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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
If you prioritize a more budget-friendly option and can manage with decent performance, the MSI GF63 Thin is suitable for everyday use and lighter tasks. However, if you need a laptop for more intensive engineering, 3D, machine learning tasks, or gaming, and are willing to pay more for it, the MSI Katana 17 offers much better performance, a larger screen, and a higher refresh rate, which makes it great for these use cases. The Katana 17 is also heavier and not as portable as the GF63 Thin, with a slight advantage in battery capacity. The Katana 17 comes with a more advanced graphics card, more storage, and more memory, benefitting demanding applications and multitasking. 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 GF63 Thin
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
6.0
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
249.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
4.2 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The MSI GF63 Thin has a lower-end CPU and less RAM compared to the MSI Katana 17, which affects multitasking and complex tasks, making it just fair for general use. Additionally, the Katana 17's larger screen and better battery life enhance user experience for everyday tasks, making it very good for general use, but its larger size does reduce portability compared to the lighter GF63 Thin.
Gaming and AI
6.0
7.9
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF63 Thin 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.
Engineering and Design
6.0
8.4
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.2/10
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 MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is better suited for engineering and design work, as it offers a more powerful CPU, more RAM, and a superior GPU than the MSI GF63 Thin, essential for software that engineers and designers frequently use. Additionally, the Katana 17 has a screen with higher color accuracy, but due to its larger size and weight, it sacrifices some portability compared to the GF63 Thin, making it less ideal for on-the-go users.
Content Creation
6.0
7.8
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
7.5
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.1
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
249.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The MSI GF63 Thin's screen falls short in gaming and 3D tasks due to a lower refresh rate, which is less smooth for fast-paced visuals, and its panel type and resolution may not provide the sharpness and clarity gamers seek. For engineering and design, both laptops offer fair screen quality as their color gamut coverage may not meet the high standards required for precise color work. The Katana 17, with better screen quality for general use, likely offers a more vibrant display with higher brightness and clearer resolution, making everyday tasks and media consumption more pleasant.
Battery
4.2 Hours
3.0 Hours
The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI GF63 Thin 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 MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$599
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI GF63 Thin has a price of $599 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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How the MSI GF63 Thin and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI GF63 Thin | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$599 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2019 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.1 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.99" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-10300H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.25 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 249 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 3 | 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
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
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 MSI GF63 Thin or the MSI Katana 17
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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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