With graphics card manufacturers producing beefy GPUs capable of crushing games at 4K, it’s impressive how they can fit such powerhouses inside a tiny laptop chamber. The kicker is these gaming laptops are usually pretty expensive.
This laptop from MSI houses anNvidiaGeForce RTX 4070 which might not be a GPU for4K gamingbut can effortlessly shine at 1440p. Currently, B&H has the MSI Katana 15 on sale for $1200 instead of its retail price of $1400, saving you a handsome $200.
MSI Katana 15 Specs
The MSI KATANA 15 B13VGK-2227US packs anIntel Core i7-13620H10-Core processor clocked at 2.4 GHz. The CPU can handle productivity-related tasks likemedia editing and codingwithout breaking a sweat while being equally competent at intensive gaming sessions. For memory, it gets 32GB of DDR5 RAM running at 5200 MT/s, which is user-replaceable and can beupgraded to 64 GB. The laptop gets a 1TB m.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD, which unfortunately cannot be upgraded down the line.
The laptop’s main selling point is its graphics card, which is anNvidia GeForce RTX 4070 8GB GDDR6version. Although 8GB might sound underwhelming by 2025’s standards, the GPU is abundantly capable of crushing games at 1440p. With Nvidia’s advancedDLSS Frame Generation technology, you will achieve a massive boost in framerates without sacrificing much picture quality.
On some heavier titles, you might need to dial down the quality setting a bit, but overall you won’t complain about the framerates this GPU can push. Games will look even smoother thanks to the 15.6"2560 x 1440 165HzIPS panel which produces accurate colors with 100% DCI-P3 color gamut.
For I/O, the laptop gets 1x USB-C 3.2 which can also be used in DP Alt Mode, 2x USB-A 3.2, 1x USB-A 2.0, and 1x HDMI 2.1 (supports 8K @60Hz/4K @120Hz). The laptop’s bottom-firing speakers are punchy and bass-heavy. The laptop also features gigabit ethernet, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), and Bluetooth 5.3, which are standard in 2025.
A Few Downsides
All the beastly hardware crammed into the laptop reflects a whopping 8.8 pounds in weight, so it might not be ideal for commuting to work or school. It can also be a bit toasty under heavy load, so having a cooling pad will be necessary. The 53.5 Wh battery isn’t the laptop’s strongest attribute as it drains prematurely at about 2–3 hours of usage, so carrying the power adapter will be necessary should you choose this.
