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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're looking for a balance of cost and performance, the MSI Katana 17 might suit you well; it's generally a lot more affordable than the Razer Blade 18 while offering specs that handle everyday tasks and moderate gaming. However, if you're a power user needing top performance for tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or high-end gaming and are willing to invest more, the Razer Blade 18, with its superior processor and graphics card, could be worth the extra money. It also has a larger, higher resolution display with a faster refresh rate which is beneficial for immersive gaming and detailed work. The Razer has a significantly larger battery, which should give better battery life. Remember though, the Razer Blade 18 is notably more expensive and also heavier, affecting its 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 Razer Blade 18.
Advantages of the Razer Blade 18
- 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
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17, with its ample RAM and capable CPU, offers good performance for general tasks, and its moderate weight and battery capacity make it sufficiently portable for everyday use, though it has a less advanced screen compared to some higher-end models. In contrast, the Razer Blade 18 boasts a powerful CPU, top-notch screen quality with higher resolution, and significantly better battery life, which enhances its versatility for various uses, albeit at the cost of higher weight, making it less portable.
Gaming and AI
7.9
8.9
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
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
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The MSI Katana 17, with a robust GPU and high screen refresh rate, ensures smooth gameplay and efficient 3D rendering, but the Razer Blade 18 takes it a step further with a top-tier GPU that provides even better gaming and 3D performance. While both have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the premium you pay for the Razer Blade reflects its superior ability to handle demanding graphics with more ease.
Engineering and Design
8.4
9.3
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 18 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 is very good.
The MSI Katana 17, with substantial RAM and an advanced GPU, suits engineering tasks well, but the Razer Blade 18 is superior due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, catering to more demanding design applications. While both have high-quality screens, the tradeoff with the Razer is less portability and higher weight, which might impact users frequently on the move.
Content Creation
7.8
8.6
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 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
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 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
8.9
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Razer Blade 18 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, with its fair resolution and brightness, offers a pleasant viewing experience for everyday tasks, while its limited color range may not suffice for detail-oriented work in engineering and design. The Razer Blade 18 stands out with superior resolution and color accuracy, making it ideal for professional creatives who demand true-to-life colors, but both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to their lower refresh rates which can lead to less fluid motion in fast-paced scenes.
Battery
3.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 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.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Razer Blade 18 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
$10
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Katana 17 has a price of $1,367 and the Razer Blade 18 costs $10.
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Key similarities
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Katana 17 and Razer Blade 18 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 Razer Blade 18 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 17 | Razer Blade 18 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,367 | $10 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 6.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.67" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.75" | 10.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel i9-13950HX | |
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 | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 91.7 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 18" | |
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 | 524 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 6.2/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
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 18
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | March 2023
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the Razer Blade 18
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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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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