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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro and MSI Katana 17 have notable differences to consider. The Lenovo has a higher resolution display, which means sharper images, and a faster refresh rate, making it smoother for gaming or video editing, but it's slightly heavier than the MSI, making it less portable. The MSI, on the other hand, has a larger screen for more immersive gaming and productivity tasks, double the storage capacity, and double the memory of the Lenovo, which could provide a smoother multitasking experience and is better for demanding applications. However, the Lenovo has a sturdier build quality, which might be more durable in the long run. Both have the same graphics card, so gaming performance will be similar, but you should think about whether you need a better display and build or more storage and memory. 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 5i
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.1
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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 software development.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i likely offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and sufficient brightness, making it well-suited for general tasks and engineering design work where crisp text and accurate color reproduction are necessary. Its superior color gamut coverage benefits professionals in engineering and design, allowing them to see a wider range of colors accurately. However, its lower refresh rate may be less optimal for gaming and 3D applications, which depend on smooth motion to enhance the user experience.
Cost
$1,000
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro has a higher-resolution screen and longer battery life, factors that contribute to a better experience for general use, but it's slightly heavier and less portable than the MSI Katana 17, which offers more storage and RAM but with a lower screen resolution.
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.9
8.5/10
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
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Pro 5i to be very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and MSI Katana 17 are both considered very good for gaming and 3D tasks because they are equipped with Nvidia RTX 4060 GPUs, known for powerful graphics processing, and have high refresh-rate IPS screens for smooth visuals. The Legion Pro 5i features a screen with a higher refresh rate which is particularly beneficial for gaming, whereas the Katana 17 offers a larger screen size that may enhance the overall gaming and media consumption experience.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is equipped with a powerful CPU and a high-quality GPU, complemented by a screen that offers higher resolution and brightness, which enhances visual clarity for engineering and design tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 offers double the storage and RAM for handling large projects, with a larger screen for a broader workspace, albeit at a lower resolution, which may not be as crisp but could be more suitable for some workflows.
Content Creation
7.6
7.8
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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.
Battery
3.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 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
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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 Pro 5i and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 5i | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.97'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.6 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.31" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 3.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 368 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.6/10 | 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 | 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 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | August 2023
"The midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
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 Pro 5i 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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