The HP Victus 15, being less expensive, is a budget-friendly option with good general use capabilities; however, it has a less powerful graphics card and less storage capacity compared to the MSI Katana 15. Consider if the higher cost of the MSI is justifiable for you based on your need for higher graphics performance and additional storage. 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 Victus 15
Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.6/10
3.0/10
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
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Victus 15 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 delivers better gaming and 3D performance mainly due to its superior GPU, the Nvidia RTX 4060, which offers more power for graphic-intensive tasks compared to the HP Victus 15's RTX 3050. Although both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, conducive for smooth visuals in games, the more capable GPU in the MSI model will provide a more fluid and detailed gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
6.7/10
7.7/10
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3.0/10
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 Victus 15 is only fair.
The HP Victus 15 is well-equipped for engineering and design thanks to its capable CPU and dedicated GPU, which can handle intensive tasks, and a screen that displays colors reasonably well, but its lower RAM may limit multitasking performance; conversely, the MSI Katana 15 is also suitable with a similar CPU, more powerful GPU for demanding graphics work, and double the RAM for better handling of complex projects, although the marginal difference in screen vividness must be considered against the Victus. Both laptops offer good portability, and while aspects like keyboard, speaker quality, and operational noise are satisfactory, they're not the primary reasons for their fitness for engineering and design work.
Screen Quality
6.9/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The HP Victus 15 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for software development.
For general use, the HP Victus 15's screen boasts higher resolution and brightness, making text and images sharper and easier to see in various lighting conditions, compared to the MSI Katana 15 that has an adequate display but may not be as vivid. In engineering and design tasks where color accuracy and range matter, neither laptop excels in covering professional color gamuts, leaving artists and engineers wanting better representation of colors. However, for 3D and gaming, both laptops fall short on providing high refresh rates required for smooth motion, making fast-paced visuals less fluid and responsive.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The HP Victus 15 has 5.5 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.
Cost
$650
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The HP Victus 15 has a price of $650 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
The MSI Katana 15 and HP Victus 15 are both good for general use.
The HP Victus 15 is a solid choice for general use with a responsive CPU, ample RAM for everyday tasks, and a high-quality screen, while its portability and decent battery life make it suitable for use on the go. The MSI Katana 15, despite being slightly less portable, offers a robust CPU, double the RAM for multitasking, and a superior GPU suitable for more demanding applications, complemented by a high-quality screen and ample storage, making it a strong contender for both general and performance-intensive use.
Content Creation
7.2/10
7.4/10
8.3/10
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 Victus 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
7.0/10
7.0/10
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 15 and HP Victus 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Victus 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
7.4/10
7.2/10
The HP Victus 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
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How the HP Victus 15 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong | March 2023
"The HP Victus 15 is great for gaming. It's available with Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and NVIDIA discrete graphics, which are powerful enough to provide a smooth gaming experience in demanding AAA titles at 1080p. It has a nice keyboard and a fast SSD, as well as Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet connectivity for low-latency online gaming. Unfortunately, its 144Hz display has a slow response time causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate to reduce screen tearing."
"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 Victus 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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