If you prioritize saving money and need a laptop mostly for basic tasks, consider the Gateway 14.1" as it is more affordable. It's also lighter and has a smaller screen, which makes it more portable. However, if you require a laptop for more demanding activities, such as gaming or content creation, the MSI Katana 17, with its powerful processor, graphics card, and larger, faster screen, could be a better fit despite being more expensive and less portable. The MSI also typically has a much longer battery life, making it suitable for extended use without charging. 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 17
Good for general use
Very 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
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" laptop has a basic Intel Celeron CPU and 4GB of RAM, making it less suitable for demanding tasks, while its smaller storage and lower-quality keyboard and build also affect general use negatively. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 boasts a powerful Intel i7 CPU with 32GB of RAM, ample storage, and better keyboard and build quality, alongside a larger screen and higher refresh rate, although it's heavier and less portable.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.9/10
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 17 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
8.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" has a basic CPU and GPU, less RAM, and lower screen quality which are not ideal for demanding engineering tasks, whereas the MSI Katana 17 is equipped with a high-performance CPU, superior GPU, ample RAM, and a higher quality display, making it very suitable for engineering and design work. Though the Gateway is more portable given its smaller size and lower weight, the MSI's larger screen and better overall specifications more than compensate for its reduced portability in professional contexts.
Content Creation
5.8/10
7.8/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 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
7.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 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
6.9/10
14.1in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a sharp and vibrant display for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the Gateway 14.1" offers a decent experience with its resolution and brightness, though it may not be as crisp or vivid as some higher-end screens. For engineering and design work where accurate color reproduction is crucial, the Gateway's screen may fall short due to limited color gamut coverage, making the MSI Katana 17 a better option despite its similar limitations. Gamers and those into 3D applications should be aware that both laptops might not deliver the smoothest visuals, as higher refresh rates which are essential for fluid movement are not a strong suit for either model.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Gateway 14.1" has 8 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
14.1in
SIZE
17.3in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 14.1" has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 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
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
"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 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 Gateway 14.1" or the MSI Katana 17
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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