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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is often slightly pricier and features a premium build, smaller but higher resolution touchscreen, better battery life, and a higher quality display suitable for both professional and general use. The MSI Katana 15, usually less expensive, has more storage, a slightly better GPU for gaming and engineering tasks, and is newer, but compromises on battery life and display quality. If portability and display are key, choose the Surface Laptop Studio; for gaming or storage, the MSI Katana 15 may be better. 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 Studio
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.6
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Screen Quality
8.0
6.8
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio features a display with high resolution and brightness, which enhances the general use experience with crisp and vibrant images, whereas the MSI Katana 15 has a lower quality display, resulting in less impressive visuals during everyday tasks. For engineering and design work, the Surface Laptop Studio offers a wide color gamut providing accurate colors essential for precision tasks, while the Katana 15 has more limited color range, potentially affecting color-sensitive work. When it comes to gaming and 3D, the Surface Laptop Studio falls short due to its lower refresh rate, leading to less fluid motion, whereas the MSI Katana 15, despite its adequate refresh rate, still offers a subpar gaming experience due to the same limitations in resolution and panel quality.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 has 4 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
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.2
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a price of $1,700 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The MSI Katana 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.7
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, with its higher-resolution screen and better color coverage, is well-suited for detailed engineering and design tasks, whereas the MSI Katana 15, boasting a more powerful GPU, caters to requirements that demand greater graphics processing capabilities. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio's design with a flexible hinge adds versatility for design use, while the MSI's larger screen may offer a more spacious view for intricate work.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Katana 15 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
7.3
7.0
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Katana 15 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 Studio and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.98" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11370H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
MSI Katana 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The MSI Katana 15 B12 combines a Gen12 CPU with an RTX 4050, which is actually not a bad idea for a budget gamer. The CPU is anything but bad and the GPU in the Katana 15 proves to be significantly more efficient than last year's models. However, our main point of criticism for budget gamers is the price: while you can get budget laptops with RTX 3060 from around US$800, you pay a whole US$1,499.99 here! The efficiency advantages of the RTX 4050 do not justify this price premium."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio or the MSI Katana 15
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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