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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming is paramount, the MSI Katana 15 with a more capable graphics card shines, although it offers a shorter battery life. Conversely, if you prioritize a higher quality display and longer battery duration for general use, the Dell XPS 15 suits better, albeit with less graphics power. Portability slightly favors the XPS, and it also offers a quieter and cooler experience. Both devices are equipped with similar storage, and both have backlit keyboards, but the MSI has a full RGB keyboard, whereas the Dell’s is white. It's essential to align your choice with your specific needs in performance, portability, and usage scenario. 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 XPS 15
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
606.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Dell XPS 15 excels in general use due to its superior processor, brighter display with higher color accuracy, and longer battery life, making it a solid choice for productivity and media consumption while offering more portability. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15, with its gaming-oriented graphics card and increased storage, is tailored more towards gamers while remaining useful for everyday tasks but has a shorter battery life and is slightly heavier.
Gaming and AI
6.8
7.6
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.1/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 15 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 15 is equipped with an Intel Arc A370M, which provides solid performance for gaming and 3D applications, but its 60Hz screen refresh rate is not as smooth as higher refresh rate screens, which can be important for fast-paced games. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 with its Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics and a higher 144Hz refresh rate delivers a more fluid and responsive gaming and 3D experience, although the difference in screen quality and CPU performance compared to the Dell XPS 15 should be considered based on individual needs.
Content Creation
8.3
7.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 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
8.1
7.0
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for software development, while the MSI Katana 15 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
7.4
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
606.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell XPS 15 delivers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and demanding engineering applications that require color accuracy. However, it may not satisfy gamers or 3D users due to a lower refresh rate, which affects the smoothness of motion in fast-paced environments. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 offers an average screen experience across the board, with neither its resolution nor color reproduction standing out for engineering work, nor its refresh rate catering to high-end gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 15 has 10 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell XPS 15 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.2
The Dell XPS 15 has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.7
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 15 to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Dell XPS 15, with its higher-end CPU and advanced GPU, excels in screen quality offering greater color accuracy and brightness, which is crucial for design accuracy in engineering. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, while it has a lower tier CPU, includes a more powerful dedicated gaming GPU and a screen with a higher refresh rate, making it very suitable for engineering tasks that involve graphics-intensive simulations and rendering.
Cost
$1,000
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell XPS 15 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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How the Dell XPS 15 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 15 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.21 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.57" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 606 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.1/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 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 | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
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 XPS 15 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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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