MSI Claw 8 AI+ Evaluate: Fairly a Redemption Story

If I informed you “The Claw” was being redeemed, would you first consider the Inspector Gadget villain or MSI’s hard-pressed handheld from earlier this yr? Gizmodo and plenty of different reviewers derided the MSI Claw A1M model for its lackluster efficiency and controls that didn’t match as much as different handheld PCs. In my thoughts, its worst sin was its worth. On the high finish, the outdated 7-inch claw demanded $800. That’s what you at present pay for our decide for the very best Home windows-based handheld, the Asus ROG Ally X. So how does the all-new, bigger, pricier MSI Claw 8 AI+ stack up?

First off, the Claw 8 AI+ prices $900. It now has to justify being one of the vital costly gaming handhelds from a significant PC OEM. For that ballooning worth, the Claw now has a much bigger display at 8 inches (the identical measurement because the $750 Lenovo Legion Go), a totally renovated design, and an all-new chip, the Intel Core Extremely 7 258V. In comparison with the Core Extremely 7 155H, the brand new Intel Arc 140V graphics is a lot better than the earlier technology. Including to the enjoyable is the Claw 8’s 80 Whr battery capability, just like the Ally X, plus 32GB of RAM. It nonetheless calls for an enormous chunk of change, particularly contemplating the Steam Deck OLED is $250 cheaper than the brand new Claw with the identical 1 TB SSD storage.

Intel’s Lunar Lake chips have the additional advantage of being largely higher on battery life than many different x86 CPUs in the marketplace. In our assessments, the 258V additionally proves that it may possibly get higher framerates at 30 TDP than the AMD Z1 Excessive chip that’s so prolific amongst 2024’s gaming handhelds. The distinction will likely be extra stark in some video games in comparison with others. In case you’re in search of essentially the most highly effective handheld with an enormous display, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is a contender. Then once more, there’s the OneXPlayer Onexfly F1 Pro with as much as a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 floating about if you wish to spend upwards of $1,600 or $1,700 on a handheld. At a degree, there’s a tough restrict to what an affordable worth for a handheld PC is.

If the massive ergonomics are for you, then know the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is a number of updates from being a really strong handheld. The Middle M software program has been modified from its unique rendition, and it’s now far simpler to entry your video games and alter person eventualities than earlier than. Sadly, the system retains reverting to desktop controls and ignoring all of the controller’s buttons. Generally, it might require a fast restart earlier than the gadget remembered it was a handheld.

I’ve average-sized palms, however one thing concerning the Claw’s design lands too near its namesake. If I used to be getting a handheld for my father’s sausage fingers, I’d think about the Claw 8 first. If you wish to use your talon-like palms to scrape each final body out of your handheld, the brand new Claw will do the job. As for the way lengthy that crown will stick atop MSI’s head, that will depend upon how 2025’s APUs form up. Regardless of all that, the Claw is certainly redeemed, although, like all good anti-villains, it nonetheless has its tough edges.

The Claw 8 AI+ is at present up for preorder and can ship on Jan. 15, 2025.

MSI Claw 8 AI+ Evaluate: Design and Controls

The very first thing you’ll understand concerning the Claw 8 is that it’s a heavy and additional thick handheld. You’ll wish to work in your forearm muscle tissue, because the Claw 8 weighs 795 grams or 1.75 kilos. It doesn’t sound like a lot till you’re holding it up for minutes or hours at a time. It’s a strong slab of gaming potential, however to maintain it aloft when lounging again on the sofa, I felt the necessity to let it relaxation on my lap throughout a multi-hour gaming session. That’s the place the ridges on the again fringe of the gadget come into play. The earlier claw had a problem the place your fingers would sit on the rear vents, which is now not true on the Claw 8. The again buttons are additionally flatter, and every has a clicky-er really feel than earlier than.

The triggers on the Claw 8 are way more “set off”-like than you’ll discover on the Ally or Steam Deck. Because of the measurement of the handles, it may possibly really really feel barely uncomfortable to achieve round and grip them when taking part in any form of shooter. On the similar time, the left and proper bumper buttons really feel a lot, a lot better than the unique Claw. MSI redesigned the shoulder buttons to click on downwards, as a substitute of inwards, and the result’s a greater time in video games like Warhammer 40K: Area Marine 2 which calls for you smack the the shoulders for all of your melee assaults.

The face buttons are extra rounded than the Ally X, however fortunately MSI maintained the RGB lights behind the A, B, X, and Y. The d-pad has additionally been made way more pronounced, which makes it far simpler to make use of with out wanting. The controls are a blended bag. I admire the texture of the Corridor impact thumbsticks and most buttons save for the triggers, however all the things additionally appears like its spaced too far aside for my fingers.

The controls weren’t the one factor to obtain an overhaul. Middle M, the software program that papers over the issues when utilizing a Home windows 11-based handheld, now sports activities a extra clear look. There’s quick access to all the preferred launchers and a brand new fast settings menu that allows you to change energy settings, keyboard, WiFi, and Bluetooth settings on the fly. Moreover, the brand new menus incorporate Xbox Recreation Bar and Xbox Social.

The connection to Xbox may very well be nice information for individuals who like to change from Xbox to PC, however I’m principally eager about what different widgets we might ultimately be capable of add from the built-in widget retailer. It’s all a big enchancment on what got here earlier than, however as I discussed, I’ve come throughout a number of points with the gadget mechanically switching to PC controls and never recognizing my face buttons. This may occasionally happen if I by chance faucet the display, however with an 8-inch show that appears a probable situation for many customers. I’ve additionally encountered random glitches with Middle M that made it unusable and required I restart this system.

These points are one thing that can seemingly be patched in time, nevertheless it goes to indicate how a lot further work these Home windows handhelds require to make them usable. There’s a motive the Steam Deck stays so common. Asus and Lenovo have head begins, and each their software program suites do a good job of letting you entry your video games and ignore the Home windows desktop. MSI is nearly there, nevertheless it nonetheless wants some extra TLC.

MSI Claw 8 AI+ Evaluate: Efficiency

MSI actually wants the Claw 8 to hit excessive benchmarks to justify its price ticket, and no less than in that approach, the corporate’s handheld delivers. In case you examine the Claw 8 to the Claw A1M, the brand new gadget manages to beat it’s older brother by rather less than 700 factors in 3D Mark Time Spy and by round 800 factors in 3D Mark Metal Nomad assessments. Whereas plugged in operating at max 30W TDP, the ROG Ally X will do 3,538 on Time Spy with the most recent updates. The Claw 8 hit 4,437.

These benchmarks take a backseat to in-game efficiency. In Cyberpunk 2077 benchmarks, operating on Steam Deck settings with both Intel XeSS or AMD FSR, the Claw 8 managed to hit 52 FPS whereas operating on the Ally’s max 1920 by 1080 decision. You get barely much less on the Claw’s max 1920 by 1200, however not sufficient to make a distinction in scores. It’s an analogous story to benchmarks in video games like Murderer’s Creed Valhalla and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the place the Claw 8 may outperform the Ally X by between 5 to 10 FPS with the identical settings.

Then comes true in-game efficiency, and that’s the place the traces between handhelds begin to blur. You’re going to get strong efficiency in all of your typical 2D motion titles. A recreation like Hades II seems to be extremely vibrant on Claw’s giant 8-inch show. Trendy 3D video games are a blended bag. Treatment’s Management on medium settings would sit round 30 to 35 FPS in giant enviornment areas. Baldur’s Gate III underneath excessive settings may nonetheless do 30 to 40 FPS in Act I with AMD FSR. You might have to dial graphics again barely to get playable framerates within the metropolis of Act III.

I didn’t have the time to check a great deal of completely different video games on MSI’s newest handheld, however what I may check was a blended bag. Sadly, you gained’t get a really demanding new title like Indiana Jones: The Nice Circle to run above 30 FPS on the Claw 8, even when dialing again the decision. Then it’s a must to think about the way you’ll quit mobility for the sake of taking part in video games at their high stage. A recreation like Warhammer 40K: Area Marine 2 will run at simply above 30 FPS with low settings on the max decision. That’s not a lot better than the Ally X.

These framerates are at all times why I inform individuals to curb their expectations with handheld PCs. Generally, that further energy makes a distinction. In different instances, you might be nonetheless restricted by the dearth of discrete GPU. The Claw’s $900 asking worth is already approach too near , budget-end gaming laptop computer. Taking the Claw off energy, the system was operating at round 30 W of CPU energy however was doing a complete of 45 W to deal with the followers. It might nonetheless play nice, however with these followers going you’re going to lose out on battery.

MSI Claw 8 AI+ Evaluate: Battery Life

Together with the Intel chip, the Claw 8’s different headline function is the 80 Whr battery and help for 64W charging via twin Thunderbolt 4 ports. The capability is equal to the Ally X. The Intel Lunar Lake chips have proved they’re comparatively energy environment friendly. MSI claims you must get round 4 hours of battery life in “prolonged use,” however anyone with handheld expertise is aware of this can drastically change relying on the sport you play.

In my session of Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, I performed it off energy repeatedly at 30W for somewhat a couple of hour and half-hour earlier than I used to be sitting at 10%. That’s already a comparatively robust lifespan for a demanding recreation. On the similar time, you might be higher off streaming these titles to your handheld, which in my expertise not solely grants you much better framerates however can push the battery life properly previous the four-hour mark.

I continued my recreation of Metaphor: Refantazio I’ve been fortunately taking part in via on my Steam Deck OLED over the past a number of months. On its automated “AI engine” situation, the Claw 8 managed to carry out for 3 hours from full earlier than demanding I plug it in. I can usually get round two hours of the identical recreation at lower-detailed settings with Valve’s handheld.

Even with the bigger display, the Claw 8 can maintain its personal with the bigger capability of the Ally X. Simply do not forget that simply because it’s operating with a 80 Whr capability doesn’t imply it’ll get twice as a lot battery life as these with a 40 Whr battery, particularly while you’re attempting to get each ounce of energy from this small-form gaming platform.

MSI Claw 8 AI+ Evaluate: Display and Sound

I don’t have that burning want for a bigger show on my handhelds, however no less than the MSI Claw 8’s IPS LCD display is a nice factor to take a look at. It’s loads vibrant as properly. The Claw 8’s VRR show goes as much as 120 Hz, which was particularly useful in a recreation like Hades II which might really hit these framerates.

What’s extra is you do get a good quantity of display on the Claw 8. The bezels are, on the entire, barely smaller than a Steam Deck or ROG Ally, no less than on the highest and sides. It’s nearer to the bezels on the Lenovo Legion Go, and if the purpose is to maximise display actual property, then MSI has accomplished the job admirably.

What stunned me most concerning the Claw 8 AI+ was the sound high quality. The twin 2W audio system aren’t going to carry their very own to full, devoted speaker setups, however the Ally continues to be loud for its measurement. The hand-held blasted sound to a room-filling diploma.

Is it what you wish to hearken to for $900? Most likely not. You’ll nonetheless hear some hollowness from high-frequency pitched sounds. It gained’t be practically nearly as good as a pair of headphones paired with the visuals. Nonetheless, the manufacturing is kind of good for its measurement. Whereas listening to the impeccable soundtrack of Metaphor: Refantazio, I didn’t really feel the specific must dive for my earbuds like I often do taking part in on another handhelds.

MSI Claw 8 AI+ Evaluate: Verdict

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ makes up for lots of the errors of the Claw A1M. It’s an enormous handheld, nevertheless it’s strong if massive is what you’re in search of. The Middle M software program might want to enhance with time, however even when it does, I’m unsure if 8-inches is the appropriate measurement for me. The 7-inchers just like the Ally X and Steam Deck really feel extra ergonomic in my palms. Even higher, the smaller handhelds are extra transportable, and I want to journey mild.

There’s speak concerning the AMD Z2 APU launching subsequent yr. The Z1 is already loads highly effective sufficient for many avid gamers’ wants, so there’s hope a redesigned APU would be the new benchmark. Current leaks point out the brand new Z2 Excessive chip may have 12 RDNA 3.5 cores with structure based mostly on the standard Strix Level collection. We’d guess that chips’ efficiency, however the true reveal requires some extra endurance from customers.

In case you don’t wish to wait, and also you particularly demand the most important handheld display, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is among the few gadgets that I can say is near the height of what’s at present accessible. Figuring out the rumor mill going into 2025, that will not final. I don’t counsel you reside your life based mostly on FOMO, although it wouldn’t harm to attend till we see what new sorts of rumored Lenovo handhelds might arrive quickly.