Dell XPS 16 (9640) vs MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
42.4Performance45.1
38.4Display33.9
99.3Battery66.7
51.3Portability34
6 spec wins — Dell XPS 16 (9640)3 spec wins — MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
InnoReviews verdict
Dell XPS 16 (9640) wins this laptop face-off, 55.5 to 45.1, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+33) and portability (+17). 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 (9640)
- Stronger display score: 38 vs 34
- Stronger battery score: 99 vs 67
- Stronger portability score: 51 vs 34
- 95% higher Peak brightness: 500 nits vs 257 nits
- 33% higher capacity: 100 Wh vs 75 Wh
Reasons to pick the MSI Katana 15 HX B14W
- 85% higher charging: 240 W vs 130 W
- 20% higher Refresh rate: 144 Hz vs 120 Hz
- 15% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 2,786 vs 2,418
- Lower launch price: $999 vs $1,899
Display
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| 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+95% | 257 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel Core i7-14650HX |
| Graphics | Intel Arc (RTX 4050/4060/4070 optional) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X-6400 (soldered) | DDR5-5600 (2x SO-DIMM) |
| Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,418Bottom 22% | 2,786+15%Top 45% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 13,656+5%Top 47% | 13,048Bottom 47% |
Battery
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 Wh+33% | 75 Wh |
| Charging | 130 W | 240 W+85% |
Design
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.13 kg+11% | 2.4 kg |
| Thickness | 18.7 mm+27% | 25.5 mm |
| Material | CNC aluminum | Plastic |
Connectivity
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, microSD, 3.5mm | 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 | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Webcam | 1080p + IR | 720p HD |
| Biometrics | Fingerprint reader (power button), IR face (Windows Hello) | None |
Software
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | MSI Katana 15 HX B14W |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
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