The Gigabyte Aorus 17 offers better performance suitable for intensive tasks such as engineering, 3D design, machine learning, and gaming, thanks to its more powerful processor and graphics card. However, it is significantly more expensive, larger, and heavier, making it less portable than the MSI Katana 15. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 is more affordable and lighter, favoring portability and battery life, but its lower-end processor and graphics card make it less suitable for demanding tasks, although it still handles general use and lighter gaming well. Choose Gigabyte for high performance if budget and portability are not concerns, or choose MSI for balance and value. 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 17
Very good for engineering and design
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 15
The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte Aorus 17.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.7/10
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 Aorus 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is better for engineering and design because it has a more powerful CPU and GPU, which are crucial for demanding tasks, along with a higher quality screen that displays more colors accurately. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15, while good for these uses due to a decent CPU and GPU, is more portable and has a quality keyboard, but falls short in screen color performance and has less battery capacity.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 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.
Screen Quality
8.0/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
267.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 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 Aorus 17 likely has a higher resolution and brightness, providing clearer and more vibrant visuals that are ideal for general tasks and detailed engineering designs, but its refresh rate may not meet the demands of high-end gaming or 3D work where smoother motion is crucial. The MSI Katana 15, with a fair screen, balanced between resolution and brightness, suffices for everyday activities and some design work but doesn't excel in any specific area. Neither laptop seems optimized for gaming and 3D modeling due to screens with insufficient refresh rates for fluid motion, which is key for those applications.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 has 6 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
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 15 and Gigabyte Aorus 17 both have only fair portability, though the MSI Katana 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,700
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 has a price of $1,700 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17, with its higher-end CPU and superior screen quality, offers robust performance and an engaging visual experience for a range of tasks, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Katana 15, which offers good general performance coupled with better portability and decent screen quality, making it suitable for daily computing needs on the go. Both laptops come with ample storage and RAM, backlit keyboards, and manage heat and noise well, which are essential for a comfortable user experience in general use scenarios.
Gaming and AI
8.1/10
7.6/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
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 17 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is equipped with a higher-performance GPU and a screen that supports a very high refresh rate, which makes it an excellent choice for gaming and running 3D applications smoothly. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 also has a strong GPU capable of gaming and 3D tasks, coupled with a decent screen refresh rate, and might be preferable for users who prioritize a balance between performance and cost.
Software Development
7.5/10
7.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 and MSI Katana 15 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 17 and MSI Katana 15 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 17 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is a powerful high-end gaming machine. The Aorus 17 is a potent gaming notebook in a 17.3-inch format designed for FHD gaming at maximum settings. A Core i7-12700H processor and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU make this possible. A lightning-fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the necessary storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Aorus 17 XE4, Gigabyte delivers a well-rounded, high-performance gaming notebook."
"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 Aorus 17 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.
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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