A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Latitude 5330 is more wallet-friendly and offers solid performance for everyday tasks and office work, with a smaller, lighter form factor making it very portable. Its battery life is decent, and it operates Windows 11 Pro. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15, although pricier, provides higher graphics performance due to its Nvidia RTX 4060 card, making it well-suited for gaming, 3D work, and other graphics-intensive tasks. However, it's heavier and less portable, and it runs on Windows 11 Home. Note that the Katana likely has a better display for gaming with a higher refresh rate but a poorer battery life due to its more powerful components. Choose the Latitude 5330 for budget-friendly, portable productivity and the Katana 15 for higher-end gaming and creative tasks. 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 Dell Latitude 5330
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5330 is only fair.
The Dell Latitude 5330, with its integrated Iris Xe graphics and a basic screen refresh rate, provides a reasonable experience for casual gaming and light 3D applications, but it falls short for more serious gaming and complex 3D tasks compared to the MSI Katana 15, which boasts a dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, delivering smoother visuals and better performance in demanding games and graphics-intensive scenarios.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5330 is only fair.
The Dell Latitude 5330, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, excels in engineering design due to its high-quality IPS screen and superior portability, making it suitable for professionals on the go. Conversely, the MSI Katana 15 pairs a powerful CPU with a dedicated GPU and a higher-refresh-rate screen, better suited for design tasks that demand more graphics performance, though it trades off with less portability.
Screen Quality
6.3
6.8
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
286.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Dell Latitude 5330 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for software development, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Dell Latitude 5330 and the MSI Katana 15 have displays that offer adequate resolution and brightness, but they may fall short of the sharpness and vibrancy available in higher-end models. Their screen quality for engineering and design is fair because the color coverage doesn't meet the high standards for professional color work, which relies on wider color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, their refresh rates are lower than those preferred by enthusiasts, meaning that while suitable for casual play, they won't provide the smoothest experience possible.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 5330 has 9 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
Very Good
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Latitude 5330 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$849
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Latitude 5330 has a price of $849 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
286.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Latitude 5330 are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 5330 offers a balance with its moderate screen size and lightweight design, promoting better portability and suitable battery life for general use, aided by a solid processor and ample RAM. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 prioritizes a larger screen and a more powerful graphics card, catering to those who may need more intensive graphics processing but compromises on portability due to its greater weight and larger size.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Latitude 5330 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
7.3
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Latitude 5330 and MSI Katana 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
7.4
7.2
The Dell Latitude 5330 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 Dell Latitude 5330 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 5330 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$849 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.2'' x 0.73'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.04" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.17" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1245U | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 286 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 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 | 2 | 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
MSI Katana 15
See more
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 Dell Latitude 5330 or the MSI Katana 15
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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