If you're on a tight budget and need a portable laptop primarily for everyday tasks, go for the Lenovo IdeaPad 3; it's lighter and significantly less expensive. However, the MSI Katana 17 offers far superior performance for gaming, 3D work, and intensive tasks with its higher-end graphics and processor, bigger screen, and more memory, but it comes at a higher cost and is substantially heavier, affecting portability. The longer battery life of the MSI might also be a plus if you're away from power outlets. Consider what you'll use your laptop for most and whether you're willing to invest more for increased capabilities. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a more powerful CPU and substantially more RAM than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", which directly enhances performance for general and demanding tasks. Additionally, the Katana's larger, higher-refresh-rate screen and superior GPU cater to a better user experience, but with the trade-off of being less portable and having a shorter battery life compared to the lighter IdeaPad with its more modest screen.
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
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
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
6.1/10
8.4/10
4.6/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and Vega 7 GPU, which provide adequate power for engineering and design but may lag behind in more demanding tasks, while the MSI Katana 17's Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU offer a substantial performance advantage for intensive engineering applications and design work. In addition, the larger screen and higher pixel density of the MSI Katana 17's display enhance detail and workspace, which could be crucial for design accuracy, but the increased size and weight make it less portable than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.8/10
4.6/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
6.4/10
6.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's screen, while adequate for browsing and document editing, lacks the sharpness and brightness preferred for vivid images and videos, making it just passable for general use and less suitable for detailed engineering work or immersive gaming. The MSI Katana 17 offers better brightness and clarity, enhancing the experience for everyday tasks and providing enough detail for design software, but it doesn't reach the high color accuracy critical for professional engineering or the fast refresh rates required for smooth 3D visuals and gaming. Both laptops would benefit from higher color gamut coverage for engineering precision and faster refresh rates to appeal to gamers and professionals working with dynamic 3D content.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$490
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
"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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the MSI Katana 17
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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