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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
The MSI Katana 17 delivers better performance with a newer processor and a dedicated RTX graphics card, making it suitable for intensive tasks such as 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming. However, it's larger, heavier, and less portable than the XPG Xenia 14, which might suit those who prioritize mobility and have less demanding usage like general browsing or office work. The Xenia 14 comes with integrated graphics, making it less ideal for graphic-intensive tasks but offers a higher-resolution screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, potentially providing a better visual experience for productivity tasks. If you often travel or commute, the lighter and more compact XPG Xenia 14 could be the better choice, while if you need top-tier performance for specialized tasks and don't mind the additional weight and cost, the MSI Katana 17 is the way to go. 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 XPG Xenia 14
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
256.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and XPG Xenia 14 are both good for general use, though the MSI Katana 17 is somewhat better.
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for general use due to its higher RAM and powerful CPU, which allow for smooth multitasking and fast processing, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the XPG Xenia 14, which is also good for general use with its adequate RAM and competent CPU, in addition to its better portability and longer battery life. The screen quality of both laptops is suitable for the category, with MSI having a larger display for comfortable viewing, while the XPG offers a higher screen resolution and aspect ratio for sharper images and more screen real estate.
Gaming and AI
7.9
6.1
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the XPG Xenia 14 is only fair.
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
6.8
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the XPG Xenia 14 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is favored for engineering and design tasks primarily because it has a more powerful CPU and GPU, as well as more RAM, which are crucial for demanding software applications; however, it is larger and heavier which affects portability. On the other hand, the XPG Xenia 14, while being lighter and highly portable with a very good portability score, has less RAM and a less powerful integrated GPU and CPU, making it suitable but less optimal for the same intensive tasks.
Screen Quality
6.9
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
256.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the XPG Xenia 14 for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation, while the XPG Xenia 14 has a better screen for engineering and design.
For general use, both the MSI Katana 17 and XPG Xenia 14 offer pleasing visual experiences due to their ample resolution and brightness, providing clear and vibrant visuals for everyday tasks. In the realm of engineering and design, the XPG Xenia 14 stands out with its superior color accuracy and range, which are crucial for professionals needing precise color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lack of high refresh rates on both laptops means they fall short in providing the ultra-smooth visuals that these tasks commonly require, potentially making them less ideal for serious gamers or professionals in animation and visual effects.
Battery
3.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life. The XPG Xenia 14 has 10 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
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The XPG Xenia 14 has excellent portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,367
$800
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Katana 17 has a price of $1,367 and the XPG Xenia 14 costs $800.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and XPG Xenia 14 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
7.2
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 XPG Xenia 14 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
7.2
The MSI Katana 17 and XPG Xenia 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the MSI Katana 17 and the XPG Xenia 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Katana 17 | XPG Xenia 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,367 | $800 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | 12.2'' x 8.5'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 2.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.67" | 12.2" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.75" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 256 nits | 321 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 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."
XPG Xenia 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | July 2021
"The Xenia 14 is a top 14-inch laptop under 1 kg. ADATA isn't exactly known for its laptops and so we weren't expecting much from its first 14-inch Ultrabook. With that said, we're pleasantly surprised by how well the Xenia 14 looks and performs. Not only is it incredibly light, but it has a color accurate 16:10 display, high CPU and GPU performance, easy RAM and SSD serviceability, plenty of port options including Thunderbolt 4, and long battery life. It packs a lot of punch and features considering the size and weight to be better than even the LG Gram series."
Get a great deal on the MSI Katana 17 or the XPG Xenia 14
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.
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