The HP 14" Laptop is often less expensive and more portable, making it suitable for general use with a decent battery life. It has a reasonable screen size, but its performance isn't geared towards intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering applications. The MSI Katana 15, on the other hand, is pricier and has better performance for 3D and machine learning tasks, as well as engineering software, due to a stronger CPU and GPU. It also has a larger screen with a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals, but with a tradeoff in terms of battery life and portability. 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 HP 14" Laptop
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7/10
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 is rated higher for general use because it has a more powerful Intel CPU and double the RAM of the HP 14" Laptop, which contributes to better performance. Additionally, the MSI has superior screen quality, a larger battery capacity, and more storage, outweighing its slightly lower portability due to larger size and weight, and shorter battery life compared to the HP.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
7.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The MSI Katana 15 outperforms the HP 14" Laptop for gaming and 3D because it has a significantly more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher refresh rate screen, which are very important for gaming performance and smooth visuals. Additionally, the MSI has a stronger CPU and superior screen quality, both of which enhance the gaming experience even though they are somewhat less crucial than the GPU and screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.0/10
7.7/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 14" Laptop has lower memory and storage, a less powerful integrated graphics card, and a smaller screen which limits its capabilities for engineering and design compared to the MSI Katana 15, which boasts double the memory, a dedicated high-performance graphics card, and a larger display with higher screen quality. Additionally, the MSI has better heat management and keyboard quality, both important for long hours of work, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life than the HP laptop.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 has a better screen than the HP 14" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the HP 14" Laptop and MSI Katana 15 provide sufficient clarity and brightness, but their resolution and panel types might not deliver the sharpness and color range desired by more demanding users. Engineering and design professionals may find the color accuracy and range lacking, as neither model likely covers the wider color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB extensively. Gamers and those into 3D rendering could be disappointed with the refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals, as well as the moderate resolution and panel quality that might not bring the most immersive experiences.
Battery
8.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP 14" Laptop has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
7.2/10
The MSI Katana 15 has good build quality, while the HP 14" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$418
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The HP 14" Laptop has a price of $418 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
The MSI Katana 15 and HP 14" Laptop 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
6.8/10
7.0/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Katana 15 to be good for software development, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
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.
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How the HP 14" Laptop and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"This feels like an ideal laptop for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a laptop and isn’t too bothered by things like build quality or construction. It’s a laptop that will be used to pay bills, keep track of expenses, do some online shopping, and will be tucked away in a spare bedroom/home office. It’s an appliance designed to do a job without fuss. It’s not a premium experience—the materials do feel a little cheap, the display won’t exactly wow you, and the battery life is nothing to write home about, especially if you’ve used more expensive devices. But overall it’s not too shabby, especially for the price."
"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 HP 14" Laptop or the MSI Katana 15
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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