MSI Katana 15
MSI Katana 15
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GENERAL USE: Good—7.7/10
GAMING/AI: Very Good—8.0/10
ENG/DESIGN: Very Good—8.2/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Good—7.3/10
CONTENT CREATION: Good—7.7/10
PORTABILITY: Fair—6.9/10
BATTERY: Fair—6.0/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Fair—6.7/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Very Good—8.5/10
SIZE: 15.6"
Evaluation
Pros
- Solid general performance
- Capable gaming and engineering GPU
- Good keyboard and build quality
- Has hardware ray tracing
- Backlit keyboard with number pad
Cons
- Moderate battery life
- Not very portable
- Limited color range display
- No premium business features
Ratings by Category
Engineering & Design:4.5
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design, CAD and 3D work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Gaming & AI:4.4
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability as well as AI performance, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
While performance (especially graphics performance) is the most important factor determining this score, we also give modest weight to screen quality, heat management, keyboard quality, and storage.
General Use:4.3
The MSI Katana 15 is well-suited for general use thanks to its capable Intel i7 processor and 16GB of RAM, which ensure smooth multitasking and performance for typical applications. Additionally, its IPS display offers good screen quality, while still maintaining acceptable portability and battery life for everyday tasks.
Content Creation:4.3
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, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Keyboard Quality:4.2
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Software Development:4.1
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Build Quality:4.1
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
General Use Screen Quality:4.0
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Operating Noise:4.0
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Portability:3.9
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Battery Life:3.0
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $1,287 | ||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | ||
Weight | 4.96 lbs | ||
Width | 14.13" | ||
Depth | 10.2" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | ||
RAM | 16 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | ||
RAM Slots | 2 | ||
Storage | 1024 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 4 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | ||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 258 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 7.2/10 | ||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | ||
Premium Business Laptop | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | ||
Webcam | 720p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | No | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | Yes | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 3 | ||
USB-C ports | 1 | ||
USB-C Charging | No | ||
Display Outputs | 2 | ||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | ||
MSI Katana 15
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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."
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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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
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Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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