If you prioritize a laptop that's lighter and more portable, typically offering longer battery life for basic tasks or business applications, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 could be a good pick, often at a lower cost. However, if your needs lean towards gaming, graphic design, or other resource-intensive activities, the MSI Katana 17, despite being heavier and perhaps having shorter battery life, generally provides better performance with a larger screen, which is advantageous for those specific uses. Remember, with the MSI, you're paying more for that boost in capability. 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 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 17
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
321.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, with its efficient CPU and ample RAM, ensures smooth performance for daily tasks, while its high-quality screen, lightweight design, and long battery life make it ideal for on-the-go use. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17 provides decent general performance with a focus on larger storage and a comfortable keyboard, but its larger size and shorter battery life make it less portable and more suited to stationary use.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
7.9/10
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 boasts a more powerful GPU and higher screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth graphics and gameplay, making it a superior choice for gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a decent CPU and screen quality, it falls short in delivering the high-end performance required for such demanding tasks due to its less capable GPU and lower refresh rate.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.5/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 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 17 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
6.9/10
6.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
321.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
If you prioritize a laptop for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, both the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and MSI Katana 17 will suffice due to their adequate resolution and brightness. However, for engineering and design work where color accuracy and range are crucial, the ThinkPad X13's superior color coverage will provide more precise and vibrant visuals. For 3D applications and gaming, where smooth motion is key, neither laptop is ideal, as both lack the high refresh rates needed to deliver fluid motion in fast-paced scenes.
Battery
8.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,241
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a price of $1,241 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The MSI Katana 17 offers higher CPU and GPU capabilities, more RAM, and better screen quality which are crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, albeit more portable and with a quality keyboard, may not handle intensive workloads as efficiently. However, if ease of transportation and a comfortable typing experience matters, along with quieter operation, the ThinkPad could be a trade-off you might consider.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 ThinkPad X13 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.
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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