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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
The MSI Katana 17, being less expensive, is a good choice if you're on a budget and need a machine for everyday tasks or less demanding gaming. However, if you require top-notch performance for demanding games, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering software, the MSI Raider GE66 is a better pick, as it tends to offer better hardware for higher performance tasks. Keep in mind that enhanced performance often comes with decreased battery life and less portability due to heavier build and more robust cooling systems. So, if mobility and battery life are more important for your daily use than extreme performance, the Katana 17 could serve you well, while the Raider GE66 is ideal if performance takes precedence and you're okay with the additional cost and potential trade-offs in portability and battery life. 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 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider GE66.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE66
- Very good for general use
- 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
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
8.5
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 and MSI Raider GE66 are both tailored for gaming and 3D applications, primarily because they are equipped with high-end Nvidia GPUs and offer high screen refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals during gameplay and rendering. While the Katana 17 offers a solid GPU and a satisfactory screen refresh rate suitable for a good gaming experience, the Raider GE66 steps up with an even more powerful GPU and a significantly higher refresh rate screen, enhancing visual fluidity and gaming performance. Both incorporate capable CPUs and high screen quality, with the Raider GE66 having an edge in these aspects, but these factors are of secondary importance compared to the GPU and refresh rate for gaming and 3D tasks.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.4
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE66 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general users who prioritize display sharpness and clarity, the screen quality of the MSI Raider GE66 is superior due to its higher resolution and brighter display, making it more enjoyable for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos. Engineers and designers will appreciate the Raider GE66's excellent screen quality as it offers a broader color gamut, vital for precision in color-sensitive work such as photo editing and CAD applications. However, both the Katana 17 and Raider GE66 fall short for gaming and 3D applications because their screens have lower refresh rates, causing less fluid motion and responsiveness which is crucial for fast-paced games and smooth 3D rendering.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE66 has 6 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
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Raider GE66 and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability, though the MSI Raider GE66 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The MSI Raider GE66 has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,367
$2,499
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Katana 17 has a price of $1,367 and the MSI Raider GE66 costs $2,499.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE66 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 and MSI Raider GE66 are well-regarded for general use due to their robust CPUs and ample RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and application performance. While the Katana 17 offers a larger screen but lower resolution and a moderate battery life, the Raider GE66 provides a higher resolution display, superior speaker and keyboard quality, and longer battery life, but is slightly more portable.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.9
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE66 and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a powerful combination of high RAM, a robust Intel i7 CPU, and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, making it a strong contender for engineering and design tasks that require significant processing and graphics capabilities, while its large screen with IPS technology provides quality visuals. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE66 also matches in terms of CPU and RAM, and steps up with a superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and higher-resolution display, which can give an edge in highly detailed design work, though it may trade off slightly in overall portability due to its higher weight.
Content Creation
7.8
8.3
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE66 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 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
7.5
8.0
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE66 to be very good for software development, while the MSI Katana 17 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.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the MSI Raider GE66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 17 | MSI Raider GE66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,367 | $2,499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.67" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.75" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 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 | 3 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 256 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
MSI Raider GE66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the MSI Raider GE66
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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