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Updated January 12, 2024·
Considering the similar price point of the Gigabyte Aorus 15X and the MSI Katana 17, you'll want to weigh up their differences in features and performance. The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a higher resolution screen which makes it better for detailed visual work, and it's also more powerful with a superior graphics card and processor. This makes it ideal for gaming or resource-intensive tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 offers a larger screen and double the memory, which can be beneficial for multitasking and professional applications that require a lot of RAM. However, its battery capacity is lower than the Aorus 15X, suggesting a shorter battery life. The Katana 17 would suit users who prioritize screen size and memory over top-tier graphics performance and battery life. If portability and long battery life are important to you, neither of these models is particularly light or slim compared to other laptops. Make your choice based on whether visual work and gaming performance or screen size and multitasking capability are more critical for your needs. 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 15X
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte Aorus 15X.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
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
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is equipped with a higher-end GPU and a screen with a much higher refresh rate, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Katana 17, while also good for these tasks, has a lower-tier GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, but may offer better performance in other aspects due to its larger screen size and potentially more RAM.
Screen Quality
8.2
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X features a panel that offers excellent resolution and brightness, which enhances visibility and clarity for general tasks. However, its color gamut coverage is merely adequate for engineering and design work, where precise color representation is crucial. For gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of the Aorus 15X's screen can result in less fluid motion, which is far from ideal when smooth visuals are often paramount.
Battery
5.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has 5.5 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
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,600
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a price of $1,600 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 15X are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X excels in general use due to its high-performance CPU, ample RAM, and superior screen quality with high resolution and refresh rate, making it suitable for a variety of tasks though it's less portable and has lower battery life. The MSI Katana 17, while also good for general use with a capable processor and double the RAM, offers a larger screen but at a lower resolution, which might not be as sharp, and it trades off portability for a larger display but disappoints with significantly lesser battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.6
8.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is preferred for engineering and design due to its high-end CPU, substantial RAM, and superior GPU, which greatly benefit computational and graphical tasks, paired with a high-quality screen that provides sharp images and vibrant colors. The MSI Katana 17 offers ample RAM and a capable CPU as well, but its slightly less powerful GPU and lower screen resolution make it less ideal for highly demanding engineering software and detailed design work, although its larger screen could be an advantage for multitasking and expansive workflows.
Content Creation
8.0
7.8
9.9/10
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 15X 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
7.7
7.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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
7.2
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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.
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How the Gigabyte Aorus 15X and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aorus 15X | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,600 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.1" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.8" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | 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 | 5.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 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 | 301 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 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 | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 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 | 2 | 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 Aorus 15X
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | February 2023
"The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is a strong showing of Raptor Lake and RTX 4000 series. While the Aorus had trouble keeping up in older games like Grand Theft Auto V, it nudged past the competition in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It also flexed its next-generation muscle in Far Cry 6 and Borderlands 3. While we were impressed with the overall build quality and design of the Aorus 15X, the keyboard lacked good tactile feedback. The display performed well in real-world testing despite its on-paper shortcoming with brightness, but the speakers are lackluster at best."
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 Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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.
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