If budget is a primary concern, the HP Envy x360 15" offers a more affordable option, but if you need better performance for tasks like gaming or intense graphics work, the MSI Katana 17" may justify its higher cost with stronger capabilities. The larger screen size of the MSI may also be a benefit for gaming and productivity, but it will be heavier and potentially less convenient to carry around. Additionally, battery life often varies, so the HP may last longer on a charge, which is useful for on-the-go usage, whereas the MSI might drain faster, especially under heavy use. Consider the HP for everyday tasks and mobility, and the MSI for more demanding applications and larger visual workspace. 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 17
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
7.2/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
271.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and HP Envy x360 15" are both good for general use, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
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 Envy x360 15" is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is suited for more intense gaming and 3D tasks largely due to its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, which delivers smoother visuals and is capable of handling more graphics-intensive games and applications. In contrast, the HP Envy x360 15" is equipped with an integrated AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Vega 7 GPU and a standard 60 Hz screen refresh rate, which makes it fair for light gaming and 3D tasks but not as powerful for more demanding scenarios.
Engineering and Design
6.5/10
8.4/10
5.6/10
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 Envy x360 15" is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design use primarily because it comes equipped with a high-performance Intel i7 processor, a substantial amount of RAM, and a powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, all of which are crucial for handling demanding engineering software and tasks. In contrast, the HP Envy x360 15" offers a more modest AMD Ryzen 5 processor and less RAM, which combined with its less powerful integrated Vega 7 graphics makes it fair for such tasks but might struggle with more intensive applications.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.8/10
5.6/10
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 Envy x360 15" 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.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
271.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the HP Envy x360 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the HP Envy x360's screen may offer suitable resolution and brightness, but its panel type doesn't provide the most vibrant colors or viewing angles which could affect the viewing experience. Engineers and designers might find the color accuracy and range lacking in the HP Envy, as it doesn't fully cover professional color gamuts like DCI-P3 or Adobe RGB, which is essential for precise color work. Gamers and those involved in 3D work would notice the HP Envy's limitations due to its lower refresh rate, leading to less smooth visuals compared to laptops designed with higher refresh rates for more fluid on-screen action.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The HP Envy x360 15" has 10 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
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP Envy x360 15" has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$430
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP Envy x360 15" has a price of $430 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and HP Envy x360 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 17 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 17 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 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 x360 15" 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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