I’ve been pursuing an 8-inch handheld gaming PC with enough processing power to storm through triple-A games easily, and simply put, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the answer. Not only does it feature an immersive 1,920 x 1,200 display resolution, but the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor is what all handheld gamers would want.
New software and driver updates are proving significant in enhancing performance in games, with improved 1% lows (the lowest frame rates) and better frame pacing at lower wattages.
One of its trademarks is the ability to set the TDP (Thermal Design Power, or essentially, power consumption) to 17W. This feature not only extends battery life but also decreases high temperatures while still managing to deliver high frame rates.
The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is the victor in the battle against the MSI Claw 8 AI+, for now…
Charge the battery, Isaiah!
(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)
Now I know that might be a surprising read for you, but just hear me out. I’ve had my Asus ROG Ally for over a year now, playing plenty of triple-A and indie games, so I have a solid grasp of just how great this device is. AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme still holds up extremely well (no pun intended).
The new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor is present in the MSI Claw A8, and recent benchmarks indicate a performance boost over its predecessor, the Z1 Extreme, but not by much, at least not in terms of what many were expecting.
Further benchmarks also reveal that the Ryzen Z2 Extreme has similar in-game performance results to the Claw 8 AI+’s Core Ultra 7 258V. It’s worth noting that both the Claw 8 AI+ and the Claw A8 are approximately the same price; the Claw 8 AI+ retails at $900 / £899 / AU$1,799, and the Claw A8 starts at €975 (around $1,140 / £840 / AU$1,750) in Germany.
I’ve been particularly critical of handheld PC makers and the price point for upcoming handhelds, and I must note that while the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is easily the most powerful mainstream handheld gaming PC available now, the price is still not warranted in my view.
The Asus ROG Ally can often be found much cheaper than the $649 / £599 / AU$1,299 retail price, while still delivering fantastic performance across numerous games. Yes, while the MSI Claw 8 AI+ may be the go-to for more power, performance, and battery life, I often find myself using my handhelds plugged in. Therefore, I don’t believe the significant price jump from a ROG Ally is justified.
(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)
Games like Cyberpunk 2077 on the ROG Ally can hit 60fps and above with adjusted graphics settings at 1080p, and it’s even better when utilizing frame generation in-game or via Lossless Scaling.
Perhaps the most significant factor is that Bazzite, a SteamOS clone, proves to be far superior to Microsoft’s Windows 11 for handheld gaming. My experience with Bazzite on the ROG Ally has been nearly flawless, owing to the seamless performance in games compared to Windows 11, which frequently faces bloatware and background processes that hinder performance.
As for the MSI Claw 8 AI+, compatibility with Bazzite is still in beta. Since it utilizes Intel hardware rather than AMD, it is not yet ideal to install Bazzite on this device. It’s crucial to note that the Windows 11 experience on the MSI Claw 8 AI+ (alongside its MSI Center M software) is what seems to hinder its potential.
Certain titles, such as Devil May Cry 5, do not run well, and notable games like Batman: Arkham Knight won’t run at all on the Claw 8 AI+, likely due to Intel driver issues. While these issues aren’t prevalent in every game, they are significant negatives compared to the ROG Ally.
If the price of the MSI Claw 8 AI+ drops and Bazzite fully supports it, I’ll change my tone
MSI Center M needs more work…
(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)
I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but the only handhelds that deserve prices close to or exceeding $1,000 are those like the Ayaneo Flip 1S DS, priced at $1,299 / £961 / around AU$1,990 in early bird pricing, which features one of AMD’s top APUs, the Ryzen AI 9 370, including dual screens with the primary one being OLED.
There’s also a compelling case for the recently announced GPD Win 5, which is set to utilize the best AMD APU, the Ryzen AI+ Max 395, rivaling Nvidia’s laptop GPUs. While I may not buy these, as I don’t need that level of power in a handheld, it’s essential to understand the justification for higher prices with significantly more powerful hardware.
If the price of the MSI Claw 8 AI+ were to drop to a more reasonable level—which I honestly doubt will happen—and if Bazzite achieves full support for this device, then I would certainly reconsider my position.
I would love to get a Lenovo Legion Go S Z1 Extreme, as that aligns with my preferences due to its eight-inch display, yet it’s currently unavailable in the UK. For now, sticking with the Asus ROG Ally seems to be the best decision.
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