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Updated January 16, 2024·
If you prioritize saving money and still seek decent performance for everyday tasks and light gaming, consider the MSI Katana 17. It has capable hardware but less graphical power than the MSI Raider GE78, making it suitable for general use. However, if you need top-of-the-line performance for things like intensive gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software, and are willing to invest more, the MSI Raider GE78 comes with more powerful components and features, which also result in it being heavier and possibly having shorter battery life due to its more power-hungry hardware. Remember, higher performance in the Raider comes with an increase in both cost 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 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider GE78.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class 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
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a solid performance for general use with a capable CPU and RAM combination, a good quality IPS screen, and a moderate battery life, making it a reasonable choice for daily tasks and occasional mobility. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 steps up with a superior CPU, high-resolution display, and larger battery, providing enhanced performance and screen quality favored in more demanding general use situations, albeit at the expense of lower portability due to increased weight and size.
Gaming and AI
7.9
9.5
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Raider GE78 stands out for gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a high 240Hz screen refresh rate, offering superior graphics performance and smoother visuals compared to the MSI Katana 17, which has a capable but less robust Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a 144Hz screen refresh rate. Although both laptops have strengths, the Raider GE78’s higher screen quality and top-tier CPU also contribute to its edge in intensive gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.4
9.4
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 is very good.
The MSI Katana 17 is armed with an Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, making it a solid option for engineering and design tasks, with good screen quality but less multitasking capability due to less storage compared to the RAIDER GE78.
Content Creation
7.8
8.8
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 is 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
8.5
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is 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.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.6
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The MSI Katana 17 provides satisfactory visuals for everyday tasks due to its decent resolution and brightness, but it falls short for engineering and design, where color accuracy is crucial, and isn't suitable for gaming or 3D applications that require high refresh rates. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 offers superior screen fidelity with vivid colors and sharp details suitable for complex engineering and design work, yet its lower refresh rate limits its capability for smooth gameplay in fast-paced 3D environments. Both models cater well to general use but have limitations when specialization in high precision color work or high-refresh-rate gaming is needed.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 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
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 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
$4,386
$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 GE78 costs $4,386.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 17 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,367 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.67" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.75" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 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" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 256 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
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 GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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