#MSI Claw performance boost

The wait is almost over for handheld gaming enthusiasts: MSI has announced that its new 8-inch gaming handheld, the Claw 8 AI+, will officially ship on January 15, 2025. This high-performance device, along with its 7-inch sibling, the Claw 7 AI+, is set to rival the likes of the Steam Deck OLED and Asus ROG Ally X in the increasingly competitive handheld gaming PC market. The MSI Claw 8 AI+ promises cutting-edge performance, powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 285V APU and integrated Intel Arc 140V graphics. Early benchmarks shared by MSI suggest that the Claw 8 AI+ achieves a 20% performance boost over the Asus ROG Ally X, positioning it as one of the most powerful handheld gaming devices on the market. The Claw 8 AI+ represents MSI’s second attempt at dominating the handheld gaming space. The first-generation MSI Claw received mixed reviews due to issues with build quality and software optimization. However, MSI seems to have taken these criticisms to heart, with early impressions of the Claw 8 AI+ showing significant improvements in both design and performance. MSI has been working to position the Claw 8 AI+ as a premium option in the handheld gaming market. Read more in our articles including "MSI Claw 8 AI+ Gaming Handheld Aims to Take on the Steam Deck with January Launch" and "MSI Claw A8 Unveils AMD Power for Next-Gen PC Gaming Handheld".