Choosing between the HP EliteBook 845 G9 and the MSI Katana 17 depends on your needs. If you prioritize affordability and portability for everyday use or business tasks, consider the HP EliteBook, which is lighter and less expensive. On the other hand, if you need more power for activities like gaming, 3D modeling, or intensive engineering applications, the MSI Katana 17, with its higher-end graphics card and more robust hardware, would be a better fit despite being more expensive and less portable due to its larger size and weight. Remember that stronger performance often results in shorter battery life, and additional capabilities may come at a higher cost. 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 17
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.9/10
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17, with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, delivers superior graphics performance and smoother visuals crucial for gaming and 3D applications compared to the HP EliteBook 845 G9 which is equipped with an AMD Radeon 660M GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz. While the HP's hardware suffices for less demanding games, the MSI's dedicated gaming graphics card and faster refresh rate provide a significant advantage for more intensive gaming and graphic workloads.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.4/10
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 is preferred for engineering and design due to its stronger CPU and GPU, which enable it to handle intensive tasks and rendering more efficiently than the HP EliteBook 845 G9. The Katana also doubles the RAM and has superior screen quality for more intricate work, but it is less portable and noisier under load.
Screen Quality
7.1/10
6.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 offers a vibrant display with high resolution and brightness, making it suitable for tasks like browsing and productivity, which are typical in general use. For engineering and design applications, its color accuracy and wide color gamuts are beneficial for professionals needing precise color representation. However, its lower refresh rate means it's less ideal for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and quicker screen updates are crucial.
Battery
12.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has 12 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
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 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 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$740
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has a price of $740 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and HP EliteBook 845 G9 are both good for general use.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9, with a processor geared towards efficiency, less RAM, and a smaller screen, delivers smooth performance adequate for daily tasks with enhanced portability and battery life, while the MSI Katana 17, equipped with a high-end processor, more RAM, and a larger screen, offers a superior general-use experience at the cost of reduced portability and battery life. Both laptops have good storage, keyboard, speaker quality, quiet operating noise, and manage heat well, factors that improve usability, but the balance between performance and convenience determines their suitability for general use.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.8/10
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and HP EliteBook 845 G9 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
7.7/10
7.5/10
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 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 17 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.
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How the HP EliteBook 845 G9 and the MSI Katana 17 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 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 EliteBook 845 G9 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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