MSI Katana 15 HX B14W (2025) 15.6"

Manufacturer: MSI

The MSI Katana 15 HX B14W (2025) is a 15.6″ gaming laptop built around a modern hardware platform aimed at users who need solid processing and graphics capability in a portable form factor. The machine weighs 2,400 g and measures 25 mm thick, balancing a relatively compact chassis with the thermal demands of its components. Its backlit keyboard and stereo speakers are among the quality-of-life features included, and the display runs at 165Hz with a 2560x1600 resolution, giving it a pixel density of 193 ppi on its IPS LED-backlit panel.

Under the hood, the system is driven by a 24-core CPU built on a 4 nm process, supporting 32 threads and reaching a turbo clock of 5.8GHz, paired with 32GB of DDR5 memory running at 5600 MHz across two slots — expandable up to 96GB. Storage is handled by a 1TB NVMe SSD over PCIe 4.0. The discrete GPU belongs to NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture, delivering 23.22 TFLOPS of floating-point performance, a 2520 MHz boost clock, and 8GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus with up to 405.8 GB/s bandwidth. Connectivity includes USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports in both Type-A and Type-C form, HDMI 2.1, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3, backed by a 75 Wh battery.

Pros

The 2560x1600 IPS display running at 165Hz provides a sharp 193 ppi image with smooth motion handling for fast-paced content
32GB of DDR5 RAM running at 5600 MHz across two slots gives substantial headroom for demanding workloads, with expansion possible up to 96GB
The Blackwell-architecture GPU delivers 23.22 TFLOPS of floating-point performance with GDDR7 memory, ray tracing support, and DLSS, making it capable for graphically intensive tasks
The 1TB NVMe SSD on a PCIe 4.0 interface offers fast storage access with ample base capacity
Wi-Fi 6E support ensures fast and low-latency wireless connectivity across modern network environments
Sleep-and-charge USB ports allow peripheral charging without the system needing to be fully powered on

Cons

No RJ45 Ethernet port means wired network connections are not possible without an adapter
The absence of Thunderbolt 3 or 4 and USB 4 ports limits high-bandwidth external device compatibility
At 2,400 g and 25 mm thick, the chassis is on the heavier and bulkier side for a 15.6-inch portable machine
The front camera is limited to 720p at 30 fps, which is below what is now common for video calls
There is no anti-reflection coating on the display, which may cause visibility issues in brightly lit environments
No fingerprint scanner or 3D facial recognition means biometric login options are not available

Who is this for?

This laptop is a solid fit for users who engage in GPU-intensive gaming and creative workloads, given the Blackwell-architecture discrete GPU with GDDR7 memory, ray tracing, and DLSS support alongside a high floating-point throughput. The 165Hz, 2560x1600 IPS display makes it appealing to gamers and content reviewers who benefit from sharp visuals and fluid motion. Those who also run memory-heavy applications will find the 32GB of DDR5 RAM — expandable up to 96GB — and a fast NVMe SSD a practical foundation, and the Wi-Fi 6E support suits users in modern wireless environments who rely on stable, high-bandwidth connections.

Who is this NOT for?

Users who frequently work in bright or outdoor environments may find the display frustrating, as the lack of an anti-reflection coating can cause significant glare in those conditions. Those who need a lightweight, easily portable machine will likely find the 2,400 g weight and 25 mm thickness cumbersome for daily commuting or travel. Additionally, professionals who depend on high-speed external device ecosystems — such as fast external storage arrays or high-bandwidth docks — will be limited by the absence of Thunderbolt or USB 4 ports, and users requiring a wired network connection will find the lack of an RJ45 port a meaningful gap without a separate adapter.

Design:

Type	Gaming
weight	2400 g
Uses a fanless design	✕
Has a backlit keyboard	✓
volume	2351.45 cm³
width	359 mm
height	262 mm
thickness	25 mm
is weather-sealed (splashproof)	✕
has a rugged build	✕

The MSI Katana 15 HX B14W (2025) is a gaming laptop with a physical footprint of 359 mm wide by 262 mm tall and a thickness of 25 mm, resulting in a total volume of 2351.45 cm³. It weighs 2,400 g, which is typical for a machine in this category. The laptop features a backlit keyboard, while it does not adopt a fanless design, nor does it carry weather-sealing or a ruggedized build.

Display:

screen size	15.6"
resolution	2560 x 1600 px
pixel density	193 ppi
Display type	LCD, LED-backlit, IPS
has a touch screen	✕
refresh rate	165Hz
has anti-reflection coating	✕
supported displays	4

The laptop features a 15.6″ IPS LCD panel with LED backlighting, delivering a 2560 x 1600 px resolution at a pixel density of 193 ppi. It runs at a 165Hz refresh rate, making it well-suited for fast-paced content, and supports up to 4 simultaneous displays. The screen does not include a touchscreen or an anti-reflection coating.

Performance:

RAM	32GB
RAM speed	5600 MHz
Uses flash storage	✓
internal storage	1024GB
CPU speed	8 x 2.2 & 16 x 1.6 GHz
CPU threads	32 threads
VRAM	8GB
floating-point performance	23.22 TFLOPS
GDDR version	GDDR7
texture rate	362.9 GTexels/s
pixel rate	121 GPixel/s
Is an NVMe SSD	✓
DirectX version	DirectX 12 Ultimate
GPU clock speed	2235 MHz
uses multithreading	✓
maximum memory amount	96GB
DDR memory version	5
turbo clock speed	5.8GHz
GPU turbo	2520 MHz
memory slots	2
PCI Express (PCIe) version	4
semiconductor size	4 nm
has XeSS (XMX)	✕
Supports 64-bit	✓

The system is equipped with a 24-core CPU built on a 4 nm process, running at speeds of 8 x 2.2 GHz and 16 x 1.6 GHz with a turbo frequency of 5.8GHz across 32 threads, with multithreading and 64-bit support enabled. Memory consists of 32GB of DDR5 RAM at 5600 MHz across two slots, expandable up to 96GB. Storage is provided by a 1024GB NVMe SSD over a PCIe 4.0 interface using flash storage. On the graphics side, the GPU runs at a base clock of 2235 MHz with a boost up to 2520 MHz, backed by 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM, delivering 23.22 TFLOPS of floating-point performance, a texture rate of 362.9 GTexels/s, and a pixel rate of 121 GPixel/s, with support for DirectX 12 Ultimate; XeSS (XMX) is not supported.

Benchmarks:

Geekbench 6 result (multi)	15655
Geekbench 6 result (single)	2680
PassMark (G3D) result	19987
PassMark result	45332
PassMark result (single)	4245

In benchmark testing, the laptop recorded a Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 15,655 and a single-core score of 2,680, reflecting the CPU's threaded and per-core output respectively. On the PassMark suite, it achieved an overall score of 45,332 with a single-core result of 4,245, while the PassMark G3D graphics score came in at 19,987, representing the GPU's measured rendering performance.

Connectivity:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C)	1
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A)	3
USB 4 20Gbps ports	0
USB 4 40Gbps ports	0
Thunderbolt 4 ports	0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C)	0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A)	0
Thunderbolt 3 ports	0
has an HDMI output	✓
Has USB Type-C	✓
supports Wi-Fi	✓
Wi-Fi version	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
has an external memory slot	✕
Bluetooth version	5.3
RJ45 ports	0
HDMI ports	1
HDMI version	HDMI 2.1
DisplayPort outputs	0
USB 2.0 ports	0
has AirPlay	✓
mini DisplayPort outputs	0
has a VGA connector	✕

The laptop's wired port selection includes three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, along with a single HDMI 2.1 output; there are no Thunderbolt 3 or 4 ports, no USB 4 ports, no DisplayPort or mini DisplayPort outputs, no RJ45 Ethernet port, no VGA connector, and no external memory slot. Wireless connectivity is handled by Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) with backward compatibility through Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 4, complemented by Bluetooth 5.3. AirPlay is also supported.

Battery:

battery size	75 Wh
Has sleep-and-charge USB ports	✓
Has a MagSafe power adapter	✕

The laptop is powered by a 75 Wh battery and includes sleep-and-charge USB ports, allowing connected devices to be charged even when the system is powered off or in sleep mode. It does not use a MagSafe power adapter.

Features:

has stereo speakers	✓
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack	✓
supports ray tracing	✓
supports DLSS	✓
has Dolby Atmos	✕
Stylus included	✕
Has a fingerprint scanner	✕
number of microphones	1
Uses 3D facial recognition	✕
video recording (main camera)	720 x 30 fps
has voice commands	✕
has a front camera	✓
Has S/PDIF Out port	✕
has a gyroscope	✕
has GPS	✕
has an accelerometer	✕
has a compass	✕
Has an optical disc drive	✕

On the audio side, the laptop includes stereo speakers and a 3.5 mm headset jack, though it does not feature Dolby Atmos or an S/PDIF output. A single built-in microphone is present, and the front-facing camera records video at 720p and 30 fps; however, there is no fingerprint scanner, 3D facial recognition, or voice command support. Graphics features include ray tracing and DLSS support, while no stylus is included. The laptop lacks an optical disc drive, GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass.

Miscellaneous:

clock multiplier	22
AMD SAM / Intel Resizable BAR	Intel Resizable BAR
GPU architecture	Blackwell
has LHR	✕
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	50W
Supports 3D	✓
Supports multi-display technology	✓
OpenCL version	3
OpenGL version	4.6
Supports ECC memory	✓
memory bus width	128-bit
effective memory speed	25400 MHz
maximum memory bandwidth	405.8 GB/s
render output units (ROPs)	48
texture mapping units (TMUs)	144
shading units	4608
Has Double Precision Floating Point (DPFP)	✓
GPU memory speed	2000 MHz
GPU name	UHD Graphics 770
Type	Laptop
instruction sets	MMX, F16C, FMA3, AES, AVX2, AVX, SSE 4.1, SSE 4.2
L3 cache	36 MB
Has an unlocked multiplier	✕
Has NX bit	✓
CPU temperature	100 °C
GPU execution units	32
Has integrated graphics	✓
memory channels	2
RAM speed (max)	5600 MHz
Uses big.LITTLE technology	✓

The discrete GPU is based on the Blackwell architecture and does not carry LHR restrictions, featuring 4,608 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, 48 ROPs, and 32 execution units, with memory running at 2,000 MHz on a 128-bit bus for an effective speed of 25,400 MHz and a maximum bandwidth of 405.8 GB/s. It supports multi-display output, stereoscopic 3D, Double Precision Floating Point, OpenCL 3, OpenGL 4.6, and Intel Resizable BAR. The integrated GPU is the UHD Graphics 770. On the CPU side, this is a laptop-class processor using big.LITTLE technology with a clock multiplier of 22, a maximum rated temperature of 100 °C, a 50W TDP, and a 36 MB L3 cache; the multiplier is locked, and the NX bit is active. It supports ECC memory across 2 channels at up to 5,600 MHz, and its instruction set coverage includes MMX, AVX, AVX2, FMA3, F16C, AES, SSE 4.1, and SSE 4.2.

Final Verdict

The MSI Katana 15 HX B14W (2025) presents a well-rounded hardware package for users who need genuine graphics capability in a laptop form factor, anchored by a Blackwell-architecture GPU with GDDR7 memory and 23.22 TFLOPS of floating-point performance paired with a sharp 2560x1600 165Hz IPS display. The combination of a fast 24-core CPU, 32GB of expandable DDR5 RAM, and a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD gives it a capable foundation across both gaming and demanding applications. Some practical shortcomings — the absence of Thunderbolt connectivity, no wired Ethernet port, a heavier chassis, and a display without anti-reflection treatment — do narrow its appeal for certain user profiles, particularly those prioritizing portability or connectivity flexibility. Taken as a whole, the Katana 15 HX B14W is a purposeful gaming laptop that delivers on raw processing and graphical throughput for users who will use it primarily at a desk or in controlled environments.