If you prefer gaming with high performance and are okay with a larger, heavier laptop with longer battery life, the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 would suit you. However, if you prioritize a lighter, more portable laptop with good gaming capabilities but a shorter battery life, the MSI Katana 15 would be a better fit. Both laptops have ample storage and RAM for various tasks, but the ASUS offers a more powerful processor and graphics card, making it better suited for intensive engineering tasks and higher-end gaming, albeit at a higher price. 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 TUF Gaming A17
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the ASUS TUF Gaming A17.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.1/10
7.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 offers better gaming and 3D performance due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card compared to the MSI Katana 15's Nvidia RTX 4060, despite both having an equally high screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which means smoother visuals in fast-paced games. However, the MSI Katana 15 could appeal to users looking for a computer that's easier to carry, given its smaller screen size and lighter weight compared to the ASUS model, while still providing good gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
7.7/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 is better suited for engineering and design due to its high-performance AMD Ryzen 9 CPU and RTX 4070 GPU, which are crucial for such tasks, and also boasts a larger screen which offers more workspace and is beneficial for design work. In comparison, the MSI Katana 15, while still suitable for engineering and design with its Intel i5 CPU and RTX 4060 GPU, has a smaller screen size and slightly lower performance components.
Content Creation
8.1/10
7.4/10
9.2/10
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 TUF Gaming A17 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
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 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
6.8/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
253.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 and the MSI Katana 15 have displays that offer adequate resolution and brightness, ensuring comfortable daily tasks like browsing and watching videos, but may not stand out in terms of sharpness or color vibrancy. While both laptops can handle engineering and design applications, professionals may find the color accuracy limited because the screens don't cover the wider color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are crucial for precision work. For gaming and 3D, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may not provide the most fluid visual experience, making them less suitable for fast-paced games and rendering that benefit from smoother motion and quicker response times.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has 10 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.
Cost
$1,552
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 has a price of $1,552 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming A17 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS TUF Gaming A17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.2/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS TUF Gaming A17 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"There is one big question that needs an answer. Is the TUF Gaming A17 FA707 a better purchase than the ROG Strix G17 G713R (2022)? Well, it depends. Undoubtedly, the Strix is the more premium product. Arguably the biggest advantage it has over its TUF fellow is in regards to the display. ASUS TUF Gaming A17 A707’s IPS panel has a Full HD resolution, comfortable viewing angles, and a very good contrast ratio."
"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 TUF Gaming A17 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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