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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 9i comes at a higher price and is suited for those seeking top performance in gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering applications. The MSI Katana 15 is more affordable and still handles general use and gaming well, but falls short for intensive engineering tasks. The Legion 9i is heavier and less portable, while the Katana 15 offers better portability at the cost of performance and screen quality. 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 9i
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Legion 9i.
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.5
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i is favored for general use due to its high-end CPU, substantial RAM, superior screen quality with better brightness and color coverage, along with an excellent keyboard, but it trades off with less portability and shorter battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, while still good for general use with adequate storage and a decent screen, offers better portability and longer battery life but compromises on CPU power, RAM, and overall screen quality.
Gaming and AI
9.2
7.6
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3200 x 2000
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 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out in gaming and 3D tasks mainly because it has a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are key for smooth and detailed graphics. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 15, while still good for gaming, has a lesser GPU and lower screen refresh rate, and although it has a high-quality screen and capable CPU, it falls short of the Legion 9i's top-tier gaming specifications.
Engineering and Design
9.6
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i outshines the MSI Katana 15 in engineering and design due to its superior main processor, double the memory, and a more powerful GPU, which translate into better performance for demanding tasks, along with a higher quality screen that offers better color accuracy and resolution.
Content Creation
8.7
7.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
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
8.3
7.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
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
9.7
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i 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 9i excels in general use and engineering with a high-resolution display and superior color accuracy, ensuring vivid and precise visuals that are essential for design work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming or 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The MSI Katana 15, with its fair screen quality, offers a balanced experience for both general computing and engineering tasks, but like the Legion 9i, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to its poor refresh rate.
Battery
3.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 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
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 15 and Lenovo Legion 9i both have only fair portability, though the MSI Katana 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.2
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,420
$949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a price of $3,420 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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How the Lenovo Legion 9i and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 9i | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,420 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.64 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.93" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13980HX | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 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 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 682 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 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 | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | 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 | 3 | 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 9i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | December 2023
"The Lenovo Legion 9i is meant as a top-end flagship showcase for enthusiasts, and on that, it delivers. You'll find flashier designs in this price tier—Razer’s all-metal build in a similarly sized laptop like the Blade 16, or monstrous 18-inch machines—but this is a well-thought-out laptop. The chassis is trim for a 16-inch powerhouse, the lid is unique, and bespoke liquid cooling takes performance to the next level."
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 9i 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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