A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15
- Good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Excellent battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.9
4.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 offers superior gaming and 3D performance mainly due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, ideal for smoother visuals and gameplay, whereas the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is equipped with a less powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, which provides fair performance but is not as optimized for fast-paced gaming and high-frame-rate content.
Engineering and Design
7.5
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 outperforms the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 in engineering and design use mainly due to its more powerful Intel processor, superior Nvidia graphics card, and a higher amount of RAM, which work together to better handle demanding tasks.
Screen Quality
7.6
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
346.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15's display offers high resolution and brightness, making it ideal for general tasks like browsing and video streaming, while its wide color gamut supports the nuanced color needs of engineering and design work. However, its lower refresh rate detracts from the gaming and 3D modeling experience, where smooth motion is crucial. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17, while having decent resolution and brightness for everyday activities, lacks the broader color range that professionals require for precision tasks, and like the ASUS, its refresh rate isn't optimized for the high demands of gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
12.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has 12.5 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
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,109
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has a price of $1,109 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
346.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
12.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 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.
Content Creation
7.7
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 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
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.2
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,109 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.9'' x 9.4'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.41 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.94" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.37" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 96 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 346 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 6.2/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | 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 | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook Pro 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 offers a strong CPU, chassis, and display. One of the most popular 15.6-inch prosumer or multimedia laptops out there is the Dell XPS 15. Thus, comparisons between it and the Asus Zenbook Pro 15 are inevitable. Asus has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that XPS users are still missing out on including 1080p OLED and an AMD Ryzen CPU which help separate the Zenbook Pro 15 from the XPS 15. It also integrates a numpad and a few more port options albeit at the cost of a larger chassis size."
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"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 15 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.
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