The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is often significantly less expensive, lighter, and offers longer battery life, which makes it more suitable for users who prioritize portability and general use without spending much. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, while more expensive, provides significantly better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, engineering tasks, and intensive gaming due to its powerful CPU and dedicated Nvidia graphics card. The Katana 15 also has a high refresh rate display but at the cost of shorter battery life and increased weight, making it less portable than the ASUS Vivobook Go 14. 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 Go 14
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2/10
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14, despite being lighter and having a fairly longer battery life, offers a lower-tier CPU and less RAM than the MSI Katana 15, which might make it slower for multitasking; the Vivobook's screen quality also falls behind the Katana's, with lesser brightness and color coverage, which affects the visual experience. The MSI Katana 15 stands out with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM for smoother operation, a higher-quality screen, and superior heat management, but it compensates with lesser portability due to its heavier weight and shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
5.7/10
7.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14, with its AMD Radeon 610M GPU and 60Hz screen refresh rate, is not as well-equipped for gaming and 3D applications as the MSI Katana 15, which boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher 144Hz screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals and better handling of graphically intense tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
7.7/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14's AMD Ryzen 3 CPU and Radeon 610M GPU fall short for engineering and design applications which often require more powerful Intel CPUs and Nvidia GPUs, as found in the MSI Katana 15. Additionally, the MSI Katana 15 offers better screen quality with higher brightness and contrast, alongside more RAM, enhancing its suitability for demanding tasks.
Content Creation
6.5/10
7.4/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
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
6.4/10
7.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
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
6.2/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Vivobook Go 14 and MSI Katana 15 offer enough clarity and brightness to handle everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, but their lower resolutions can limit the crispness of text and images. When it comes to engineering and design, the fair screen quality in both laptops means they provide an adequate range of colors, but professionals might miss out on the nuanced color accuracy critical for high-end visual work due to less comprehensive color gamuts. As for 3D use, gamers and creators may find the refresh rates insufficient for smooth motion rendering, and while the resolution and panel types are acceptable, they don't offer the premium experience sought by enthusiasts for immersive gaming or detailed 3D modeling.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has 7 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.2/10
The MSI Katana 15 has good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$450
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has a price of $450 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
"The lack of a backlit keyboard in this price segment shouldn't sway the buyer the other way. However, it still comes down to user preference. The Vivobook Go 14 is a decent laptop in an extremely competitive price segment. A few omissions are a part of the balancing to reach the price segment. The Asus Vivobook Go 14 is a rare find when it comes to the price to performance 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 Vivobook Go 14 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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