The HP Omen 15 offers a larger battery capacity which should provide longer usage time between charges, a more powerful AMD Ryzen processor, and a higher GPU performance with its Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card, making it more suitable for gaming and other graphically intensive tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 is lighter and therefore more portable, and it carries a newer generation Intel i5 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics, which may offer improved efficiency for general use and some newer technological features. Both laptops have similar storage, memory, and screen characteristics, so for tasks that are less resource-intensive, both should perform comparably. 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 Omen 15
Good overall display quality
Good portability
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
Good speakers
Key differences
Software Development
7.6/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Omen 15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the HP Omen 15 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
7.3/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
318.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The HP Omen 15 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The HP Omen 15 offers better resolution and brightness which are crucial for clarity and visibility in everyday tasks, making it suitable for general use, and it also covers a wider color gamut necessary for precision in engineering and design work. However, its lower refresh rate hampers the gaming and 3D experience where smooth motion is key. The MSI Katana 15, with fair screen attributes, provides a balanced but not exceptional experience across general and engineering uses but falls short in gaming and 3D due to the same refresh rate limitations.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The HP Omen 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.
The HP Omen 15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The HP Omen 15 delivers a balance between performance for general use and gaming with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, alongside a robust battery life and a very good rating in heat management, making it suitable for longer sessions of use and multitasking. In contrast, while the MSI Katana 15 similarly offers solid performance with its Intel CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU suitable for general use, it has a shorter battery life but is lighter in weight, favoring those who prioritize portability.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
7.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.9/10
7.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen 15 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for engineering and design.
The HP Omen 15 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, high-performance Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, ample RAM, and quality display with good color coverage, necessary for detail-oriented tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 also caters to similar needs with an Intel i5 CPU, Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, sufficient RAM, and a decent screen, but may not match the HP in raw processing power.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Omen 15 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Omen 15 to have good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.2/10
The HP Omen 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.
Cost
$993
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The HP Omen 15 has a price of $993 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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How the HP Omen 15 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
"We consider around 1,260 Euros (~$1530) for a Ryzen 7 4800H, a GeForce RTX 2060, a 512 GB SSD and 16 GB dual-channel RAM to be a good offer that appeals to price-conscious gamers. Very high details are rarely a problem in the native resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. Buyers will also be spoiled with a top-notch battery life that even beats most other notebook classes. If HP now improves the speed of the WLAN module, the stability of the case and the repeatedly criticized picture quality, the competition will have to dress extra warmly."
"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 Omen 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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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