Introduction – MSI’s Affordable Gaming Warrior
The gaming laptop market in 2025 is packed with powerful machines, but not everyone wants to spend ₹2 lakhs on a portable powerhouse. This is where MSI steps in with its Katana 15 HX B14WEK, a laptop that strikes a balance between raw performance and affordability.
Fueled by the new Intel Core i7-14650HX processor and coupled with NVIDIA’s RTX 5050 GPU (8GB GDDR7, 115W TGP), this device is made to provide seamless 1080p gaming at high refresh rates without costing an arm and a leg. Available at ₹1,14,990 on Flipkart, the MSI Katana 15 HX is one of the best value-for-money gaming laptops on the market currently.
Does it, however, live up to the expectations of budget gamers in India? Let’s dive into the details.
Key Specifications of MSI Katana 15 HX
- Processor: Intel Core i7-14650HX (14th Gen)
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, 8GB GDDR7, 115W TGP
- RAM: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920×1080), 165 Hz refresh rate
- Operating System: Windows 11 Home
- Weight: 2.4 kg
- Price (India): ₹1,14,990 (Flipkart, August 2025)
Performance—Smooth 1080p Gaming
Performance-wise, the i7-14650HX and RTX 5050 are an excellent combination for casual gamers. Benchmarks and real-world testing show the MSI Katana 15 HX can easily handle most modern AAA games at 60–90 FPS on high settings at 1080p.
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider – ~91 FPS (High, FHD)
- Far Cry 6 – ~80 FPS (Ultra, FHD)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 – ~65 FPS (High, FHD)
- Alan Wake 2 – 45–70 FPS (High, FHD; ~85 FPS with Frame Generation)
- Cyberpunk 2077 – ~30 FPS on High (but smoother with DLSS on)
For competitive/esports titles like Valorant, Apex Legends, and CS2, this device easily exceeds well over 120+ FPS, and the 165 Hz panel is very useful.
The RTX 5050 isn’t as potent as the RTX 5070 or 5080, but with DLSS 3.5 and Frame Generation, it still carries on the life of the GPU and continues to perform incredibly well even in demanding games.
Display—Quick but Not Colorful
The MSI Katana 15 HX features a 15.6-inch Full HD 165 Hz screen, which is great for high refresh rate gaming. The gamer will love the smooth motion and reduced ghosting.
Its drawback is its brightness and color rendition. With a mere 257 nits of brightness and around 69% sRGB coverage, the display slightly looks dull and washed-out.
For pure gaming, this isn’t a dealbreaker, but if you’re into content creation, video editing, or color-sensitive work, this display won’t satisfy you. In such cases, pairing it with an external monitor is the smarter move.
Design & Build – Classic Katana Aesthetics
MSI sticks to its standard Katana formula—a thin black chassis with an RGB-lit keyboard. At 2.4 kg, it’s not the lightest gaming laptop but remains portable for professionals and students who carry their laptops around.
The keyboard is pleasant to type on, with satisfying travel and MSI Center-customizable RGB zones. The 720p webcam is already dated in 2025, though, and delivers middling video in streams and online meetings.
Thermals – Runs Hot Under Load
One area where MSI compromises is heat management. After extended periods of gaming, the keyboard area reaches as much as ~43°C, while the bottom reaches even higher (~46°C). This is noticeable during extended gaming hours, and it’s strongly recommended to get one’s hands on a cooling pad.
The CPU and GPU, however, have safe operating temperatures (~76°C), so the performance isn’t throttled too much. The noise levels are acceptable, but you’ll certainly notice the fans ramping up in performance mode.
Battery Life—Average for a Gaming Laptop
Battery life is one of the weakest points of gaming laptops in general, and the MSI Katana 15 HX is no exception. Expect around 4.5–6 hours of light usage (browsing, streaming, office apps). For gaming, you’ll need to be plugged in, as the powerful CPU+GPU combo drains the battery fast.
Software & Features
MSI also bundles MSI Center with the laptop, which allows you to change performance profiles, monitor temperatures, and control the RGB keyboard. Like the majority of gaming laptops, however, it does come with some pre-installed bloatware that you’ll likely want to uninstall right away.
Pros and Cons of MSI Katana 15 HX
Pros:
- Great 1080p gaming performance for the cost
- RTX 5050 with DLSS 3.5 & Frame Gen provides future-proofing
- 165 Hz refresh rate is perfect for esports
- Decent upgradeability (RAM & SSD slots)
- Competitive pricing below ₹1.2 lakh
Cons:
- Dim display with poor color accuracy
- Runs hot during prolonged gaming sessions
- 720p webcam is outdated
- Battery life is mediocre
- Slightly heavy at 2.4 kg
Price and Availability in India
As of August 2025, the MSI Katana 15 HX (i7-14650HX+RTX 5050 +16GB+512GB SSD) is priced as follows:
- Other variations (like the RTX 5070 variant) are slightly pricier at around ₹1,23,990.
- Flipkart – ₹1,14,990 (best deal)
Final Verdict—Is It Worth Buying?
The MSI Katana 15 HX is a solid value-for-money gaming laptop for those gamers who are seeking 1080p smoothness on a budget. For around ₹1.15 lakh, it outclasses a number of rivals while still providing a 14th Gen Intel i7 and NVIDIA’s latest RTX 5050 GPU.
If budget gaming is your number one concern, this laptop will not disappoint. But if you require better display quality, better battery life, or cooler thermals, you may need to look at upgrading to more premium options like laptops with the RTX 5070 or an external monitor setup for content creation.
Overall, the MSI Katana 15 HX is best suited for:
- Upgrading gamers switching from previous-gen GTX/RTX 20-series laptops
- Students and gamers looking for great 1080p performance
- Budget esports players who need high refresh rates can look at
Conclusion
The MSI Katana 15 HX proves that gaming laptops don’t have to be overpriced to be good. Of course, it has its weaknesses—dim display, average webcam, and heating—but for less than ₹1.2 lakh, it’s one of the most powerful gaming laptops you can buy in 2025.
If you’re after a bang-for-buck gaming laptop that will run all the newest games and have some money left in your budget to grab accessories like a gaming headset or cooling pad, then the MSI Katana 15 HX with RTX 5050 is definitely worthy of a spot on your shortlist of Best Gaming Laptop.
