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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and battery life for everyday tasks, the MSI Creator M14, while more expensive, may better suit your needs; but if you're looking for higher performance for gaming or intensive applications and can manage with a larger size and potentially shorter battery life, the MSI Katana 15 might be the more appropriate choice despite its lower cost. Keep in mind, however, that the added performance of the Katana 15 could come with increased weight, making it less convenient to carry around compared to the more compact and lighter MSI Creator M14. 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 MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the MSI Creator M14.
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.5
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
350.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
4.5 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 Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The MSI Creator M14 offers a balance with a capable CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality screen, making it ideal for general tasks, while its size and battery add to its portability. The MSI Katana 15, with a focus on performance through an advanced CPU and more RAM, also ensures smooth operation for more demanding applications, but it sacrifices some portability and battery life for these enhancements.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.7
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
6.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The MSI Creator M14 is equipped with a high-quality screen, powerful CPU, GPU, and ample RAM, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design tasks that require precision and speed. While the MSI Katana 15 also has a decent CPU, GPU, and RAM for such tasks, its screen quality, keyboard, and speakers are less sophisticated compared to the Creator M14, but it offers better portability and lower operating noise, which might be favorable for users who move around often.
Content Creation
8.0
7.4
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 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
7.8
7.0
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Creator M14 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator M14 is somewhat better.
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
7.5
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MSI Creator M14's display, with its higher resolution and panel quality, provides crisp and vibrant visuals, making it well-suited for general use and detail-oriented tasks like engineering and design, where color accuracy is crucial. However, it falls short for gaming and 3D applications as it likely lacks a high refresh rate, which is key for smooth motion and responsiveness in fast-paced scenarios. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 offers an adequate display for everyday tasks and sufficient color quality for engineering and design, but similarly struggles with gaming and 3D content due to a less impressive refresh rate.
Portability
Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Creator M14 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The MSI Creator M14 and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality, though the MSI Creator M14 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,500
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Creator M14 has a price of $1,500 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.3
7.6
6.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 and MSI Creator M14 are both good for gaming and AI.
The MSI Creator M14 typically features a high-quality GPU well-suited for gaming and 3D tasks, along with a screen that boasts a high refresh rate for smooth visuals. Alternatively, the MSI Katana 15, while also providing a robust GPU for demanding applications, might have a slightly lower screen quality but compensates with a strong CPU to handle multiple tasks efficiently.
Battery
4.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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.
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How the MSI Creator M14 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Creator M14 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,500 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2024 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.53 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.39" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.19" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 350 nits | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 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 | 7.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
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 MSI Creator M14 or the MSI Katana 15
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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