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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you value a dual-screen setup for multitasking and creative work, and don't mind a heavier device with a premium price, the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 could be a great choice. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 might offer you a larger single screen and is likely to be more budget-friendly. The MSI may also provide better gaming performance if it has a dedicated graphics card. However, it might have less battery life due to the larger screen and potential for more power-hungry components. If portability and battery life are your priorities, the ASUS might not be ideal. Consider what you'll mainly use the laptop for and whether the ASUS's unique features justify the higher cost for you. 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 Duo 15
- Very good for general use
- Excellent 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 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15.
Key differences
General Use
8.5
7.9
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
332.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 offers a high-quality OLED screen with superior color accuracy and resolution for vivid visuals, paired with powerful CPU and RAM that excel in demanding applications, but is less portable and has moderate battery life. The MSI Katana 17, while also sporting high-end CPU and ample RAM for general tasks, trades off screen resolution and color fidelity for a larger screen and a design that may handle heat better, yet it offers less battery endurance and portability compared to other models.
Engineering and Design
9.0
8.4
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 is very good.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is favored for engineering and design work because of its high-quality OLED touchscreen with accurate color representation and powerful CPU, GPU, and large RAM capacity, which are very important for demanding tasks; however, its portability and noise level are moderate, impacting convenience and comfort. The MSI Katana 17 also excels with a reliable processor, ample RAM, and a capable GPU, and while it offers a larger screen, it has lower screen quality and battery life, making it less optimal for high-precision work, but it is quieter under load, adding to user comfort.
Content Creation
8.7
7.8
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 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
8.3
7.5
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 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
8.3
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
332.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo 15 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 Duo 15 features a high-resolution OLED screen, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks that provide an immersive experience for general use and detailed clarity for engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is vital. However, its average refresh rate is less suitable for 3D applications, where a faster refresh rate is required for smooth motion. The MSI Katana 17, with a more conventional display, has adequate brightness and resolution for everyday tasks but may not deliver the wide color gamuts needed for professional design work, and like the ASUS, also falls short in refresh rate for optimal 3D experiences.
Battery
7.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo 15 has 7 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
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 has a price of $2,000 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.8
7.9
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 and ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is well-suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a vivid OLED screen, though its refresh rate is standard at 60Hz; it offers top-notch screen quality but may not provide the smoothest gaming experience. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 features a Nvidia RTX 4060 providing strong gaming performance and has a higher refresh rate at 144Hz for smoother visuals, but it compromises slightly on screen resolution and the vibrancy of an IPS panel compared to the ASUS' OLED.
Build Quality
7.6
7.2
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 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 Duo 15 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.8'' x 0.85'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.16 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.17" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 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 | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 92 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 332 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 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 | 7.8/10 | 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 Duo 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Jared Newman | August 2021
"Benchmarks aside, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is hard to compare with other PCs. Its closest competition may be a multi-monitor desktop, or a laptop with an attached travel monitor. The Pro Duo is more portable and versatile than either of those options, especially with the software tools Asus has thrown on top. For a certain niche of artists, media creators, and gamers, all that might add up to something special, even if it’s unattainable for the rest of us."
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 Duo 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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