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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 typically costs more than the MSI Katana 15 and offers stronger performance for gaming or intensive tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning, thanks to its AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070. It has a higher screen resolution and better color coverage, making it suitable for creative work that demands color accuracy, but at 4.19 pounds and nearly an inch thick, it's less portable. The Katana 15 features an Intel i5 processor and newer but mid-range Nvidia RTX 4060, which provides decent performance for most tasks but falls behind in intense gaming or engineering. Its lower battery life could be a concern for on-the-go use, but at under 5 pounds it's still relatively easy to carry. The choice depends on whether you prioritize performance and screen quality over cost and portability. 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 Zephyrus G15
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Content Creation
8.0
7.4
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 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.
Screen Quality
7.9
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 likely has a higher resolution and brighter display suitable for detailed tasks and comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions, contributing to its very good screen quality for general use and engineering. The enhanced color gamut coverage in the G15's display benefits professionals in engineering and design who require color accuracy for their work. However, the MSI Katana 15, while suitable for everyday tasks, may lack the high refresh rate and resolution needed for smooth and detailed visuals in gaming and 3D applications, leading to a poorer screen quality for those specific uses.
Battery
9.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has 9.5 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
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 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
7.2
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 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
$2,000
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 has a price of $2,000 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.5
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 offers a high-quality screen with better color accuracy, a more potent CPU, and longer battery life, making it very good for general use. In comparison, the MSI Katana 15 has a reasonable price and good general performance, but its shorter battery life and lower screen quality classify it as just good for general use.
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.6
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is equipped with a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a high refresh rate display of 165Hz, making it great for gaming and 3D applications, while its better screen resolution adds to display clarity for detailed visuals.
Engineering and Design
8.0
7.7
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is equipped with a higher-end CPU and GPU, more vibrant screen with better resolution, higher color space coverage, and a striking contrast ratio which makes it very good for engineering and design tasks; whereas, the MSI Katana 15, with a recent but less powerful CPU and a decent GPU, offers a more modest screen quality but comes in slightly heavier and with a shorter battery life, categorizing it as good for similar tasks. While both laptops have the same amount of RAM and storage, the ASUS's premium screen and performance specifics give it an edge for intensive tasks, but the MSI may still hold value for its updated GPU and acceptable performance at a possibly lower price point.
Software Development
7.4
7.0
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 and MSI Katana 15 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.6'' x 0.78'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.57" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | No Webcam | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15
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NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2021
"As long as you're aware of the fact that the GeForce RTX 3080 laptop version can only unfold its potential to a limited extent due to Asus's low TDP setting and that it can be slower than a fast RTX 3070 laptop, the ROG Zephyrus G15 GA503Q cuts a fine figure. One of the biggest highlights turns out to be the WQHD panel, since it attracts customers with 165 Hz, relatively fast response times, FreeSync, and good color-space coverage. Other selling points are the surprisingly rich sound, the long battery life, and the sleek design. In terms of looks, the white edition stands out nicely from the competition."
MSI Katana 15
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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."
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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.
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