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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is more portable and offers a higher-quality OLED display with better color accuracy, making it suitable for tasks that require color precision. It's also generally less expensive but comes with less storage and RAM compared to the MSI Katana 15. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 is better suited for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming due to its dedicated RTX graphics card, and it has a larger screen and higher refresh rate which is good for fast-paced gaming. However, its larger size and weight make it less portable. 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 OLED
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
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 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 offers a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics processor which is better suited for gaming and 3D work compared to the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. Additionally, the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate conducive to smooth gameplay, whereas the Zenbook, with its high-quality OLED display, still provides an enjoyable visual experience but at a lower refresh rate.
Screen Quality
8.6
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
376.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED offers a high-resolution OLED display, delivering vibrant colors and deep blacks that are essential for design tasks and pleasant for general use due to its sharpness and brightness. However, its typical 60Hz refresh rate fails to deliver the smoother visuals desired in high-paced gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15's screen may not stand out in any particular area, with adequate resolution and color reproduction for everyday tasks and design work, but like the Zenbook, it falls short for gaming due to a lower refresh rate not suited for fast-moving images.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has 6 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
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$575
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has a price of $575 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.5
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
376.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
7.7
7.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and MSI Katana 15 are both good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is suitable for engineering and design due to its high-resolution OLED display which offers accurate colors and contrast, complemented by a capable CPU and integrated graphics; it is also fairly portable and has a high-quality keyboard. The MSI Katana 15, although less portable and with a standard IPS display, provides better performance for engineering tasks with a higher-end CPU, significantly more RAM, and a dedicated RTX GPU that excels in computational workloads.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
8.5/10
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 ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and MSI Katana 15 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
7.5
7.0
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$575 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.9'' x 0.67'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.44 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.67" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.88" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 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 | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 70 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 | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 376 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 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 | 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 | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | 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 OLED
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | September 2023
"While one of the more budget-friendly configurations of the Asus Zenbook 14X OLED may make a compelling case as a top value pick, it’s difficult to be disappointed with the more expensive model we reviewed here. At its core, for all models, it’s a luxury-built laptop with extreme portability and a gorgeous OLED display. Our unit rocks with a snappy Core i9 processor for getting real work done, and the discrete GPU—even if it has a clear power ceiling—is a bonus for creative pros."
MSI Katana 15
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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 Zenbook 14X OLED 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.
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