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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If you prioritize durability and a professional look with a focus on business tasks, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is a good choice due to its robust build and typically excellent keyboard. On the other hand, if gaming or graphic-intensive applications are important to you, the MSI Katana 15 would be more suitable because it's likely to have more powerful graphics capabilities. However, the MSI might also be heavier and have a shorter battery life, reducing its portability compared to the ThinkPad X13, which is usually more compact and has a longer-lasting battery, better for on-the-go use. 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 ThinkPad X13
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
321.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, with a high-quality CPU and RAM, offers a crisp screen, exceptional portability, and long battery life, making it excellent for on-the-go users needing a reliable workhorse for everyday tasks. The MSI Katana 15, while also good for general use, leans towards the gaming side with decent performance but trades off some portability and battery life for a more robust cooling system and louder speakers, appealing to those who prioritize multimedia experiences and occasional gaming sessions.
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.6
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 typically includes a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it better suited for gaming and 3D applications which demand smooth graphics and quick image rendering. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while offering robust build and decent CPU performance, generally has a less capable GPU and lower refresh rate display, which can downgrade the experience in graphically intensive tasks.
Content Creation
8.2
7.4
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
8.1
7.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
6.9
6.8
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
321.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13's display offers higher resolution and brightness, making it more suitable for general use and engineering tasks where clarity and color accuracy are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate affects its performance in gaming and 3D applications, where smooth rendering of fast-moving images is key. The MSI Katana 15 provides an adequate display for both general use and engineering but falls short in gaming and 3D tasks due to its similar limitations in refresh rate.
Battery
8.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
Very Good
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.2
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.0
7.7
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad X13 to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 typically offers strong CPU performance and ample RAM, making it reliable for engineering tasks, and it's known for its robust build and good keyboard which can be a bonus for long coding sessions. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 often includes a dedicated GPU and high-quality screen which are ideal for design and 3D rendering, but it may be on the heavier side, affecting its portability.
Cost
$948
$949
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a price of $948 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X13 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$948 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.63'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.87 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.88" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | 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 | 8.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 321 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | 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 Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | September 2023
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
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 ThinkPad X13 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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