MSI Katana 15 HX

MSI · Released April 1, 2026

Katana 15 HX

MSI's Katana 15 HX is an RTX 5050 budget gaming laptop that's easy to upgrade.

Laptops

7.8/10What the pros sayVery goodExpert consensus · Verified Oct 8, 2026See score breakdown ↓

Buying call

Buy the Katana 15 HX if you want 1080p gaming on a budget: reviewers praised its solid gaming performance with DLSS, comfortable RGB keyboard, varied ports and easy upgrades. Skip it if you want a good screen, because reviewers found it dim and washed out. The 512GB SSD fills quickly, the keyboard gets hot, and the webcam is 720p.

Full verdict ↓

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Price & availability

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Buying decision

Should you buy it?

Buy the Katana 15 HX if you want 1080p gaming on a budget: reviewers praised its solid gaming performance with DLSS, comfortable RGB keyboard, varied ports and easy upgrades. Skip it if you want a good screen, because reviewers found it dim and washed out. The 512GB SSD fills quickly, the keyboard gets hot, and the webcam is 720p.

Best for

Budget gamers who play at 1080p.

Not for

Anyone who wants a bright screen or plenty of storage.

Main strengthSolid 1080p gaming

Main weaknessDim, washed-out display

Reasons to buy

Solid 1080p gaming

Easy upgrades and repairs

Comfortable RGB keyboard

Good port selection

Reasons to avoid

Dim, washed-out display

512GB storage fills fast

Keyboard gets hot

Measured view7.8/10What the pros say · verified oct 8, 2026.

ScoreVerified Oct 8, 2026

Independent coverage

What other reviewers say

Reviews from other sites and creators. They don't change the Gadget Clash score.

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PCMag4/5

Article · Full reviewMSI Katana 15 HX Review: A Surprisingly Effective Budget GamerMatthew Buzzi · Sep 2025Read on PCMag ↗

CNET7.2/10

Article · Full reviewI Tested MSI’s $999 Gaming Laptop and Liked Its 1080p Performance but Little ElseMatt Elliott · Aug 2025Read on CNET ↗

Tom's Hardware4/5

Article · Full reviewMSI Katana 15 HX review: RTX 5050 gaming for under $1,000Andrew E. Freedman · Jul 2025Read on Tom's Hardware ↗

Crimson Tech · Sep 2026MSI Katana 15 HX (2026) REVIEW - Intel i9 in a Budget Gaming Laptop?Watch on YouTube ↗

Head to head

How it stacks up

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MSI Katana 15 HX

This deviceKatana 15 HX

VS

MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWGKG-028PH

AlternativeMSI Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWGKG-028PH

Score

7.8—

Full comparison

MSI Katana 15 HX

This deviceKatana 15 HX

VS

MSI Crosshair A16 HX D8WFKG-087PH

AlternativeMSI Crosshair A16 HX D8WFKG-087PH

Score

7.8—

Full comparison

MSI Katana 15 HX

This deviceKatana 15 HX

VS

MSI Crosshair A16 HX D8WGKG-086PH

AlternativeMSI Crosshair A16 HX D8WGKG-086PH

Score

7.8—

Full comparison

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Product data

Full specifications

2 attributes, grouped for quick scanning. Verified Oct 8, 2026. Spot a wrong value? Hit the next to it.

Software & Launch

Released: 2026-04-01

Vote & discuss

Community says

No reader votes on the Katana 15 HX yet. Votes happen on head-to-heads: pick a matchup and say which one you would buy.

Vote: Katana 15 HX vs MSI Crosshair 16 HX AI D2XWGKG-028PH →Vote: Katana 15 HX vs MSI Crosshair A16 HX D8WFKG-087PH →Vote: Katana 15 HX vs MSI Crosshair A16 HX D8WGKG-086PH →

Katana 15 HXNo store price yetSpecs

MSI Katana 15 HX Specs, Price & Features | Gadget Clash