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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated February 16, 2024·
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 is a budget-friendly option with good portability, suitable for general use and business tasks, and it offers a decent battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 is more expensive, but provides remarkable performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software, and has better gaming features, including hardware ray tracing and a high-refresh-rate display, although it has a lower battery life and is heavier, making it less portable. If your primary concern is work and mobility, the Dell might be your choice, whereas if you need high performance for specialized tasks or gaming, go with the MSI despite the higher price and reduced mobility. 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 14 7490
- Very 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
General Use
7.2
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for general use, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
5.9
7.9
3.5/10
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
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
The MSI Katana 17 is more suitable for gaming and 3D tasks due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, which can deliver smoother visuals and handle complex graphics more efficiently compared to the Dell Latitude 14 7490's modest Intel UHD Graphics 620 and standard 60 Hz refresh rate. The Dell Latitude might be fine for less demanding games, but for modern titles and 3D rendering, the MSI's superior graphics hardware and faster screen make a significant difference in performance.
Engineering and Design
6.5
8.4
3.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.5/10
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 14 7490 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.
Content Creation
7.3
7.8
3.8/10
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 14 7490 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.7
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell Latitude 7490's balance of resolution and brightness provides clear visuals for tasks like browsing and document editing, while the MSI Katana 17's larger screen offers more workspace. The Dell shines in engineering and design due to its higher color accuracy, which is crucial for precise work, whereas the MSI has less color coverage. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as they lack high refresh rate displays that ensure smoother motion and better responsiveness.
Battery
9.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$300
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has a price of $300 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.1
7.5
3.8/10
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 14 7490 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 14 7490 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 14 7490 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 14 7490 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2018 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13'' x 8.7'' x 0.8'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.11 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.7" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-8650U | 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 | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 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 | 305 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 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 | 8.8/10 | 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 | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Latitude 14 7490
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Henry T. Casey | April 2018
"The Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
MSI Katana 17
See more
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 14 7490 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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