The HP 14" Laptop is more budget-friendly and lighter, making it suitable for general use and portability. It operates with decent performance for everyday tasks and light work. In contrast, the MSI Katana 17 is significantly more expensive but offers a larger screen size, more storage and memory, and much more powerful processors capable of intensive engineering tasks, 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming. It has a high-refresh-rate screen which is great for gaming, but it's heavier and less portable. The MSI also includes an RGB keyboard and extra features that cater to a gaming and power-intense user base. If you prioritize portability and are mindful of spending, go for the HP; however, if you need high performance for demanding applications and are willing to invest more, the MSI is the better option. 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 17
Good for general use
Very 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
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 surpasses the HP 14" Laptop in general use due to its significantly more powerful Intel processor and abundant RAM, improving performance, and a higher quality screen with greater color coverage and contrast, enhancing visual experience. However, it is less portable and has shorter battery life than the HP, which is lighter and has longer battery life, making it more suited for on-the-go use despite its lower performance capabilities.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
7.9/10
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The HP 14" Laptop has a more basic GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, making it fair for gaming and 3D applications, while the MSI Katana 17 features a high-end GPU and a much higher screen refresh rate, lending to its very good status for gaming and 3D use.
Engineering and Design
6.0/10
8.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 14" Laptop, with its more modest AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, integrated Vega 7 graphics, and smaller RAM, is adequate for engineering and design but may struggle with more demanding tasks, whereas the MSI Katana 17, equipped with a higher-end Intel i7 CPU, Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, and larger RAM, excels in these areas, capable of handling intensive engineering applications and complex designs with ease.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.8/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and HP 14" Laptop are both good for content creation, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
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
7.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 is 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.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
6.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 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, the HP's screen might not offer the sharpest image or the most vibrant displays due to its average resolution and brightness, which are crucial for clear text and vivid visuals. In engineering and design, its fair screen quality signifies it offers a decent but not outstanding range of colors, falling short for those who need highly accurate color representation for professional tasks. The MSI Katana 17's screen, while better for general tasks with superior brightness and resolution, still has a lower refresh rate that hampers gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key.
Battery
8.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 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.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP 14" Laptop has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
7.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 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
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP 14" Laptop has a price of $418 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
"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 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 HP 14" Laptop or the MSI Katana 17
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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