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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The LG Gram 17 is known for its light weight and long battery life, making it ideal for users who value portability and battery performance, but its graphics are not designed for demanding games or 3D applications. The MSI Katana 17, on the other hand, sports a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which offers better gaming and 3D performance, but this comes at the cost of increased weight and potentially shorter battery life. If your priority is gaming or graphics-intensive tasks, the MSI Katana 17 would be the preferable choice, whereas the LG Gram 17 is better suited for general use, business applications, or if you require a machine that's easier to carry around for everyday tasks. 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 LG Gram 17
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.5
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
353.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The LG Gram 17 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The LG Gram 17 shines in portability and screen quality, boasting a high-resolution display and a light frame, coupled with impressive battery life, which is great for on-the-go use and general tasks. The MSI Katana 17, while less portable and with a shorter battery life, offers a high-performance CPU and dedicated graphics unit, making it a stronger choice for tasks that require more computing power, such as content creation or gaming.
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.9
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
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 LG Gram 17 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, providing a substantial advantage in gaming and 3D tasks compared to the LG Gram 17's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics; additionally, the Katana's higher screen refresh rate enhances smoothness in fast-paced games. While both laptops offer capable processors and good screen quality, the MSI's dedicated GPU and refresh rate are particularly important for an optimal gaming experience.
Content Creation
8.4
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The LG Gram 17 is 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
8.2
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The LG Gram 17 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
7.4
6.9
17.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
353.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The LG Gram 17 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the LG Gram 17 offers a bright, high-resolution display with accurate colors, making it pleasant for everyday tasks and productivity, while the MSI Katana 17 provides similar benefits but may have slightly lower brightness or color accuracy. Engineering and design professionals will appreciate the LG Gram 17's wider color gamuts, ensuring that colors in their work are represented faithfully, a feature where the MSI Katana 17 falls a bit short. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, both laptops are limited by lower refresh rates; however, despite their adequate resolution and panel type, they won't provide the smooth visuals that fast-paced gaming typically demands.
Battery
11.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The LG Gram 17 has 11 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
Good
Fair
17.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The LG Gram 17 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,100
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The LG Gram 17 has a price of $2,100 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and LG Gram 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The LG Gram 17, with its lighter weight and higher battery capacity, is well-suited for portability and longer use on a single charge, which is ideal for professionals who need to work on the go while offering a balance of performance for engineering and design tasks.
Build Quality
7.0
7.2
The MSI Katana 17 and LG Gram 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the LG Gram 17 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Gram 17 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,100 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.9'' x 10.2'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.98 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.91" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.19" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1260P | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 353 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8/10 | 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 | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | 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
LG Gram 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2022
"The LG Gram 17 is a light office laptop with a large display and great battery life. The newest incarnation of the Gram 17 can be classified as a model update. LG uses the predecessor's compact, light magnesium case along with an identical port configuration (including 2x Thunderbolt 4) and keyboard. Changes can be found in the hardware. With the Gram 17 (2022), LG offers a light (approx. 1,350 g), mobile work device - and finally with a matte display."
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
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 LG Gram 17 or the MSI Katana 17
About LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, 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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