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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Dell Latitude 5530 offers a more budget-friendly option suitable for general use with good battery life and portability, thanks to its smaller 15.6" screen and lighter weight, making it ideal for business professionals who need a practical laptop for usual productivity tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 is pricier with a larger 17.3" screen and significantly more powerful hardware, including a high-end graphics card, making it better suited for gaming, 3D applications, machine learning, and other performance-intensive tasks, but this comes at the cost of decreased battery life and increased weight, which can impact its portability. 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 5530
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.9
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5530 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a superior gaming and 3D experience than the Dell Latitude 5530 primarily due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate, providing smoother visual performance which is essential for fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
6.9
8.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
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 Dell Latitude 5530 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.3
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
286.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5530 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Latitude 5530's screen offers balanced resolution and brightness, making text and images clear, but its panel type may not provide the wide viewing angles or vibrant colors seen in higher-end displays. In the case of engineering and design, while the Dell's screen can render detailed images, it falls short for professionals as it lacks the color accuracy and range provided by wider color gamuts. When it comes to 3D and gaming, both the Dell and MSI Katana 17 may not be suitable as their screens likely have lower refresh rates, which can result in less smooth visuals during fast-paced activities.
Battery
9.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 5530 has 9 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
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Latitude 5530 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$919
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Latitude 5530 has a price of $919 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
286.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
9.0 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 Dell Latitude 5530 are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 5530 is well-suited for general use with its adequate processing power, memory, and impressive battery life, all packaged in a lightweight frame for better portability. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 17 offers superior performance with a faster CPU, more RAM, and a higher storage capacity, but is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable but better for tasks requiring more computing muscle.
Content Creation
7.4
7.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Dell Latitude 5530 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
7.5
6.9/10
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 Dell Latitude 5530 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 5530 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 Dell Latitude 5530 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 5530 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$919 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.87'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.19" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1245U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
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 | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 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 | 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 | Yes | 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 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 Dell Latitude 5530 or the MSI Katana 17
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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