The MSI Katana 17 offers decent performance at a midrange price, making it suitable for everyday use and some gaming. However, the MSI Stealth GS77, while more expensive, provides better performance, a higher-resolution screen, and additional features like a slimmer design and more ports, which may be beneficial for intensive tasks and gaming. If you prioritize performance and features over cost and are willing to invest in a premium laptop, the Stealth GS77 is a strong choice. On the other hand, if budget is a concern and you need a capable laptop for general use and moderate gaming, the Katana 17 is a sensible, cost-effective 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 17
The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the MSI Stealth GS77.
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS77
Very good for general use
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 1440
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
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 is a solid choice for general use with a good balance of CPU performance, ample RAM, and a quality screen with a high refresh rate, although it has a shorter battery life which affects portability. In contrast, the MSI Stealth GS77 offers a higher-resolution screen and an excellent battery life, accommodating for longer use away from power sources, but it is slightly heavier which may impact its ease of portability.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.3/10
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
The MSI Stealth GS77 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
8.1/10
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
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 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
8.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS77 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's screen is suitable for general use due to its satisfactory resolution and brightness, but it may lack the extensive color gamut needed for detailed engineering and design work. Despite its very good resolution and panel type, the screen on the MSI Stealth GS77 excels in color accuracy, making it an excellent choice for engineering and design applications. However, both laptops offer lower refresh rates which are less ideal for smooth visuals required in Gaming and 3D environments where fast-moving images are common.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS77 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 GS77 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 Stealth GS77 costs $2,499.
The MSI Stealth GS77 and MSI Katana 17 are both good for gaming and AI.
The MSI Katana 17 and the MSI Stealth GS77 are equipped with powerful GPUs and high screen refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth gaming experiences and running 3D applications. While both have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the standout features for gamers and those into 3D rendering are the superior graphics performance and fluidity the refresh rates provide.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
8.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS77 and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth GS77 and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the MSI Stealth GS77 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI Stealth GS77 is better than the GS76... mostly. The GS77 is a few steps forward and a few steps back from the GS76. Improvements are numerous including the stronger and more rigid skeleton, higher resolution webcam, larger clickpad, easier serviceability, relatively similar battery runtimes, newer display options, and higher performance at about the same TDP and TGP levels as before. CPU performance is better than expected even when compared to other laptops with Core i7 or Core i9 processors. The newer model feels more substantial than the outgoing one for higher quality impressions as well."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the MSI Stealth GS77
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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