A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is a more portable and lightweight option with an OLED screen that offers higher resolution and color quality, making it great for media consumption and travel. It has moderate storage and memory, a mid-tier graphics card, which is fine for general use and light gaming. The MSI Katana 17, however, has a larger screen with a high refresh rate, more storage and memory, and a significantly more powerful graphics card suitable for heavy gaming, engineering applications, and creative work, but it's much heavier and thus less portable. It also has a lower resolution display which might not be as sharp, but for gaming and general tasks it's less of an issue. Choose the ASUS Zenbook 14X for portability and superior display or the MSI Katana 17 for performance-intensive tasks and gaming despite its bulkier size. 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 Zenbook 14X
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good portability
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.9
3.9/10
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
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications because it houses a more capable Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and offers a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which enriches fast-paced visuals, compared to the Asus Zenbook 14X that comes with a less powerful Nvidia MX550 GPU and a lower refresh rate of 90Hz. While both laptops have quality screens, the graphics prowess and the smoother motion provided by the MSI Katana 17 give it an edge for such demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.7
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.9/10
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 Zenbook 14X is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X, with an Intel i7-1260P CPU, Nvidia MX550 GPU, and OLED screen, offers a balance between performance and portability, which is suitable for engineering and design despite lower graphics capabilities compared to the MSI Katana 17, which boasts a superior Intel i7-13620H processor, Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics, and ample screen space, making it very good for such tasks, though at the cost of being heavier and less portable.
Screen Quality
8.3
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a high-resolution display with an excellent range of colors and brightness, making it appealing for general use and detailed engineering designs. However, its lower refresh rate may not satisfy gamers and 3D applications, where fluid visuals are crucial. The MSI Katana 17, while suitable for general tasks with decent resolution and brightness, may not fully meet the color precision needs of engineering and design professionals, nor offer the high refresh rate desired for gaming and 3D uses.
Battery
5.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has 5.5 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
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The ASUS Zenbook 14X and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook 14X has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$777
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a price of $777 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.9
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
339.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Zenbook 14X are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X offers a longer battery life and is more portable, making it suitable for on-the-go use despite having a less powerful CPU and GPU compared to the MSI Katana 17, which has higher RAM and a better screen for intensive tasks but is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.6
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
7.4
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Zenbook 14X 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 14X and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 14X | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$777 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.67'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.25" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1260P | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 339 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 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 Zenbook 14X
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | April 2022
"With the Zenbook 14X, Asus has a 14-incher in its range that is - mostly - a joy to use. First, there is the colorful OLED panel with 3K resolution that displays the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. The Zenbook is also at the forefront in terms of workmanship, input devices and connections with 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports and a generous keyboard layout. A pleasure to use, the Zenbook 14X is a solid, very well-built subnotebook that sits well on the table. A runtime of five hours, however, is below average for a high-end subnotebook nowadays. The OLED screensaver causes increased power consumption when in idle mode."
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"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 Zenbook 14X 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.
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