If you value battery life and gaming performance, the Gigabyte Aorus 5 would be a better option as it has a larger battery and more powerful graphics card. However, it is significantly more expensive and heavier. The MSI Katana 15, on the other hand, is less expensive and lighter, making it more portable, but it houses a less powerful processor and has a shorter battery life, which may affect performance in intensive tasks and longevity per charge. Both have the same amount of RAM and similar display characteristics, but the overall performance for engineering and gaming would be superior with the Aorus 5. 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 5
Very good for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte Aorus 5.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU and GPU, making it more suitable for demanding tasks, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Katana 15, which offers ample storage and a lighter build, albeit with a less powerful CPU and GPU. While both laptops have quality IPS displays and enough RAM for multitasking, the Aorus 5 excels in performance which is crucial for engineering software, and the Katana 15 offers better portability and sufficient capabilities for less intensive design work.
Screen Quality
8.0/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
For general use, the Gigabyte Aorus 5 offers superior resolution and brightness, making images and text clearer and easier to see under various lighting conditions. Engineering and design professionals will appreciate the Aorus 5's wider color gamuts, allowing for more accurate color representation crucial for detailed work. However, the MSI Katana 15, while lacking in screen attributes essential for high-level gaming like a lower refresh rate, still provides adequate quality for users with general and design needs, albeit not as vividly as the Aorus 5.
Cost
$2,359
$949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 has a price of $2,359 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.9/10
7.6/10
8.2/10
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
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
7.6/10
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 5 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3/10
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
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 has 5 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
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 15 and Gigabyte Aorus 5 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.2/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 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 5 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"The Gigabyte Aorus 5 SE4 is a capable mainstream gaming notebook that will run the latest PC games with aplomb. However, it's not your stereotypical flashy gaming PC. Gigabyte has added some interesting tweaks. For example, the webcam placement and its Microsoft Azure AI tool — to automatically switch between power modes — are unusual for this genre. But more importantly, the pricing is fairly competitive and reasonable."
"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 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.
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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