A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and battery life for general use, consider the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14, which is more affordable, lighter, and has longer battery life. It also offers a higher resolution OLED screen which can be beneficial for color-sensitive work. However, for resource-intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming, the MSI Katana 15, despite being bulkier and more expensive, has a more powerful graphics card and a higher refresh rate display, making it more suitable for those specific needs. Choose the MSI if performance in these areas is a priority over portability and battery life. 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 Pro 14
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.5
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
385.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 are both good for general use, though the MSI Katana 15 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 offers a higher resolution OLED screen and longer battery life, which can be beneficial for tasks requiring visual precision and extended use without charging, but it has less storage and half the amount of RAM compared to the MSI Katana 15, which may limit performance in multitasking and storage-intensive tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.7
5.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI Katana 15 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 is suited for engineering and design because of its OLED screen with high resolution and color accuracy, which is excellent for visual work, while the slightly lower performance of the CPU and integrated GPU compared to the MSI Katana 15 may limit its capability in more demanding engineering applications. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, with its higher RAM, more powerful dedicated GPU, and ample storage, is more tailored for performance-heavy engineering tasks, although its lower screen quality might not be as ideal for design work requiring color precision.
Screen Quality
8.4
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
385.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 offers superior screen quality for general use and engineering due to its higher resolution and brightness levels, enhancing clarity and visibility. For engineering and design, its display covers a broader range of colors, providing more accuracy for tasks that require precise color representation. The MSI Katana 15, while fair for general and engineering uses, lacks the higher refresh rate desired for 3D applications, leading to less fluid visuals in fast-paced scenes or animations.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 has 8 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 Pro 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$548
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 has a price of $548 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
5.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 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
7.2
7.0
5.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 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 Vivobook Pro 14 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$548 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.5'' x 9'' x 0.76'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.5" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-11300H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 385 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS Vivobook Pro 14
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marc Herter | July 2022
"The Asus Vivobook Pro 14 OLED is a Pantone Validated laptop that packs a lot of processing power. The Asus VivoBook Pro 14 OLED's highlight is its outstanding display: Featuring a 3K resolution in the 16:10 format and nearly a 100% coverage of the Display P3 color space, the display hardly leaves anything to be desired. The Asus laptop also shows impeccable rates in terms of general system performance. Combined with long battery life, low noise emissions, and relatively good speakers, the laptop can be recommended to users who can accept compromises in terms of connectivity."
MSI Katana 15
See more
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 Vivobook Pro 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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
VS
Compare ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 vs. ASUS Vivobook 17
VS
Compare ASUS Vivobook Pro 14 vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
VS
Compare MSI Katana 15 vs. Dell Latitude 5431
VS
Compare MSI Katana 15 vs. Lenovo Flex 5 14
VS
Compare MSI Katana 15 vs. Gigabyte G5
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
99,195
Recommendations made
21,493
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.
Featured in
