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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 offers better performance in 3D tasks and engineering due to a more powerful graphics card and processor compared to the MSI Katana 15. However, the MSI has higher scores in aspects like keyboard quality and speaker quality, potentially making it a more comfortable choice for general use. The ASUS has a high contrast ratio and ray tracing capabilities, which are great for gaming, but it's slightly heavier and has a less impressive battery life than the MSI. Both laptops have similar storage and memory, making either one suitable for a range of activities, but specific needs like gaming or intensive engineering work may sway you towards the ASUS, while general use and comfort may lean you towards the MSI. 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 F15
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
257.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, software development, and content creation.
When considering screen quality for general use, the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 offers a clearer and brighter display thanks to its resolution and panel type, making it more suitable for daily tasks and media consumption. For engineering and design, neither laptop stands out particularly, as both provide only adequate color accuracy which is vital for those fields, and thus may not fully meet the needs of professionals requiring precise color representation. In the realm of 3D and gaming, despite both being marketed towards gamers, they fall short due to the lower refresh rates, meaning they won't provide the smooth visual experience that high-level gaming or 3D work often demands.
Cost
$1,399
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has a price of $1,399 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
257.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is well-suited for general use with a robust CPU and adequate RAM which facilitates multitasking and responsive performance, while an IPS screen provides wide viewing angles and decent color coverage for a pleasant visual experience. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 15, although it also has sufficient RAM for everyday tasks and a similar quality IPS display, differs in having a less powerful CPU which could make it slightly less nimble with demanding applications, but both laptops face limitations in portability and battery life for extensive mobile use.
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.6
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
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming F15 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 stands out for gaming and 3D applications due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, while the MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a slightly less powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, both offering good performance but with the ASUS potentially delivering better graphics quality and performance for more demanding tasks. Despite both having the same screen refresh rate, the ASUS also has a more robust main processor, which contributes to overall better gaming and 3D rendering capabilities.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming F15 to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is very good for engineering and design use due to its superior CPU (Intel i7-12700H), higher performance GPU (Nvidia RTX 4070), and better screen quality, including higher brightness and better color space coverage. The MSI Katana 15 is considered good as it also has adequate CPU (Intel i5-12450H) and GPU (Nvidia RTX 4060) for such tasks, but it has a lower battery capacity and less color accuracy on its screen, making it slightly less ideal for the most demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.7
7.4
9.1/10
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 F15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3
7.0
9.1/10
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 F15 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 has 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
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming F15 to have good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.2
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 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.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming F15 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,399 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.9'' x 9.9'' x 0.93'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.85 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.94" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 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 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 257 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 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 | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | 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 TUF Gaming F15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2022
"Aside from all the chassis updates, the new TUF Gaming is most notable for its much higher TGP target of 140 W compared to only 95 W on the previous generation. PC makers everywhere are using the same GeForce GPUs this year since Nvidia has yet to launch the successor to the mobile RTX 3000 series. The more demanding processors of the new TUF Gaming has directly impacted battery life and the size of the AC adapter. Don't expect runtimes to be longer than on the previous generation under most conditions and be prepared to carry around an even larger AC adapter than before."
MSI Katana 15
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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 TUF Gaming F15 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.
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Why trust us
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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