Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" vs MSI Katana 17

The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 comes with an Nvidia RTX 3060 and boasts a high screen refresh rate, which is beneficial for smooth gaming and 3D performance; however, the MSI Katana 17 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 and also has a superb refresh rate, leading to it being regarded as very good for these tasks. While both laptops have quality IPS displays, the superior GPU in the MSI Katana 17 is a key factor in its enhanced performance for gaming and 3D applications.

The MSI Katana 17 offers superior engineering and design capabilities with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a higher tier GPU than the Lenovo Legion Slim 7, alongside a larger screen that can improve productivity, although with lesser portability due to increased size and weight. Meanwhile, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 maintains competitive performance with a capable CPU and GPU suitable for engineering tasks but in a more portable design, likely with a higher-quality keyboard and less operating noise, which can be beneficial for long working sessions.

For general use, a laptop with a balance between resolution, panel type, and brightness, like the Lenovo Legion Slim 7, provides a clear and vivid display which is easy on the eyes for everyday tasks. However, for engineering and design work, accurate color reproduction is critical, and the Lenovo's superior color gamut coverage ensures that the colors you see on the screen are precise and consistent, making it more suitable for these professions. On the other hand, the fast-paced visuals of gaming and 3D applications demand a high refresh rate to avoid motion blur and provide smoother animations; both the Lenovo and the MSI Katana may fall short in this aspect, resulting in less fluid movements during gameplay.

Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.

The MSI Katana 17 is very good for general use due to its more powerful CPU, double the RAM for multitasking, and a higher quality screen with better contrast than the Lenovo Legion Slim 7, which still performs well but is limited by lower specs in these areas. However, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 offers greater portability and longer battery life, making it a solid choice for everyday tasks if mobility and longer usage between charges are key considerations for you.

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.

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.

PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.