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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for more powerful performance, particularly for engineering tasks, graphical work like 3D rendering or gaming, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro would be a better choice due to its higher-performance graphics card and processor. However, remember the Lenovo is also heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less convenient to carry around. On the other hand, if you prefer a lighter and more affordable option with longer battery life for more basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and less intensive gaming, the MSI Katana 15 will suit your needs well. While less powerful, it's more portable and easier on the budget. 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 Pro 5
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Legion Pro 5.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4
7.6
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 stands out for gaming and 3D tasks with its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165, while the MSI Katana 15 with its Nvidia RTX 4060 and a refresh rate of 144 is also capable but doesn't match the Lenovo's superior GPU and refresh performance.
Engineering and Design
8.5
7.7
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 surpasses the MSI Katana 15 for engineering and design due to its better CPU, stronger GPU, and higher resolution screen which altogether contribute to superior performance and visual clarity. However, the MSI Katana 15 has a bit more portability and still meets adequate standards for an engineering workload, offering a comparable amount of RAM and a similar quality IPS screen, albeit with a lower resolution.
Software Development
7.6
7.0
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.0
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
340.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 offers a high-resolution, bright display with a panel type that delivers sharp and vibrant images, making it well-suited for general use and detailed engineering work. However, its refresh rate might not be high enough for the smooth visuals required by fast-paced gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15 provides an adequate display for basic tasks and design work with satisfactory color reproduction, but it falls short in delivering the high refresh rate that gaming and 3D content creation demand.
Cost
$1,840
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a price of $1,840 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
340.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro offers high-end CPU and GPU performance suitable for demanding tasks, with ample RAM, a high-quality screen, and good heat management, but it is less portable and has lower battery life compared to the MSI Katana 15 which is lighter and offers longer battery life, making it more convenient for on-the-go use, although it has a less powerful processor and lower screen resolution which could impact multitasking and visual clarity during general use. Both laptops have solid build quality, sizeable storage, and quality keyboards which contribute to their suitability for general use.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and MSI Katana 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.
Battery
3.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has 3.5 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 15 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 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 Legion Pro 5 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 5 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,840 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.97'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.6 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.31" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 340 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.6/10 | 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 | 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 | 1080p | 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 Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion Pro 5
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | July 2023
"It doesn't quite match its Legion Pro 7i sibling as an Editors' Choice winner, but Lenovo's AMD-powered Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 is a stylish, well-built gaming laptop with solid performance at both 1080p and its sharper native resolution. It's cheaper than some comparably equipped machines and better than some similarly priced ones. That's a recipe for success, even without its frequent availability of discounts or sales. A brighter screen and longer battery life would be nice, but even as is the Legion Pro 5 earns a solid recommendation."
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 Legion Pro 5 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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