The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 offers a dual-screen setup, which can be beneficial for multitasking and productivity, and tends to be more affordable with a slightly better battery life than the MSI Katana 15. It is lighter and more portable, making it ideal for on-the-go usage, though its performance for general use and 3D tasks are modest due to its integrated graphics. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, while heavier and with shorter battery life, is designed with a more powerful dedicated graphics card, making it suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks. It also provides a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals and has a larger screen, which can enhance the gaming and multimedia experience, but might be more expensive. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
7.6/10
3.7/10
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
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 only has integrated graphics and a standard refresh rate, making it just fair for gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a powerful dedicated Nvidia RTX series GPU and a higher refresh rate display, key elements that make it good for such demanding applications.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
7.7/10
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 is built for sustained productivity and multitasking with its second screen feature and efficient CPU, but its graphics are integrated which may limit its capability for some engineering applications and design work that require more powerful discrete graphics.
Screen Quality
6.8/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
314.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14's screen shines in general use and engineering due to its high resolution and brightness, which enhance clarity and detail, alongside wide color gamuts ensuring accurate color reproduction for detailed work. The MSI Katana 15's screen offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and casual design work but lacks the superior color gamuts of the ASUS, making it less ideal for professional engineering and design use. However, both laptops fall short for 3D gaming because they don't offer the high refresh rates required for smooth motion rendering, although they might suffice for less demanding gaming scenarios.
Battery
8.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has 8.5 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
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 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
7.8/10
7.2/10
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14, with its eight-hour battery life and very good portability score, may be more suitable for those prioritizing longer use on the go, despite having half the RAM and storage capacity compared to the MSI Katana 15, which offers good processing power and is better equipped for tasks requiring more memory and storage, but falls short with just a four-hour battery life and a fair portability score.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.4/10
5.5/10
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 and ASUS Zenbook Duo 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
7.0/10
7.0/10
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 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.
Cost
$999
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has a price of $999 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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How the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook Duo's second screen is like the Apple Touch Bar, but better. Most would agree that having two screens instead of one can really boost productivity and the ZenBook Duo is no different in this regard. It's tough going back to just one screen after becoming accustomed to spacious dual-screen setups. For a laptop form factor, however, users will have to accept some compromises. Firstly, weight is the most obvious drawback as the system is several hundred grams heavier than a regular ZenBook 14. Additionally, colors on the second screen will not be as vivid as the main display."
"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 Duo 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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