The Lenovo Yoga 6 is more affordable and offers a balance of performance with its AMD processor and portability with its lighter weight and smaller size, making it convenient for general use and carrying around. It also works as a 2-in-1 device, giving you the flexibility of a tablet and laptop in one. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17, while more expensive, provides higher performance with its Intel processor and Nvidia graphics, larger storage capacity, and bigger screen, suited for gaming, intensive engineering tasks, and creative work but at the cost of reduced portability due to its bulkier size and heavier weight. Both have good battery life, yet prioritizing performance or portability will be the key factor in your decision. 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 Yoga 6
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
7.9/10
3.6/10
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
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Yoga 6 is only fair.
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
7.0/10
8.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
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 Yoga 6 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 is better suited for engineering and design due to its higher RAM capacity and stronger dedicated Nvidia GPU, enabling more complex computations and rendering capabilities, while the Lenovo Yoga 6, though offering a capable CPU and integrated GPU, may not handle demanding tasks as smoothly. Additionally, the MSI's larger screen provides a broader workspace, which is particularly advantageous for design, despite compromising on portability compared to the lighter and more compact Lenovo Yoga 6.
Screen Quality
6.7/10
6.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
271.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Lenovo Yoga 6 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and software development.
The Lenovo Yoga 6, with its moderate resolution and brightness, meets the needs of everyday tasks like browsing and document editing, which is why it's suitable for general use. For engineering and design work, its superior color accuracy, encompassing a broader range of the color spectrum, ensures that designs appear more true to life. However, the Yoga 6's lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, which require smoother visuals that only a high refresh rate can provide.
Battery
12.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo Yoga 6 has 12.5 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
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Yoga 6 has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,045
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Yoga 6 has a price of $1,045 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Yoga 6 are both good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Yoga 6 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
7.4/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Yoga 6 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
7.4/10
7.2/10
The Lenovo Yoga 6 and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Yoga 6 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"The AMD R7-7730U in the Lenovo Yoga 6 13 provides a suitable answer to the limited cooling capabilities of a convertible - especially in tablet mode. It draws high computing power from a comparatively limited power supply so that less heat has to be dissipated at the same time."
"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 Yoga 6 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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