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Updated January 12, 2024·
The MSI Katana 17 offers significantly higher performance with a superior processor and dedicated graphics, making it ideal for demanding tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, and engineering software. However, it is heavier and has a larger screen, making it less portable than the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14". The Cloudbook is more budget-friendly, lightweight, and should suffice for general use such as browsing, streaming, and document editing, but it won't handle intensive tasks well. You're paying more for the MSI's power and gaming capabilities, while the Cloudbook is for everyday tasks with better portability and value. Consider what you'll primarily use the laptop for and how often you'll need to carry it around. 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
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14"
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.9
5.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
4.6/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for general use, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
The MSI Katana 17 has a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM, and a higher-quality screen with better brightness and refresh rate, making it more suitable for a variety of tasks; however, it comes with less portability and shorter battery life compared to the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14", which, despite being more portable and having longer battery life, offers lower performance due to its basic CPU and minimal RAM, alongside a lower-quality screen, affecting its overall suitability for general use.
Gaming and AI
7.9
5.5
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.4
5.5
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a potent combination of high RAM, a robust CPU, and a capable GPU, crucial for demanding tasks in engineering and design, while its larger, higher-quality screen supports finer details. In contrast, the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14", with its minimal RAM, basic CPU, and integrated graphics, falls short on performance, rendering it less suitable for engineering applications that demand advanced computational and graphical capabilities.
Content Creation
7.8
5.9
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 is good for content creation, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
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
5.9
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
4.6/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for software development, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
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
5.8
17.3in
SIZE
14.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MSI Katana 17 likely offers a decent display resolution and brightness which cater well to everyday tasks and media consumption, making it suitable for general use. However, for engineering and design professionals who need accurate color representation, the screen may fall short in delivering the wide color gamuts required for precise work. Gamers and 3D designers often prioritize a high refresh rate for smooth visuals, and given the Katana 17 is labeled as having poor quality for these tasks, it's likely the refresh rate isn't high enough to meet the demands of fast-paced games and 3D rendering.
Battery
3.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The Packard Bell Cloudbook 14 has 7 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.1in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
5.1
The MSI Katana 17 has good build quality, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,367
$350
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Katana 17 has a price of $1,367 and the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" costs $350.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 17 | Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,367 | $350 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | 14.8'' x 9.6'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 2.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.67" | 14.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.75" | 9.56" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 38 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.1" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 256 nits | 200 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 4.6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14"
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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