When choosing between laptops like the MSI Creator M14 and the MSI Katana 17, consider what matters most for your daily needs. The Creator M14, being smaller and lighter, is better for carrying around, convenient for those who travel or move a lot. The Katana 17, with its larger screen, offers an enhanced visual experience for gaming and multimedia but is less portable. If you work on high-resolution videos or complex graphics, the Creator's display might be preferable despite its size. For extended gaming sessions or multitasking with many applications open, the Katana's larger screen and potentially more robust cooling system could be more beneficial. Choose the one that aligns with your priority: mobility or screen space and cooling capabilities for performance. 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 content creation
Good overall display quality
Good portability
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the MSI Creator M14.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.3/10
7.9/10
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 17 and MSI Creator M14 are both good for gaming and AI, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
The MSI Creator M14 offers a solid GPU and high screen refresh rate which are crucial for gaming and 3D tasks, but the MSI Katana 17 is superior in these aspects, providing smoother graphics and gameplay. While both have competent CPUs and good screen quality, the Katana 17's advantages in the key areas of GPU performance and refresh rate make it a better choice for more demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Screen Quality
7.5/10
6.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the MSI Creator M14's screen offers clear visuals and brightness with a resolution that makes text and images sharp, making it suitable for daily tasks like browsing and document handling. Engineering and design professionals appreciate the MSI Creator M14's wide color gamut coverage, ensuring accurate color rendition for tasks like photo editing and graphics work. However, for gaming and 3D, the MSI Creator M14 falls short due to its lower refresh rate, which can lead to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience compared to displays with higher refresh rates.
Battery
4.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Creator M14 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
7.2/10
The MSI Creator M14 and MSI Katana 17 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
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Creator M14 has a price of $1,500 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Creator M14, with its high-quality screen, efficient CPU, and ample RAM, ensures smooth operation for everyday tasks, while also being lightweight and offering decent battery life, making it highly portable. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17, while also suitable for general use, provides more screen space and possibly better heat management due to its larger size, but it's heavier and may have a shorter battery life, which could be less ideal for on-the-go use.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
8.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
6.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and MSI Creator M14 are both very good for engineering and design.
The MSI Creator M14, with its powerful CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality GPU, excels in handling complex engineering software and offers a crisp display for detailed design work; it also provides a comfortable keyboard and operates quietly, enhancing the user experience. While the MSI Katana 17, equipped with similar high-performance components, has a larger screen which is beneficial for multitasking and engineering visuals, but it sacrifices some portability due to its size.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 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
7.8/10
7.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Creator M14 and MSI Katana 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.
Give feedback
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How the MSI Creator M14 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
"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 MSI Creator M14 or the MSI Katana 17
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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