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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're looking for a cost-effective option, the MSI Katana 17 is less expensive and still offers solid performance for general use and gaming. However, the Razer Blade 17, despite being more expensive, typically provides superior performance suitable for more intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and demanding games, along with a more premium build quality. The Razer is also known for its portability with a slim design, which could be a significant advantage if you travel frequently. Bear in mind that higher performance often comes with shorter battery life, so the Razer might not last as long on a charge as the MSI if you're using it for high-end tasks. 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 17.
Advantages of the Razer Blade 17
- 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
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a solid general-use experience with its ample RAM, quality IPS screen, and sufficient storage, though its portability and battery life may limit its use on the go. In comparison, the Razer Blade 17 boasts a higher resolution IPS display and a more powerful CPU, which, alongside its superior battery life, make it an excellent choice for general use, albeit at the expense of being slightly heavier and generally at a higher price point.
Gaming and AI
7.9
8.6
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
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
9.1
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 is very good.
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.
Content Creation
7.8
8.5
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 17 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
8.5
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 17 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
8.6
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Razer Blade 17 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the MSI Katana fits the bill with its satisfactory display's brightness and resolution, making everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming pleasant, but its standard refresh rate and average color gamut might not impress designers or gamers. The Razer Blade excels in offering vibrant, sharp visuals for intricate design work thanks to its superior color accuracy and wider color gamuts, providing a more precise and appealing picture for engineering and professional design. However, despite its high resolution and quality panel, the Razer Blade falls short for gaming and 3D work due to its lower refresh rate, which can impact the fluidity and responsiveness required by fast-paced visuals and interactive applications.
Battery
3.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 17 has 5.5 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
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Razer Blade 17 and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability, though the Razer Blade 17 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Razer Blade 17 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
$4,300
$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 17 costs $4,300.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the Razer Blade 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 17 | Razer Blade 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,367 | $4,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | 15.6'' x 10.2'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 6.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.67" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.75" | 10.24" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 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 | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 256 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 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."
Razer Blade 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | July 2022
"Our test configuration of the Blade 17 targets gamers and creative professionals. A Core i9-12900H processor, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU (175 watts TGP after the BIOS update, 16 GB of VRAM), and 32 GB of working memory equip the laptop for video processing, rending, and 4k gaming at the highest level. In addition, a fast PCIe-4 SSD (1 TB) ensures short load and storage times. With the Blade 17 (Early 2022), Razer delivers a successful and powerful work device for creative professionals. But this also has its price."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the Razer Blade 17
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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