The Gigabyte Aorus 7 generally costs less and is a solid mid-range choice with a decent processor and graphics card for general use and moderate gaming or engineering tasks, along with a larger battery for longer use away from a power source. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 has a more powerful processor and double the memory, which makes it better for intensive tasks like advanced gaming, 3D design, or machine learning, but this comes at a higher price and with a smaller battery, which may limit its use when you're on the go. Both models have similar display sizes and resolutions, so the decision hinges on whether you prioritize performance and are willing to spend more with the MSI, or if you want to save money and still have a capable machine for everyday tasks with the Gigabyte. 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 7
Very good overall display quality
Good battery life
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte Aorus 7.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.3/10
6.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for software development.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 offers vibrant color accuracy and high resolution, which is why it's great for general use and suitable for detailed engineering and design work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming or 3D modeling, where fluid motion is key. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 has decent general display characteristics but falls short in color range for professional design tasks, and like the Aorus 7, it's not optimized for the fast refresh demands of gaming or 3D applications.
Battery
6.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 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
$1,190
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a price of $1,190 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 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
7.8/10
7.9/10
8.1/10
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 MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a higher screen refresh rate, which is very important for gaming and 3D applications, offering smoother visuals during fast-paced action, while the MSI Katana 17, despite having a lower refresh rate, compensates with a stronger CPU and better overall screen quality.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is equipped with a robust processor and high-end GPU, suitable for demanding engineering software and design tasks, but has a lower RAM capacity and shorter battery life than the MSI Katana 17, which offers more memory and a faster processor, enhancing multitasking and computational performance for similar applications. Both have quality IPS screens with standard resolution, though the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a notably higher refresh rate, which can be a bonus for design fluidity and detail work.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.8/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 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
7.4/10
7.5/10
8.5/10
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 7 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 7 and MSI Katana 17 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 7 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 7 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is a gaming laptop that is pitched at perhaps the hardest market to get right: the mid-range. So, unlike high-end gaming laptops that can throw the latest and greatest components together in a bid to attract gamers with plenty of money to spend, or budget gaming laptops that can make wise cuts that are justified as long as the price is low enough, mid-rangers like the Gigabyte Aorus 7 have to balance the two."
"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 7 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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