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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MSI Katana 15 offers a more affordable option with decent performance for general use and gaming, and it's lightweight, making it easier to carry around. However, the MSI Vector GP76, while more expensive, delivers superior performance with a more powerful processor and graphics card, which is better suited for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, and machine learning. The Vector GP76 also has a larger and faster-refreshing screen but is heavier, which could affect portability. Both come with ample storage and have similar battery life, but the Vector GP76 provides more RAM for multitasking and more advanced applications. 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 Vector GP76.
Advantages of the MSI Vector GP76
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
258.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
264.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
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
8.4
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The MSI Vector GP76 offers a higher screen refresh rate, making it very good for fast-paced gaming and smoother 3D rendering, paired with a powerful CPU and GPU for demanding tasks, whereas the MSI Katana 15 provides good gaming and 3D performance at a lower refresh rate, with slightly less powerful hardware which might be more cost-effective. Both have quality screens, but the higher refresh rate and stronger GPU on the Vector GP76 ensure top-notch gaming experiences and complex graphical tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.7
8.7
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The MSI Katana 15's suitability for engineering and design is due to its capable CPU, decent amount of RAM, and a strong GPU, coupled with a good quality screen, but the Vector GP76 surpasses it with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, a higher tier GPU, and a superior screen which significantly enhances detail and color accuracy, necessary for precise design work.
Content Creation
7.4
8.0
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
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
7.6
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Vector GP76 and MSI Katana 15 are both good for software development, though the MSI Vector GP76 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.8
7.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
258.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
264.0 nits
The MSI Vector GP76 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the MSI Katana 15's screen quality is fair due to adequate resolution and brightness, but it might lack the color fidelity and sharpness of higher-end models, which the MSI Vector GP76 compensates for with a sharper and brighter display. When it comes to engineering and design work, the MSI Vector GP76's screen is better because it likely displays a wider range of colors, crucial for precision tasks, whereas the Katana 15's color gamut might be less extensive, making it less suitable for professional color work. For gaming and 3D applications, although both have poor screen quality due to lower refresh rates, tasks which demand fluid motion would benefit from higher refresh rates that neither of these models provides, although their resolution and panel type may still deliver acceptable performance for casual gaming.
Portability
Fair
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability, while the MSI Vector GP76 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.0
The MSI Vector GP76 has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$949
$1,760
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The MSI Katana 15 has a price of $949 and the MSI Vector GP76 costs $1,760.
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Key similarities
Battery
4.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Vector GP76 has 4 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.
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How the MSI Katana 15 and the MSI Vector GP76 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 15 | MSI Vector GP76 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$949 | $1,760 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | 15.6'' x 11.2'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.96 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 15.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.2" | 11.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12450H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 65 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 | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 258 nits | 264 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 5.9/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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 | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 3 | |
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 Vector GP76
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marvin Gollor | May 2022
"The MSI Vector GP76 12UGS is a gaming laptop on speed. The advantages are clear: The Vector GP76 is a real gamer with its 360 Hz display and super-fast response times. In addition, the Core i7-12700H has double the power of the CPU in its predecessor and another highlight is the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti with a real power consumption of 150 watts. This places the device in the top range of our database. The Vector can also operate rather quietly, offers a full sound range, improved battery runtimes, a key-configurable RGB keyboard, a very stable chassis and good upgrade options. Moreover, the display produces a nice, rich and clear picture."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 15 or the MSI Vector GP76
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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