If you need a laptop for heavy tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the HP Omen 17 with a stronger GPU can handle these better than MSI Katana 17. The HP Omen also has a higher resolution and refresh rate screen, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life than the MSI. Conversely, the MSI Katana 17 comes with more RAM, which can benefit multitasking and certain engineering applications, and it's also lighter, making it more portable. Both offer large screens and keyboards with a number pad, but between the two, the HP commands a higher price for its performance edge. 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 17
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the HP Omen 17.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.0/10
7.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The HP Omen 17 excels in gaming and 3D tasks thanks to a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate which offers smooth on-screen motion and graphics rendering, while its display has a higher resolution contributing to better screen quality.
Screen Quality
7.9/10
6.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The HP Omen 17 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The HP Omen 17 offers a vibrant display with higher resolution and brightness, making it well-suited for general use where text clarity and image quality are essential. For engineering and design, its broader color gamut support ensures more accurate color representation critical for detailed work. However, its lower refresh rate hampers gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion and faster frame delivery provide a more immersive experience. The MSI Katana 17, while still providing a decent resolution and brightness for daily tasks, falls short on color accuracy for professional design, and like the HP, its refresh rate isn't ideal for the high-speed visual demands of gaming and 3D content.
Cost
$1,700
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The HP Omen 17 has a price of $1,700 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and HP Omen 17 are both good for general use.
The HP Omen 17 offers a higher screen refresh rate and resolution, contributing to its good general use rating, but it is less portable and has a heavier weight than the MSI Katana 17, which has more RAM for smoother multitasking, enhancing its very good general use distinction. Additionally, the MSI Katana 17 benefits from better heat management and lower operating noise, which further supports its suitability for general use despite having a screen with lower color accuracy and brightness compared to the HP Omen 17.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.4/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The HP Omen 17 and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The HP Omen 17 is favored for engineering and design because it has a higher-end GPU and CPU, which translates to better rendering and computing performance, and it also offers a higher resolution and brighter screen, enhancing visual fidelity for detailed work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.8/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Omen 17 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
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
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Omen 17 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.
Battery
3.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The HP Omen 17 has 3.5 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
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
6.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 17 and HP Omen 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.2/10
The HP Omen 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP Omen 17 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"The HP Omen 17 (2022) gaming laptop has a stylish case and hardware with lots of potential. The HP Omen 17 is a fairly unobtrusive gaming laptop. A material combination of plastic and metal gives the case a high stability and a quality surface feel. The unspectacular design is pleasing and is hardly indicative of the laptop's high performance potential. The Intel Core i7-12700H in particular is able to perform well once again. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is also strong in the gaming notebook. Demanding games run smoothly in Full HD resolution. The HP Omen 17 is a good gaming laptop that delivers partly excellent performance. But even at this performance level, cheaper alternatives are available."
"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 Omen 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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