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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The MSI Katana 15 offers a solid combination of components suitable for both gaming and general use. With an Intel i5 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, this laptop should handle most tasks well, though intensive engineering software may not run as smoothly as on more powerful machines. It has a bigger, 15.6-inch display with a 144 Hz refresh rate, which is great for gaming and media but can make the laptop less portable. Also, consider that its battery capacity is lower than the Stealth 14's. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio, despite being similarly priced, steps up in terms of processor performance with an Intel i7, which means faster performance for engineering tasks or high-end content creation. It has a slightly smaller, 14-inch screen with a higher 165 Hz refresh rate that's better for professional creative work due to its 16:10 aspect ratio and higher screen resolution. Additionally, it offers a larger battery, which translates to longer usage away from a power source and it is lighter, enhancing portability. Choosing between the two depends primarily on your specific needs: the Katana 15 leans towards standard use and gaming with a larger screen, while the Stealth 14 Studio offers better performance, portability, and battery life for content creation, engineering software, and on-the-go tasks. 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 Katana 15
- The MSI Katana 15 has no clear advantages over the MSI Stealth 14 Studio.
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.7
8.5
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
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 and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.8
7.6
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
258.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The MSI Katana 15's display offers adequate resolution and brightness for tasks like browsing and office work but lacks the wider color gamut that professionals in engineering and design would need for accurate color work. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio, with its better color reproduction, suits engineering and design better, providing a more accurate visual representation of projects. However, for gaming and 3D purposes, both laptops fall short as they do not offer the high refresh rates that enhance the smoothness and responsiveness of fast-paced visuals.
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$949
$1,520
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Katana 15 has a price of $949 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,520.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
258.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.6
7.8
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and MSI Katana 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The MSI Katana 15 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio are both strong choices for gaming and 3D due to their high-performance Nvidia RTX 4060 GPUs, crucial for rendering graphics smoothly. However, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers a higher screen refresh rate for a more fluid visual experience during fast-paced games, while also providing a slightly crisper display with a greater pixel density, though the MSI Katana 15 is still competitive with a respectable refresh rate.
Content Creation
7.4
7.9
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and MSI Katana 15 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
7.0
7.4
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and MSI Katana 15 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.
Battery
4.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 5 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.
Build Quality
7.2
7.6
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and MSI Katana 15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the MSI Katana 15 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 15 | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$949 | $1,520 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.96 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.2" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12450H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 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 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 258 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
MSI Katana 15
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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."
MSI Stealth 14 Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 15 or the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
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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