Over the past few years, gaming laptops have dramatically increased in both quality and price/performance, at least for the mid-range segment. Today, you can find plenty of machines that not only provide ample gaming performance but also offer good displays at competitive prices. The 2023 MSI Katana 15 is one such machine.

The MSI Katana 15 (B13VGK) is a 15-inch laptop that features a Core i7-13620H CPU, up to an RTX 4070, and a 165 Hz QHD display at a list price of $1,399.99. However, you now buy the MSI Katana 15 for only $1,156 on Amazon, a price that makes the laptop a serious mid-range contender.

So, how well does the MSI Katana 15 perform in real life?

According to Laptop Mag’s review of the device, the MSI Katana 15 with the trusty RTX 4070 laptop GPU crunches through AAA games with ease. For instance, the laptop reportedly ran Elden Ring at 50-55 FPS at QHD resolution which matches the results from our testing.

Laptop Mag also found the inputs to be reliable, especially the 4-zone RGB keyboard with 1.7 mm of travel.

However, since the MSI Katana 15 is meant to be a cost-effective machine, the notebook has some glaring compromises.

For starters, the machine has disappointing battery life as Laptop Mag measured a runtime of 2 hours and 48 minutes in their Wi-Fi websurfing test. This means you’ll need to be close to an outlet if you want to bring the Katana 15 to your office or school.

Additionally, there is no Thunderbolt 4 port on offer. So, if you want to output to a monitor, you’ll have to either use the USB 3.2 Gen 1 port with DP1.4 or the available HDMI 2.1 port.

In short, the MSI Katana 15 provides a lot of value for the price. While not perfect, the laptop should make mid-range shoppers quite happy.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.