The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is a budget-friendly laptop that's less expensive and offers basic performance suitable for day-to-day tasks with its AMD Ryzen processor and integrated graphics. It's light and has a 14-inch screen, making it more portable. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 is pricier due to its higher performance capabilities with an Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, which makes it better for demanding tasks like 3d work, machine learning, gaming, or engineering software. However, the Katana is heavier with a larger 17.3-inch screen, which can be less convenient for frequent travel. 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 17
Good for general use
Very 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
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is equipped with modest hardware suitable for routine tasks, with an AMD Ryzen 3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 14-inch screen emphasizing portability and a reasonable battery life, making it fair for general use. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 harnesses a more powerful Intel i7 processor and 32GB of RAM coupled with a larger 17.3-inch screen and a higher capacity battery but is less portable, thus providing a very good experience for more demanding general use applications.
Gaming and AI
5.7/10
7.9/10
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14, with its lower-tier AMD graphics and standard screen refresh rate, doesn't have the graphical power or smoothness for demanding gaming and 3D tasks, unlike the MSI Katana 17 which packs a high-end Nvidia GPU and a much higher refresh rate for an enhanced, fluid gaming and 3D experience.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
8.4/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14, with its modest AMD Ryzen 3 CPU, AMD Radeon 610M GPU, and 8GB RAM, falls short for engineering and design tasks that require robust performance, whereas the MSI Katana 17's powerful Intel i7 processor, Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, and 32GB RAM make it very well equipped for those demanding applications. Additionally, while the Vivobook prioritizes portability with its smaller screen and lighter weight, the larger screen and higher-spec components of the MSI Katana better support the screen quality and computing power needed for intensive engineering work, despite being less portable.
Content Creation
6.5/10
7.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 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
7.5/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 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
6.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 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 ASUS Vivobook Go 14 provides adequate clarity and brightness, making it comfortable for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing, though the MSI Katana 17 offers a larger and brighter display, enhancing the viewing experience. In engineering and design, where color precision is crucial, both laptops offer only fair color reproduction, limiting their effectiveness for professional color work. However, for 3D applications where fluid motion is key, neither laptop excels since their refresh rates are lower, which may result in less smooth visuals during fast-paced scenes.
Battery
7.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has 7 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 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
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has a price of $450 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
"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 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 Go 14 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
99,495
Recommendations made
21,558
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.