If you prioritize portability and are looking for a budget option for general use like web browsing or document editing, the Gateway 14.1" makes sense as it's lightweight and significantly less expensive. However, it offers modest performance due to its lower-end processor and graphics, and minimal storage and memory, which could affect multitasking and application responsiveness. On the flip side, the MSI Katana 15 is a better fit for more intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming due to its higher-end processor, advanced graphics card, and larger memory and storage, which enable faster and smoother performance, but it comes at a higher price and is bulkier, affecting portability. The MSI also has a backlit keyboard and additional features like hardware ray tracing and DLSS, catering to gaming and advanced graphical work, but with the tradeoff of a shorter battery life. 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 Gateway 14.1"
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" has a lower-end CPU and less RAM, leading to slower performance for general use, whereas the MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a stronger CPU and more RAM, offering smoother operation and better multitasking. Additionally, the MSI has better heat management and a higher-quality screen which contributes to a more comfortable user experience, compared to the Gateway's poor build quality and weaker screen.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.6/10
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
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
7.7/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" laptop, with a less powerful Intel Celeron processor, limited RAM, and basic integrated graphics, is not up to par for hefty engineering and design tasks that require robust computing power and advanced visual rendering capabilities.
Content Creation
5.8/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
5.8/10
7.0/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
6.0/10
6.8/10
14.1in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 14.1" and MSI Katana 15 offer fair screen quality for general use, such as browsing the web and streaming, due to their adequate resolution and brightness, but their panel types may not offer the best color accuracy or viewing angles. For engineering and design, the importance of color accuracy becomes critical, and if both laptops lack in color gamuts, like DCI-P3 or Adobe RGB, they won't display the precise colors needed for professional work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, high refresh rates are paramount for smooth motion, and if both laptops lack high refresh rates, they'll fall short for fast-paced visuals despite their acceptable resolution and panel types.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gateway 14.1" has 8 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
14.1in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 14.1" has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.2/10
The MSI Katana 15 has good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$99
$949
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
"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 Gateway 14.1" or the MSI Katana 15
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
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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