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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you are seeking a balance between affordability and everyday use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is the more budget-friendly option with portability and a touchscreen. However, if your tasks involve more demanding work like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the MSI Katana 17 offers much stronger performance with high-end graphics capabilities but is heavier and has less battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel. It’s also significantly pricier than the Surface. Always consider how the laptop's weight and battery life will affect your daily needs when not near a power source. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.9
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is fair for general use with its smaller screen, lower RAM, and moderate processor, which are suitable for everyday tasks and it also offers impressive portability with its light weight and compact size. However, the MSI Katana 17 stands out as very good for general use due to its significantly more powerful CPU, higher RAM capacity, and larger, higher-quality display, which excel in more demanding tasks, though this comes with reduced portability and shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1536 x 1024
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17's superior performance for gaming and 3D tasks is mainly attributed to its dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, which is much more powerful than the integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU found in the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3. Additionally, the Katana 17's higher screen refresh rate offers smoother visuals, which is particularly beneficial for gaming, compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3's standard refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.8
8.4
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
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.
Content Creation
7.3
7.8
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
6.8
6.9
12.4in
SIZE
17.3in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
If you're focused on general tasks like browsing and typing, both the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and the MSI Katana 17 will look crisp and vibrant, given their adequate resolution and brightness. For engineering and design work where color accuracy is key, the Surface Laptop's display covers a broader range of colors, providing more precise shades. However, if gaming or working with 3D applications is your priority, neither laptop is ideal; they lack the high refresh rates that smooth out motion, making them less suitable for fast-paced visuals.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 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
12.4in
SIZE
17.3in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$788
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.1
7.5
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$788 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 337 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 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
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
MSI Katana 17
See more
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI Katana 17
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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