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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a high-resolution, touch-enabled display and better color accuracy for creative work, the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is the more suitable choice, also offering more RAM for multitasking. However, it's generally more expensive and offers slightly less battery life than the MSI Katana 15, which may be more suitable if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option with a gaming laptop appearance. The MSI Katana 15, with hardware ray tracing and DLSS, is more suitable for gaming, although its screen is not as high-quality as the Lenovo’s for color-sensitive tasks. Both have similar storage, but keep in mind the Lenovo is lighter and offers a better port selection including Thunderbolt ports, which could be important for connectivity and high-speed data transfer. 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 9i
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i.
Key differences
General Use
8.5
7.5
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
618.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
8.9
7.7
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i outshines the MSI Katana 15 for engineering and design tasks due to its superior CPU performance, double the amount of RAM, and a high-resolution Mini LED display that offers exceptional color accuracy and contrast. While the MSI Katana 15 has a capable GPU for engineering tasks, it falls short with less RAM, a lower-end CPU, and a standard IPS display with lower resolution and color coverage, making it less ideal for tasks requiring high screen quality.
Content Creation
8.5
7.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Slim Pro 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
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 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
9.6
6.8
14.5in
SIZE
15.6in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
618.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i stands out due to its high-resolution display with vibrant colors, making it suitable for tasks like browsing and video streaming. The MSI Katana 15 offers a decent display that's serviceable for everyday activities but doesn't match the Lenovo's premium visual experience. However, neither laptop is ideal for gaming and 3D applications, as both have lower refresh rates which are significant for the smoothness and responsiveness required in high-action scenes.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 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
Good
Fair
14.5in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
7.2
The Lenovo Slim Pro 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
$1,600
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a price of $1,600 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.6
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and MSI Katana 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i excels in gaming and 3D due to its high-end GPU (Nvidia RTX 4050) and an impressive screen refresh rate, complemented by a Mini LED display for vibrant quality. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 15 offers competitive gaming performance with a slightly more powerful GPU (Nvidia RTX 4060) and a satisfactory refresh rate, though its screen resolution and quality do not match the Lenovo.
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How the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Slim Pro 9i | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,600 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 9.6'' x 0.85'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.64" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13705H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 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 | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3072 x 1920 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 618 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | 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 | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | August 2023
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is an impressive laptop with a brilliant Mini-LED display, a powerful 100-watt version of Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and excellent connectivity. Having run the Cinebench benchmark again, we were impressed with the CPU performance. That makes the Slim Pro 9i is an easy recommendation, especially for those who care about GPU and CPU performance. It’s also a fantastic choice if you frequently view HDR movies and games on your laptop."
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 Slim Pro 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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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