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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're on a budget, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 with a less powerful graphics card may appeal for cost savings, though it has a shorter battery life and is slightly heavier. Conversely, the MSI Katana 15, while more expensive, offers stronger gaming and engineering performance due to a more advanced graphics card, more memory, and larger storage, but with reduced battery life and slightly less portability. The Lenovo has a better battery life for typical use. Both have similar screen sizes and resolutions, but the MSI's screen has a higher refresh rate suitable for fast-paced games. 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 Gaming 3
- Good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.6
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
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 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has an Nvidia RTX 2050 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 120Hz which provides fair gaming and 3D performance, while the MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher refresh rate of 144Hz, making it better suited for smoother gaming and 3D experiences.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI Katana 15 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
7.2
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a bright display and high resolution which are essential for clarity and detail in general use and engineering tasks, while its color coverage meets the requirements for professional design work. However, its lower refresh rate limits the smoothness needed in fast-paced gaming and 3D applications where motion clarity is paramount. Conversely, the MSI Katana 15, while providing adequate resolution and brightness for daily tasks and some design work, lacks the color accuracy important for high-end engineering and design, and similarly falls short in refresh rate for optimal gaming and 3D experiences.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 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
$549
$949
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a solid balance for general use with its ample RAM and high-quality screen, coupled with reasonable portability and battery life, which are important for everyday tasks and some entertainment. The MSI Katana 15, although featuring a high-performance CPU and significantly more storage, is limited by its shorter battery life and lower portability, making it less ideal for those who prioritize being on the move.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
7.9/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.3
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Katana 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
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | October 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
MSI Katana 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"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 Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the MSI Katana 15
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.
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