What you need to know
- The new MSI Claw 7 AI+ and more premium MSI Claw 8 AI+ gaming handhelds are now available.
- These new portable gaming devices feature the new Lunar Lake AI processors, which likely makes them far more powerful than the original MSI Claw, but also more expensive.
- Best Buy has listings for both new handhelds, but they are marked as “Sold Out.” This might just mean Best Buy hasn’t made stock available yet.
- The original MSI Claw A1M was the first gaming handheld to feature an AI processor, but it also offered the poorest performance compared to ROG Ally and Legion Go.
Yesterday, tech company Micro-Star International (MSI) announced that its new MSI Claw 8 AI+ and MSI Claw 7 AI+ gaming handhelds had launched. These portable PC gaming devices stand out as the first to incorporate the new Intel Core Ultra 7 Lunar Lake AI processors. Now, both of these handhelds have listings at Best Buy. However, they are marked as “Sold Out.” This could just mean that Best Buy hasn’t thrown the switch on sales just yet.
Let’s discuss the specs of the new handhelds as well as their chances in the market.
| Header Cell – Column 0 | MSI Claw 7 AI+ | MSI Claw 8 AI+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price: | $799.99 | $899.99 |
| Processor: | Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 258V Integrated SoC | Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 258VV Integrated SoC |
| Graphics: | Intel Arc 140V GPU | Intel Arc 140V GPU |
| OS: | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Display: | 7-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), 16:10, Touchscreen, 120Hz Refresh Rate, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), VRR, IPS-Level panel | 8-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200), 16:10, Touchscreen, 120Hz Refresh Rate, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), VRR, IPS-Level panel |
| Memory: | 32GB LPDDR5x-8533 | 32GB LPDDR5x-8533 |
| Storage: | 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD | 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
| Connectivity: | Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth v5.34 | Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth v5.4 |
| Audio: | 2x 2W Speakers, DTS sound effect, support Hi-Res Audio | 2x 2W Speakers, DTS sound effect, support Hi-Res Audio |
| Ports: | 2 x Thunderbolt 4 / DP/ USB Type-C (w/ PD 3.0 Charging), 1 x microSD Card Reader, 1 x Audio combo jack, 1 x Power button with Finger Print Sensor | 2 x Thunderbolt 4 / DP/ USB Type-C (w/ PD 3.0 Charging), 1 x microSD Card Reader, 1 x Audio combo jack, 1 x Power button with Finger Print Sensor |
| Battery: | 6-Cell, Li-Polymer, 80Whr / 65W USB Type-C PD 3.0 | 6-Cell, Li-Polymer, 54.5Whr / 65W USB Type-C PD 3.0 |
| Dimensions: | 290 (W) x 117 (D) x 21.2 (H) mm | 299 (W) x 126 (D) x 24 (H) mm |
| Weight: | 675 g | 795 g |
Stiff competition in an expanding market
The original MSI Claw A1M, which was released in March 2024 and sells for $649.99 at Best Buy, didn’t fare as well in the growing PC gaming handheld market while facing stiff competition from ASUS ROG Ally, the new ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go. This is largely due to the fact that the MSI Claw was later to the market, offers lower game performance than these other devices, and also has a pretty high starting price.
If these handhelds want to lead the way among rival devices, then these new MSI Claw models need to offer compelling reasons to purchase them and provide a fantastic playing experience. But, seeing as how they are some of the most expensive options on the market this could pose a problem.
MSI Claw 7 AI+ with its 7-inch touchscreen and black casing sells for $799.99 at Best Buy, while the more premium 8-inch display MSI Claw 8 AI+ with its “Sandstone” color scheme sells for $100 more, $899.99 at Best Buy. As such, these are some of the most expensive mainstream handhelds, aside from the AYANEO Kun, which sells for $999.00 at Best Buy.
But do the AI processors help level the playing field against competitors? It’s honestly hard to say until we can get one of these handhelds in for testing. However, according to the official MSI press release, these new models should offer a smoother control experience over the original since they have improved joysticks, bumpers, D-Pad, and Hall Effect triggers.
Apparently, they should also offer better power efficiency and battery life since they incorporate Cooler Boost HyperFlow technology, which is a
“a dual-fan, dual-heat-pipe system that efficiently dissipates heat.” Meanwhile, their Intel Core Ultra 7 processors are significantly more powerful than the previous MSI Claw’s Intel Core Ultra 5 and runs at 17W. According to MSI, these new models offer “113% higher peak FPS and an average 20% higher FPS under identical power conditions.”
The first wave of PC gaming handhelds largely only offered one USB-C port, which felt limiting for those who wanted to charge the device and connect a wired accessory to it. Thankfully, the new MSI Claw AI+ handhelds come with dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, so this isn’t a problem.
