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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For tasks that require strong performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X stands out with its more powerful processor and better overall performance scores, especially in these areas. However, it comes at a higher price and is slightly heavier, impacting portability. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 provides good value for its price and is lighter, making it easier to carry around. It also has a higher refresh rate suitable for gaming but falls short in display resolution and color accuracy compared to the ASUS. If budget is less of a concern and top-tier screen quality and performance are priorities, opt for the ASUS, whereas if you're looking for a more cost-effective option that still performs well for general use and gaming, the MSI Katana 15 is a worthy choice. 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 16X
- 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X.
Key differences
General Use
8.3
7.5
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
354.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is more suitable for general use because it has a higher-end CPU, a superior OLED screen with higher resolution and touch capability, and longer battery life, making it more versatile for a variety of tasks, though it is heavier, which affects portability.
Engineering and Design
8.6
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
6.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X is highly suited for engineering and design owing to its powerful Intel i7 processor, advanced Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, and superior OLED screen with high resolution, providing exceptional clarity and color accuracy for detailed work.
Content Creation
8.5
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X 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
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X 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
8.3
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
354.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X 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 16X boasts a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and a wide color gamut, offering sharp and vivid visuals for general tasks and detailed color precision necessary for engineering and design work. However, for gaming and 3D work, the screen's lower refresh rate isn't ideal, as it doesn't provide the smooth motion preferred in fast-paced gaming environments. Conversely, the MSI Katana 15's screen, while offering adequate resolution and brightness for everyday use and sufficient color accuracy for some design work, falls short for professional engineering software and is not optimal for gaming due to a similar low refresh rate.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has 7 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.
Cost
$1,300
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X has a price of $1,300 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.6
6.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X are both good for gaming and AI.
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.
Portability
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X to have good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
7.2
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X 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 16X and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook Pro 16X | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,300 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 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 | 7 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 96 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 354 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | 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 16X
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marc Herter, Alex Wätzel | November 2023
"The new Zenbook Pro 16X is more powerful, quieter and doesn't need to shy away from dedicated workstations and gamers. It is also comparatively compact, and our test device is the best Zenbook that we've reviewed so far. It seems equally suitable for content creators and gamers or anyone looking for a very powerful laptop that is still slim."
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 16X 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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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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