A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo LOQ 16 offers slightly better battery life and a generally higher performance in engineering tasks at a lower price but is heavier and bulkier, which compromises portability. Whereas the MSI Katana 15 with its superior GPU and larger storage capacity may excel in 3D rendering and gaming, has a lighter design enhancing portability but has less battery life and is priced higher. Neither laptop has a significant difference in screen quality or general use, with both having comparable keyboard and build quality. So, if your priority leans towards longer battery life and engineering performance, the Lenovo could be more appealing, while if you prefer gaming or 3D tasks and value a lighter laptop for easier transport, the MSI could be the better option. 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 LOQ 16
- Good overall display quality
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Lenovo LOQ 16 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Lenovo LOQ 16 likely boasts a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness, making it suitable for general use and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate may result in less smooth visuals that are subpar for fast-paced gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15's fair screen quality suggests it has adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and some design work, while also falling short for gaming and 3D due to a possibly lower refresh rate and less emphasis on advanced color ranges. Neither laptop excels in gaming or 3D tasks, primarily due to their unsuitable refresh rates, which are essential for the fluid motion required in those areas.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo LOQ 16 has 6 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
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 15 and Lenovo LOQ 16 both have only fair portability, though the MSI Katana 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Lenovo LOQ 16 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo LOQ 16 is suited for general use due to its balance of a robust CPU and ample RAM for smooth multitasking, a high-quality screen with a higher resolution for sharp image quality, and substantial battery life for longer use without charging. The MSI Katana 15 also fits general use well, offering double the storage capacity, comparable RAM and CPU performance for efficient task handling, and a lighter build for easier portability, though it has a slightly reduced screen quality and battery life.
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.6
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 and Lenovo LOQ 16 are both good for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
7.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo LOQ 16 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo LOQ 16 excels in engineering and design due to its superior screen quality, featuring higher brightness, and better contrasts, which benefits detailed visual work, but it is slightly heavier, affecting portability. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15, while it has a more powerful GPU and is lighter, making it more portable, doesn't quite match the screen performance and thus may be less ideal for tasks where color accuracy and screen clarity are paramount.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo LOQ 16 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.
Software Development
7.5
7.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo LOQ 16 and MSI Katana 15 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Lenovo LOQ 16 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.
Cost
$1,000
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo LOQ 16 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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How the Lenovo LOQ 16 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo LOQ 16 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1.02'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.92" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | 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 | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.3/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 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 | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo LOQ 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | September 2023
"Gaming laptops with an RTX 4060 are available starting from about 1,000 Euros (~$1,060), even in 16-inch format. For the supposedly affordable Lenovo LOQ 16 (1,500 Euros, ~$1,591), the manufacturer particularly saves in the equipment and materials compared to the more expensive Legion series. In addition, the LOQ is slightly heavier and more bulky. What remains is anything but a laptop full of difficult compromises. Instead, this is a more than solid gaming laptop that focusses on the 3D performance.Q is slightly heavier and more bulky."
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 LOQ 16 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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