The ASUS Vivobook 16 generally costs less and offers solid performance for general use with decent battery life and portability. It's equipped with an AMD Ryzen processor and integrated graphics, suitable for everyday tasks and light graphics work. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17, while more expensive, features a more powerful Intel i7 processor and a dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics card, making it better suited for intensive gaming, 3D applications, and engineering software. It has a larger screen and higher refresh rate but is less portable and has a shorter battery life than the ASUS Vivobook 16. 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 Vivobook 16
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 outperforms the ASUS Vivobook 16 in gaming and 3D tasks mainly because it features a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a higher 144Hz screen refresh rate compared to the Vivobook's integrated Vega 8 graphics and 60Hz display. Additionally, the Katana's larger screen size is better suited for immersive gaming and the overall screen quality is enhanced by a higher contrast ratio.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
8.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is good.
The ASUS Vivobook 16, equipped with an AMD CPU and integrated GPU, is considered good for engineering and design due to its ample RAM and a high-resolution screen that offers decent color accuracy and contrast for visual tasks. However, the MSI Katana 17 gains an edge with a powerful Intel CPU, discrete Nvidia GPU, and significantly more RAM, which translates to smoother performance in resource-intensive applications, though it's less portable and has a lower screen resolution.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
6.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
295.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a display that's sufficient for browsing and watching videos, making it suitable for general use, but lacks the color accuracy and range needed for professional engineering and design work, and its refresh rate is too low for smooth gaming or 3D rendering. The MSI Katana 17 offers better visibility and clarity due to its superior brightness and resolution, serving well for everyday activities and creative tasks, but, like the Vivobook, its lower refresh rate makes it less than ideal for gaming or working with 3D applications where motion clarity is crucial. Both laptops are decent for general productivity but fall short for specialized tasks that demand high color fidelity or ultra-responsive displays.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has 8 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
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$669
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a price of $669 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Vivobook 16, with its AMD processor and Vega integrated graphics, is considered good for general use due to its balance of CPU performance, screen quality featuring an IPS panel, and longer battery life, while remaining lighter for better portability. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17, equipped with a more powerful Intel processor and Nvidia dedicated graphics, better RAM capacity, and a larger screen, excels in general use tasks but at the expense of heavier weight and shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Vivobook 16 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
7.3/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Vivobook 16 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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Vivobook 16 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 Vivobook 16 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
"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 Vivobook 16 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.
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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