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Updated January 12, 2024·
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 typically offers better performance due to its higher-end processor and graphics card, making it more suitable for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning. It also has a higher resolution and refresh rate display, which can be important for a premium viewing experience. However, it is less portable due to its weight. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17, while slightly less expensive, offers more RAM which could be beneficial for multitasking and certain engineering applications. It is heavier and has a lower resolution screen, but it may still be a good option for general use and some gaming. Consider the ASUS if performance and display quality are a priority and you're okay with less portability and a higher price; opt for the MSI if you're looking for more memory and a somewhat more budget-friendly option, while still having a machine capable of handling a variety of tasks. 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 M16
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
7.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 stands out for gaming and 3D with its higher-tier Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a screen that refreshes at a considerable 240 times per second, providing silky smooth visuals. The MSI Katana 17, while also strong in these areas with an Nvidia RTX 4060 and a 144Hz screen, offers slightly lower graphics performance and less fluid motion in fast-paced games and 3D applications compared to the ASUS.
Screen Quality
9.0
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
627.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering design because it typically offers a high resolution and panel type that provides sharp imagery and good brightness, along with a wide color gamut which ensures accurate color reproduction necessary for design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate can detract from the smoothness of fast-moving visuals, which is crucial in these scenarios. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17's screen, while offering decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, has a narrower color gamut affecting its suitability for professional design work and also suffers from a lower refresh rate, making it less ideal for gaming.
Battery
4.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 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
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.2
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good 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
$2,059
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a price of $2,059 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
627.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is deemed good for general use mainly because it has a balance of high-performance CPU, sufficient RAM, and excellent screen quality, with the added benefit of being relatively portable and having solid battery life. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 is considered very good for general use because, while it offers a larger screen and more RAM, which may enhance multitasking and visual tasks, it sacrifices some portability and has a shorter battery life compared to the ASUS.
Engineering and Design
8.8
8.4
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 stands out for engineering and design because of its powerful CPU and GPU, along with a high-quality screen offering better color accuracy and sharpness, making it excellent for tasks that require detailed visuals and computational performance. While the MSI Katana 17 offers more RAM which is beneficial for multitasking and large projects, its screen and overall specs are less impressive compared to the ASUS, though it is still very capable for engineering and design work.
Content Creation
8.2
7.8
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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
7.7
7.5
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,059 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.83'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.69" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 627 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.3/10 | 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 | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | 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 Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"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 ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 or the MSI Katana 17
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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