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Updated January 12, 2024·
When deciding between the LG Ultra 13 and the MSI Katana 17, consider the following tradeoffs: The LG Ultra 13, being less expensive, may be more attractive if budget is a primary concern. It's likely more portable due to its smaller size, making it a convenient option for on-the-go use or for anyone who values lightweight and easy transportation. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17, while typically priced higher, will generally offer a larger screen and potentially more powerful performance, advantageous for gaming, 3D modeling, or intensive engineering software; however, it may also be heavier and less convenient to carry, relatively reducing its portability. You should weigh the importance of price, performance needs, and portability based on your specific use case. 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 Ultra 13
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and LG Ultra 13 are both good for general use, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
The LG Ultra 13, with its lighter weight and smaller screen, offers greater portability and longer battery life for on-the-go users, while the MSI Katana 17 provides a larger screen and more powerful hardware suitable for more demanding applications, but it is less portable and has shorter battery life. Both laptops have good screen quality and sufficient RAM for general tasks, but the MSI's additional storage and updated processor offer an edge for heavier use at the cost of its bulkier size and weight.
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is more suitable for gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, which can provide smoother visuals in fast-paced games. In contrast, the LG Ultra 13 has a less powerful integrated AMD Ryzen Vega 7 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, which is sufficient for casual gaming but may not deliver the same level of performance or fluidity in visually intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.6
8.4
4.7/10
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 LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is better suited for engineering and design use due to its superior main processor, double the RAM, and a more capable dedicated GPU as compared to the LG Ultra 13's integrated graphics. Additionally, the MSI Katana 17 offers a larger and higher quality screen which is crucial for design tasks, while the LG Ultra 13, being lighter and smaller, offers better portability and is still a fair choice if these are prioritized over raw performance and screen real estate.
Content Creation
7.2
7.8
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and LG Ultra 13 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.9
6.9
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The LG Ultra 13 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
The LG Ultra 13's display offers clear visuals and sufficient brightness for everyday tasks, but it lacks the high refresh rate needed for smooth 3D rendering, making it less ideal for gaming. Conversely, the MSI Katana 17 provides a sizeable view for productivity, but its color accuracy isn't up to par for professional engineering and design work. Both fall short for gaming due to subpar refresh rates that can't deliver the seamless motion graphics gamers typically seek.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The LG Ultra 13 has 10 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
Excellent
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The LG Ultra 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$529
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The LG Ultra 13 has a price of $529 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.2
7.5
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and LG Ultra 13 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
7.2
The LG Ultra 13 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.
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How the LG Ultra 13 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 13 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$529 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.1'' x 0.6'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.16 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.08" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.14" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 4700U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 13
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | April 2017
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
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 Ultra 13 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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