Dell XPS 16 (2026) vs MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
58.1Performance45.1
38.4Display33.9
60Battery66.7
67.5Portability34
8 spec wins — Dell XPS 16 (2026)3 spec wins — MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
InnoReviews verdict
Dell XPS 16 (2026) wins this laptop face-off, 55.3 to 45.1, pulling ahead mainly in portability (+34) and performance (+13). MSI Katana 15 HX B14W still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Dell XPS 16 (2026)
- Stronger performance score: 58 vs 45
- Stronger display score: 38 vs 34
- Stronger portability score: 68 vs 34
- 100% higher RAM: 32 GB vs 16 GB
- 100% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 512 GB
Reasons to pick the MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
- Stronger battery score: 67 vs 60
- 140% higher charging: 240 W vs 100 W
- 20% higher Refresh rate: 144 Hz vs 120 Hz
- Lower launch price: $999 vs $2,200
Display
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16 ″+3% | 15.6 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS LCD (3.2K tandem OLED touchscreen optional) | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920x1200 | 1920x1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 144 Hz+20% |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits+95% | 257 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra X7 358H | Intel Core i7-14650HX |
| Graphics | Intel Arc B390 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop |
| RAM | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X-9600 (soldered) | DDR5-5600 (2x SO-DIMM) |
| Storage | 1,024 GB+100% | 512 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,903+4%Top 32% | 2,786Top 45% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,943+30%Top 28% | 13,048Bottom 47% |
Battery
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 70 Wh | 75 Wh+7% |
| Charging | 100 W | 240 W+140% |
Design
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.74 kg+27% | 2.4 kg |
| Thickness | 15.4 mm+40% | 25.5 mm |
| Material | CNC machined aluminum, Gorilla Glass 3 palm rest | Plastic |
Connectivity
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C, DisplayPort 2.1, Power Delivery), 3.5mm audio jack | 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort, PD 3.0), HDMI 2.1, RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm combo jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.3 |
| Webcam | 8MP (1440p video) + IR camera | 720p HD |
| Biometrics | IR face (Windows Hello) | None |
Software
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
Related comparisons
Dell XPS 16 (2026)vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)VSDell XPS 16 (2026)vs Dell XPS 16 (9640)VSDell XPS 16 (2026)vs Alienware x16 R2VSDell XPS 16 (2026)vs MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+VSMSI Katana 15 HX B14Wvs ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (2024)VSMSI Katana 15 HX B14Wvs Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (2024)VSMSI Katana 15 HX B14Wvs HP OmniBook 5 16 (2025)VSMSI Katana 15 HX B14Wvs ASUS Vivobook S16 (S5652MA)VS