If budget is a primary concern and general use is your focus, the MSI Katana 17 offers a more affordable option; however, if you need high performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is better suited despite being more expensive. Keep in mind, the Stealth also provides a more portable form factor and typically longer battery life, which can be important if you frequently work on the go. On the other hand, the larger form factor of the Katana may mean better cooling and potentially longer lifespan if portability is less of a concern. 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio.
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
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
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its superior CPU and RAM, delivers smoother and quicker performance for demanding tasks and multitasking, making it very good for general use, and its high-quality screen enhances visual experience, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 17, though still capable for general tasks, trades off some performance and screen quality for better portability and longer battery life, aligning well with users needing to move around more frequently.
Gaming and AI
7.9/10
8.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
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
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a robust GPU and high screen refresh rate catering well to gaming and 3D applications, while not compromising on a decent CPU and screen quality. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with an even stronger GPU and comparable refresh rate, delivers exceptional gaming and 3D performance, while also featuring an advanced CPU and superior screen quality for those seeking top-tier capabilities.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
9.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 is very good.
The MSI Katana 17, with its robust CPU, ample RAM, and quality GPU, is well-equipped to handle demanding engineering software and tasks, while its decent screen displays precise details necessary for design work. In comparison, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with even more powerful internals and superior screen resolution, delivers smoother performance and finer visual fidelity for advanced engineering and design projects, albeit with a slight compromise on portability due to its larger size and potentially noisier operation.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
7.5/10
8.2/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
6.9/10
8.4/10
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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 offers sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday activities, which explains its good screen quality for general use, but for engineering and design, its limited color gamut coverage means it falls short in delivering the color accuracy professionals need. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its higher resolution and brightness, delivers a richer visual experience and covers a wider color gamut, essential for precision in engineering and design work. However, both laptops have lower refresh rates that are less ideal for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and quick screen updates are crucial.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
$2,900
$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 Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
"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."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
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.
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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