MSI Claw 8 AI+ review: beastly power

Discover the MSI Claw 8 AI+ in our in-depth review, showcasing its beastly power and performance. Unleash your gaming potential today!

MSI Claw 8 AI+ Review

A Stark Improvement Over its Predecessor

The original MSI Claw, hampered by its Meteor Lake Intel chip and a design that felt more like a proof-of-concept, was seemingly destined for obscurity. However, MSI has made a significant comeback with the Claw 8 AI+, a device that immediately conveys a sense of refinement and power. Its substantial chassis offers a reassuring weight and a premium feel. The Hall effect thumbsticks are well-positioned, and the improved triggers and shoulder buttons contribute to a satisfying tactile experience. With a price tag of $900/£899, this handheld presents itself as a desirable piece of gaming hardware.

Immersive Visuals on a Vibrant Display

The centerpiece of the Claw 8 AI+ is its impressive 8-inch IPS-type 1200p display. Its vibrancy is immediately noticeable upon startup, drawing the player into the game world. While not the most portable device, the external design exudes a premium quality that was absent in the original Claw, with the large screen taking pride of place.

Powering the Beast: Lunar Lake Unleashed

Internally, the Claw 8 AI+ boasts the highly anticipated Intel Core Ultra 7 285V, a Lunar Lake chip specifically designed for mobile gaming. Despite some challenges for Intel's desktop division in 2024, the Lunar Lake architecture stands out for its power efficiency and the enhanced Battlemage-based Arc 140V iGPU, featuring eight Xe² cores and eight dedicated ray tracing units. While full-blown ray tracing remains demanding for integrated graphics, the Arc 140V is a significant step forward, making the Claw 8 AI+ the first handheld to utilize this cutting-edge chip.

Head-to-Head: Facing the Top Contenders

To assess its capabilities, the Claw 8 AI+ was pitted against the current king, the Asus ROG Ally X, the speed-focused OneXPlayer OneXFly F1 Pro ($1,339), and the large-screen Lenovo Legion Go. The central question: can the Claw 8 AI+ compete with these elite handhelds?

Gaming Prowess: Benchmarking the Performance

The answer is a resounding yes in most scenarios.

• Black Myth Wukong: The Claw matches the ROG Ally X at Medium settings (no upscaling) and slightly surpasses it with FSR enabled, boasting a higher minimum frame rate. It trails the OneXFly F1 Pro by a mere two frames.
• Cyberpunk 2077: Impressively, the Claw outperforms the OneXFly by a single average frame, both with and without upscaling. This highlights the strong performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 285V.
• F1 24: The Claw delivers a clear victory over the ROG Ally X, especially with upscaling. However, the OneXFly F1 Pro once again takes the lead.
• Metro Exodus Enhanced: The Claw dominates, surpassing both the ROG Ally X and the OneXFly F1 Pro.
• Horizon Zero Dawn: An anomaly occurs, with the Claw leading without upscaling but inexplicably dropping below its competitors with FSR enabled, despite maintaining a high minimum frame rate. This suggests potential driver-related quirks.

The Claw 8 AI+ also achieved a surprisingly high 3DMark Time Spy GPU score, a trend often seen with Intel's Arc architecture, where synthetic benchmark performance doesn't always directly translate to in-game gains. Its CPU performance, while strong in single-core tasks, lags behind the AMD-powered competitors in multi-core benchmarks due to its core configuration. However, for a dedicated gaming handheld, the reviewer argues that real-world gaming performance is the key metric, and the Lunar Lake chip delivers.

Thermal Efficiency and Acoustic Performance

The Claw 8 AI+ runs surprisingly cool, with a maximum CPU temperature of 86°C, thanks to its larger chassis. It is also remarkably quiet under load, a welcome contrast to some louder competitors.

Battery Life: An Impressive Endurance

In PCMark 10's gaming battery life test, the Claw 8 AI+ achieved an outstanding 129 minutes, narrowly beating the ROG Ally X and nearly doubling the OneXFly F1 Pro's endurance. This impressive longevity is attributed to the large 80 Wh battery and the efficiency of the Intel chip, translating to extended real-world gaming sessions on the go.

Control Feel and Ergonomics

The Hall effect thumbsticks are praised for their accuracy and comfort. However, the ROG Ally X's triggers, shoulder buttons, and face buttons are deemed to offer a slightly more premium feel. The OneXPlayer OneXFly F1 Pro also slightly edges out the MSI in terms of material quality and tolerances.

Software and Special Features

MSI's M-Center software is described as basic, and its AI Engine for dynamic performance adjustment is recommended to be disabled in favor of manual power settings.

Portability vs. Power and Screen Size

A key consideration is the trade-off between the Claw's large screen and powerful performance versus its portability. The ROG Ally X's more compact size makes it easier to carry, while the Claw's bulk might make users think twice about taking it everywhere.

The Verdict: A Strong Contender with Minor Drawbacks

Despite some minor shortcomings, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ offers exceptional value for its $900 price. It delivers performance that rivals the fastest handhelds, boasts a large and vibrant display, features good controls, and matches the impressive battery life of the ROG Ally X.

Final Thoughts: Not Quite the King, But a Powerful Force

While the Claw 8 AI+ surpasses the ROG Ally X in several benchmarks, the Asus handheld is deemed to offer a slightly more refined overall package, particularly in terms of portability and control feel.Ultimately, both handhelds cater to different priorities. The ROG Ally X is ideal for those prioritizing portability, a premium feel, and good performance at a competitive price. The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the choice for users who prioritize sheer power, a large screen, and exceptional battery life, even if it means a slightly less refined and more cumbersome device.The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is a powerful and impressive handheld gaming PC, a significant leap forward from its predecessor and a strong contender in the current market. While not quite the reigning champion, its raw power, immersive display, and impressive battery life make it an undeniable force in the handheld gaming arena.

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