When choosing between the HP Envy 17 and the MSI Katana 17, consider the following: The HP Envy is significantly less expensive and offers a balance of features suitable for general use and productivity, with good screen size and battery efficiency. On the other hand, the MSI Katana, although pricier, has more powerful graphics capabilities, making it better for gaming, 3D work, and machine learning. It also has a higher refresh rate display, desirable for gaming. The MSI likely has a stronger performance for engineering applications as well. However, the HP Envy would offer better value for everyday tasks and would be more economical to purchase. 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 Envy 17
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.9/10
3.8/10
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
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Envy 17 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a superior gaming and 3D experience markedly because it sports a high performance graphics card, Nvidia RTX 4060, and a higher screen refresh rate, which significantly enhances visuals and smoothness in games. Whereas the HP Envy 17, which is fitted with a less powerful Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate, provides an adequate but comparatively less impressive gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
7.4/10
8.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.8/10
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 Envy 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers very good performance for engineering and design due to its higher RAM capacity, a more powerful dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, and a higher screen refresh rate, which are crucial for intensive tasks and smooth visuals. In contrast, the HP Envy 17, while adequate with its high-quality integrated GPU and RAM, falls short of the MSI Katana 17's capabilities in terms of computational power and graphics rendering, although it does provide a good level of screen color accuracy and a slightly quieter operating noise.
Screen Quality
6.8/10
6.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The HP Envy 17 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
When choosing between the HP Envy 17 and MSI Katana 17 for general use, consider that a laptop with a high-resolution display and superior brightness offers a more vibrant and clear viewing experience, which the HP Envy 17 provides. For engineering and design tasks, accurate color representation is key, and the HP Envy 17 likely displays a wider color gamut, essential for precision in visual work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where the action is fast-paced, a high refresh rate minimizes motion blur and provides smoother gameplay, an area where both laptops may fall short, but their resolution and panel type still contribute to overall image quality.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The HP Envy 17 has 8 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
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP Envy 17 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,000
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP Envy 17 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and HP Envy 17 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 17 is regarded higher for general use than the HP Envy 17 primarily due to its superior screen quality, which offers higher brightness and refresh rate, and its more robust performance capabilities, supported by double the RAM and a high-end dedicated graphics card, making it well-suited for a wider range of tasks including some gaming. However, the HP Envy 17 provides a more portable option with longer battery life, a touchscreen display, which the Katana lacks, and maintaining good performance for everyday tasks with a capable processor and sufficient RAM.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.8/10
9.0/10
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 HP Envy 17 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
7.5/10
7.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and HP Envy 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.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.2/10
The HP Envy 17 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.
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How the HP Envy 17 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"In our test, the HP Envy 17-cr0079ng presents itself as a balanced multimedia laptop. Thanks to its solid CPU performance and dedicated entry-level GeForce, it can also be used for playing video games, as long as the demands aren't too high. Those looking for more can find it in the Dell XPS 17 for example."
"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 Envy 17 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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