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MSI Katana 15 HX (2025) – Cheapest QHD Gaming Laptop with RTX 5050 & i7-14650HX in India

MSI Katana 15
MSI Katana 15 Gaming Laptop Complete Review (2025) – Amazon’s Choice
MSI Katana 15 Gaming Laptop

Available Color:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4.8/5 (6 Ratings)
🔥 AMAZON’S CHOICE – CHEAPEST QHD GAMING LAPTOP

MSI Katana 15

Intel Core i7-14650HX | RTX 5050 8GB | QHD 165Hz

15.6″ QHD 165Hz • 16GB RAM • 512GB SSD • 4-Zone RGB • 75Wh

Configuration:

Processor: Intel Core i7-14650HX (16-core, up to 5.2 GHz)

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 8GB GDDR7

RAM: 16GB DDR5 5600MHz (Upgradable to 64GB)

Storage: 512GB NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD

Display: 15.6″ QHD (2560×1440) 165Hz IPS

₹1,28,990

12% OFF

₹1,13,992*

*Cheapest QHD + RTX 5050 combo in India!

🛒 Buy Now on Amazon

EMI starting from ₹5,527/month | Free Delivery

Display

QHD 165Hz

GPU

RTX 5050

Weight

2.4 Kg

MSI Katana 15 Overview

Key Highlights

  • Best Price: Only ₹1,13,992
  • QHD Display: Sharp 1440p gaming
  • RTX 5050 8GB: Latest DLSS 4
  • Core i7-14650HX: 16-core power
  • 75Wh Battery: Good runtime
  • Cooler Boost 5: Efficient cooling
  • 4-Zone RGB: Gaming aesthetics

In The Box

  • 📦 MSI Katana 15 Gaming Laptop
  • 🔌 180W Power Adapter
  • 📄 User Guide & Warranty Card
  • 🛡️ 2-Year On-Site Warranty

Note: No free laptop bag included

Katana Advantage

  • Cheapest QHD: Under ₹1.15L
  • Latest GPU: DLSS 4 support
  • Best Value: Price/performance king
  • Sharp Display: 1440p gaming
  • Upgradable: RAM to 64GB
  • MSI Quality: Reliable brand

💰 Unbeatable Budget Gaming Value

Cheapest QHD Gaming Laptop

At ₹1,13,992, this is the absolute cheapest QHD gaming laptop in India. Competitors with similar specs cost ₹20-40k more, making this an incredible value for budget gamers wanting sharp 1440p visuals.

QHD Display Included

Get a sharp 2560×1440 QHD display with 165Hz—most budget laptops only offer FHD. Perfect for immersive gaming with crisp visuals and smooth gameplay at an affordable price point.

Latest DLSS 4 Tech

The RTX 5050 brings DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, doubling or tripling FPS in supported games—future-proof gaming tech at budget price. Enjoy ray tracing without performance penalties.

14th Gen Intel Performance

Intel Core i7-14650HX

16-Core Raptor Lake-HX

Total Cores 16 Cores (8P + 8E)
Base Clock 2.2 GHz
Max Turbo 5.2 GHz
Cache 30MB L3
TDP 55W (up to 157W)

Power: Excellent for gaming + streaming simultaneously without frame drops

RTX 5050 8GB

NVIDIA Blackwell (DLSS 4)

VRAM 8GB GDDR7
Memory Bus 128-bit
DLSS DLSS 4 + Frame Gen
Ray Tracing 4th Gen RT Cores
TGP 115W

Gaming: Excellent QHD gaming at 50-70+ FPS Ultra in most AAA titles

📊 Performance Benchmarks

Cinebench R23

Multi-Core

~21,500

Single-Core

2,045

Excellent multi-core for the price

3DMark Time Spy

Graphics Score

7,850

Great 1440p gaming performance

Port Royal (RT)

Ray Tracing

4,956

Good RT performance with DLSS

15.6″ QHD 165Hz Display

QHD Resolution

Size 15.6″ (40 cm)
Resolution 2560 x 1440
PPI 188 ppi
Panel IPS-Level

Gaming Performance

Refresh Rate

165Hz

Response Time

~3ms

Color Quality

  • Good Color

    Decent accuracy

  • ~300 nits

    Decent brightness

Audio System

  • 2x Speakers
  • Nahimic Audio
  • 3.5mm Jack
  • • Average quality (external recommended)

Webcam

  • HD (720p@30fps)
  • • Basic quality
  • • Good for video calls

Real Gaming Performance @ QHD

🎮 AAA Games @ 1440p (QHD)

Cyberpunk 2077

58 FPS

Settings: High + RT Medium

DLSS: Balanced

Experience: Smooth

Call of Duty BO6

98 FPS

Settings: High + RT

DLSS: Quality

Experience: Excellent

Spider-Man Remastered

72 FPS

Settings: High

DLSS: Quality

Experience: Very Good

⚡ Esports Titles @ 1440p

Valorant 300+ FPS
CS2 220+ FPS
Fortnite 180+ FPS
Overwatch 2 165+ FPS

🎯 More AAA Titles

Red Dead Redemption 2 52-58 FPS
Forza Horizon 5 115 FPS
Doom Eternal 140+ FPS
Hogwarts Legacy 68-75 FPS

🎮 Gaming Verdict: RTX 5050 delivers excellent 1440p gaming at 50-70+ FPS in AAA titles with DLSS 4. Esports games easily hit 165+ FPS. For ₹1.14L with QHD, this is outstanding value for serious gamers.

Design & Build Quality

🏗️ Build Materials

Chassis Plastic
Lid Plastic (matte)
Quality Good

📏 Dimensions

Dimensions 359 x 262 x 25mm
Weight 2.4 kg

Portable for 15.6″ gaming laptop

🎨 Aesthetics

  • Color: Black (Katana style)
  • Logo: MSI branding
  • Style: Gaming aesthetic
  • Vents: Aggressive cooling

MSI Cooler Boost 5 Thermal System

❄️ Advanced Cooling

MSI Cooler Boost 5 with dedicated heat pipes for CPU and GPU ensures stable performance even during extended gaming sessions. The dual-fan design keeps temperatures in check.

Dual Fan Design

Independent CPU/GPU cooling

Dedicated Heat Pipes

Separate thermal zones

Large Exhaust Vents

Rear + side airflow

🌡️ Thermal Performance

CPU (Gaming)

72-82°C

GPU (Gaming)

75-85°C

4-Zone RGB Gaming Keyboard

⌨️ Keyboard Features

  • 4-Zone RGB

    Customizable lighting zones

  • WASD Highlighted

    Gaming keys emphasized

  • Anti-Ghosting

    N-key rollover support

  • Good Key Travel

    Decent feedback

🖱️ Trackpad

  • Precision Trackpad

    Windows Precision drivers

  • Multi-Touch

    Gesture support

  • Decent Size

    Adequate for daily use

Connectivity & Ports

🔌 Complete Ports

USB Ports

• 1x USB Type-C (USB 3.2)

• 3x USB 3.2 Type-A

Display Output

• 1x HDMI 2.1 (4K@120Hz)

Other Ports

• RJ-45 Ethernet

• 3.5mm Audio Jack

📡 Wireless Connectivity

Intel Wi-Fi 6

Fast wireless connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Latest Bluetooth standard

Battery Life & Charging

🔋 Battery

75Wh

Type: Lithium Polymer

Light Use: 5-6 hours

Gaming: 2-3 hours

⚡ Charging

180W

Adapter: 180W

Fast Charge: 50% in ~40min

💡 Real World

  • Video: 5 hours
  • Web: 5-6 hours
  • Gaming: 2-3 hours

Complete Budget Gaming Laptop Comparison – 6 Top Competitors

How does the MSI Katana 15 at ₹1,13,992 compare against all major budget gaming laptops?

MSI Katana 15 (i7 + RTX 5060 + 1TB)

₹1,34,990

Processor: Intel Core i7-14650HX

Display: 15.6″ QHD 165Hz IPS

RAM: 16GB DDR5

Storage: 1TB SSD

GPU: RTX 5060 8GB

Weight: 2.4 kg

✅ Reasons to Consider

  • • ₹21k more but RTX 5060 GPU
  • • Double storage (1TB vs 512GB)
  • • Better gaming performance
  • • Same CPU, display, weight
  • • Worth it if budget allows

⚠️ Reasons to Skip

  • • ₹21,000 more expensive
  • • Budget goes to ₹1.35L
  • • Storage upgradable anyway
  • • RTX 5050 + DLSS 4 enough
  • • Same everything else

Lenovo LOQ 15 (2025)

₹1,19,990

Processor: Intel Core i5-13450HX

Display: 15.6″ FHD 144Hz IPS

RAM: 16GB DDR5

Storage: 512GB SSD

GPU: RTX 4050 6GB

Weight: 2.4 kg

✅ Reasons to Consider

  • • ₹6k more but Lenovo brand
  • • Clean professional design
  • • Good build quality
  • • Better keyboard layout

⚠️ Reasons to Skip

  • • ₹6,000 more expensive
  • • Weaker Core i5 CPU
  • • Much weaker RTX 4050 GPU
  • • FHD only (not QHD)
  • • Lower 144Hz refresh
  • • No DLSS 4

HP Victus 15 (2025)

₹1,24,990

Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS

Display: 15.6″ FHD 144Hz IPS

RAM: 16GB DDR4

Storage: 512GB SSD

GPU: RTX 4050 6GB

Weight: 2.3 kg

✅ Reasons to Consider

  • • Lighter at 2.3kg
  • • HP brand support
  • • Clean Victus design

⚠️ Reasons to Skip

  • • ₹11,000 more expensive
  • • Weaker Ryzen 5 CPU
  • • Much weaker RTX 4050 GPU
  • • Slower DDR4 RAM
  • • FHD only (not QHD)
  • • No DLSS 4

Acer Nitro 5 (2025)

₹1,09,990

Processor: Intel Core i5-12500H

Display: 15.6″ FHD 144Hz IPS

RAM: 16GB DDR4

Storage: 512GB SSD

GPU: RTX 3050 6GB

Weight: 2.5 kg

✅ Reasons to Consider

  • • ₹4k cheaper
  • • Acer Nitro brand
  • • Entry-level option

⚠️ Reasons to Skip

  • • Older 12th Gen Intel
  • • Much weaker RTX 3050 GPU
  • • Slower DDR4 RAM
  • • FHD only
  • • Lower 144Hz refresh
  • • No DLSS 3/4
  • • Much worse performance

ASUS TUF A15 (2024)

₹1,39,990

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS

Display: 15.6″ FHD 144Hz IPS

RAM: 16GB DDR5

Storage: 512GB SSD

GPU: RTX 4050 6GB

Weight: 2.2 kg

✅ Reasons to Consider

  • • Military-grade durability
  • • Lightest at 2.2kg
  • • Premium TUF build
  • • Better cooling

⚠️ Reasons to Skip

  • • ₹26,000 more expensive!
  • • Much weaker RTX 4050 GPU
  • • FHD only (not QHD)
  • • Lower 144Hz refresh
  • • No DLSS 4

Dell G15 5530

₹1,29,990

Processor: Intel Core i5-13450HX

Display: 15.6″ FHD 165Hz IPS

RAM: 16GB DDR5

Storage: 512GB SSD

GPU: RTX 4050 6GB

Weight: 2.65 kg

✅ Reasons to Consider

  • • Dell brand reputation
  • • Good customer support
  • • 165Hz matching refresh

⚠️ Reasons to Skip

  • • ₹16,000 more expensive
  • • Weaker Core i5 CPU
  • • Much weaker RTX 4050 GPU
  • • FHD only (not QHD)
  • • Heavier at 2.65kg
  • • No DLSS 4

📊 Quick Comparison – All 7 Laptops

LaptopPriceCPUGPUDisplayStorageValue
MSI Katana 15 (512GB)₹1,13,992i7-14650HXRTX 5050 8GBQHD 165Hz512GB★★★★★
Acer Nitro 5₹1,09,990i5-12500HRTX 3050FHD 144Hz512GB★★☆☆☆
Lenovo LOQ 15₹1,19,990i5-13450HXRTX 4050FHD 144Hz512GB★★★☆☆
HP Victus 15₹1,24,990R5 7535HSRTX 4050FHD 144Hz512GB★★★☆☆
Dell G15 5530₹1,29,990i5-13450HXRTX 4050FHD 165Hz512GB★★☆☆☆
MSI Katana 15 (1TB)₹1,34,990i7-14650HXRTX 5060QHD 165Hz1TB★★★★☆
ASUS TUF A15₹1,39,990R7 7735HSRTX 4050FHD 144Hz512GB★★★☆☆

🏆 Clear Winner: MSI Katana 15 (₹1.14L)

Best Budget QHD Laptop: At ₹1,13,992, this is the cheapest QHD gaming laptop with RTX 5050 + Core i7 + DLSS 4. All competitors either cost ₹6-26k more OR have FHD displays + weaker GPUs. This is the sweet spot for budget 1440p gaming!

Complete Pros & Cons

✅ Major Strengths

  • Cheapest QHD: Only ₹1,13,992
  • Amazon’s Choice: 4.8/5 stars
  • QHD Display: Sharp 1440p
  • 165Hz Refresh: Smooth gaming
  • Core i7-14650HX: 16-core power
  • RTX 5050 8GB: Latest DLSS 4
  • 8GB GDDR7: Fast VRAM
  • DDR5-5600: Fast RAM
  • Upgradable: RAM to 64GB
  • 4-Zone RGB: Gaming aesthetics
  • Cooler Boost 5: Good cooling
  • 75Wh Battery: Decent runtime
  • 2-Year Warranty: On-site service
  • Best Value: QHD under ₹1.15L
  • Free Delivery: Amazon Prime
  • EMI Options: ₹5,527/month
  • Latest Tech: 2025 GPU

⚠️ Limitations

  • 512GB Storage: Half of 1TB variant
  • RTX 5050 GPU: Entry-level
  • Plastic Build: Not premium metal
  • 115W TGP: Not highest GPU power
  • Average Speakers: 2x2W lacking bass
  • Basic Webcam: 720p quality
  • Fan Noise: Audible under load
  • 2.4kg Weight: Not ultra-portable
  • Battery Gaming: Only 2-3 hours
  • No Thunderbolt 4: USB-C Gen 2
  • No Laptop Bag: Not included
  • Display Brightness: ~300 nits
  • Storage Upgrade Needed: For 1TB

Final Verdict

Overall Rating

4.6
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best Budget QHD

Value for Money 5.0/5
Display Quality 4.5/5
Gaming Performance 4.0/5

🎮 Perfect For

  • ✅ Budget gamers wanting QHD
  • ✅ 1440p gaming enthusiasts
  • ✅ Students under ₹1.15L
  • ✅ First gaming laptop buyers
  • ✅ Value-conscious shoppers
  • ✅ Want sharp display cheap

❌ Not Ideal For

  • ❌ Need RTX 5060+ for max FPS
  • ❌ Want 1TB storage included
  • ❌ Need premium metal build
  • ❌ Want ultra-portable under 2kg

🎯 Final Thoughts

The MSI Katana 15 at ₹1,13,992 is the best budget QHD gaming laptop of 2025. It’s the cheapest way to experience 1440p gaming without compromising on essentials.

The Core i7-14650HX + RTX 5050 + QHD 165Hz combination delivers smooth 1080p/1440p gaming. AAA games run at 50-70 FPS with DLSS enabled, esports hit 165+ FPS.

Bottom Line: If you want QHD gaming under ₹1.15L, this is the only choice. Highly recommended!

Complete Technical Specifications

MSI KATANA 15 COMPLETE SPECIFICATIONS
PERFORMANCE
ProcessorIntel Core i7-14650HX (16-core: 8P + 8E)
Max TurboUp to 5.2 GHz
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 8GB GDDR7
RAM16GB DDR5-5600MHz (Up to 64GB)
Storage512GB NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD
DISPLAY
Screen Size15.6 inches (40 cm)
Resolution2560 x 1440 (QHD)
Refresh Rate165Hz
Panel TypeIPS-Level
DESIGN
Weight2.4 kg
Dimensions359 x 262 x 25.5 mm
Keyboard4-Zone RGB Gaming Keyboard
BATTERY & WARRANTY
Battery75Wh Lithium Polymer
Power Adapter180W
Operating SystemWindows 11 Home
Warranty2 Years On-Site

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