MSI is set to bring out two new handheld gaming consoles, with the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus and Claw 7 AI Plus boasting Intel Lunar Lake chips, and prices are starting at $799.
Officially announced by MSI, both handheld PCs boast Intel Core Ultra 7 processors, Intel Arc 140V GPUs, 32GB of DDR5x RAM, along with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. The MSI Claw 8 AI Plus come with a 8-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the Claw 7 AI Plus is equipped with a 7-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) with 120Hz.
As noted, the new MSI Claw models run at 17W for longer battery life (and boast a bigger 80Wh battery), use Cooler Boost HyperFlow technology with a dual-fan and dual-heat-pipe system that dissipates heat, and claim to offer 113% higher peak FPS and an average 20% higher FPS under identical power conditions compared to the last MSI Claw.
Both the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus and Claw 7 AI Plus will release on December 25th, but available to pre-order right now. Prices start at $799 for the MSI Claw 7 AI Plus and $899 for the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus.
We got our hands on the new MSI Claw 8 AI Plus at Computex 2024, and you can check out what we thought of it below.
MSI Claw 8 AI Plus hands-on thoughts
We really wanted to like the MSI Claw… then we tested it. At two separate hands-on events across both sides of the pond, our team were equally frustrated by its lackluster software that made games annoyingly tough to launch, with the MSI Center simply not performing as it should. Let's hope the company has learned its lessons, because the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus has just been announced at Computex 2024.
Bigger, with a beefier battery and a much more impressive CPU, the Claw 8 AI Plus is already beginning to look like the gaming handheld we should have got from MSI from the start. Intel’s Meteor Lake chip is out, with the Intel Ultra “Lunar Lake” chip now running the show. We’ve seen Lunar Lake power new AI laptops this year, but this is the first time we’re seeing this advanced silicon come to a Windows 11 handheld PC.
The bump in power that should come from ditching the old Intel Core Ultra 5 in the OG model for Lunar Lake CPUs should help run games more smoothly. If you hate constantly having to charge your current Claw, there’s good news on the battery front.
The MSI Claw 8 AI Plus has a 80Wh battery, which is a big upgrade over the 53Wh one found in its predecessor. The Steam Deck has only a 40Wh battery.
The MSI Claw 8 AI Plus has a 80Wh battery, which is a big ol’ upgrade over the 53Wh one found in its predecessor. For context, the Steam Deck OLED, which remains by far the most popular handheld PC from a sales perspective, only has a 50Wh battery. When it comes to being a battery beast, only the ROG Ally X can match the AI Plus on paper.
When it comes to the screen, MSI is bringing the chonk. Dropping the 7-inch display of the first Claw, the 8 AI Plus version now has an 8-inch Full HD display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and a touch screen.
The new Claw looks like it should run cooler than the older model thanks to MSI’s “Cooler Boost HyperFlow,” a system that uses two fans and a duo of pipes and what the firm refer to as “revolutionary intraflow thermal design," which should help drive full performance.
The Hall Effect joysticks on the first Claw return to give you greater precision in the best PC games, while the new MSI Centre M promises it will provide a more tailored inference to give gamers a better handheld experience. This is the one area I hope MSI delivers on, because the software last time just wasn’t up to the job.
As impressive as the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus is, I doubt it will replace my beloved Steam Deck OLED — but who knows. Still, it looks like the company has potentially cooked up one hell of a handheld, and we hope it takes a spot as one of the best handheld gaming consoles.
More From Tom's Guide
- MSI Claw hands-on review: Meet the next Steam Deck rival
- Asus ROG Ally may get a major upgrade thanks to the Steam Deck — here's what's coming
- Lenovo Legion Go 'S' leak gives first look at new budget PC gaming handheld — it won't be powerful
@tomsguide ♬ original sound - Tom’s Guide
