MSI Katana GF66 evaluate: Cutting label without slashing efficiency

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$1,049.ninety nine

Most efficient Prices This day: MSI Katana GF66

Funds gaming laptops customarily fight to stand out. Packing a legit CPU and GPU into a machine priced around $1,000 or much less is titillating and most laptops on this category create identical compromises. The MSI Katana GF66 12UD doesn’t buck this pattern, but solid efficiency can create it a vivid replacement when the value is gorgeous. This explicit rig presents precise efficiency, exceptional connectivity alternate ideas, an moderately priced label level, and more. Let’s glean beautiful into it.

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Specs and parts

The MSI Katana GF66’s specifications are conventional for a high-efficiency but finances gaming pc pc. It cuts charges with the Intel Core i7-12650H CPU, which has six efficiency cores and four effectivity cores, and an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU. 

• CPU: Intel Core i7-12650H
• Memory: 16GB DDR5
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti
• Whisper: 1,920 x 1,080 144Hz
• Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen4 M.2 solid tell drive
• Webcam: 720p
• Connectivity: 1x USB-C, 3x USB-A, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x AC barrel slither
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: None
• Battery capability: Fifty three watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.13 x 10.20 x 0.98 inches
• Weight: 4.96 kilos
• MSRP: $1,049.ninety nine

MSI restful has the finances to ship 16GB of RAM, a 512GB solid tell drive, and a 1080p 144Hz IPS conceal. These specifications are what I’d in my conception glean in mind the bare minimal for any original gaming pc pc, and so they relief the Katana present acceptable (though not outstanding) efficiency.

While this pc pc is listed at $1,049.ninety nine on Amazon, pricing can fluctuate vastly between retail outlets, with some providing identical models as low as $799.ninety nine. Prospects needs to study out to follow the latest configurations: variants with outdated Intel Core tenth-gen and Core 11th-gen processors are restful sold by third-occasion sellers on Amazon and other retail outlets.

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Notice and kind quality

MSI’s Katana GF66 12UD’s is unassuming and understated. The MSI logo is sufficiently miniature to be without problems lost sight of, which can presumably perchance be a plus for folk that purchase a pc pc that appears to be unbranded. The black-and-red colour scheme cuts by disagreement, nonetheless, increasing the pc pc’s aggression. MSI’s fabricate is positively a step in the relief of Lenovo and Dell, which provide more account for and detailed aesthetics. 

The pc pc’s size is conventional for a 15.6-roam pc pc, at 14 inches vast and 10 inches deep. The Lenovo Legion 5i, Dell G7 15 and HP Victus 15 are identical in size. MSI undercuts the opponents a cramped on weight, nonetheless, dipping unbiased accurate below 5 kilos. Many alternate alternate ideas on this label bracket weigh a half of-pound to a pound more.

Fabricate quality is finest described as functional. The plastics passe gape and feel general, but the chassis and conceal lid allow minimal flex. I’d all over again procedure finances laptops from Lenovo and Dell above the MSI, as they devise better exercise of blended topic material textures. Quiet, the Katana’s quality is unbiased accurate for the value, and on par with Acer Nitro and Asus TUF laptops. 

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Keyboard and trackpad

The MSI Katana’s keyboard is immense and easy to exercise, with a numpad included for consolation. The numpad has half of-sized keys, nonetheless, which can create it titillating to exercise for more than an occasional entry into an Excel spreadsheet. The final size of the keyboard may presumably perchance be elevated, as there’s about a half of-roam of station on both size, nonetheless it’s equal to other finances laptops.

Key lag is prolonged, but the feel is imprecise and springy. Players who admire a more tactile journey would perchance be disappointed. There’s noticeable flex in the keyboard, which contributes to the springy key feel. The typing journey isn’t as unbiased accurate as Lenovo’s Legion laptops but resembling other finances gaming laptops including Dell’s G7, Acer’s Nitro, and Asus’ TUF collection.

Keyboard backlighting is customary, though finest available in red. The backlight presents three brightness phases. The splendid is unassuming to locate in a lit room, while the dimmest is finest viewed in a room with the lights off. 

The touchpad is exiguous, measuring finest 4 inches vast and a pair of.5 inches across. It feels miniature, and multitouch gestures may presumably perchance even be titillating to take out attributable to the small station available. There’s quite a lot of wasted station on the pc pc’s palmrest that may presumably perchance be passe for a elevated touchpad. Imperfect touchpads are general on finances gaming laptops, and the Katana isn’t an exception.

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Whisper, audio

Every MSI Katana GF66 12UD has a 15.6-roam 1080p IPS conceal with a 144Hz refresh rate. Here’s conventional for a finances pc pc, but not all 1080p displays impact the identical—and, unfortunately, the Katana’s conceal finally ends up shut to the backside of the pile.

Brightness is a matter. The conceal reaches finest 254 nits, which isn’t high ample to permit contented exercise in a brightly lit room. Players have a tendency to play in a station with murky lights, after all, but the murky conceal conceal may presumably perchance even be traumatic in day-to-day exercise. 

The disagreement ratio is more healthy, reaching a most ratio of 1240:1. That’s equal to many laptops sold at a diversity of label parts and better than some dearer laptops I’ve tested, such because the Acer Predator Helios 300. The disagreement ratio is high ample to produce an acceptable sense of depth and realism, nonetheless it’s not exquisite.

Color efficiency is disappointing. The conceal can address unbiased accurate 65 percent of the sRGB colour gamut and 48 percent of DCI-P3. That’s an extremely restrained colour gamut, and it ends in a dreary, muted journey that lacks the vibrance and punch avid gamers build a query to.

Scoot efficiency is decent. Rapidly camera pans in 3D games outcome in noticeable blur, but the image is grand more legible than on a pc pc with a 60Hz IPS conceal. Rapidly-exciting objects glean finest miniature motion blur in the relief of them. G-Sync make stronger isn’t listed in the pc pc’s specifications and wasn’t available in Nvidia’s settings, so avid gamers must play with an uncapped framerate or exercise V-Sync. 

While the MSI Katana’s conceal isn’t exceptional, it’s (again) conventional of a finances gaming pc pc. Many opponents, such because the HP Victus 15 and Acer Nitro, glean the same conceal in their entry-stage configuration. Lenovo’s Legion 5i has an edge, nonetheless, providing a somewhat better 165Hz conceal with 300 nits of brightness in its latest entry-stage configuration.

The constructed-in audio system are mediocre, with a modest most quantity and lack of bass to hold out the sound stage in tune and games. To their credit, nonetheless, they mostly steer away from serious distortion when playing tune at high quantity, providing a crisp and clear journey. 

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

MSI bundles a general 720p webcam into the Katana. It’s not exceptional. The image appears to be gentle and serves up muted, passe colours. Any critical swing in lights can confuse the webcam, inflicting huge swings in exposure. It’s comely for a Zoom name, but that’s about it. 

Microphone quality holds up better, picking up my voice properly without allowing background noise from a station heater to trudge into the audio. Recorded audio sounds moderately tinny, but that’s beautiful of simply about all pc pc microphones. 

The MSI Katana doesn’t provide biometric login or other biometric parts.

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Connectivity

A wholesome mix of ports line the MSI Katana’s flanks. This entails one USB-C port, three USB-A ports (two of that are USB 3.2), HDMI, Ethernet, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. 

The USB-C port is records finest, nonetheless, which approach it must’t address DisplayPort video or label the pc pc. I confirmed this by attempting out the pc pc with a USB-C show screen that presents Vitality Supply, in addition to a USB-C energy brick. Here’s disappointing. The Dell G7 15 presents DisplayPort Alternate Mode and the latest Lenovo Legion 5 adds make stronger for as much as 135 watts of USB Vitality Supply. 

Wireless connectivity entails Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, which is conventional for a finances gaming pc pc. I would purchase to locate Wi-Fi 6E, the latest available Wi-Fi customary, which will most likely be demonstrate in some competing finances laptops. Most contributors don’t have a Wi-Fi 6E router, nonetheless, so its absence isn’t a predominant advise.

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Efficiency

The MSI Katana GF66 12UD I tested had an Intel Core i7-12650H processor, Nvidia’s RTX 3050 Ti, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid tell drive. A diversity of Katana models are available in at on-line retail outlets, but here’s the most general variant of the 15-roam Katana. A much less expensive configuration with Intel Arc A370M graphics exists but comes equipped with a much less highly effective processor and much less RAM, and stock appears to be small. 

I tested the pc pc on the Balanced energy environment. MSI asked that I check the pc pc on the Inaccurate Efficiency environment, but I came across this simply turns the followers as much as their most environment and leaves them there. It’s as traumatic because it sounds and never how I build a query to most householders would exercise the pc pc. I also came across the Inaccurate Efficiency mode had a negligible impact on efficiency customarily.

The assessments birth with PCMark 10, a benchmark that attempts to ascertain a system’s total efficiency by a diversity of cases that mimic-exact world exercise, but which tends to lean in direction of relying on CPU efficiency. The MSI Katana ratings a legit 6,941. This genuinely ties the Ryzen 7 6800H and Ryzen 9 6900HS in the Acer Nitro 5 and Corsair Voyager, and is unbiased accurate a hair in the relief of the Lenovo Legion 5i with Intel Core i7-12700H. Here’s a solid birth. 

It’s a identical chronicle in Cinebench R15, the put the Katana maintains its third-procedure carry out. Here’s a great outcome for a pc pc that’s sold for unbiased accurate $1,050, and reveals that sticking with the Intel Core i7-12650H, somewhat than the more expensive Core i7-12700H, doesn’t tank efficiency.

There’s no huge shock in Handbrake, but any other CPU-heavy workload, because the Katana all over again slices its procedure to a Third-procedure carry out. The fastest processors (Intel’s Core i7-12700H and AMD’s Ryzen 9 6900HS) situation as much as enhance their lead on this benchmark, but the Katana’s efficiency stays admirable for a finances machine.

The principle focal level now moves on to GPU benchmarks. The Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti in the Katana I tested has a most graphics energy of unbiased accurate 60 watts, which is a ways decrease than most gaming laptops with RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6800M hardware. Unsurprisingly, this proves a mosey on efficiency.

The MSI Katana’s 3DMark Time Peep rating of 5,862 earns it a fourth-procedure carry out, and the gap between opponents has widened. Picking the MSI Katana with RTX 3050 Ti ends in efficiency about 30 percent decrease than an RTX 3060 replacement. Nonetheless, the RTX 3050 Ti opens up a huge lead over the older Nvidia GTX 1650 in the HP Victus 15. 

Trends continue in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, with the Katana again taking a fourth-procedure carry out. It does situation as much as take out 70 frames-per-2nd, nonetheless, which providing a tender journey in exact-world gameplay. The identical can’t be talked about of the much less expensive HP Victus 15, which dips properly below 60 FPS.

Metro Exodus is a rough check for the Katana, because it averaged unbiased accurate 23 frames-per-2nd at Inaccurate detail and with ray tracing grew to change into off. That’s better than the GTX 1650 in the HP Victus 15, but also not playable. A 30 FPS journey is probably going by turning down detail to Extremely (this boosts the frequent to 42 FPS), and the sport restful appears to be exceptional at this preset. 

I also gave the MSI Katana a jog in Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing grew to change into on and DLSS grew to change into off. It averaged unbiased accurate 14 frames-per-2nd, which isn’t playable. Playable efficiency was once finest likely with DLSS situation to its Efficiency mode and ray tracing quality grew to change into to Medium, and even these compromises netted an lifelike of 36 FPS with about a transient detours into the children.

Clearly, the Katana isn’t a powerhouse, nonetheless it lands in a contented station for its label. And value, genuinely, is the chronicle here. The efficiency gaps between GTX 1650, RTX 3050/RTX 3050 Ti, and RTX 3060 laptops are mammoth, but the distinction in label is on the complete unbiased accurate a pair hundred greenbacks. Even a miniature low cost in label will vastly beef up the Katana’s label—so withhold an gape out for gross sales. 

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Battery life

The MSI Katana GF66 12UD has a Fifty three watt-hour battery. That’s not mammoth for any pc pc, by no approach mind a 15-roam gaming pc pc with discrete graphics, and it ends in lackluster battery life.

I measured 4 hours and 14 minutes of patience while playing a 4K file of Tears of Steel on repeat, which isn’t an especially traumatic workload. Taking half in game will drain the battery grand more immediate. 

There could be a silver lining: this outcome, though unimpressive, is ready lifelike for a gaming pc pc. Most gamer laptops fight to rupture five hours of patience. The Acer Nitro 5 is an exception on this case, because the mannequin we tested was once a 17-roam pc pc with room for a grand elevated 96 watt-hour battery.

MSI Katana GF66 12UD: Conclusion

MSI’s Katana GF66 12UD is a completely lifelike finances to mid-range gaming pc pc. It’s hasty ample to address latest titles at 30 to 60 frames-per-2nd, in particular whilst you occur to’re animated to compromise on detail settings. It also packs precise processor efficiency. 

The pc pc’s most serious flaws are demonstrate in miniature print such because the conceal, keyboard, and touchpad. These shortcomings are shared with many much less expensive gaming laptops. Nonetheless, the Katana’s label of $1,050 places it up in opposition to some alternate alternate ideas that may presumably kind better. The Lenovo Legion 5 and Dell G17 15 are two examples.

So, whilst you uncover it? My advice is unassuming: question a sale. The Katana would create loads of sense below $1,000, and it’s a purchase below $800. Microcenter, for instance, on the 2nd presents a mannequin with a shimmering better Core i7-12700H processor for $799.ninety nine. 

Most efficient Prices This day: MSI Katana GF66

Writer: Matthew S. Smith