Review of MSI Katana 17 HX gaming laptop: Smooth 1080p gaming experience with Nvidia's RTX 5070 graphics card
The MSI Katana 17 HX is a gaming laptop that stands out with its honeycomb-style ventilation slits on the bottom of the chassis, a dot matrix motif wrapping around the lid and body, and faux flat-head screws on the keyboard deck. This laptop comes equipped with Windows 11 Home and a range of ports, including Gigabit LAN, HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Under the hood, the Katana 17 HX features a 1080p display, Intel Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, a 720p camera, a 75 Whr battery, and a 240 W power adapter. Inside, you'll find a large 75 Whr battery at the bottom center of the chassis, a pair of 2-watt speakers, and a single M.2 storage slot populated with a 1TB Micron 2500 PCIe 4.0 SSD. The laptop also houses two SO-DIMM slots, both of which were filled with 8GB DDR5-5600 modules.
The Katana 17 HX is available in three configurations: B14WGK, B14WFK, and B14WEK. The B14WGK, which was tested, is available with up to a Core i9 HX processor, up to 96GB DDR5 memory, up to a 17.3-inch QHD display, and an RTX 5070 GPU. The B14WFK and B14WEK differ by offering the RTX 5060 and RTX 5050, respectively.
During gaming sessions, the internal fans noticeably increased in speed, and the sound was grating enough that headphones were recommended for the best gaming experience. The touchpad, initially having trouble registering taps and clicks, improved significantly after adjusting the touchpad sensitivity to High sensitivity, although multiple clicks were sometimes needed to register a button press.
The MSI Katana 17 HX has a price tag of $1,300, making it a relatively affordable option for those seeking a laptop with an RTX 5070 GPU. Its battery life lasted 6 hours and 21 minutes during testing, besting all competitors. However, the speakers had a somewhat hollow and echo-infused quality, and a hint more of bass would have improved the audio system.
In terms of affordability, budget RTX 5060-equipped machines like the Acer Nitro, discounted Alienware Aurora 16, and HP Omen Transcend 14 are the top picks right now, typically ranging from $820 to about $1,100 depending on deals and configurations. These options provide solid budget gaming performance, making them a more cost-effective choice for many gamers.
[1] Source for Acer Nitro series price and performance information. [2] Source for pricing information on more powerful RTX 50 series laptops. [3] Source for HP Omen Transcend 14 price and performance information. [5] Source for Alienware Aurora 16 price and discount information.
- The MSI Katana 17 HX, with its advanced technology like a 1080p display and Intel Wi-Fi 6E, showcases its prowess as a high-end gaming laptop, making it a suitable companion for tech enthusiasts and gadget lovers.
- While the MSI Katana 17 HX offers promising gaming performance, there are other budget-friendly options available in the market, such as the Acer Nitro, Alienware Aurora 16, and HP Omen Transcend 14, which are powered by technology like RTX 5060 and RTX 5050, and are more cost-effective for many gamers.
