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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Dell Latitude 5430 and the MSI Katana 15 depends on your needs. The Dell offers slightly better battery life and higher portability, making it suitable for business and general use. However, the MSI, with its superior graphics card and processor, more storage and RAM, is better suited for gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks but has a shorter battery life and is heavier, making it less portable. If price is a concern, the Dell is slightly less expensive, but for better performance in computing-intensive tasks, the MSI justifies its higher price with more powerful hardware. 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 5430
- 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
6.0
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 5430 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15, with its Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and high 144Hz screen refresh rate, is well-equipped for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D work, while the Dell Latitude 5430's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and standard 60Hz refresh rate limit its ability to handle graphic-intensive tasks and fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
6.5
7.7
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 is regarded as good for engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i5 CPU, twice the RAM, and a dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU that outperforms the Dell Latitude 5430's integrated graphics. Additionally, although the Dell offers greater portability and somewhat quieter operation, the MSI's superior screen quality, with higher refresh rates and similar resolution, makes it more suitable for detailed design work.
Screen Quality
6.1
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
248.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5430 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Dell Latitude 5430 and MSI Katana 15 offer fair screen quality for general use due to their adequate panel type, resolution, and brightness, meeting basic requirements for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, neither laptop excels as their color gamuts do not cover a sufficiently broad spectrum needed for precise color work. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the poor screen quality stems from the lower refresh rates that limit smooth motion rendering, while the moderate resolution and panel type impact the sharpness and overall visual experience.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 5430 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
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Latitude 5430 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$790
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Latitude 5430 has a price of $790 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.2
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
248.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Latitude 5430 are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 5430, with its moderate CPU and lower RAM, is more suited for basic tasks and prolonged use due to its longer battery life, lighter weight, and smaller size, enhancing its portability. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 has a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, better screen quality with higher refresh rate for smoother visuals, and dedicated graphics, but is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it a bit less portable but better for more demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.2
7.4
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 and Dell Latitude 5430 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
7.1
7.0
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Latitude 5430 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 5430 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 5430 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 5430 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$790 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.76'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.01 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.65" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.35" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 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 | 14" | 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 | 248 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 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
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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 Dell Latitude 5430 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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