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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 offers a balance between performance and portability, with a lightweight and slim design, making it suitable for those who need to carry their laptop around. It has a higher-resolution screen with a better aspect ratio for productivity tasks but comes with a less powerful graphics card compared to the MSI. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 features a more powerful graphics card and a larger screen, which could be preferred for gaming and graphics-intensive tasks. However, it has a lower screen resolution than the Lenovo, and its larger size and heavier weight make it less convenient for travel. If portability and a high-resolution display are your priorities, the Lenovo might be the better choice. For enhanced gaming and performance for demanding applications at the cost of lower portability, the MSI Katana 17 would be more suitable. Keep in mind that the MSI also offers more RAM, which could be beneficial for multitasking and professional applications that require a lot of 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 Slim Pro 7 14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.9
4.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14's Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and 90Hz screen refresh rate make it good for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the MSI Katana 17's higher-end Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and superior 144Hz refresh rate render it very good for those same tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.7
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 is better for engineering and design because it offers a stronger CPU and GPU, and twice the RAM of the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14, which is crucial for demanding tasks; however, the Lenovo has a higher resolution and brightness screen, contributing to better screen quality, but is smaller and more portable with a lighter weight and a longer battery life. Both laptops have quality keyboards and speakers, with the MSI being less portable and louder due to its larger size and powerful components.
Screen Quality
7.4
6.9
14.5in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
334.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 delivers with a bright, high-resolution display that makes viewing documents and web pages crisp and vibrant, while the MSI Katana 17 also has a pleasing display but may not be as sharp. For engineering and design tasks, the Lenovo stands out with a wide color gamut that accurately represents a range of colors needed by professionals, but the MSI Katana's color representation is acceptable for less critical work. When it comes to gaming and 3D work, the lower refresh rates of both the Lenovo and MSI screens may result in less smooth visuals compared to laptops designed with gaming-grade screens.
Battery
12.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has 12 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
Very Good
Fair
14.5in
SIZE
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality, though the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 has a price of $1,200 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
334.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 offers a balance of portability and performance with its powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-resolution touchscreen, and long battery life, making it ideal for general use on the go. Conversely, the MSI Katana 17, with its larger screen, superior CPU, and double the RAM, excels in performance at the expense of portability and shorter battery life, making it better suited for stationary use with demanding applications.
Content Creation
8.0
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 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
7.8
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 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.
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How the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Slim Pro 7 14 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 8.9'' x 0.61'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.91" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.92" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 73 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 334 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 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 | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 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 Slim Pro 7 14
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | May 2023
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 7 is an attractive, portable laptop that’s ideal if you need a combination of CPU and GPU performance. It also nails the fundamentals with solid connectivity, an enjoyable keyboard, a large touchpad, and top-notch webcam. Display quality is a weakness, but it’s an acceptable compromise for the laptop’s extremely competitive $1,199 MSRP. The Slim Pro 7 is a versatile, affordable laptop and hard to beat for the price."
MSI Katana 17
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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 Slim Pro 7 14 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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