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Updated February 17, 2024·
When deciding between the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R and the MSI Katana 17, consider that the higher price of the Mech-15 G3R is likely due to its superior performance, which could be beneficial for demanding tasks like gaming or 3D rendering. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 may offer better value and sufficient performance for general use or less intensive engineering applications. The Mech-15 G3R may also have a more robust build quality or premium features that justify its higher cost. However, if portability is a concern, the larger size of the Katana 17 might be less convenient. Additionally, pay attention to battery life; a high-performance laptop typically has shorter battery life compared to a less powerful one, which might affect your decision based on how and where you plan to use the laptop. 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 Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R
- Very good for general use
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.7
7.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
8.4
7.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 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
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is very good for software development, while the MSI Katana 17 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
8.4
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R offers a combination of high resolution, bright display, and robust color range, giving clarity and vivid imagery that benefits general use and engineering tasks, where such visual fidelity is crucial. However, for gaming and 3D applications which prioritize smooth motion, it falls short with a lower refresh rate which can lead to less fluid gameplay. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 provides a balanced quality with decent brightness and resolution for everyday tasks, but it doesn't reach the color accuracy needed for professional design work, nor does it offer the high refresh rate desired for gaming.
Battery
6.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has 6.5 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality, though the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,400
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R has a price of $2,400 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.3
7.9
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
350.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R to be very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R is appreciated for general use due to its combination of high resolution and bright IPS display for excellent screen quality, alongside a strong CPU and ample RAM, which ensure smooth performance; it offers moderate portability and battery life, adding versatility to its use. The MSI Katana 17, while also good for general use, focuses on performance with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, a larger screen, but compromises slightly on portability and has a lower screen resolution, trading some display crispness for a broader workspace which benefits multitasking and productivity.
Engineering and Design
8.7
8.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R boasts a strong CPU and GPU combo with a high-resolution display, ideal for the intricacies of engineering designs and simulations, while the MSI Katana 17 offers more RAM, which can handle multiple resource-intensive tasks simultaneously, despite its lower resolution screen. The Mech-15 has better battery life and portability compared to the larger and heavier Katana 17, but the Katana's larger screen may be a plus for some users despite the trade-off in resolution and portability.
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How the Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,400 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10'' x 0.94'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.68 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.03" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 94 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 350 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 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 | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R
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Dig into reviews and images
WePC
Aaron Ritchie | September 2022
"Everything considered, the XMG Neo 15 (Mech-15 G3R) with RTX 3070 Ti is a great gaming performer. The combination of the Ti graphics card with the new Intel 12th gen CPU is enough to go toe-to-toe, and even slightly pull ahead of the RTX 3080 in most titles, though on games with Ray-Tracing enabled, particularly with graphics set to the maximum and on higher resolutions, the additional VRAM of the RTX 3080 makes a big impact, and the 8GB RTX 3070 Ti machine simply can’t compete, even with the more powerful processor."
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 Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R or the MSI Katana 17
About Eluktronics
Eluktronics is a relatively new American gaming laptop company, founded in 2011. They are a reseller for the Taiwanese brand Clevo, who manufacture laptops exclusively and ship them to resellers like Eluktronics who customize them. Eluktronics laptops generally have great hardware specifications for the money, including the CPU, GPU, and RAM. They also feature a relatively clean design by gaming laptop standards, with few logos and discreet colors.
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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