MSI Katana 15 HX (2025)  Laptop Review

The MSI Katana 15 HX is mediocre for school and work. Its processor doesn't break a sweat for browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and the sharp 1440p screen gives you plenty of room for multitasking. However, it's thick and heavy, its power adapter is bulky, and the battery lasts only about three hours of web browsing, so you'll need to stay near an outlet. The fans are audible even when the laptop is idle; the 720p webcam looks blurry on video calls, and the screen is only bright enough for indoor use.

The MSI Katana 15 HX is mediocre for media consumption. Its 1440p display covers a wide range of colors, so movies and shows look sharp and vibrant. However, its contrast is typical of IPS panels, so blacks look gray in dark rooms. The speakers don't get very loud and sound muddy, so you'll want headphones or external speakers. The battery lasts only a little over two hours of video playback, which is barely enough for one movie, and the laptop is heavy for carrying around the house comfortably.

The MSI Katana 15 HX is good for heavy workloads. Both processor options are high-performance Intel HX chips: the Core i9-14900HX in our unit has 24 cores for faster rendering and code compiling, while the Core i7-14650HX has 16 cores and is a step down in heavily multithreaded work. The RTX 5060 and RTX 5070 speed up GPU-accelerated tasks like 3D rendering, but their 8GB of video memory can limit large projects. The 1440p display is sharp, fully covers the DCI-P3 color space, and is accurate out of the box, which makes it a good fit for photo and video editing, but it would still benefit from calibration for color-critical work. The 1080p display has a much smaller color gamut and isn't suitable for anything beyond the sRGB color space. You can also upgrade the RAM and SSD later. That said, the processor slows down noticeably during long, sustained workloads, and the GPU's 8GB of video memory can limit large 3D projects.

The MSI Katana 15 HX has poor battery life. It only lasts about three hours of web browsing, a little over two hours of video playback, and about an hour of gaming, so it's best used plugged in. On the plus side, it charges fully in under two hours, the battery is replaceable, and you can top it up with a USB-C charger. You'll still need the large barrel-plug adapter for full performance.

The MSI Katana 15 HX has good build quality overall. It has an all-plastic build that feels generally well assembled. However, it's not premium-feeling by any means, and its display flexes if you apply diagonal pressure to it, as does the keyboard deck if you press hard. The hinge operates smoothly, and you can open it with one finger, but it's not very precise.

The MSI Katana 15 HX's graphics performance depends on which GPU you choose. The RTX 5070 in our unit handles GPU-accelerated creative apps well, runs most modern games smoothly, and keeps nearly all of its performance during long sessions, though demanding games with ray tracing still need lower settings. The RTX 5060 is a step down, and the RTX 5050 is best for lighter games at 1080p. All three have only 8GB of video memory, which limits newer games at high texture settings and large 3D scenes.

The MSI Katana 15 HX has very good processing performance. Both CPU options are high-performance Intel HX processors that handle everyday tasks without slowdown and have plenty of headroom for heavy multitasking. The 24-core Core i9-14900HX in our unit is faster in heavily multithreaded work like code compiling and video exports than the 16-core Core i7-14650HX, though the gap is smaller in games. The CPU loses some speed during long, sustained workloads.