.9/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
YesYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.3/107/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7.5/107.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
7.5/107.5/10
Webcam
No Webcam720p
Fingerprint Reader
NoNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
33
USB-C ports
11
USB-C Charging
YesNo
Display Outputs
22
Thunderbolt Ports
00

Shopping

Chevron down

ASUS ROG Strix G15

See more

Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Marius Schell | February 2021
"The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is a successful high-performance 15-inch laptop. The Asus ROG Strix impresses with an elaborate design and fast hardware. The latter can unleash its potential well in the large 15-inch case and achieve a decent performance boost compared to the previous generation. Especially the stunning 300 Hz display as well as the RTX 3070 and its generous TDP give gamers their money's worth. Asus didn't neglect seemingly small details, either, such as the keyboard and the maintenance options. The ROG Strix G15 offers a lot of pure performance and excellent workmanship in a 15-inch format, but connectivity leaves something to be desired."

MSI Katana 15

See more

Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Christian Hintze | March 2023
"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 Strix G15 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.

Give feedback

We're constantly perfecting our model

Laptop guides you might be interested in

Chevron down

FAQs

Chevron down

FAQs about laptops

Questions about PerfectRec >

Why trust us

Chevron down
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
116,295
Recommendations made
25,198
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.

Featured in

Color LTT LogoGeekwire logo9to5 Mac logoPhone Arena LogoColor Daring Fireball logo