The MSI Katana 17 offers powerful performance suited for gaming and intensive engineering tasks thanks to its higher-end graphics card. It has a larger screen which is great for immersive experiences but makes it less portable. The Razer Book 13, in contrast, is more portable because of its smaller size and lighter weight, which makes it suitable for general use and on-the-go productivity. The Razer Book's screen is also sharper and boasts a higher resolution ratio. However, it may not handle demanding graphics tasks as well due to its integrated graphics. When it comes to battery life, both have similar capacities, but the actual usage time can differ depending on the tasks they are performing. Consider how you'll use the laptop: for heavy tasks or gaming, the Katana may be better; for portability and everyday tasks, the Razer Book might serve you well. 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
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Razer Book 13
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Excellent battery life
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9/10
6.2/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Razer Book 13 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is equipped with a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it ideal for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D experiences, while the Razer Book 13, with less emphasis on the GPU and refresh rate, offers adequate performance but is more suited to general use and less demanding visual tasks. Additionally, although the Razer Book 13 has a high-quality screen and capable CPU, these factors don't compensate for the GPU and refresh rate advantages that are crucial for the best gaming and 3D performance found in the MSI Katana 17.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Razer Book 13 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 is better suited for engineering and design due to its powerful combination of a high-end CPU, twice as much RAM, and a superior dedicated GPU compared to the Razer Book 13, which also has a competent CPU and integrated graphics but half the RAM and less storage. However, the Razer Book 13 offers significantly higher portability with its smaller size and longer battery life, alongside better screen quality and quieter operating noise.
Screen Quality
6.9/10
7.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the Razer Book 13 for content creation, while the Razer Book 13 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
If you're focused on everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, or office applications, the Razer Book 13's high-resolution, bright display offers crisp text and vibrant images. For engineers and designers requiring color accuracy for tasks like photo editing or CAD work, the Razer's wider color gamut ensures more precise color representation. However, for gamers and those interested in 3D work who prioritize smooth motion, neither laptop's display is optimal due to lower refresh rates, with performance-oriented users likely preferring laptops tailored to those demands.
Battery
3.0 Hours
14.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The Razer Book 13 has 14 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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.4in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Razer Book 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.5/10
The Razer Book 13 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.
The MSI Katana 17 and Razer Book 13 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 17 has a larger screen and a more powerful CPU and GPU, which makes it very good for general use that may include resource-intensive tasks, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the Razer Book 13. The Razer Book 13, on the other hand, offers excellent portability and a much longer battery life, making it good for general use especially for those who are on-the-go, though it has a smaller screen and less RAM which may limit performance in demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Razer Book 13 are both good for content creation.
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
7.5/10
7.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Razer Book 13 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.
Cost
$1,367
$1,389
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Katana 17 has a price of $1,367 and the Razer Book 13 costs $1,389.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the Razer Book 13 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Razer Book is like an XPS 13, but faster. The Book 13 combines the design philosophy and performance of a Blade Stealth with the 16:10 display of a Dell XPS 13 for an impressive piece of hardware. Office users who want something more stylish than the typical Dell, HP or Lenovo will certainly find themselves drawn to this Razer subnotebook. If your priorities are to have the best-looking and fastest 13-inch laptop in the office over auxiliary features, however, then the Book 13 proudly fulfills that niche."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the Razer Book 13
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.
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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