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Updated January 12, 2024·
The LG Ultra 16 and the MSI Katana 17 cater to different needs, so the better choice depends on your specific requirements. If portability and cost are your primary concerns, the LG Ultra 16, being lighter and typically less expensive, might suit you well, especially for everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and media consumption. On the other hand, if you're looking for more power for activities such as gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering software, the MSI Katana 17, despite being heavier and generally more expensive, provides superior performance that could justify the extra cost and reduced portability. Lastly, consider battery life; higher performance laptops like the MSI often have shorter battery life compared to more efficiency-focused models like the LG Ultra. 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 16
- Good portability
- Excellent battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall build quality
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.9
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
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the LG Ultra 16 is only fair.
The LG Ultra 16 is less suited for gaming and 3D because it uses an integrated GPU that is less powerful than discrete GPUs and has a lower screen refresh rate, while the MSI Katana 17 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia discrete GPU and a higher refresh rate making it very good for gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, the Katana 17 has a more powerful CPU and superior overall screen quality, further enhancing its gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.4
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 LG Ultra 16 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
270.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the LG Ultra 16 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the LG Ultra 16 provides a decent balance of resolution and brightness, but may not be as vibrant as more premium displays, making it adequate for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, the LG Ultra 16's more limited color gamut can lead to less accurate color representation, impacting design precision. With a lower refresh rate, the LG Ultra 16's display is less suited for 3D applications and gaming, where fluid motion and quick screen updates are crucial for an immersive experience.
Battery
17.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The LG Ultra 16 has 17 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
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The LG Ultra 16 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.2
The MSI Katana 17 has good build quality, while the LG Ultra 16 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The LG Ultra 16 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
270.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and LG Ultra 16 are both good for general use.
The LG Ultra 16, with a strong CPU and sufficient RAM for average tasks, boasts significant battery life and silent operation in a highly portable and lightweight design, suitable for everyday tasks and on-the-go use. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 17, offering greater RAM, a more powerful CPU, and a dedicated graphics card, provides superior performance suitable for more demanding applications, but with a tradeoff in portability and battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel.
Content Creation
7.7
7.8
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 LG Ultra 16 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
7.5
7.5
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 LG Ultra 16 and MSI Katana 17 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the LG Ultra 16 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 16 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.64'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.63 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.78" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 270 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 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 | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 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 | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | October 2022
"Unlike the gram, the Ultra PC isn't designed to be as lightweight as possible. The 16-inch laptop is a whole 400 g (0.88 lb) heavier than its 16-inch gram counterpart partly because its chassis is not made of magnesium. Other than that, the Ultra PC seems like a copy of the gram – but with longer battery life, lower noise levels, and a clean, delicate look."
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 16 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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