This $1000 gaming handheld would possibly simply b...

For lots of avid gamers, together with myself, handheld gaming PCs are a secondary system, providing on-the-go play when your major PC or console is not accessible. Although I personally use gaming handhelds loads in my house so I can play on the sofa or in mattress, these units are designed to be transportable first, and nearly all the time come second to a different, major gaming system.

Nonetheless, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the primary gaming handheld I’ve tried that feels prefer it might really develop into the first manner I play video games. With insane {hardware} below the hood, a high-quality display screen, and AI options that take the guesswork out of optimizing your system to your favourite recreation, I discovered myself prioritizing enjoying video games on a handheld over a console for the primary time ever.

Sadly, such a premium expertise does come at a price, and the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is not a handheld for everybody. However if you’re in search of a gaming system that fairly actually does all of it, and do not thoughts plunking down a hefty chunk of change, this simply may be the console-replacement you are in search of.

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Value, availability, and specs

Energy in your fingers

Below the hood, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is rocking the extremely highly effective Intel Core Extremely 7 258V processor, which supplies significantly better efficiency than different handhelds just like the ROG Ally collection and the Lenovo Legion Go S, which use an AMD Z1 Excessive. Paired with 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, this handheld is definitely probably the most highly effective I’ve examined and may go toe to toe with loads of mid-range gaming laptops and PCs, which is fairly spectacular for a handheld.

Along with uncooked energy, this handheld packs Corridor Impact joysticks, two Thunderbolt 4 ports (excellent for attaching a controller or exterior show whereas nonetheless charging), RGB lighting, whisper-quiet Hyperflow followers, and a high-capacity 80WHr battery.

Nonetheless, it needs to be famous that every one this energy does come at a worth, because the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is without doubt one of the most costly gaming handhelds at present accessible, costing an eye-popping $1000 as of July 2025. Little doubt a few of this worth could also be on account of elevated prices thanks to political policy, however with this unit costing greater than a PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Change 2 mixed, price is certainly one of many first elements it is best to think about in case you’re considering of choosing up this system.

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What I appreciated in regards to the MSI Claw 8 AI+

Gaming on the go with out limitations

When placing the MSI Claw 8 AI+ by its paces, I attempted to pick out a recreation that I knew would push the {hardware} to its limits. On this case, that title ended up being Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, a recreation that has annoyed me on different units with frequent crashes, framerate drops, and loading points. And once I bought began with the MSI Claw 8 AI+, I famous a few of these similar points throughout the first ten minutes or so of beginning the sport.

Nonetheless, the sport has a wise AI Engine function that robotically optimized efficiency and as soon as I turned it on I used to be in a position to get the sport working easily in only a matter of moments. Although you might be nonetheless free to make use of the system’s handbook settings mode if you want, I can not advocate the AI engine sufficient because it helped me get into the video games I needed to play as rapidly as potential, with Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle working at a steady 50 FPS when in handheld mode. Sadly, the sport’s power-saving endurance mode was merely lower than the duty when it got here to enjoying this recreation, however once I booted up lighter weight video games like Persona 3: Reloaded and Slay the Spire, the MSI Claw 8 AI+’s battery saving mode supplied sufficient efficiency as effectively.

It doesn’t matter what you are enjoying, the MSI Claw 8 AI+’s large 8-inch IPS touchscreen appears to be like shiny and exquisite and makes use of VRR (variable refresh price) at as much as 120Hz to make sure easy efficiency from even probably the most demanding titles. Given the system’s premium worth, you would be forgiven for questioning why the MSI Claw 8 AI+ would not have an OLED display screen, however I actually suppose the LCD will get the job executed effectively sufficient that if that is the place the nook needed to be minimize to maintain the system from costing over a grand, the IPS display screen is an appropriate substitution.

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What I did not like in regards to the MSI Claw 8 AI+

Generally, it isn’t nearly energy

There’s actually not loads to dislike in regards to the MSI Claw 8 AI+. It is a dear handheld to make certain, however with loads of energy below the hood, that worth is justified if you’re available in the market for a top-of-the line handheld. Nonetheless, there have been some nitpick-y issues that I did not personally like in regards to the system, although these largely fall below the “your mileage could fluctuate” umbrella.

First up, my greatest difficulty personally with the MSI Claw 8 AI+ has to do with ergonomics. I’ve very small fingers, and I discovered the system’s slab-like form to be robust to carry for lengthy intervals of time, particularly as a result of the system weighs nearly two kilos and put numerous pressure on my wrists. I discovered myself typically propping the system up on a pillow or a countertop to provide my wrists a break after just some hours of gaming. As with something, I’d encourage those that are serious about shopping for this system to discover a unit they’ll check out first, as my distinctive hand construction could merely be incompatible with the system, whereas others could discover it simpler to carry.

One other small difficulty I had was with the MSI software program that ships with the system. Very similar to different gaming handhelds, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ has its personal proprietary app on the system named Middle M, which permits customers a central hub from which they’ll launch video games, customise controls, alter settings, and customarily bypass numerous Home windows 11. Although the launcher will get the job executed, it isn’t as totally featured as Legion House or Armory Crate on ROG units, and it takes some digging to search out primary features contained in the app. Thankfully, in case you’re like me and also you hate it, you may all the time simply bypass it fully. In fact, meaning you will be caught utilizing Home windows 11, which has its personal well-documented points, but when all you are attempting to do is get to your video games, it is a comparatively small downside.

Lastly, like just about any gaming handheld, the battery life on the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is not nice. When enjoying Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, I used to be in a position to simply barely eke out 90 minutes of gameplay earlier than needing to plug in. Granted, when enjoying different, much less resource-intensive video games like Slay the Spire or Persona 3: Reloaded, I might get nearly double that quantity, however its essential to know that if you’re getting this handheld primarily to play top-tier video games, do not anticipate prolonged battery occasions, and be sure you have a high-capacity power bank with you in case you’re taking it on the go.

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Must you purchase the MSI Claw 8 AI+?

Take into consideration your personal use case first

At an MSRP of $1000, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is asking avid gamers for a giant funding up entrance, and if you have already got a handheld, a laptop computer, even a Change 2 that you just use usually, that pricetag could merely make this system, as spectacular as it’s from a technical standpoint, not definitely worth the cash.

Nonetheless, if you’re in search of a brand new major gaming system (or simply have cash to burn I suppose) that is nearly definitely the most effective handheld at present accessible. Regardless of some issues I had with ergonomics, the onboard software program, and the battery life, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ nonetheless is one premium buy you will in all probability be glad you made.

Weight

1.75 kilos

Chipset

Intel Core Extremely 7 processor

RAM

32 GB

Storage

1 TB

A premium gaming handheld powered by Intel Core Extremely 7-258V with 32GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage. 

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