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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
The MSI GP66 Leopard may cost less and provides strong gaming performance, but if you need more storage and memory for tasks such as video editing or large-scale programming projects, the MSI Katana 17 might be worth the higher price. The Katana 17 also has a newer processor and a larger 17.3-inch screen which could enhance your multimedia experience, though it will be less portable than the GP66 Leopard’s 15.6-inch screen. However, despite the Leopard's lower price and compact size, it can handle demanding games and applications thanks to its high performance graphics card. Make your choice based on whether you prioritize a larger screen and newer technology or a more budget-friendly option with strong gaming capabilities. 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 GP66 Leopard
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
362.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
When considering general use, both the MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI Katana 17 have displays that offer clear images and brightness that make viewing comfortable. For engineering and design applications, the GP66 Leopard's display provides a wider range of colors, which is crucial for accuracy in visual work. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which are key for smooth motion and fast-paced graphics.
Battery
5.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The MSI GP66 Leopard has 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
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability, though the MSI GP66 Leopard has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
7.2
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
362.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for general use.
The MSI GP66 Leopard, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, provides a smooth experience for general use, supported by a higher screen brightness and strong heat management, but its portability and battery life are average. The MSI Katana 17, on the other hand, offers superior general use performance due to its more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and significantly larger storage, though with a slightly dimmer screen and less effective heat management, and while still portable it is slightly heavier and less compact.
Gaming and AI
7.8
7.9
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for gaming and AI.
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
7.9
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Katana 17 to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The MSI Katana 17 is considered very good for engineering and design as it has a more powerful CPU and double the RAM compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, enhancing multitasking and performance for intensive tasks. However, the GP66 Leopard, with a more capable GPU and notable screen color accuracy, is still well-regarded, particularly in tasks requiring high-quality visuals, but on a lesser scale of multitasking capability.
Content Creation
7.4
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.2
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Cost
$1,400
$1,367
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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How the MSI GP66 Leopard and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI GP66 Leopard | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.25 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.51" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 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 | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 362 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 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 | 6.5/10 | 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 | 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 | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
MSI GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
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 GP66 Leopard 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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