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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and the MSI Katana 17, consider that the Lenovo is often less expensive and more portable due to being lighter and thinner, which might make it an attractive pick for everyday use and mobility. Its smaller screen size offers a balance between usability and portability. It also offers better battery life for longer use on the go. On the other hand, the MSI has a larger display with a higher refresh rate, making it better for gaming and multimedia experiences. It's equipped with a more powerful graphics card suitable for demanding tasks like 3D rendering or gaming, but this also makes it heavier and likely to have a shorter battery life. The MSI might also provide more storage and memory, which is beneficial for heavy multitasking and complex applications but comes at a higher cost. Consider what's more important to you: portability and lower cost of the Lenovo or the high-performance features of the MSI that are more suitable for gaming and intensive tasks. 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 Slim 7i
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.9
3.7/10
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 Slim 7i 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
7.1
8.4
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i offers a solid processor and integrated graphics suitable for engineering and design, though its capabilities are outmatched by the MSI Katana 17's more powerful CPU and dedicated high-end graphics card, which provide superior performance for complex engineering software and demanding design tasks. While the IdeaPad is more portable and quieter, the Katana 17's larger screen and higher quality display benefit detailed work, despite being less portable and having louder operating noise.
Screen Quality
6.9
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
340.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i offers a sharper image and better brightness, making visuals pop for everyday tasks, whereas the MSI Katana 17, while still good, may not be as vivid. During engineering and design work, the IdeaPad's superior color reproduction covers a wider gamut, essential for precision in visual projects, but the Katana 17 has a fair display that can be adequate for less demanding design tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate on both the IdeaPad and Katana means less fluid motion compared to laptops specifically built for these purposes, which usually boast higher refresh rates for smoother visuals.
Battery
11.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has 11.5 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has a price of $899 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
340.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
11.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i is well-suited for general use with a solid processor and sufficient RAM for everyday tasks, a high screen resolution on a 14-inch display that enhances portability and battery life, making it a good choice for those on the go.
Content Creation
7.7
7.8
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
7.5
7.5
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$899 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.2'' x 0.59'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.99 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.62" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.2" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1165G7 | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60.7 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 340 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Ted Needleman
| January 2022
"Among Lenovo's multiple laptop brands, the IdeaPad family is decidedly the one designed for consumers: people who want decent performance at a reasonable price. Consider, then, this laptop a paragon for the pickier members of that crowd. With a 14-inch touch-enabled display, a comfortable keyboard, an Evo-certified Intel Core i7 11th Generation CPU, and the latest Windows 11 operating system, the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro ultraportable ($1,199 as tested) is a slick mainstream machine at a bit of a premium price, and quite capable for everyday tasks."
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"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 Slim 7i 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.
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