MSI has kept its Claw 8 AI gaming handheld behind closed doors for months on end, arguing it couldn’t show too much of its bigger handheld until Intel finally unveiled its Lunar Lake chips. Good news: Intel finally offered the full rundown of the Core Ultra series 2 during this year’s IFA showcase in Berlin. So, now we can know everything there is to know about MSI’s sequel to the maligned, pricey Claw 7 before it hits store shelves in January 2025. Right? Right?
Sorry, but no. We only learned half of what we’d hoped about the upcoming handheld. The Claw 8 AI features an all-new updated design that’s easier to hold and has a brighter, 8-inch display. It’s sporting new Center M software that looks like something you can actually use this time. All that’s great to see, but we still don’t know the exact specs on CPU capabilities or battery life to expect from its new 80Whr battery and more efficient chip.
I spent around 30 minutes playing around with the bigger, eight-inch screen and was impressed by the obvious jump in quality compared to the last version. The Claw 8 resembles a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller with a white-on-black motif and smooth sides. It’s more ergonomic than the top-end $800 Claw 7 by miles. My fingers rest neatly into the grooves carved along the back, and the back buttons are much shallower and easier to handle.
MSI told me both the triggers and joysticks are Hall effect. The triggers and bumpers on the Claw 7 were too jagged to wrap your finger around comfortably, but the Claw 8 AI feels more smooth. The sticks are just on the wrong end of thin for my taste, but I wasn’t too bothered by the overall feel of the controller in hand. Plus, MSI has kept all the cute RGB lights in both the sticks and face buttons. What can I say? I like it when my face buttons glow in the dark.
There’s Still Too Much We Don’t Know About the MSI Claw 8 AI
Despite all that, we have to remain skeptical. I only got to play through the beginning sections of Hi-Fi Rush. The game looked nice on the new screen, supporting up to a stated 500 nits peak brightness. It’s a colorful game, though it’s not the title that will push any modern handheld PC to its limits.
We don’t know what kind of TDP it will support, though MSI told Gizmodo that, thanks to the new efficient chips, it should be able to support solid gameplay at lower wattage. We know that MSI is planning to use some version of the new Intel Core Ultra 7, but Intel is selling four different kinds, each with slightly different GPU processing capabilities.
Those latest x86 chips are supposed to be much more efficient than AMD’s or even Qualcomm’s recent mobile CPUs. The next-gen laptops sporting series 2 Ultra chips are promising 20 to 30 hours of battery life. We hope the Claw 8 can stay on for longer than even the Asus ROG Ally X, but we can only speculate.
At the very least, everything looks better than before. MSI’s first attempt at a handheld UI, called Center M, was lacking in both speed and accessibility. MSI told me it’s still testing out the new version of Center M, but it’s clearly a step up in terms of looks. Every game you select comes with its own poster that blows up the entire screen. MSI is also integrating the Xbox app’s FPS tracker and game capture widgets directly into Center M through a set of new tabs. I don’t know yet how well it does papering over the issues with Windows 11 on handheld. Then again, no current Windows-based handheld that has what I would consider a working UI for this form factor, unlike the Linux-based Steam Deck.
MSI still needs to finalize so much about this console, and I’m wondering if MSI is kneecapping itself with its release date. This device would be poised to compete well in 2024. At IFA, AMD confirmed it has a new Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip in the works. Most handhelds like the ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and (essentially) the upcoming Acer Nitro Blaze 7 all use the Z1 Extreme. AMD top brass told Digital Trends it was getting far better battery life in some recent titles, but the chipmaker has yet to reveal anything more about the new chip.
The thing is, AMD will reveal more about the Z2 Extreme early next year. If you’re looking to get something for the holidays, you might instead opt for the Ally X if money’s no issue or the Steam Deck if you just want something that works and looks good doing it. As for next year, I want to believe in MSI, especially if Lunar Lake’s big performance claims shake out. If MSI can make something priced competitively with others on the market, then the Claw could have a real shot at redemption.
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