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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize performance, particularly for tasks like gaming or 3D work, the MSI Katana 15 with its higher-end graphics card is a better pick despite being more expensive. On the other hand, if you prefer something more budget-friendly and lighter for general use or less demanding tasks, the MSI Thin GF63 will save you money and is more portable. The tradeoff with the GF63 is that it has a less powerful graphics card, which might not be suitable for the most demanding applications. Both laptops have similar screen sizes and build qualities, making the main considerations your budget and the intensity of the tasks you plan to tackle. 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
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Thin GF63
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.6
6.9
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Thin GF63 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a slightly more powerful graphics card (Nvidia RTX 4060) compared to the MSI Thin GF63's RTX 4050, which is a critical factor for gaming and 3D applications. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates and quality, but the Katana 15 also offers more storage and a slightly higher battery capacity, which may improve gaming and multitasking experiences.
Screen Quality
6.8
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
258.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 and the MSI Thin GF63 have similar screen quality.
For general use, the MSI Katana 15 and MSI Thin GF63 have sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, but for demanding users who value crisp text and vibrant images, these screens may not impress. In the context of engineering and design, both laptops offer fair screen quality, but professionals seeking accurate color representation for high-end graphics work may find the color gamut coverage lacking on these models. For gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate on both laptops could lead to less fluid visuals, which may disappoint gamers accustomed to smoother, more responsive experiences typically offered by displays with higher refresh rates.
Build Quality
7.2
6.5
The MSI Katana 15 has good build quality, while the MSI Thin GF63 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$949
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Katana 15 has a price of $949 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
258.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI Katana 15 and MSI Thin GF63 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.
Engineering and Design
7.7
7.5
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and MSI Thin GF63 are both good for engineering and design.
The MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a solid GPU and a high-quality screen which are crucial for engineering and design applications, while the MSI Thin GF63, despite having a slightly less powerful GPU, offers better portability and a quiet operation, making it a good fit for professionals on the go. Both laptops have ample RAM and capable CPUs, ensuring smooth multitasking and computational performance for demanding engineering software.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 and MSI Thin GF63 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
7.2
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 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
4.5 Hours
The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 has 4.5 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Thin GF63 to have good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the MSI Katana 15 and the MSI Thin GF63 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 15 | MSI Thin GF63 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$949 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.96 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.2" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12450H | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 258 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 Thin GF63
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Charles Jeffries | November 2022
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 15 or the MSI Thin GF63
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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