The HP EliteBook 845 G9 is often significantly less expensive, making it a cost-effective choice for everyday tasks and general business use, with its AMD Ryzen processor and Radeon graphics capable of handling moderate workloads. It is portable and has a good quality display, but isn't designed for high-end gaming or graphic-intensive tasks. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15, while pricier, is equipped with a more powerful Intel processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, making it better suited for gaming, 3D rendering, and other demanding applications, though it is heavier and has reduced portability. The choice between the two would depend on whether you prioritize saving money and portability, or require stronger performance for specialized tasks. 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 EliteBook 845 G9
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is only fair.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has an AMD Radeon 660M GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which are modest for gaming, whereas the MSI Katana 15, with a superior Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, offers a much better gaming and 3D experience.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
7.7/10
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and HP EliteBook 845 G9 are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI Katana 15 is somewhat better.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 is valued for engineering and design due to its capable AMD Ryzen 5 processor with integrated Radeon graphics and high color accuracy, which is crucial for design work, along with a balance of portability and build quality. The MSI Katana 15, on the other hand, stands out with a more powerful Intel processor and a dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, offering superior performance for engineering simulations and design tasks that require more graphical processing power.
Software Development
7.7/10
7.0/10
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is somewhat better.
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
7.1/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 offers a higher resolution and better panel type, providing clearer and crisper viewing, which is essential for general use and detail-oriented tasks in engineering and design; however, its lackluster refresh rate falls short for the smooth visuals needed in high-paced gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Katana 15, with its fair resolution and panel type, ensures acceptable image quality for both everyday tasks and technical work, but like the HP, doesn't support the high refresh rates that would benefit gaming and 3D environments. Both laptops may not deliver the wide color gamuts desired by professionals in engineering and design, potentially affecting the precision of color-related tasks.
Battery
12.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has 12 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
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0/10
7.2/10
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$740
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has a price of $740 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 offers a great balance for general use with a more portable design, longer battery life, and superior keyboard, making it suitable for productivity and on-the-go tasks, while the MSI Katana 15 provides higher storage capacity and a more gaming-oriented graphics card, but at the cost of heavier weight and shorter battery life which may limit mobility.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.4/10
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 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.
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How the HP EliteBook 845 G9 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"The high-end version of the HP EliteBook 845 G9 with a Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS, 32GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD packs a lot of power, but is still quiet and cool enough to operate in noise-sensitive environments. Quiet, cool and drawing on a massive 40 watts from the APU at the same time, however, is not possible. The 14-incher only has a single-fan solution and it only just manages to keep an near unthrottled Ryzen 9 in check."
"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 EliteBook 845 G9 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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