The MSI Katana A15 AI (2024) is a 15.6-inch budget gaming laptop. It replaces the MSI Katana 15 from 2023 (Intel 13th Gen). This 2024 model is available with AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS or Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 4060, or 4070 discrete GPU. RAM and storage max out at 32GB and 1TB, respectively. There are two display options: a 144Hz FHD IPS and a 165Hz QHD IPS panel. Both displays support FreeSync variable refresh rate. Ports include three USB-A, one USB-C, an HDMI 2.1, a Gigabit Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
See our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section.
Our Verdict
The MSI Katana 15 is disappointing for general productivity. While it has a comfortable full-size keyboard with a numpad and a wide selection of ports for multiple peripherals and external displays, the touchpad is rather small. Its bulky and heavy design makes it hard to carry around, and its battery life is terrible, at around four hours of light use. Also, it has a low-quality 720p webcam, which isn't ideal if you're on video calls often. Performance is excellent, though; it can handle all general productivity tasks like text processing, web browsing, and even photos and video editing.
Comfortable keyboard, responsive touchpad.
CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
- Bulky and heavy.
Terrible battery life.
FHD display looks dim and washed out.
Bad webcam.
The MSI Katana 15 is sub-par for media consumption. Its bulky, heavy design makes it hard to carry, and its battery lasts less than 4 hours of video playback. Also, you can't charge the laptop via USB-C, meaning you'll have to carry around its large charger. It has two display options: an FHD and a QHD panel. The latter is a better choice, as it looks sharper and more colorful, though neither is well-suited for dark room viewing due to their low contrast. Unfortunately, the speakers are quiet, and they sound hollow and unnatural, with almost no bass.
Sharper QHD display option.
Display's matte coating handles reflections well.
- Bulky and heavy.
Terrible battery life.
FHD display looks dim and washed out.
Quiet speakers with hollow, unnatural sound.
The MSI Katana 15 is a good gaming laptop. It's available with high-performance AMD CPUs and GPUs that deliver smooth gameplay in most AAA games, though GPU-intensive titles may struggle a bit more. You can choose between a 144Hz FHD and a 165Hz QHD display; both support VRR to minimize screen tearing. If you want the best visual experience, go with the QHD panel, as the FHD display has a slower response time, resulting in visible ghosting. The memory and storage are user-replaceable, so you can upgrade or add more later. There's no thermal throttling on the CPU or GPU, but unfortunately, the laptop gets hot and loud.
CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
Wide port selection.
144Hz and 165Hz display options with VRR support.
No thermal throttling.
User-replaceable RAM and storage.
FHD display has slow response time.
Gets hot and loud under load.
The MSI Katana 15 isn't specifically designed for use as a workstation. It can be a good option for content creators, as it has more than enough processing power to handle tasks like photo and video editing, and it's available with a 100% DCI-P3 QHD display. However, there are no professional GPU options that are better optimized for tasks like 3D modeling, and the system can only support up to 64GB of memory. Also, its USB-C doesn't support USB4 for fast file transfer. There's no thermal throttling on the CPU or GPU under load, but the laptop gets hot and loud.
CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
Wide port selection.
No thermal throttling.
User-replaceable RAM and storage.
Gets hot and loud under load.
No professional GPU option.
Can only support up to 64GB of RAM.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 09, 2026: We've updated this review to Test Bench 0.9.1! This update changes the way we score the 'Out-Of-The-Box Color Accuracy' box. Read the changelog for more info.
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Updated Jan 23, 2026:
We've updated text throughout the review after converting to Test Bench 0.9.
- Updated Jan 23, 2026: We've updated the review to Test Bench 0.9, which adds several test boxes in the performance section, including CPU/RAM Performance, Low Tier Graphics, High Tier Graphics, Professional 3D (GPU accelerated), CPU-Intensive Game Performance, GPU-Intensive Game Performance, and Ray Tracing Performance. See the 0.9 changelog here.
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Updated Aug 12, 2025:
Added mention of the Gigabyte AORUS MASTER 16 (2025) as an alternative with NVIDIA 50-series GPUs in the GPU section.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the MSI Katana A15 AI (model B8VF-406CA) with a 144Hz FHD+ IPS display, an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. See below for all the configuration options.
SCREEN
- 15.6" IPS 1920 x 1080 144Hz (matte, 45% NTSC)
- 15.6" IPS 2560 x 1440 165Hz (matte, 100% DCI P3)
CPU
- AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (8 cores/16 threads, up to 5.1GHz, 16MB L3 cache)
- AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS (8 cores/16 threads, up to 5.2GHz, 16MB L3 cache)
GPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU 6GB GDDR6 (105W TGP /w Dynamic Boost)
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6 (105W TGP /w Dynamic Boost)
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6 (105W TGP /w Dynamic Boost)
MEMORY
- 16GB DDR5 5600MHz
- 32GB DDR5 5600MHz
STORAGE
- 512GB M.2 PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD
- 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD
COLOR
- Black
See our unit's label.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The MSI Katana A15 is an excellent budget gaming laptop that delivers smooth gameplay in highly demanding AAA titles. However, you'll want to get a model with a QHD display to get the best experience, as the FHD panel has a slow response time. While it can serve as a content creation laptop for some, the lack of USB4 support is disappointing. Unfortunately, its bulky design and short battery life make it a poor choice for on-the-go use.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming laptops, the best budget and cheap gaming laptops, and the best laptops for video editing.
The MSI Katana A15 AI (2024) and the Lenovo LOQ 15 (2023) are both budget gaming laptops that provide a similar user experience overall. The main difference is that the MSI has a more powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU option, whereas the Lenovo tops out at an RTX 4060. On the other hand, the Lenovo has a much longer battery life for light use, making it a better option for school or work.
The MSI Katana A15 AI (2024) and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) are both excellent budget gaming laptops. The MSI is a better option if you're only looking for the best performance, as its Zen 4 AMD CPUs and NVIDIA 40-series GPUs are faster; however, the ASUS has a faster 240Hz display option, which will give you better responsiveness and smoother motion than the displays available on the MSI. In terms of the overall user experience, the ASUS is much better; it has a sturdier build, a larger touchpad, a wider port selection, and significantly longer battery life in light uses.
The Acer Nitro V 16 (2024) and the MSI Katana A15 AI (2024) are both excellent budget gaming laptops. If you only care about performance, the MSI is the clear pick. It offers higher-end hardware options than the Acer, topping out at an RTX 4070 GPU and AMD Ryzen 9 CPUs. However, the Acer's user experience is better overall. It offers brighter displays, stays much cooler under load, resulting in a more comfortable gaming experience, and has better build quality.
The MSI Katana A15 AI (2024) is better than the Dell G15 (2022) overall. The MSI is a newer device; it doesn't necessarily have more processing power, as it depends on the configuration, but its newer NVIDIA 40-series GPUs support Frame Generation, which can dramatically improve performance in games that support it. That said, the Dell has a faster 240Hz display option, which will provide better input responsiveness and smoother motion than the displays available on the MSI. As for the overall user experience, the MSI is better; it has a sturdier build, a more comfortable keyboard, and a more responsive touchpad.
Test Results
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