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 10, 2024·
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo typically costs a bit more but offers higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, thanks to its better processor and ample RAM. It also has an OLED touchscreen that's better for color-sensitive work, yet it's heavier and has less battery life. The MSI Katana 15, on the other hand, is optimized for gaming with a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, has a high-refresh-rate screen, and is lighter on the wallet but comes with a less powerful processor and less RAM, which may limit performance in intensive workloads. It has a lower battery life and is slightly heavier, making it less portable. Choose the ASUS for top performance in creative and engineering tasks or the MSI for gaming and general use with some cost savings. 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 Pro 14 Duo
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.5
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
357.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is rated very good for general use due to its combination of a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, superior OLED screen quality, and better portability with a lighter frame and longer battery life, whereas the MSI Katana 15, while also suitable for general use, has a more modest CPU and half the RAM, as well as an IPS screen with less resolution and color accuracy, a heavier build, and shorter battery life, making it less ideal for those prioritizing high-end specs and mobility.
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.6
3.8/10
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
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo 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
8.5
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is particularly suited for engineering and design primarily because of its high-resolution OLED screen which displays vibrant colors and sharp details, complemented by a more powerful CPU and double the amount of RAM compared to the MSI Katana 15, which enhances its ability to handle complex tasks. While the MSI Katana 15 also has a strong GPU suitable for engineering tasks, its lower screen resolution and smaller RAM capacity make it less optimal for such intensive work, though it may offer advantages in gaming performance.
Content Creation
8.6
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
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
8.2
7.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very good for software development, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
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
8.6
6.8
14.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
357.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo 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 Pro 14 Duo boasts a high-resolution screen with superior brightness and panel technology that makes it excellent for general use and engineering tasks, where color accuracy and details matter. However, its refresh rate is low, making it less ideal for 3D applications and gaming, where fluid motion is key. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 has a fair screen that's adequate for daily tasks and professional design work, but like the ASUS, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a suboptimal refresh rate.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo 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
Good
Fair
14.5in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,299
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has a price of $1,299 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.6
7.2
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo 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.
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How the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.9'' x 0.77'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.74" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.85" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 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 | 357 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 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 | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | 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 Pro 14 Duo
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Dominic Bayley | December 2022
"The Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is a well-tuned instrument for content creators, excelling at a range of general office tasks as well as tasks that require a little more grunt like encoding and 3D rendering. The big attraction is the laptop’s dual displays. They’re the best ones we’ve used in an Asus Zenbook Duo laptop to date with a spate of year-on-year improvements that make the visuals more striking and the cross-screen integration easier than ever before."
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 Pro 14 Duo 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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