A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 offers a high-resolution touchscreen and is very portable, making it ideal for business and general use, especially if you value the flexibility of a 2-in-1 design and longer battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, with its dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics card, is a better fit for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks, despite being less portable and having a shorter battery life. If budget is a key consideration, the MSI typically comes at a lower price point but with a sacrifice in screen resolution and overall portability. 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 Flip S13
- Good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
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 Flip S13 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.
Software Development
7.6
7.0
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is somewhat better.
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
7.9
6.8
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 offers a vibrant, high-resolution display with excellent brightness and color reproduction, making it ideal for general use and engineering where color accuracy and detail are crucial. Its superior color gamuts meet professional design standards, but for gaming and 3D applications, its refresh rate is low, hindering the fast-paced visuals these tasks often require. The MSI Katana 15, on the other hand, has a decent resolution and brightness for general and engineering use, but lacks the advanced color range of the ASUS and also falls short in refresh rate for 3D and gaming.
Battery
10.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has 10.5 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
Excellent
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has excellent 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 Flip S13 and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.5
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
10.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 and MSI Katana 15 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
7.4
7.7
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 are both good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 is equipped with a high-resolution touchscreen and is quite lightweight, making it a versatile pick for engineering and design tasks, with the added benefit of portability and utility as a tablet. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 sports a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, favoring performance in tasks needing intense graphics processing, but is heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook Flip S13 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.3'' x 0.51'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.01" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.31" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1165G7 | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 67 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 Flip S13
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Charles Jefferies | January 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 Flip is an ultra-sleek 2-in-1 convertible. A gorgeous OLED screen and lightweight magnesium chassis make this convertible a traveller’s dream. Its SSD isn’t fast, but it won’t hold you back in everyday use. Its battery life also isn’t class leading, but it’s hardly off the pace. Overall, the Zenbook S 13 Flip OLED holds its head high in the premium convertible category and is a smaller alternative to the Spectre x360 13.5 and the Yoga 9i Gen 7."
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 Flip S13 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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