The Gigabyte Aorus 15 offers a higher resolution display and faster refresh rate which is better for gaming and multimedia tasks, but it is also heavier and has a lower battery capacity than the MSI Katana 17. Conversely, the Katana 17 has a larger screen and more RAM which can be beneficial for multitasking and productivity, but due to a lower resolution display and refresh rate, it's not as geared towards high-performance gaming as the Aorus 15. The Aorus 15 is typically more expensive, and this cost might be justified if you prioritize gaming performance. However, if you prefer a larger screen, more RAM, and a more moderate price, the Katana 17 makes sense, especially if gaming is not your primary concern. Consider these trade-offs in light of your specific needs and budget. 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 Aorus 15
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte Aorus 15.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.0/10
6.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
316.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 offers a high-resolution display and vibrant colors, which are essential for detailed work in engineering and design due to its wide color gamut. For everyday tasks, its brightness and panel type provide a clear and comfortable viewing experience. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate could lead to less fluid motion, making it less favorable compared to laptops with displays designed for high refresh rates.
Battery
6.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 has 6 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
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability, though the Gigabyte Aorus 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,500
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 has a price of $1,500 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 15 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 is suitable for general use due to its powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-resolution screen, and substantial battery capacity, but has a fair portability score reflecting its heavier weight and larger size. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 17 offers more RAM, an advanced CPU, and vastly better heat management which is crucial for avoiding performance throttling, yet it is rated lower in battery life, making it less ideal for extended use away from a power source.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
7.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aorus 15 to be 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.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
8.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15, with a high-performance CPU, a powerful Nvidia GPU, and a high-resolution screen, is well-equipped for demanding engineering and design tasks, but its heavier weight and shorter battery life limit its portability compared to the MSI Katana 17, which offers more RAM for multitaskers and a larger screen, though at a lower resolution and not as color accurate, which might affect design work that relies on precise color representation.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.8/10
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aorus 15 to be 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
7.6/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 and MSI Katana 17 are both good for software development.
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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.2/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15 and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte Aorus 15 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"The Gigabyte Aorus 15 is a power-hungry gaming beast. The Aorus 15 is designed to run games at QHD and high to max settings. But it also cuts a good figure in other demanding applications such as video editing and rendering. This is made possible by the Core i7 12700H and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop inside the machine. A lightning-fast PCIe 4.0 SSD (1 TB) allows for short loading times."
"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 Gigabyte Aorus 15 or the MSI Katana 17
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.
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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