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Updated January 10, 2024·
If budget is a concern and you desire a midrange laptop that offers good performance for general use and gaming, consider the MSI Katana 15, which is significantly less expensive than the Razer Blade 17 and has a solid build and decent portability. However, if you require a laptop with a more powerful processor, higher RAM, and superior screen resolution and quality for intensive 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering tasks, the Razer Blade 17 may justify its higher price. It also has a bigger screen and longer battery life, but it's less portable due to its larger size and weight. 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 Razer Blade 17.
Advantages of the Razer Blade 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
258.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Razer Blade 17’s higher quality CPU and double the RAM of the MSI Katana 15 contribute to its superior performance for general use, along with its screen which offers a higher resolution and better color coverage, enhancing visual tasks. Although both have similar battery sizes, the difference in portability with the Razer Blade 17 being slightly larger and heavier might be a tradeoff for some users prioritizing ease of carrying over screen size and quality.
Gaming and AI
7.6
8.6
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The MSI Katana 15, with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a refresh rate of 144Hz, offers solid gaming and 3D performance, but it's outclassed by the Razer Blade 17 which has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and the same high refresh rate, ensuring smoother visuals and more detailed graphics in demanding games and 3D applications. Additionally, the Razer's superior CPU and higher quality screen contribute to its excellence in gaming and 3D tasks, however, it is also typically more expensive and less portable due to its larger size and weight compared to the MSI Katana 15.
Engineering and Design
7.7
9.1
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Razer Blade 17 stands out for its more powerful Intel i9 processor and double the RAM, making it excellent for demanding engineering and design tasks, while the MSI Katana 15, featuring an Intel i5 processor and less RAM, is merely good, yet still capable for such uses. Furthermore, the Razer has a high-resolution screen which benefits design work, whereas the MSI's lower screen quality is a compromise for its affordability.
Content Creation
7.4
8.5
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 17 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
8.5
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for software development, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
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
8.6
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
258.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Razer Blade 17 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 provides adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks, while the Razer Blade 17's higher resolution and panel quality enhance the viewing experience significantly. In engineering and design applications, the Razer Blade 17's superior color accuracy and range are crucial for precision work, overshadowing the MSI Katana 15's fair performance. However, for gaming and 3D applications where high refresh rates are crucial, both laptops fall short, lacking the high refresh rate necessary for smooth motion rendering.
Battery
4.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 17 has 5.5 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
8.5
The Razer Blade 17 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
$4,300
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The MSI Katana 15 has a price of $949 and the Razer Blade 17 costs $4,300.
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Key similarities
Portability
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Katana 15 and Razer Blade 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the MSI Katana 15 and the Razer Blade 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 15 | Razer Blade 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$949 | $4,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | 15.6'' x 10.2'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.96 lbs | 6.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.2" | 10.24" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12450H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 258 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 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."
Razer Blade 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | July 2022
"Our test configuration of the Blade 17 targets gamers and creative professionals. A Core i9-12900H processor, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU (175 watts TGP after the BIOS update, 16 GB of VRAM), and 32 GB of working memory equip the laptop for video processing, rending, and 4k gaming at the highest level. In addition, a fast PCIe-4 SSD (1 TB) ensures short load and storage times. With the Blade 17 (Early 2022), Razer delivers a successful and powerful work device for creative professionals. But this also has its price."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 15 or the Razer Blade 17
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.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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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