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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MSI Katana 15 has a stronger processor and GPU, making it suited for gaming and intensive engineering tasks, but it is heavier and has shorter battery life. In contrast, the XPG Xenia 14 is lighter, making it more portable, and it boasts longer battery life, which is ideal for general use and on-the-go productivity, although it has less storage and its integrated graphics are not designed for heavy 3D tasks or gaming. If portability and battery are key for you, consider the XPG Xenia 14, while for more demanding performance needs in gaming or engineering, the MSI Katana 15 would be the preferable option. 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 engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the XPG Xenia 14
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.6
6.1
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the XPG Xenia 14 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.
Engineering and Design
7.7
6.8
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 is good for engineering and design, while the XPG Xenia 14 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 15 is equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX GPU, making it well-suited for engineering and design applications that require strong graphics performance, whereas the XPG Xenia 14, although it sports less powerful Intel Iris Xe graphics, offers a higher screen resolution and aspect ratio, enhancing the detail and workspace for design tasks. While both have sufficient RAM and capable CPUs for engineering software, the MSI has a slight edge in GPU power, crucial for rendering and simulations, but the XPG offers a more portable form factor and better screen quality for precise design work.
Screen Quality
6.8
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
258.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The MSI Katana 15 has a better screen than the XPG Xenia 14 for gaming and AI, while the XPG Xenia 14 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
When focusing on general use, both the MSI Katana 15 and XPG Xenia 14 offer adequate resolution and brightness, but the XPG Xenia 14 has a panel type that delivers better overall quality and viewing angles. For engineering and design tasks, which rely heavily on color accuracy, the XPG Xenia 14 stands out with its superior color coverage, essential for precision work. However, for gaming and 3D applications that demand high refresh rates for smooth motion, both laptops fall short, though the MSI Katana 15's possibly lower resolution than the XPG Xenia 14 can mean slightly better gaming performance if the refresh rates are similar.
Battery
4.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 15 has 4 hours of battery life. The XPG Xenia 14 has 10 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The XPG Xenia 14 has excellent portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$949
$800
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The MSI Katana 15 has a price of $949 and the XPG Xenia 14 costs $800.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
258.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The MSI Katana 15 and XPG Xenia 14 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 15, with a strong CPU and ample RAM, handles everyday tasks with ease and provides a clear screen for media enjoyment, yet its larger size and average battery constrain mobility; on the other hand, the XPG Xenia 14 offers a balance of performance and portability with its competent CPU, enough RAM, high-quality screen, and longer battery life, with the tradeoff being a smaller display and potentially less ideal for intense multitasking or heavy software applications. Both laptops are capable for general use, but the MSI leans towards home or office environments while the Xenia shines for users on the go.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
6.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 15 and XPG Xenia 14 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
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The XPG Xenia 14 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
7.2
The MSI Katana 15 and XPG Xenia 14 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 XPG Xenia 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 15 | XPG Xenia 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$949 | $800 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | 12.2'' x 8.5'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.96 lbs | 2.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 12.2" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.2" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12450H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
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 | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 53 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 258 nits | 321 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
XPG Xenia 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | July 2021
"The Xenia 14 is a top 14-inch laptop under 1 kg. ADATA isn't exactly known for its laptops and so we weren't expecting much from its first 14-inch Ultrabook. With that said, we're pleasantly surprised by how well the Xenia 14 looks and performs. Not only is it incredibly light, but it has a color accurate 16:10 display, high CPU and GPU performance, easy RAM and SSD serviceability, plenty of port options including Thunderbolt 4, and long battery life. It packs a lot of punch and features considering the size and weight to be better than even the LG Gram series."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 15 or the XPG Xenia 14
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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