A Good (However Not Nice) Second Try

MSI selected to go its personal means with its first Claw 7 in 2024. In a world filled with AMD-powered PC handhelds, the corporate as a substitute went all-in on Intel — sadly, with a less-than-stellar consequence. The Claw 7’s Extremely 7-155H chip had bother hitting acceptable efficiency targets with out significantly amping up the ability, which was maybe satisfactory if one remained plugged into an outlet more often than not. On the go, nonetheless, the necessity for extra energy, and the system’s 53Wh battery, actually stifled the Claw 7’s usefulness. In comparison with the competitors, it simply wasn’t an excellent transportable.

I’m right here to let you know that’s completely not the case for the MSI Claw 8 AI+ in 2025. Awkward naming apart, this handheld (which I’ll consult with because the Claw 8 going ahead) improves on most of the Claw 7’s shortcomings. Whereas the expertise as an entire isn’t fairly as mature as what you’ll get from others within the house, reminiscent of Valve, ASUS, and Lenovo, the Claw 8 has sufficient differentiation to make it price a glance in the event you’re out there for a brand new transportable PC. That’s far more than I might say about final yr’s mannequin.

What Specs Are Included In The MSI Claw 8 AI+?

What Precisely Are You Getting For The Worth?

There’s an even bigger query, although, of whether or not that little bit of differentiation is well worth the Claw 8’s asking worth of $899.99, and whether or not all of these enhancements could make up for one main shortcoming that also lingers. Right here’s a fast have a look at the specs of the system I reviewed:

With that, let’s dig into the MSI Claw 8.

The Claw 8 Re-Ups On The Finest Components Of The Claw 7 (Whereas Including Some Good Enhancements)

Particularly The Show

To begin, let’s dispel the notion that final yr’s Claw 7 was completely forgettable. It wasn’t. In reality, on the design facet, it did some very nice issues, and the higher components of that system have made their means into this yr’s Claw 8. That features face buttons and shoulder buttons with a great “clickiness” to them, joysticks with a console controller-like really feel, triggers with some good journey, and two mappable buttons on the rear. The face buttons are as soon as once more backlit, which is a observe I want extra corporations would undertake. These aforementioned sticks and triggers are Corridor impact, too, that means you may seemingly keep away from stick drift points whereas getting some improved accuracy.

All in all, the outer items of the Claw 8 are totally on level. Then once more, this was principally the case final yr. What’s new this time round is the show: an 8-inch, 1920 x 1200 great thing about a display screen. Colours look nice on this factor, and it’s means simpler to really feel immersed on an 8-inch show, particularly at 16:10, than it’s on a 7-incher. The dimensions distinction made itself recognized fairly rapidly. In a number of rounds of Rocket League, I used to be a much more efficient participant than I’ve ever been on my ROG Ally X. In a season the place I’m actually struggling to hit Champion, I couldn’t blame it on the hand-held whereas I used to be taking part in on the Claw 8.

To get it out of the best way, the show isn’t OLED. However we’re rapidly studying why some handheld makers are persevering with to make use of LCD panels, and that’s as a result of there are merely extra of them, seemingly at higher costs, that assist variable refresh charge (VRR) know-how. VRR matches the refresh charge of the show to the body charge of the sport you’re taking part in, smoothing out visuals the place there would possibly in any other case be body tearing or noticeable stutters.

Its usefulness will rely on the kind of recreation you’re taking part in, after all. In case you lean towards visible novels that aren’t as demanding, you’ll most likely want you had OLED. However I promise you that VRR is price it in the event you play something that remotely pushes the {hardware}. I’m personally glad this function is current (simply because it was in final yr’s Claw 7), and I’m effective with the tradeoff.

The sound on the Claw 8, to me, appears completely effective. I’m not an audio skilled by any means, and I’m somebody who will sometimes plug in some headphones or use wi-fi earbuds quite than play my transportable out loud. However the audio system get the job accomplished. They’re entrance firing (which, consider it or not, isn’t a given on this house), and I couldn’t select something irregular in what I used to be listening to. I used to be proud of how they carried out.

Ergonomics are a vital a part of the general handheld expertise, and I occur to consider that the 8-inch type issue represents a candy spot in dimension and luxury. The bigger space offers you extra to seize with out feeling too unwieldy. That additional house sometimes permits for friendlier joystick and button placement, in addition to bringing the transportable enter expertise nearer to that of a standard controller.

The MSI Claw 8 sits in type of a center zone the place the texture is worried, maybe a bit above common. It is not fairly as sink-into-your-palms easy as Lenovo’s Legion Go S, which is now my gold normal on the 8-inch dimension. It’s additionally not a chore to carry and to make use of. Weight distribution is stable. There may be some “grip” to come up with. It’s nice sufficient, and all sticks, buttons, and triggers are properly inside attain. It’s, fairly merely, good.

I do want the system was a bit bit wider, and the fitting joystick shifted a contact extra to the left, although. I believe that’d enhance the general really feel. There may be the tiniest little bit of bending your proper thumb to get it in place for the stick the place, in the event you maintain an Xbox or PlayStation controller, the resting place for it is a little more pure; your thumb is totally prolonged. That is a lot more durable to attain on a handheld, the place each millimeter issues. I get that. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it surely’s one thing I hope MSI’s subsequent Claw 8 components in.

Lastly, there’s the look of the MSI Claw 8 itself. That is most likely the least vital facet of the system, and undoubtedly essentially the most subjective, however I’m going to get into it anyway. The Claw 8 is primarily a tan coloration with black accents and black grips. The rugged nature of mentioned grips make it appear as if it’d be proper at dwelling in a tank rolling via the desert. I’ve to say: I’m not a fan. I’d not shoo anybody away from the Claw 8 merely due to its coloration scheme or its aesthetic, but it surely doesn’t do the hand-held itself any favors. It doesn’t scream, “highly effective gaming system,” which the Claw 8 is. And it’s particularly unusual, because the packaging it is available in does precisely that.

Everybody, please: simply make your handheld black! In case you do, it fades into the background. In case you don’t, folks like me spend a paragraph critiquing the colours you selected.

The Claw 8 Is Let Down By Its Software program

MSI Heart M Wants Some Consideration

As talked about earlier, the 2024 Claw 7 wasn’t precisely a standout product. Numerous that needed to do with its efficiency, and with a lot deal with that, a lot of the dialogue about MSI’s software program — and the way barebones it was — received buried. The chipset on this yr’s MSI Claw 8 is far, significantly better, and with so many months to cook dinner, I anticipated MSI to return out swinging with a software program expertise that basically rounded issues out. Sadly, that did not occur.

MSI Heart M nonetheless seems like it’s merely ticking off some containers. It does some of what’s anticipated, reminiscent of supplying you with a fast method to launch put in video games or flip between efficiency modes. I admire that the short entry menu is constructed into the “Compact” model of Microsoft’s Xbox Sport Bar, successfully making the Claw 8 the primary PC handheld with an Xbox button. However there simply isn’t quite a lot of reliability, taste, or customization right here.

Responsiveness was a giant challenge all through my evaluation. At varied factors, MSI Heart M would simply straight-up cease working and confirmed no indicators of life when urgent its corresponding button on the Claw 8. That conduct carried over to the button for the short entry “Sport Bar” menu, as properly, and someway wasn’t solved by killing the method and making an attempt to restart it. I needed to reboot in an effort to get issues working once more.

The sport library additionally caught out to me as lacking some tender love and care. It isn’t notably enticing; it was a bit hit and miss on recreation artwork, and my downloaded titles had been blended in alongside launchers and even a stray Home windows app or two. As a primary entry level into MSI Heart M, it’s not an excellent touchdown spot and isn’t one thing you’ll need to spend so much of time .

Most of all, I used to be disenchanted by the variety of configurable choices. There aren’t any per-game efficiency settings to talk of. There is no method to remap controls for sure video games. And you actually haven’t got a lot command over energy. We’ll get extra into efficiency particularly within the subsequent part, however to set the desk, MSI offers you three choices: Endurance, AI Mode, and Handbook. I’m primarily griping on the Handbook mode right here, which solely lets you set a hard and fast energy level at both 8W, 17W or 30W. There’s no method to, say, set the Claw 8 to work at a hard and fast 10W, or 20W, or 25W. You might have solely what MSI supplies. I suppose what’s there may be effective for extra informal players, however those that actually prefer to get below the hood and tweak would possibly discover the choices limiting.

It’s virtually universally accepted at this level that Home windows shouldn’t be the most effective working system for PC handhelds. That has, pretty or not, shifted duty of the user-facing software program expertise to system producers. Some have accomplished a greater job answering the decision than others, and I take no pleasure in saying that MSI falls into that “different” camp proper now. There’s potential right here if MSI can pour the time and sources into it. Proper now, although: MSI’s software program isn’t including to the enjoyment of utilizing the Claw 8, and it’d even be detracting from it.

If You Need Efficiency, The Claw 8 Brings It

Get Wrecked In Elden Ring In Superb 1200p

That is the enjoyable half. Everybody loves a great redemption story, and the Claw 8 of 2025, when in comparison with the 7-inch iteration from final yr, resides out that story via its efficiency. It’s the primary PC handheld that goes above 1920 x 1080 (pushing roughly 11% extra pixels) the place I consider the native decision is definitely a great match, and that the majority video games ought to play effective. That seems like a giant deal.

The Claw 8 packs in an enormous 80Wh battery, in addition. This affords a virtually 50% leap in capability from the 2024 Claw 7’s 53Wh battery, and as you will see within the numbers to return, enhancements in each efficiency and effectivity paired with that bigger battery go a good distance towards making the Claw 8 a significantly better handheld.

I am going to now get into some notes about every of the ability modes and their anticipated battery runtimes.

• Endurance Mode is usually about limiting sources to hit a capped body charge. I did a quick little bit of testing right here however rapidly realized that by default, it targets 30 FPS (although this may be configured in Intel’s settings). The advantages you’ll see right here in battery life rely on how a lot energy a recreation must hit the chosen mark, so it could differ. For the needs of body charge testing, this was neglected.
• AI Mode lets the system energy run a bit extra free, utilizing AI to adapt settings. You’ll seemingly get between 3-4 hours of battery life on this mode.
• Handbook Mode enables you to set the system energy manually: 8W, 17W, or 30W. To be sincere, I had a dreadful time with the 8W guide mode. It slowed the system to such a crawl that I had issue launching MSI’s software program to get out of it, by no means thoughts truly moving into video games. I’m unsure why it’s right here, but it surely most likely shouldn’t be. I don’t suggest anybody use this. 17W ought to web you 3-4 hours of playtime, much like AI Mode. 30W will take you nearer to 2 hours.

It ought to be famous that battery life estimates are worst-case situations. In case you’re taking part in one thing like Celeste, even at 30W, you’ll expertise an extended playtime versus a recreation like Cyberpunk 2077.

Now, let’s see how the MSI Claw 8 fared.

The decision, at the very least the place efficiency is worried, is that this: the Claw 8 got here to play this yr.

We’re getting much better efficiency at each 17W and 30W than we ever might have anticipated from final yr’s MSI Claw 7. Credit score goes not solely to MSI for together with a greater chip, however to Intel, as properly, for having that chip be worthwhile. The 258V performs leaps and bounds higher than the 155H within the Claw 7. It’s extra environment friendly at decrease wattages and reaches larger highs when extra energy is fed to it.

I wish to return to the 1920 x 1200 show as a result of I believe the Claw 8’s efficiency at that decision is a welcome change for the market. Up to now, we’ve had some handhelds are available in with even larger decision panels, the place downscaling is sort of mandatory for many titles. And in my Lenovo Legion Go S evaluation, I puzzled why that system had this similar 1920 x 1200 show when 800p appeared just like the safer play. The Claw 8 has modified my pondering on this. With the suitable energy, 1200p is totally doable.

I do have some numbers with a downscale to 800p, additionally, for these curious:

You’ll undoubtedly get some larger body charges by drawing down the decision, however with VRR on board, I’m unsure it’s totally mandatory. Personally, exterior of gathering the above figures, I spent my time taking part in at 1200p. The crispness of the visuals in alternate for some frames was a discount I used to be prepared to make.

It is a revelation to recreation at a better decision on such a big show. In Future 2‘s Crucible, I used to be lining up my bow’s reticle over precise heads as a substitute of tiny, pixelated blobs. In Forza Horizon 5, I used to be in a position to higher admire the far-out surroundings, the place up to now on smaller handhelds, I’ve principally centered on my automotive and what was round it.

After which there’s Rocket League. This is not essentially the most spectacular recreation for a tool just like the MSI Claw 8 to run. You’ll be able to play Rocket League on the Nintendo Swap. However to have that recreation operating at excessive body charges on an 8-inch, 1200p show is actually one thing. A way of depth within the 3D house is vital in a recreation like this. I principally play it on a 65-inch TV for that motive. However on the Claw 8’s show, at that stage of element, I did not really feel like I might taken an enormous step again. That is actually cool.

Earlier than we shut this out, you is perhaps noticing one thing within the charts above at each 1200p and 800p: there’s little or no distinction between AI Mode and the guide 17W mode. With that in thoughts, it appears you may merely deal with AI Mode as that 17W mode. That’s useful, as altering the guide energy restrict requires you to enter MSI Heart M and go to a bespoke menu display screen for it, and having to try this consistently is a bit annoying. As a substitute, simply set Handbook to 30W and by no means contact it once more. You’ll be able to then use MSI’s fast entry menu to modify between Endurance, AI Mode and Handbook. Straightforward sufficient.

The Claw 8 Might Be Price It To The Proper Folks

It is Good At What It Does, However It May Be Higher

As talked about at first, the MSI Claw 8 retails within the U.S. for $899.99. That makes it one of many dearer PC handhelds in the marketplace. Is it price that worth to everyone? That’s debatable. Is it price that worth to anyone? I believe it’s, however solely those that are okay with what they’re getting in return.

The Claw 8 is an efficient product. It does a whole lot of good issues on the design entrance, although there may be room for enchancment. It’s technically very succesful. Stripping every part else away, if you need an 8-inch PC handheld that may competently and natively play video games at 1200p, with some perks like VRR and Corridor impact sticks and triggers, the Claw 8 isn’t only a effective selection — it’s actually the one selection in the intervening time. Nevertheless, the Claw 8 isn’t a nice product, and that largely has to do with its software program.

MSI nonetheless has a whole lot of work to do on this finish, reminiscent of making it extra dependable, offering extra helpful options, and augmenting the software program to be extra complementary to the expertise. Proper now, it feels a bit extra like an impediment that should be overcome, and it holds the Claw 8 again. In case you’re somebody who desires to exert extra management over your handheld, particularly, you would possibly discover the Claw 8 would not make that as straightforward because it might be.

I’m nonetheless deciding whether or not to purchase one. However I say this as somebody who owns many of those units: In case you’re getting one for the primary time, you just like the function set, and the software program isn’t that vital to you, I say go for it. It will play your video games rather well. In order for you one thing nearer to excellent for $900, although, the Claw 8 isn’t fairly there.

ScreenRant was offered a Claw 8 AI+ by MSI for this evaluation.