How do the scores compare?

Dell XPS 16 (9640) scores 55.5/100 overall; MSI Katana 15 scores 36.1/100. Dell XPS 16 (9640) wins 6 individual spec rows, MSI Katana 15 wins 4.

What are the main differences between the Dell XPS 16 (9640) and the MSI Katana 15?

Dell XPS 16 (9640) advantages: Stronger display score: 38 vs 34; Stronger battery score: 99 vs 29; Stronger portability score: 51 vs 39; 100% higher Peak brightness: 500 nits vs 250 nits; 86% higher capacity: 100 Wh vs 54 Wh. MSI Katana 15 advantages: 100% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 512 GB; 38% higher charging: 180 W vs 130 W; 20% higher Refresh rate: 144 Hz vs 120 Hz; Lower launch price: $1,099 vs $1,899.

Which is cheaper: Dell XPS 16 (9640) or MSI Katana 15?

MSI Katana 15 launched cheaper at $1,099, versus $1,899 for the Dell XPS 16 (9640).

Dell XPS 16 (9640) vs MSI Katana 15

WINNER

Dell

Dell XPS 16 (9640)

$1,899

MSI

MSI Katana 15

$1,099

42.4Performance40.5

38.4Display33.6

99.3Battery29

51.3Portability39.4

6 spec wins — Dell XPS 16 (9640)4 spec wins — MSI Katana 15

InnoReviews verdict

Dell XPS 16 (9640) wins this laptop face-off, 55.5 to 36.1, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+70) and portability (+12). MSI Katana 15 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 (9640)

Stronger display score: 38 vs 34
Stronger battery score: 99 vs 29
Stronger portability score: 51 vs 39
100% higher Peak brightness: 500 nits vs 250 nits
86% higher capacity: 100 Wh vs 54 Wh

Reasons to pick the MSI Katana 15

100% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 512 GB
38% higher charging: 180 W vs 130 W
20% higher Refresh rate: 144 Hz vs 120 Hz
Lower launch price: $1,099 vs $1,899

Display

Display comparison: Dell XPS 16 (9640) versus MSI Katana 15
Spec	Dell XPS 16 (9640)	MSI Katana 15
Screen size	16.3 ″+4%	15.6 ″
Panel type	IPS (4K OLED touch optional)	IPS
Resolution	1920x1200	1920x1080
Refresh rate	120 Hz	144 Hz+20%
Peak brightness	500 nits+100%	250 nits

Performance

Performance comparison: Dell XPS 16 (9640) versus MSI Katana 15
Spec	Dell XPS 16 (9640)	MSI Katana 15
Processor	Intel Core Ultra 7 155H	Intel Core i7-13620H
Graphics	Intel Arc (RTX 4050/4060/4070 optional)	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop
RAM	16 GB	16 GB
RAM type	LPDDR5X-6400 (soldered)	DDR5-4800 (2x SO-DIMM)
Storage	512 GB	1,024 GB+100%
Storage type	PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD	PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: Dell XPS 16 (9640) versus MSI Katana 15
Spec	Dell XPS 16 (9640)	MSI Katana 15
Geekbench 6 (single)	2,418Bottom 22%	2,430Bottom 25%
Geekbench 6 (multi)	13,656+20%Top 47%	11,400Bottom 22%

Battery

Battery comparison: Dell XPS 16 (9640) versus MSI Katana 15
Spec	Dell XPS 16 (9640)	MSI Katana 15
Capacity	100 Wh+86%	54 Wh
Web browsing endurance	—	5 h
Charging	130 W	180 W+38%

Design

Design comparison: Dell XPS 16 (9640) versus MSI Katana 15
Spec	Dell XPS 16 (9640)	MSI Katana 15
Weight	2.13 kg+5%	2.25 kg
Thickness	18.7 mm+25%	24.9 mm
Material	CNC aluminum	Plastic

Connectivity

Connectivity comparison: Dell XPS 16 (9640) versus MSI Katana 15
Spec	Dell XPS 16 (9640)	MSI Katana 15
Ports	3x Thunderbolt 4, microSD, 3.5mm	1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DP), 2x USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, RJ-45, 3.5mm
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth	5.4	5.3
Webcam	1080p + IR	720p
Biometrics	Fingerprint reader (power button), IR face (Windows Hello)	None

Software

Software comparison: Dell XPS 16 (9640) versus MSI Katana 15
Spec	Dell XPS 16 (9640)	MSI Katana 15
Operating system	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11

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