MSI Katana 15 HX B14W ZDNET's key takeaways The MSI Katana 15 HX B14W is on sale for $999.
It's an impressive midrange laptop housing the latest GPU from Nvidia.
However, the gaming experience is hampered by the unimpressive display. View now at Walmart View now at Amazon more buying choices
15-inch laptops occupy an interesting spot in the world of PCs: they're not as compact as 14-inch laptops, but they're not as bulky as 16-inch machines, either. Still, consumers seem to prefer the other two sizes, which is a shame because computers of this size deliver a balanced experience: a good amount of immersion without being too cumbersome.
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This is where the MSI Katana 15 HX B14W comes in. At a glance, the Katana looks like a run-of-the-mill gaming laptop. But it's unique in a variety of ways, namely that it is a 15-inch midrange gaming laptop housing next-gen hardware.
Blocky design
The first thing you'll notice with MSI's Katana 15 HX is its heft. It measures 14.13 x 10.21 x 1 inches and weighs 5.3 pounds. Much of its thick frame is accentuated with geometric shapes that make the laptop appear bulky. I don't think the machine can handle a lot of roughhousing, but it is tough enough to withstand the bumps that come with traveling.
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On the bottom half of the laptop is a 4-Zone RGB full-size keyboard with translucent WASD keys. Each cap has a travel distance of 1.7mm, allowing for lighter key presses and nice analog feedback. Below is a touchpad that MSI says is 31% larger than the previous generation. Together, the Katana 15's keyboard and touchpad make for a decent pair. Nothing groundbreaking, but they manage to deliver an engaging experience.
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