The HP Envy x360 15" is a budget-friendly option with a touch screen, good battery life, and is suitable for general use, light engineering tasks, or if you are looking for a device with a premium business look. However, for applications in 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive gaming, the MSI Katana 15, with a more powerful processor, dedicated Nvidia graphics, and a higher refresh rate display, is more appropriate. The Katana 15 also has a solid build and heat management for sustained performance, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making the Envy x360 more portable. Consider how you prioritize cost versus performance and battery life versus portability when choosing. 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 x360 15"
Good portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
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 Envy x360 15" is only fair.
The HP Envy x360 15" has an integrated GPU and a screen that refreshes 60 times per second, making it only fair for gaming and 3D tasks, while the MSI Katana 15 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU and a screen with a higher refresh rate of 144 times per second, improving its gaming and 3D performance. The MSI's superior GPU and screen refresh rate offer smoother visuals and quicker responses, which are critical for gaming, while the HP is more modest in these aspects.
Engineering and Design
6.5/10
7.7/10
5.6/10
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 Envy x360 15" is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 is preferred for engineering and design due to its powerful Nvidia RTX graphics card and double the RAM of the HP Envy x360 15", which only has integrated graphics and half the RAM, making the latter less suitable for demanding tasks. Furthermore, the MSI boasts a higher quality screen with better color contrast, though the tradeoff includes less portability and shorter battery life compared to the HP Envy, which offers a convertible design and longer battery usage.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
271.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 has a better screen than the HP Envy x360 15" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the HP Envy x360 and MSI Katana have screens that may not be exceptionally bright or sharp due to average resolution and luminance, making them adequate but not outstanding for everyday tasks like browsing and streaming. When it comes to engineering and design, the color accuracy and range may be limited as they might not cover a wide spectrum of color gamuts, essential for precise color work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens may lag behind due to lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid motion and a less immersive experience.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The HP Envy x360 15" has 10 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP Envy x360 15" has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$430
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The HP Envy x360 15" has a price of $430 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
The MSI Katana 15 and HP Envy x360 15" are both good for general use.
The HP Envy x360 15" with a convertible touchscreen design, an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and substantial battery life is suitable for those seeking a versatile machine for everyday tasks, along with good portability, making it practical for general use.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.4/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 and HP Envy x360 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.
Software Development
7.2/10
7.0/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Envy x360 15" and MSI Katana 15 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 x360 15" and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP Envy x360 15" and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"Despite its good looks, stellar webcam and comfortable keyboard, the Envy x360 15 is hard to recommend because of its dim, 16:9 display. If the display isn't an issue for you, just be sure to wait for a good sale price. Otherwise, a more modern two-in-one with a 16:10 display such as the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 or Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 provides a larger workspace without adding much to the size and weight of the system."
"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 Envy x360 15" 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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