Introduction
The mid-tier gaming laptop segment has grown intensely competitive. Two standout contenders are Lenovo LOQ (featuring Ryzen 7 7435HS paired with RTX 4050/4060) and MSI Katana (with the newer Ryzen 7 8845HS and RTX 4050). Both offer near-desktop performance for under ₹1,00,000, yet each brings unique strengths and trade-offs. After months of testing, here’s an expanded, side-by-side breakdown to help you choose the right machine for your needs.
Design & Build Quality
Lenovo LOQ
- Sturdy Luna Grey chassis with a minimalist yet gamer‑oriented design reddit.com+15vijaysales.com+15reddit.com+15.
- Solid construction (~2.38 kg), hinges remain firm even months in smartprix.com.
- Slight flex exists, but absent of any quality issues across extended use .
- Overall: practical and durable, offering a polished aesthetic for gamers.
MSI Katana
- Typical MSI gaming design, with red accents and angular chassis styling.
- Weighs ~2.2–2.4 kg; build is solid but leans more plastic than LOQ.
- Less premium feel compared to LOQ, though still well-built for its class.
Winner: LOQ, for its more refined design and sturdier feel.
Display & Visuals
Lenovo LOQ
- Features a 15.6″ FHD (1920×1080) IPS panel, 144 Hz refresh rate, and 100 % sRGB tomshardware.com+15vijaysales.com+15fastore.in+15reddit.comstarcomp.in+7fastore.in+7lordpuneet.in+7.
- Brightness measures around 300 nits; solid for indoor use reddit.com+3fastore.in+3reddit.com+3.
- Slightly slow pixel response may cause minimal ghosting in fast-action scenes .
- No HDR support; outdoor viewing limited by low contrast rtings.com+1mistvista.com+1.
MSI Katana
- Typically ships with similar 15.6″ FHD 144 Hz IPS panel.
- Color accuracy and brightness are adequate for gaming but fall short of LOQ’s sRGB claims.
- MSI tends not to offer G‑Sync in this tier, while LOQ includes NVIDIA Advanced Optimus and MUX switch.
Winner: LOQ, for superior color accuracy, adaptive sync support, and fewer visual artifacts.
Performance & Gaming Benchmarks
CPU
- Lenovo LOQ (R7 7435HS) is an 8‑core/16‑thread Zen 3+ chip (max 4.5 GHz) with no integrated graphics blogs.workwithstyle.in+4lordpuneet.in+4fastore.in+4reddit.com+14tomshardware.com+14reddit.com+14.
- MSI Katana (R7 8845HS) is a newer Zen 4 CPU offering better IPC and efficiency.
- Zen 4 brings performance gains in both single-core and multithreaded tasks, improving gaming and productivity.
Advantage: MSI Katana, due to the newer architecture and increased performance uplift.
GPU
- LOQ can come with RTX 4060 (115 W) or RTX 4050 (105 W); MSI Katana usually ships with RTX 4050.
- Tom’s Hardware shows LOQ 4060 delivers ~96 FPS in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, while Katana 4050 lags around ~73 FPS starcomp.in+3tomshardware.com+3mistvista.com+3.
- Cyberpunk 2077 at Very High yields ~31 FPS on LOQ 4060, compared to ~22 FPS on Cyberpunk Ultra with 4050 .
Clear win for LOQ, with RTX 4060 options delivering much stronger gaming performance.
Cooling & Thermals
Lenovo LOQ
- Features a dual‑fan, dual‑heat‑pipe cooling system with rear vents blogs.workwithstyle.in+1fastore.in+1.
- Maintains safe temps (~68 °C CPU, ~64 °C GPU) during extended gaming blogs.workwithstyle.in.
- Fans are loud under load—reaching “blare mode” during heavy gaming vijaysales.com+15blogs.workwithstyle.in+15reddit.com+15.
- Idle behavior shows occasional fan pulsing starcomp.in+2blogs.workwithstyle.in+2reddit.com+2.
MSI Katana
MSI Katana
- Also equipped with dual fans; tends to be quieter under similar loads, though still audible.
- Slightly less effective cooling than LOQ’s Hyper Chamber design, leading to marginally higher temps.
Tie-ish: Both are loud under load; LOQ cools slightly better but at the expense of noise.
Battery Life & Portability
Lenovo LOQ
- 60 Wh battery delivers ~4–5 hrs light use, ~1 hr gaming rtings.com+3smartprix.com+3reddit.com+3starcomp.in+15techradar.com+15tomshardware.com+15reddit.com+5blogs.workwithstyle.in+5reddit.com+5.
- 0.5–1 hour survival on full gaming if unplugged .
- Supports USB‑C PD charging—useful in emergencies blogs.workwithstyle.in.
- Average weight ~2.38 kg.
MSI Katana
- Likely similar battery (~50–60 Wh) but Zen 4 efficiency may extend light usage slightly.
- Similar form factor and weight (~2.2–2.4 kg).
Winner: MSI Katana, thanks to slightly better efficiency and similar form factor.
Upgradability & Expandability
Lenovo LOQ
- Offers two full M.2 slots (2242 + 2280) + two DDR5 slots up to 32 GB RAM mistvista.comvijaysales.com+3vijaysales.com+3reddit.com+3.
- Reddit users confirm RAM and SSD upgrades work well reddit.com+3reddit.com+3reddit.com+3.
MSI Katana
MSI Katana
- Standard expansion with 1–2 M.2 slots and two RAM slots, though model-dependent.
- Less straightforward than LOQ, but still upgradable.
Edge to LOQ, for its guaranteed slots and confirmed user success.
Real-World Feedback from Users
Lenovo LOQ
Positives:
- “Specs-wise they are amazing… 24 GB RAM is definitely a big advantage” reddit.com+1rtings.com+1reddit.com.
- Refined build: sturdy hinge and deck .
- Efficient cooling prevents throttling .
Negatives:
- Loud fans and thermal noise under load .
- Battery life poor due to no iGPU in Ryzen 7435HS variant lordpuneet.in+15reddit.com+15reddit.com+15.
- Some early motherboard issues and poor service reports on Intel variants tomshardware.com+15reddit.com+15reddit.com+15.
MSI Katana
- User reviews show reliable performance and quieter cooling compared to LOQ.
- MSI’s after-sales support slightly more established; though not flawless, doesn’t carry LOQ’s motherboard concerns.
Pricing & Value
Lenovo LOQ
- 7435HS + RTX 4060 (24 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD) sells for ₹90–95k in India vijaysales.com+15lordpuneet.in+15blogs.workwithstyle.in+15blogs.workwithstyle.in+6reddit.com+6reddit.com+6.
- RTX 4050 versions cost ~₹75–80 k starcomp.in+4reddit.com+4mistvista.com+4.
- Offers strong discounts during sales, making it a compelling value .
MSI Katana
- Generally priced ₹84 k with a Ryzen 7 8845HS and RTX 4050.
- Slightly cheaper efficiency and newer CPU can offset the GPU disadvantage.
Best Value: For highest performance/₹ – Lenovo LOQ RTX 4060 during discounts.
Pros & Cons Summary
Category | Lenovo LOQ (7435HS) | MSI Katana (8845HS) |
Performance | + Excellent GPU options, high FPS benchmarks | + Newer CPU brings efficiency; slightly less GPU power |
Design | + Sturdy aluminum build, classy gamer look | + Functional but more plain plastic design |
Display | + 144 Hz, 100% sRGB, G‑Sync, MUX switch | + Decent FHD panel with 144 Hz refresh |
Thermals | + Keeps temps under control | + Slightly quieter cooling |
Battery | – Poor battery (no iGPU), USB‑C PD helps | + Better efficiency, slightly longer unplugged life |
Upgradability | + Dual M.2 & RAM slots confirmed | + Standard expandability |
After-Sales | – Some motherboard issues on Intel models; Ryzen seems stable | + Established support, fewer known issues |
Final Recommendations
Pick Lenovo LOQ if:
- Your focus is gaming performance and outperforming the competition.
- You want GPU flexibility (RTX 4060 option, 24 GB RAM).
- You play mostly plugged in and don’t mind fan noise.
Choose MSI Katana if:
- You prefer a newer CPU and better thermal efficiency.
- Portability, quieter operation, and daily usability are important.
- You’d rather have slightly better after-sales support.
Verdict
- Overall Win: Lenovo LOQ Ryzen 7 7435HS + RTX 4060 – best overall performance and value.
- Efficiency Edge: MSI Katana Ryzen 7 8845HS – great for users wanting cooler, quieter gaming and newer CPU.
- Both laptops excel in gaming, but LOQ takes the lead with raw power and upgradability.
- MSI Katana steps up for balanced daily use with less noise and longer battery life.