Additionally, the unpleasant back casing texture takes away from the ergonomic grips and balanced design.
In terms of power and performance, it’s the best Windows handheld out there.
As such, I wanted to see how the MSI Claw 8 AI+ matches up to these rival devices.
There are two back buttons and vents on the backside of the MSI Claw 8 AI+.
This information has been added to the price section of this page.
I also ran it through several benchmark tests to see how it compares to ROG Ally and Legion Go.
It’s a much-improved equipment over the original, but is that enough to make it worth buying?
And what’s with the delayed launch?
Let’s dive in and discuss.
At Windows Central, I review video games, gaming laptops, gaming handhelds, and various gaming accessories.
There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the top of the MSI Claw 8 AI+, next to the microSD card slot.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by MSI.
The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
For example, it’s now$829.99 at Best Buy.
I don’t like the way the casing indentations on the back of the device feel on my fingers.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
Additionally, Intel chips also tend to cost more than AMD chips.
The biggest problem with the MSI Claw 8 AI+ at the time of writing is availability.
you’ve got the option to check out ourMSI Claw 8 AI+ restock alertpage for more info.
The Claw 8 AI+ offers ergonomic grips that make the device easier to hold than Nintendo Switch.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
It offers powerful performance, great controls, and a nice screen.
you could play it in handheld mode or connect it to a separately-sold docking station and play on TV.
You’ll just have to decide for yourself.
The MSI Claw 8 AI+’s 8-inch display produced 99% of sRGB, 76% of AdobeRGB, and 77% of P3.
Design-wise, the new MSI Claw 8 AI+ offers some nice improvements over the original MSI Claw A1M.
The unit supportsVRR(variable refresh rate) at up to 120Hz.
I’ll talk more about gaming and performance in the next section.
The Legion Go screen tends to produce warmer tones than MSI Claw 8 AI+ and ROG Ally X.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
For now, let’s continue talking about the display.
However, contrast is slightly better on MSI’s handheld than ASUS' handheld.
It would just be nicer if it got a bit brighter, though.
The display glass doesn’t reflect light back as much on ROG Ally X as on MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Legion Go.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
How does the MSI Claw screen compare to ROG Ally X and Legion Go?
Aside from size differences, each of these handheld screens offers tradeoffs.
Default Graphics Setting
MSI Claw 8 AI+ Avg.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a little choppy at times on MSI Claw 8 AI+, but it can hit 30 FPS easily enough.
FPS
Legion Go Avg.
FPS
Ally X Avg.
The Claw 8 AI+ provided a fantastic playing experience overall.
The MSI Claw scored lower than the AMD Z1 Extreme handhelds in this CPU test, but it still got a good score.(Image credit: Windows Central)
I also ran Cinbench R24 to check CPU rendering abilities.
In Procyon’s Windows ML Float 32 CPU test, the handheld got a pretty low score of 60.
My previous video game benchmark testing showed that this rig offers better game performance than other handhelds.
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ scored lower than ROG Ally, but higher than Legion Go S in this CPU rendering benchmark.(Image credit: Windows Central)
With those results in, I used CrystalDiskMark to analyze SSD performance.
To top everything off, I ran CrossMark to gauge the MSI Claw 8 AI+’s overall system performance.
In other words, it is an excellent handheld AI-boosted computer that provides smoother gaming performance than its rivals.
Compared against other AI PCs, the Claw 8 AI+’s Intel Core Ultra got a competitive score.(Image credit: Windows Central)
The sound level peaked at 38.0 dB, which isn’t loud at all.
However, going into the manual mode does let you change TDP between 8W, 17W, and 30W.
Additionally, fan speed can be set to auto or can be manually adjusted via sliders.
The Core Ultra’s NPU earned a respectable score in the Procyon OpenVINO test.(Image credit: Windows Central)
One of the other main functions MSI Center M provides is RGB lighting adjustment.
The Mystic Light tab lets me choose between five effects and provides a color picker.
I can create up to three profiles or presets to swap between.
MSI Claw 8 AI+ got the highest handheld score in this GPU test.(Image credit: Windows Central)
As with some competitors, this handheld’s power button doubles as a fingerprint reader.
Since there is no built-in camera on this handheld, the rig cannot take advantage ofWindows Hellofacial login.
It’s available in black and costs $100 less than the MSI Claw 8 AI+.
Not only does the MSI Claw 8 AI+ SSD produce a much higher read speed than other handhelds, but it produces the highest write speed by far.(Image credit: Windows Central)
It’s currently available for purchase at a few retailers.
It lasts roughly two hours while playing more intensive games at max TDP.
Depending on what you want from your handheld, these tradeoffs could make the Legion Go worth it.
It only took the MSI Claw 8 AI+ roughly 49 minutes to transcode a 4K copy of Tears of Steel.(Image credit: Windows Central)
It was supposed to have launched months ago.
Performance
5/5 Compared to other handhelds on the market the Claw 8 AI+ offers far better gaming performance.
Plus, VRR support and a 120Hz refresh rate work together to provide good motion clarity.
MSI Claw 8 AI+ earned a higher overall system performance score than Legion Go and ROG Ally in CrossMark.(Image credit: Windows Central)
you might find other alternatives that don’t cost as much but still provide good game performance.
MSI’s latest and greatest gaming handhelds is a major improvement over the original gadget.
Plus, the display supports a 120Hz refresh rate and VRR to help with motion clarity.
The MSI Claw 8 AI+’s grips and controller areas stay relatively cool.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
On the front side, the hottest part of this handheld reached a peak 99 degrees F.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The hottest area in the middle of the backside reached a peak of 98 degrees F.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
As expected, the Claw’s vents get the hottest, peaking at 140 degrees F.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
You can recalibrate the MSI Claw 8 AI+ battery to ensure the best battery life possible.
MSI Center M works as a game launcher, store, settings menu, and more.
Battery life lasts longer if the device is on lower TDP and if the device isn’t running demanding programs like intensive games.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ offers Hall Effect joysticks that won’t drift.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
In-game buttons and controls are all responsive, but the system menu buttons can sometimes feel delayed.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The power button doubles as a fingerprint reader.
There are plenty of alternative Windows gaming handhelds on the market.
If you’re willing to pay the high price, then the MSI Claw AI+ is a fantastic device for gaming on the go.
