Comparison MSI Katana 17 B13VGK [B13VGK-856XPL] vs MSI Katana 17 B13VFK [B13VFK-841XPL]

The result shown by the laptop processor in the Passmark CPU Mark test.

Passmark CPU Mark is a comprehensive test that is more detailed and reliable than the popular 3DMark06 (see above). It checks not only the gaming capabilities of the CPU, but also its performance in other modes, based on which it displays the overall score; this score can be used to fairly reliably evaluate the processor as a whole (the more points, the higher the performance).

GeForce graphics cards from NVIDIA: RTX represented by RTX 2060, RTX 2060 Max-Q, RTX 2070, RTX 2070 Max-Q, RTX 2070 Super, RTX 2070 Super Max-Q, RTX 2080, RTX 2080 Max-Q, RTX 2080 Super, RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, RTX 3050, RTX 3050 Ti, RTX 3060, RTX 3060 Max-Q, RTX 3070, RTX 3070 Max-Q, RTX 3070 Ti, RTX 3080, RTX 3080 Ti, RTX 4050, RTX 4060, R TX 4070, RTX 4080, RTX 4090, RTX 5070, RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080, RTX 5090; MX1xx represented by MX110, MX130 and MX150, MX2xx(MX230 and MX250), MX3xx(MX330 and MX350), MX450, GTX which represent GTX 1050, GTX 1060, GTX 1060 Max-Q, GTX 1070, GTX 1070 Max-Q, GTX 1080, GTX 1080 Max-Q, GTX 1650, GTX 1650 Max-Q, GTX 1650 Ti, GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q and. AMD also offers video cards Radeon 520, Radeon 530(535), Radeon 540X, Radeon 610(625, 630), Radeon RX 550 (550X, 560), Radeon RX 640, Radeon RX 5500M, Radeon RX 6800M and Radeon Pro.

Note that all the above models are discrete. Actually, for a configuration with discrete graphics, it is the model of a separate video adapter that is indicated; if it is supplemented by an integrated module, the name of this module can be clarified by the official characteristics of the processor.

It is also worth mentioning that this paragraph does not give the full name of the model, but only its name within the series (the series itself is given separately - see above). However, knowing the series and model, one can easily find detailed information about the graphics card.

The result shown by the laptop's graphics card in 3DMark06.

This test primarily determines how well a graphics card handles intensive workloads, in particular, with detailed 3D graphics. The test result is indicated in points; the more points, the higher the performance of the video adapter. Good 3DMark06 scores are especially important for gaming laptops and advanced workstations. However, it is difficult to call them reliable, since measurements are made on video cards with different TDPs and an overall average score is given. Thus, your laptop can have either more or less than the specified result - it all depends on the TDP of the installed video card.

The result shown by the laptop graphics card in the 3DMark Vantage P test.

Vantage P is a variant of the popular 3DMark test — namely, the next version of this test after 3DMark06 (see above). Like all such tests, it is designed to test the performance of graphics under high loads and displays the results in points; the more points, the more powerful and performant the graphics card is. Good results in 3DMark Vantage P are especially important if the laptop is going to be used for demanding games. However, it is difficult to call them reliable, since measurements are made on video cards with different TDPs and an overall average score is given. Thus, your laptop can have either more or less than the specified result - it all depends on the TDP of the installed video card.

Wi-Fi standards supported by the laptop.

In modern laptops, most often there are wireless communication modules that support Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). Earlier standards appear infrequently; First of all, this is Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), which ensures compatibility of the laptop with legacy wireless equipment. Here are the features of each of these standards:

- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Standard introduced in 2013. It operates exclusively on the 5 GHz frequency, which is why it is only compatible with Wi-Fi 4 and newer versions. Provides a theoretical maximum speed of up to 1 Gbps with a single-channel connection and up to 6 Gbps with multiple channels in MIMO format, while consuming significantly less power than its predecessor.

- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). A standard developed as a direct development and improvement of Wi-Fi 5. A priori, it operates at standard frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (including equipment of earlier standards), but if necessary, it can connect additional bands in the range from 1 to 7 GHz. The maximum data transfer speed has increased to 10 Gbps, but the main advantage of Wi-Fi 6 is not even this, but the further optimization of the simultaneous operation of several devices on the same channel. Wi-Fi 6 provides a minimal drop in speed under conditions...of high channel load.

- Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax). The Wi-Fi 6E standard is technically called 802.11ax. But unlike basic Wi-Fi 6, which is named similarly, it provides for operation in an additional unused 6 GHz band. In total, the standard uses 14 different frequency bands, offering high throughput in the most crowded places with many active connections. And it's backwards compatible with previous versions of Wi-Fi.

— Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). The technology, like the previous Wi-Fi 6E, is capable of operating in three frequency ranges: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz. At the same time, the maximum bandwidth in Wi-Fi 7 was increased from 160 MHz to 320 MHz - the wider the channel, the more data it can transmit. The IEEE 802.11be standard uses 4096-QAM modulation, which also allows more symbols to be accommodated in a data transmission unit. From Wi-Fi 7 you can squeeze out a maximum theoretical information exchange speed of up to 46 Gbps. In the context of using wireless connections for streaming and video games, the implemented MLO (Multi-Link Operation) development seems very interesting. With its help, you can aggregate several channels in different ranges, which significantly reduces delays in data transmission and ensures low and stable ping. And Multi-RU (Multiple Resource Unit) technology is designed to minimize communication delays when there are many connected client devices.

Technology for direct wireless communication between various devices, in particular for connecting speakers, headphones, for transferring files, etc. Version plays a key role in Bluettoth's abilities. In modern realities, Bluetooth wireless protocols below revision 4 are no longer relevant. More about them:

— Bluetooth v 4.0. A fundamental update (after version 3.0), which introduced another data transfer format — Bluetooth Low Energy (LE). Bluetooth LE allows you to significantly save energy with such a connection.

— Bluetooth v 4.1. Development and improvement of Bluetooth 4.0. One of the key improvements was the optimization of collaboration with 4G LTE communication modules — so that Bluetooth and LTE do not interfere with each other. In addition, this version has the ability to simultaneously use a Bluetooth device in several roles.

— Bluetooth v 4.2. This version did not introduce fundamental updates, however, it received a number of improvements regarding reliability and noise immunity, as well as improved compatibility with the Internet of Things.

— Bluetooth v 5.0. Version introduced in 2016. The key innovations were the further expansion of the possibilities associated with the Internet of Things. In particular, in the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol (see above), it became possible to double the data transfer rate (up to 2 Mbit / s) at the cost of reducing the range, as well as quadruple the range at the cost of redu...cing the speed; in addition, a number of improvements have been introduced regarding the simultaneous work with numerous connected devices.

— Bluetooth v 5.1. Update of the version described above v 5.0. In addition to general improvements in the quality and reliability of communication, this update has implemented such an interesting feature as determining the direction from which the Bluetooth signal is coming. This makes it possible to determine the location of connected devices with an accuracy of up to a centimeter, which can be useful, for example, when searching for wireless headphones.

— Bluetooth v 5.2. The main innovations in this release are a number of security improvements, additional power optimization in LE mode, and a new audio signal format for synchronizing parallel playback on multiple devices.

The capacity of the included laptop battery in milliamp-hours (mAh).

Higher capacity allows the laptop to work longer on a charge, all other things being equal. However, keep in mind that the actual battery life will depend not only on the battery, but also on the power consumption of the laptop itself — and it is determined by both the hardware platform and the installed software. Therefore, only models with similar characteristics can be compared with each other according to this indicator. And if you need a “long-playing” laptop or laptop with very good battery life, you should choose it not by battery capacity, but by directly stated operating time.

Regarding milliamp hours, it is also worth noting that this is not a very reliable (although the most popular) unit of capacity: the actual amount of energy stored in a battery depends not only on milliamp hours, but also on the operating voltage. A more correct unit in this sense is watt-hours, for details on them, see p. "Battery capacity" below. As for specific numbers, the most modest models in this regard are equipped with batteries of 3000 – 4000 mAh and even less. 4000 – 5000 mAh can be called an average, 5000 – 6000 mAh is above average, and the most capacious laptop batteries can hold 6000 -7000 mAh or more.

Rated voltage of the battery supplied with the laptop.

In fact, most users do not need to pay special attention to this parameter. The battery is selected by the manufacturer in such a way as to ensure the battery life and power efficiency planned for this model, so when choosing, it makes sense to look at more "close to life" indicators — first of all, the maximum operating time. Voltage data is needed mainly in specific cases — for example, when looking for a spare battery or transferring capacity from one unit to another (for more details, see "Battery Capacity").

The operating system (OS) installed on the laptop as standard.

The OS is the software base, the environment in which the rest of the “software” of the laptop functions. The capabilities of the device and its compatibility with certain software products largely depend on its brand and version / edition. Theoretically, the pre-installed operating system can be changed to another, but in fact this is not always justified. In particular, the pre-installed OS is usually optimally configured for a specific hardware configuration, while other options may not work correctly.

Among the operating systems relevant for modern laptops, it is worth noting, first of all, the various editions of Windows 10 — in particular, Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro(including versions with the so-called S Mode), as well as Windows 11, which similarly have Home and Pro versions. . An alternative is Linux(including the Endless OS version); and Apple installs a proprietary solution on its laptops — macOS. Of course, devices are produced without a pre-installed OS at all (they also include laptops with DOS on board). Here is a more detailed description of these options:

— Windows 10. This OS was release...d in the fall of 2014 as the next update of the desktop OS family from Microsoft and the successor to Windows 8.1 (number 9 was omitted for technical reasons). It introduced many innovations, such as the built-in Cortana voice assistant, the Edge browser, support for multiple desktops, updated Start menu and notification centre, a major update of standard pre-installed programs, etc. In addition, the system also received an edition of Windows 10 Mobile, which gave a high degree of integration between smartphones and PC / laptops; however, the mobile version was generally unsuccessful and was discontinued in early 2020. Windows 10 is paid, its cost is included in the price of the device. Currently, among laptops it can be found in the following editions:

• Windows 10 Home. "Home" edition — designed mainly for undemanding users who do not need special professional features. Windows 10 Home has all the basic features of the system, but lacks corporate tools, as well as the ability to manage the Update Centre and access the computer via remote desktop.
• Windows 10 Pro. An extended edition of Windows 10 described above, designed for use in the professional field and designed for IT professionals and advanced enthusiasts. In addition to all the features available in the Home edition, it also offers a number of professional and corporate tools — in particular, Active Directory, remote desktop, BitLocker encryptor, and a tool for working with Hyper V virtual machines. however, the more advanced Pro For Workstations edition is designed for high-end workstations, and it simply does not make sense to use it in laptops.
• Windows 10 S Mode. “S-Mode” is a specific version of Windows 10 available for both the Home and Pro editions described above. Such solutions differ from the original OS in limited functionality. So, various programs can only be installed from the Windows Store, the ability to install from third-party sources is not available. This results in restrictions on the use of peripherals: for some external devices, special functions may not be available due to the inability to install a proprietary driver (however, manufacturers of such devices are gradually correcting the situation by writing applications for the Windows Store). Only the standard Microsoft Edge is available as a browser, and Bing is available as a built-in search engine. All this narrows the possibilities for using the system, but significantly increases its security and speed. The latter is especially effective with weak hardware: on such equipment, Windows 10 S Mode is much more comfortable to use than one or another original edition. As for security, it is ensured by careful control of applications published in the Windows Store. The creators position S Mode as the best solution for the educational sector, but in general, this edition is well suited primarily for simple tasks like Internet surfing or working with documents. It is possible to switch from S Mode to the regular version of Windows 10 in the appropriate edition for free — however, this action cannot be undone, and most often it leads to significant performance losses.

— Windows 11. The first major system update from Microsoft in the last six years since the release of "tens". The OS has redrawn most of the icons of standard programs and window controls, the lion's share of actions is accompanied by new animation. The main thing in the redesign is the Start menu button that has moved to a place in the centre of the lower part of the screen. Together with the operating system, Android applications debuted in the Microsoft Store. In general, the system can be considered as a big update of Windows 10 with a serious redesign of the interface, rather than a radically new OS.

As before, Windows 11 is divided into two large camps: Home and Pro. More narrowly targeted versions of this operating system (Education, Enterprise, Mixed Reality, etc.) are also being released.

— macOS. The operating system used exclusively in Apple computers and laptops. Until 2016 it was known as OS X, earlier, until 2012 — as Mac OS. In general, it is considered very reliable and stable, and not without reason: there are relatively few computers for this system, which allows you to well optimize the software part for specific hardware platforms. In terms of application, macOS has proven itself as a solution for professional use: working with documents, design, audio and video editing. At the same time, relatively few games have been created for this OS. The system is updated regularly, and updates are free and available for the life of the laptop. In addition, it is worth noting that macOS is increasingly integrated with Apple's mobile operating system — iOS. So, as of 2020, for owners of "apple" technology, in particular, the following features are available: moving tasks from device to device (for example, you can start writing a letter on a laptop and finish on a smartphone); shared clipboard; duplicating an image from a computer / laptop screen to an iPad; using a portable gadget as an interactive graphics tablet for Mac (including in notes); the possibility of voice and text (SMS) communication from a computer / laptop via a smartphone; transferring photos and scanned materials from a smartphone to a computer / laptop; Mac auto-unlock with Apple Watch, etc.

— Linux. Free and open source operating system. Developed and maintained by a community of programmers around the world. It has its own graphical interface and software tools, which is quite sufficient for solving most everyday tasks, and open source code gives experienced users ample opportunity to customize the system and write their own software. At the same time, there are different Linux distributions — both complex and advanced for enthusiasts, and simple and "friendly", designed for inexperienced users (the representative of the second category, in fact, is the Endless OS described below, but it is often positioned as a separate "OS") . In addition, almost no viruses and other malicious programs are made under Linux. In general, this OS is quite enough for most simple household and work tasks, but games and professional software for it are produced noticeably less than for Windows.

— EndlessOS. A free operating system, which is actually a specific distribution of the Linux described above. It has the same basic features and is fully compatible with Linux applications, and Endless OS has two key differences. Firstly, this OS was created for maximum simplicity, clarity and accessibility even for novice users. Secondly, the standard distribution of Endless OS includes more than 100 additional applications and a lot of reference materials — in case the user does not have the Internet or access to downloading applications is limited in speed or volume. However, there is an edition for those who have no difficulties with communication and who would like to independently choose a set of installed applications.

— DOS. Free operating system with minimal functionality: no graphical interface, controlled via a text command line. In fact, in modern laptops, such a system is intended solely for checking the overall performance; for other purposes, the use of DOS is impossible or does not make sense.

— No OS. The absence of any operating system in the laptop. This configuration does not allow using the device out of the box, but it has an important advantage: the user can choose a specific OS and its edition at his discretion, depending on current tasks and the available low-cost. However buying a paid “OS” separately from a laptop can cost more than purchasing a similar device with a preinstalled OS in the same edition; on the other hand, even with this in mind, such an option is often more preferable and profitable than buying a laptop with an unsuitable pre-installed OS.

The list of rarer and/or obsolete systems includes, in particular, the following:

— Android. Free and open source operating system developed by Google. Initially, it was created for mobile gadgets with the appropriate hardware (energy-efficient system-on-chip processors) and touch screens — primarily smartphones and tablets. Android itself is characterized by tight integration with Google services and an extensive set of applications available through the Google Play market; however, some manufacturers create proprietary software shells based on this OS, including support for their own services and software repositories. Specifically, in laptops, attempts to implement Android have not yet been particularly successful, so this OS can be found mainly in single models of transformers and 2-in-1 devices (see "Type"). This is partly due to the fact that this system is mainly entertainment and multimedia and is relatively poorly suited for work use (although the latter is also possible due to the abundance of applications).

— Windows earlier than Windows 10 (from newest to oldest):

• Windows 8 (in Core, Pro and RT editions);
• Windows 7 (five editions);
• Windows Vista (four editions);
• Windows XP.

All these systems are completely obsolete and are not installed on modern laptops. And for devices running Windows 7 and Windows 8, a free upgrade to Windows 10 is available.

— Chrome OS. Another software product from Google, originally created just for laptops (unlike Android). A key feature of Chrome OS is tight integration with web services: for example, until 2016, the system did not provide the installation of additional programs at all — instead, it was supposed to use web applications opened through the Chrome browser. Actually, Chrome is initially the software basis of the entire OS (hence the name). In the aforementioned 2016, it became possible to install Android applications from the Google Play store on Chrome OS. Specifically, laptops based on this operating system (“Chromebooks”), on the one hand, have shown themselves to be the most inexpensive and affordable devices, convenient, in particular, for use in the educational field. On the other hand, the lack of "native" applications can be a significant inconvenience; and software for Android is usually poorly optimized for ChromeOS — for a number of reasons, developers have little interest in such optimization. And the additional hardware capabilities of Chromebooks as a whole are noticeably more modest than those of their counterparts for Windows and macOS. As a result, such laptops are rare, and the prospects for the system itself are rather vague.

— Meego. Completely obsolete free operating system jointly developed by Nokia and Intel; has not been applied since 2013.