MSI Katana 17 (B12V) review – affordable notebook with a MUX switch
MSI Katana’s super budget characteristics are now part of history. The manufacturer has somewhat successfully converted the machine from an affordable to a mid-range product. While the main contributor to this is really NVIDIA, we have a thing or two to say about MSI’s own participation.
Today, our office smells like a freshly-baked MSI Katana 17 (B12V). Intuitively, the (B12V) part of the name indicates that it has a 12th Gen Intel processor. This means that some cost-cutting is becoming evident only by looking at the specs sheet.
In addition to that, the Katana 17 (B12V) can be maxed out with the Intel Core i7-12650H. This is a CPU, that has a lower E-core count. At the end of the day, this provides less computational performance, but also generates less heat, without harming the gaming performance.
As a typical gaming notebook, it provides you with a 144Hz refresh rate. Later in the review, you will learn its color coverage, pixel response time, and more.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/msi-katana-17-b12ux-b12vx-b13ux-b13vx/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
MSI Katana 17 (B12Ux / B12Vx / B13Ux / B13Vx) - Specs
- HDD/SSD
- up to 8000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 1x 2280 PCIe NVMe 4.0 x4 + 1x M.2 PCIe x4 See photo
- RAM
- up to 64GB
- OS
- Windows 10 Home, Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Home, Windows 10 Pro, DOS, No OS, Windows 11
- Battery
- 53.5Wh, 3-cell, 53.5Wh, 3-cell
- Body material
- Plastic / Polycarbonate
- Dimensions
- 398 x 273 x 25.2 mm (15.67" x 10.75" x 0.99")
- Weight
- 2.60 kg (5.7 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 1x USB Type-A
- 2.0
- 2x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
- 1x USB Type-C
- 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps), DisplayPort
- HDMI
- 2.1 (8K@60Hz / 4K@120Hz)
- Card reader
- Ethernet LAN
- 10, 100, 1000 Mbit/s
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ax
- Bluetooth
- 5.2
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- Web camera
- HD
- Backlit keyboard
- optional
- Microphone
- Speakers
- 2x 2W Stereo Speakers, Nahimic Audio
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
All MSI Katana 17 (B12Ux / B12Vx / B13Ux / B13Vx) configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.msi.com/Laptop/Katana-17-B12VX/support?sub_product=Katana-17-B12VFK
What’s in the box?
Inside the package, there is some paperwork, as well as a 200W charger.
Author: Alex Iliev
Author: Kroum NikolovHead of Engineering at LaptopMedia.com, inventor and innovator with 40+ years of experience in electronics and high technology.
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Où se procurer le support de fixation pour un second SSD ? Merci
Il faut en faire la demande auprès du support MSI ils appellent ça un kit upgrade for SSD