When choosing between the MSI Katana 17 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, consider that the MSI Katana 17 is better for gaming or intensive tasks due to its larger screen and more powerful graphics capabilities, but this also makes it bulkier, which impacts portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is more compact and lightweight, making it ideal for travel and general business use, albeit with less power for demanding applications. Battery life will also differ, with the ThinkBook likely lasting longer on a charge due to less power consumption, but that means it’s less suited for heavy 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
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9/10
6.6/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a higher-end GPU and a screen with a faster refresh rate, both essential for smooth gameplay and rendering 3D graphics, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, with a less powerful GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, provides adequate but not optimal performance for gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, while both have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the superior gaming and 3D performance of the MSI Katana 17 are due to its stronger focus on the very important factors for these tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is good.
The MSI Katana 17, with a more powerful CPU, additional RAM, and a superior GPU, provides robust performance and high-quality visuals essential for demanding engineering tasks and complex designs. In contrast, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x offers decent capabilities for engineering software, its lighter and more compact build, along with a better keyboard, makes it a more portable albeit less powerful option.
Screen Quality
6.9/10
8.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13x's superior resolution and brightness make for a clearer and more vibrant display compared to the MSI Katana 17. With engineering and design, the ThinkBook's wider color coverage ensures accurate color representation which is crucial for detailed work, whereas the Katana's narrower range may not reproduce colors as precisely. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Katana's lower refresh rate results in less smooth motion than ideal, and while the ThinkBook also falls short in this aspect, both are not optimal for high refresh rate-dependent tasks.
Battery
3.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x has 8 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
13.5in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x has excellent portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x and MSI Katana 17 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 17 offers a powerful CPU and ample RAM, ensuring smooth performance for everyday tasks and more demanding applications, matched with a high-quality screen and favorable heat management; however, its larger size and average battery life challenge portability when compared to the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, which provides a balance of performance and portability with a compact design, solid battery life, and a sharp screen, though it may not match the MSI's raw power for heavy-duty tasks. The ThinkBook also boasts a pleasing keyboard and is generally quieter, making it suitable for work in quieter environments.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.0/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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
7.5/10
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,367
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Katana 17 has a price of $1,367 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x costs $1,399.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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