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Updated March 21, 2024·
The MSI Katana 17 is more budget-friendly, and while it offers decent performance for everyday tasks and some gaming, it falls short for heavy-duty tasks compared to the MSI Titan 18 HX, which boasts superior performance suited for intensive engineering, 3D work, machine learning, and high-end gaming. However, the Titan 18 HX is also heavier and less convenient to carry around, with potentially shorter battery life due to its powerful components. If your work requires high performance and you don't mind less portability and higher cost, go for the Titan. Otherwise, for general use, opt for the Katana 17 to save money and gain portability. 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 Titan 18 HX.
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a balance suitable for everyday tasks with decent processing power and memory, but its more modest screen and battery life make it better for someone needing a laptop for general activities who doesn't require top-of-the-line features. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX, despite being less portable due to its size and likely shorter battery life, provides a superior screen, better performance with an advanced CPU and more RAM, and is ideal for those requiring a high-end experience in demanding applications or multitasking.
Gaming and AI
7.9
9.4
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers solid gaming performance with its capable GPU and high screen refresh rate, providing smooth visuals for most games. However, the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its top-tier GPU and even higher refresh rate, delivers exceptional gaming and 3D rendering experiences, albeit with a steeper price and potentially reduced portability due to its larger size.
Engineering and Design
8.4
9.9
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 is very good.
The MSI Titan 18 HX, with a more powerful CPU, additional RAM, and a superior GPU, offers enhanced performance for demanding engineering and design software when compared to the MSI Katana 17, which may also handle these tasks but at a reduced capability. While the Titan boasts a higher screen quality, both the Katana's portability and lower operating noise could be more appealing for users who favor mobility and a quieter work environment.
Content Creation
7.8
9.0
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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
8.9
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
9.2
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When you're looking at laptops for general use, the MSI Titan's superior panel type, resolution, and brightness provide a clearer and more vivid image compared to the Katana. For engineering and design tasks that require accurate color representation, the Titan's advanced color gamuts ensure that the hues you see on-screen are truer to life, which is critical for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where the smoothness of motion is key, both models fall short due to their lower refresh rates, despite having adequate resolutions and acceptable panel types.
Battery
3.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
18.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,800
$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 Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 17 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,367 | $4,800 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.67" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.75" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 256 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
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 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 Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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