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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Lenovo Legion 5 17" and the MSI Katana 17, consider that while the Lenovo may be less expensive, the MSI offers a significant boost in storage capacity and memory, which is great for demanding tasks and multi-tasking. The MSI also features a newer processor and a more powerful graphics card, making it better for gaming or intensive graphic applications. However, the Lenovo has a larger battery, which may lead to longer battery life, and might be a deciding factor if you require longer periods of use without charging. Both have similar screen sizes and resolution, so for general use and casual gaming, the Lenovo might be a more economical choice while the MSI excels in performance for more advanced usage. 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 Legion 5 17"
- Good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for general use, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
The MSI Katana 17 outperforms the Lenovo Legion 5 17" in CPU performance and memory, which might explain its higher suitability for general use; it also has a higher storage capacity and a more vibrant screen. However, the Lenovo offers long-lasting battery life and better heat management, which are considerable advantages for extended use away from power outlets or in warmer environments.
Gaming and AI
7.4
7.9
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for gaming and AI, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
The MSI Katana 17 provides higher gaming and 3D performance largely because it features a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU compared to the Lenovo Legion 5 17's RTX 3060. Both laptops offer the same screen refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth visuals, but the superior GPU in the MSI Katana contributes significantly to its edge in rendering complex graphics faster and more efficiently.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
7.5/10
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 Legion 5 17" is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a more powerful CPU and GPU, and double the RAM, which substantially boosts performance for engineering and design tasks compared to the Lenovo Legion 5 17". Additionally, the MSI's screen is considerably brighter, enhancing visual clarity, although both laptops have similar resolution and screen size, which impacts screen quality for detailed work. Despite better performance, the MSI is not as portable and has lower battery capacity, affecting on-the-go usage. Both laptops have good keyboards and manage operating noise well, but these factors are secondary to their core performance capabilities for engineering and design.
Content Creation
7.2
7.8
7.4/10
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 Legion 5 17" 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
7.3
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" and MSI Katana 17 offer adequate resolution and brightness, making text and images clear and viewable from various angles. When it comes to engineering and design, the Legion 5 probably has superior color accuracy and range, favoring those who work with visuals that demand color precision. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion is crucial, both laptops may fall short due to lower refresh rates, making fast-paced visuals less fluid than what gaming-optimized screens provide.
Battery
4.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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.
Cost
$1,200
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.0
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Legion 5 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.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Katana 17 to have only fair portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Lenovo Legion 5 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.
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How the Lenovo Legion 5 17" and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 17" | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.57 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.7" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.41" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.8/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 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 | 4 | 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 Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
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 Legion 5 17" 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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