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Updated January 12, 2024·
The MSI Katana 17 is less expensive and has a larger 17.3-inch display which might be better for multitasking and immersive gaming or video editing, but it's heavier, making it less portable. Contrarily, the Razer Blade 14 (2023) is more portable due to its smaller 14-inch screen and lighter weight, offers a higher resolution display which is sharper and better for creative work, and features a stronger battery life, but it comes at a higher cost. Performance-wise, both are equipped with similar graphics cards, but the Razer has a high-performing AMD processor versus the MSI’s Intel. Additionally, the Razer's keyboard is backlit and it has a higher-quality build, making it a premium choice for those who prioritize compactness and display quality over size and budget. 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 Razer Blade 14 (2023).
Advantages of the Razer Blade 14 (2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
8.4
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
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 Razer Blade 14 (2023) is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 and Razer Blade 14 (2023) are very good for gaming and 3D due to their powerful GPUs, which are critical for such tasks, and high screen refresh rates, providing smoother visuals. While both have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the Razer Blade boasts a higher refresh rate and screen resolution, enhancing gaming and 3D experiences further, but with the MSI Katana 17 offering a larger screen size.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.9
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
560.0 nits
The Razer Blade 14 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a sharp and bright display for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the Razer Blade 14 provides a vibrant and detailed experience. For engineering and design work requiring precise colors, the Razer Blade 14 excels with its wide color gamut coverage. However, for gaming or 3D applications where smooth motion is key, neither laptop excels due to their lower refresh rates, so you might look elsewhere if that's your primary use.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 14 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Razer Blade 14 (2023) 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
8.5
The Razer Blade 14 (2023) 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
$2,400
$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 Razer Blade 14 (2023) costs $2,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.1
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
560.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Blade 14 (2023) to be very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a larger screen and more RAM, which is excellent for multitasking and general use, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Razer Blade 14. In contrast, the Razer Blade 14 boasts superior portability due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, a better screen quality with a higher resolution and color accuracy, and its compact size may appeal to those frequently on the move, despite having half the RAM of the Katana 17.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.7
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Razer Blade 14 (2023) and MSI Katana 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The MSI Katana 17 is equipped with a high-performing Intel CPU and double the RAM of the Razer Blade 14, which is beneficial for demanding engineering applications, but it has a lower resolution screen compared to the Razer's sharper display. Meanwhile, the Razer Blade 14, while boasting a powerful AMD CPU and the same GPU as the MSI, offers greater portability due to its smaller size and longer battery life, although it comes with less RAM.
Content Creation
7.8
8.2
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Blade 14 (2023) to be 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
7.9
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 14 (2023) and MSI Katana 17 are both good for software development.
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.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the Razer Blade 14 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 17 | Razer Blade 14 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,367 | $2,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | 12.2'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 4.05 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.67" | 12.23" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.75" | 8.97" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 68.1 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
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 | 560 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Razer Blade 14 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"After making a huge splash with the original 2021 model, it's expected that the 2022 refresh would be more of a minor update to an already impressive machine. It adds a higher resolution webcam (720p to 1080p), faster CPU (Ryzen 9 5900HX to Ryzen 9 6900HX), faster GPU (RTX 3070/3080 to 3070/3080 Ti), faster RAM (DDR4-3200 to DDR5-4800), faster M.2 SSD support (PCIe3 x4 to PCIe4 x4), newer WLAN module (Killer AX1690i to Qualcomm WCN685x), and a MUX switch for the new integrated Radeon 680M GPU. It's indubitably an upgrade especially in terms of single-thread processor performance."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the Razer Blade 14 (2023)
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.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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