If performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming is a top priority, the MSI Katana 15 with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU outperforms the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo, which uses integrated graphics. However, the Summit E13 Flip Evo offers better battery life and portability, with a lighter design and smaller form factor, making it ideal for business and general usage. Additionally, the Summit E13 has a higher resolution touchscreen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, which can be beneficial for productivity tasks, and it's usually less expensive. The Katana's gaming laptop appearance may also influence your preference compared to the more business-oriented design of the Summit E13. 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
Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
Good overall display quality
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.3/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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.
Screen Quality
6.8/10
7.3/10
15.6in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
258.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
517.0 nits
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the MSI Katana 15's screen may be less crisp and vibrant due to its fair resolution and brightness, whereas the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo offers a clearer and more vivid experience due to its superior resolution and brightness. In engineering and design, the Summit E13's good color gamut coverage ensures more accurate colors, vital for detailed work, while the Katana 15 falls short in this aspect, making it less suitable for color-critical tasks. When it comes to gaming and 3D, despite both having poor screen refresh rates, which affects smoothness during fast-paced scenes, resolution and panel type remain important, with both models offering a less than ideal experience for serious gaming.
Battery
4.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has 11 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
13.4in
4.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$949
$699
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The MSI Katana 15 has a price of $949 and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo costs $699.
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a dedicated graphics card and a higher refresh rate display, which is beneficial for general use that may involve some degree of graphics processing, but it is heavier with a shorter battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo offers greater portability with a lighter build and longer battery life, and it features a higher-resolution touchscreen with a more vibrant color display, though it relies on integrated graphics which may be less suited for graphically intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.7/10
7.3/10
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo are both good for engineering and design.
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.
Content Creation
7.4/10
7.5/10
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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
7.0/10
7.4/10
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
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 Summit E13 Flip Evo 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.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.4/10
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the MSI Katana 15 and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo compare to other laptops
"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 wants to prove that it can do more than just gaming laptops and the Summit E13 Flip is a great example of what the manufacturer is capable of especially in terms of aesthetics and performance. Normally for subnotebooks or convertibles, TDP and performance are often below average as makers want to meet slimmer designs and lower weight targets. The Summit manages to outperform others in its size class and category while still looking sleek and portable in the process. If you want a convertible that won't throttle significantly when under load, then this MSI will be one of the better options you can find."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 15 or the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
124,395
Recommendations made
26,953
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
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.