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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gigabyte Aero 5 offers a higher-resolution OLED screen, which makes it excellent for color-sensitive work and media consumption, but it sacrifices battery life and portability due to its larger size and weight. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 15 provides a more portable form factor and a much higher screen refresh rate beneficial for fast-paced gaming, although its display and battery life may be less impressive compared to the Aero 5. Choose the Aero 5 if display quality for creative tasks or media is a priority, or the Katana 15 if gaming and portability are more important to you. 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 Gigabyte Aero 5
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is favored for engineering and design due to its high-performing CPU (Intel i7), superior GPU (Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti), and exceptional screen quality with OLED technology and 4K resolution, whereas the MSI Katana 15, despite having a capable CPU (Intel i5) and a good GPU (Nvidia RTX 4060), offers lower screen resolution and quality but benefits from being slightly more portable.
Content Creation
8.2
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aero 5 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
7.9
7.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aero 5 is somewhat better.
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
8.6
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
446.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Gigabyte Aero 5 boasts a high-quality display with sharp resolution and brightness, making it ideal for general use and detailed work in engineering and design due to its wide color gamuts that ensure accurate color representations. However, its lower refresh rate may not be optimal for gaming or 3D modeling, where a smooth visual experience is critical. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 has an average screen that is sufficient for day-to-day tasks and some engineering purposes, but it similarly falls short for gaming and 3D applications that demand higher refresh rates for fluid motion.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has 7 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality, though the Gigabyte Aero 5 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has a price of $1,250 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.5
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
446.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is well-suited for general use due to its high-resolution OLED screen, powerful Intel i7 CPU, and ample RAM, alongside a sizeable battery which supports longer use away from power sources, though it's heavier which impacts portability. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 offers a slightly more portable form factor with a capable Intel i5 CPU and comparable RAM, but has a lower resolution IPS screen and a smaller battery, suggesting shorter times between charges.
Gaming and AI
7.9
7.6
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Gigabyte Aero 5 excels in gaming and 3D tasks largely due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and OLED screen with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, providing vivid visuals despite a lower refresh rate. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, while also good for gaming and 3D work, features a less powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a standard IPS screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, but offers a higher screen refresh rate for smoother gameplay.
Portability
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 15 and Gigabyte Aero 5 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Gigabyte Aero 5 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aero 5 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10'' x 1.08'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.07 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 446 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aero 5
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Dig into reviews and images
The Tech Revolutionist
Zhi Cheng | May 2022
"It is unfortunate that the Gigabyte AERO notebook series have seem to lost its charm, as it’s not exactly any much different from the AORUS series now. Regardless, content creators and designers will certainly still appreciate the features on the AERO 5 XE4, which are fundamental to their work. This largely revolved around the notebook’s display, which is colour calibrated and validated, high resolution (4K) and with great AMOLED colour representation. Now that the AERO 5 XE4 has improved its performance with the latest CPU and GPU, the professionals can also appreciate the improved productivity from the notebook."
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 Gigabyte Aero 5 or the MSI Katana 15
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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