The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo offers a high-quality OLED display and is more compact and lightweight, making it better for portability and tasks that benefit from a higher-resolution screen, such as creative work or photo editing. It also has a second screen which may enhance productivity. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 is larger with a 17.3-inch display and provides stronger gaming performance with a dedicated Nvidia graphics card. However, it is heavier, which may not be ideal if you need something easily portable, and it has a shorter battery life, so frequent access to a power outlet may be needed. Both have similar processing power and memory, suitable for general use and demanding tasks. Choose the ASUS if you prioritize a dual-display setup, portability, and vibrant display or the MSI if you're focused on gaming and can manage with a heavier device and shorter battery life. 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 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 17
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
357.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo offers a portable design with a high-resolution OLED touchscreen, ideal for vibrant visuals and productivity on the go, while the MSI Katana 17 boasts a larger screen and dedicated graphics for robust performance but is less portable and has shorter battery life. Both feature powerful CPUs and ample RAM for multitasking, and while the ZenBook excels in screen quality and battery life, the Katana 17 is favorable for tasks requiring more graphical power.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
7.9/10
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU and a higher refresh rate screen, which significantly enhances gaming and 3D performance compared to the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo, which comes with an integrated GPU that is less suited for demanding tasks and a slightly lower refresh rate screen. Additionally, the MSI has a larger screen, which offers a more immersive gaming experience, but results in reduced portability due to its increased size and weight.
Content Creation
8.6/10
7.8/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 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
8.2/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 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 17 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
8.6/10
6.9/10
14.5in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
357.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo boasts superior screen resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use where clarity and visibility are crucial. Its breadth of color gamuts, including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, renders it excellent for engineering and design work where color accuracy is key. However, its lower refresh rate holds it back for gaming and 3D applications, which demand high refresh rates for smooth visuals and performance.
Battery
6.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo has 6 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
Good
Fair
14.5in
SIZE
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.2/10
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has a price of $1,299 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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How the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 Pro 14 Duo 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.
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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