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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're looking for high performance for activities like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the Gigabyte Aorus 17 may justify its higher price with stronger processing and graphics capabilities. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 offers sufficient power for general use and lighter engineering tasks at a more affordable price point. Consider the Gigabyte Aorus 17 if you frequently engage in power-intensive tasks, and prefer a robust machine despite its higher cost and potentially shorter battery life. However, if your usage is more casual or budget is a primary concern, the MSI Katana 17 presents a value-oriented option that balances cost with performance. Keep in mind, the Aorus may also be less portable due to its size and weight compared to the typically lighter Katana, making the latter a better option for users who travel frequently. 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 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 17.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.0
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
267.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 offers a balanced display with adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and attractive for engineering and design due to its wider color gamut coverage. However, its lower refresh rate is less optimal for gaming and 3D applications, where a smoother visual experience is crucial. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 also provides a decent viewing experience for general use, but its color representation is not as robust for professional design work; its gaming and 3D capabilities are similarly limited by refresh rate constraints.
Battery
6.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 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.
Cost
$1,700
$1,367
$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 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
267.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 17 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 17 is preferred for general use due to its higher RAM, which offers better multitasking capabilities, and it has a better keyboard quality, enhancing the overall user experience. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aorus 17, while offering similar screen quality and portability, falls short with lower RAM and worse battery life, making it less suitable for demanding tasks and extended usage away from power sources.
Gaming and AI
8.1
7.9
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 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 edges out the Gigabyte Aorus 17 in gaming and 3D performance primarily due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a high CPU model, while the Aorus 17's slightly lower-tier RTX 3070 Ti GPU and an older CPU generation mean it can't quite keep up. Both have high refresh rate screens, with the Aorus 17 offering an impressive rate for ultra-smooth visuals, which is very important for gaming, though its impact might be less noticeable given the GPU constraints compared to the Katana 17 which has a lower refresh rate but more powerful hardware to fully utilize it.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.4
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 MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 offers a robust CPU and GPU combination suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks, with high screen refresh rates and color coverage that benefit detailed visual work, while the MSI Katana 17, despite its later release, provides double the RAM for multi-tasking, a newer generation CPU, and superior GPU, enhancing performance in similar applications but has a lower maximum screen brightness and color coverage compared to the Aorus. Portability is similar for both, with the Aorus having a marginally thicker build and slightly heavier weight, however, both may not be ideal for frequent travel due to their large screen sizes and heavier builds compared to more compact laptops.
Content Creation
8.0
7.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
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 17 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
7.5
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 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 17 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aorus 17 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10'' x 1.02'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.7" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 6 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 267 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 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 | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aorus 17
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NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | April 2022
"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."
MSI Katana 17
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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 17 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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