Notebook Review

Review MSI Katana GF66 performance gaming laptop with a great price

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  • Specifications MSI Katana GF66
  • Configurations
  • Design and display
  • Keyboard and touchpad
  • Connectors and ports
  • Component performance
  • Autonomy MSI Katana GF66
  • Total
  • Should I buy
  • MSI Katana GF66 laptop review - video

    • MSI's Katana GF66 gaming laptop is named afterfamous samurai sword, and the name is suitable - the device is on the very "edge of progress". This is one of the best models among 15.6-inch budget gaming laptops.

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    In the most powerful assembly as a graphics cardthe Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 is used, although the RTX 3050 Ti is the most common in this segment. Although the processor is an octa-core Intel Core i7, the display lacks saturation and battery life could be longer. Overall, though, the Katana GF66 is a great budget option for gaming.

    Also Read: HP Victus 16 Review – Affordable Gaming Laptop with Efficient Performance

    Specifications MSI Katana GF66

    Type of

    Game

    CPU

    Intel Core i5 11400H/Intel Core i7-11800H

    Processor speed

    2.7/2.3 GHz

    RAM (as tested)

    8/16/32 GHz

    Storage type

    SSD

    Drive capacity

    512 GB/1 TB

    Screen size

    15.6 inch

    Native display resolution

    1920 × 1080

    Touch screen

    Not

    Panel technology

    IPS

    Screen refresh rate

    144 Hz

    Graphics processor

    Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050/RTX 3060

    Graphics memory

    4/6 GB

    Wireless network

    Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.2

    operating system

    Windows 10 Home

    Autonomy (hour:min.)

    4:15

    Dimensions

    359×259×24.9mm

    Weight

    2.25 kg

    Price

    From 90 thousand rubles

    Configurations

    The base model MSI Katana GF66 is suitable for most 1080p games and esports.

    Inside is a six-core Intel processorCore i5-11400H and GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card with 4 GB of memory, and the display has a refresh rate of 144 Hz. RAM 8/16 GB, and the capacity of the SSD is 512 GB.

    More expensive builds run on octa-coreIntel Core i7-11800H and GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card with 6 GB of video memory. The amount of RAM is 16/32 GB, the capacity of the solid state drive is 512 GB/1 TB.

    Design and display

    Externally, the MSI Katana GF66 differs little from other gaming laptops - many love the red and black colors.

    The design is pleasant - large fans at the back andThe pointed corners on the top side of the lid give the device an unusual look. The dimensions of the Katana GF66 are 359×259×24.9 mm, and the weight is an impressive 2.25 kg. Although the body is made of plastic, it doesn't feel cheap or flimsy.

    Katana GF66 screen with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels,and it could be better quality. The only benefit of this display is its 144Hz refresh rate, which means you can enjoy high frame rates in many games.

    However, the image quality is below average. The sRGB color space coverage is only 62%, and the maximum brightness is a modest 267 nits.

    Keyboard and touchpad

    The red backlit keyboard is the only feature of the MSI Katana GF66 that indicates that this is a gaming laptop.

    The buttons are illuminated from all sides, which givesdevice futuristic look in the evening. However, the keys lack feedback when pressed, and they don't have much travel. The numeric keypad on the right seems superfluous, because all the buttons seem to be squeezed into a small space, and their layout is unusual.

    The Katana GF66 touchpad is located slightly left of centercases - exactly under the space bar, and alas, far from ideal. The panel has large dimensions and a pleasant surface, but when pressed, you have to make some effort.

    Connectors and ports

    The MSI Katana GF66 has enough connectors: three USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (two Type-A and one Type-C), USB 2.0, headphone jack, Ethernet, and HDMI 2.0b video output.

    It lacks Thunderbolt 4 and biometric security, and the 720p webcam lacks a privacy shutter. Two speakers are located in the area under the palms - their sound is not of the highest quality, but loud.

    You can add RAM and an SSD to the laptop, although the back cover is difficult to remove. First you have to unscrew a few screws, but even after that it is not so easy to remove the cover.

    Inside there are two M.2 2280 PCI Express 3 slots.0 SSD and two DDR4-3200 sockets. The maximum amount of RAM is limited to 64 GB (if you put two 32 GB sticks). You can also replace the Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 wireless adapter and a 53 Wh battery.

    Component performance

    The MSI Katana GF66 build I tested has an Intel Core i7-11800H processor, a GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

    Iron Katana GF66 is enough for highperformance in most 1080p games. Under heavy loads, the noise of the fans is heard, but they are not distracting, and the case does not heat up much.

    In the GeekBench 5.4.1 Pro notebook from MSI scores 7038 points in multi-core mode. For example, Alienware x15 has 8262 points in the same test, but the model is much more expensive. Since the same Core i7-11800H is installed in the x15, the speed of the Katana GF66 could be higher.

    But with the graphics of the MSI laptop, things aremuch better: in the GFXBench 5.0 (Car Chase) test, it shows a result of 320 fps. The more expensive MSI Delta 15 has 273 fps here, while the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2021) has 323 fps.

    Not surprisingly, even in modern gamesMSI's Katana GF66 delivers high frame rates. In Assassin's Creed Valhalla at 1080p, the hardware produces 54 fps at maximum graphics settings and 81 fps at medium. In Rainbow Six Siege, I had 191 and 239 fps respectively, so a display refresh rate of 144 Hz will come in handy.

    Autonomy MSI Katana GF66

    Battery life is not the strong point of the MSI Katana GF66, as it is with most gaming laptops.

    From a 15" model, I expected at least 6 hoursautonomous use, but the energy reserve of the device was only enough for 4 hours. The same Alienware x15 can work for almost 6.5 hours on a single charge, and MSI Delta 15 - more than 10 hours.

    Total

    MSI Katana GF66 has disadvantages:the display is not too saturated, the battery is quickly discharged, and the potential of the processor is not realized to the maximum. But, even with this in mind, MSI has managed to create one of the best gaming laptops for a reasonable price.

    Should I buy

    The GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card allows you to play inthe most demanding new products in 1080p resolution, which cannot be said about most competitors in this price segment. And since the display refresh rate reaches 144 Hz, the laptop is suitable for eSports disciplines.

    The SSD capacity is 1 TB, which is enough for a huge number of games. In terms of price-quality ratio, the Katana GF66 has no equal in this category.

    Yandex Market MSI Katana GF66 laptop review - video ? MSI's Top Gaming Notebook - Handles Anything! | MSI Katana GF66 Alexander ShamanAlexander has been writing for a long timealmost two decades. Initially, he collected technology news for local media. His love of science fiction awakened a huge thirst for knowledge. Trying to understand how it works and whether it can work better, he becomes so carried away, as if he is immersed in a trance. For this, among colleagues in TehnObzor, he received the nickname - Shaman. Powerful and affordable MSI gaming laptop Design and ergonomics85/100 Display and multimedia90/100 Keyboard and touchpad90/100 Connectors and ports95/100 Performance95/100 Communications and connections95/100 Battery life85 /100 Total 90.7MSI Katana GF66 is a value-for-money gaming laptop that is nearly as good as more expensive competing models.Pros and consPrice and qualityPowerful components144Hz displayStrong performanceHigh capacity SSDDisplay not the brightestLow battery lifeUnexplored CPU potential

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