This $1000 gaming handheld would possibly simply be value its insane pricetag

For lots of players, together with myself, handheld gaming PCs are a secondary machine, providing on-the-go play when your main PC or console is not out there. Although I personally use gaming handhelds quite a bit in my dwelling so I can play on the sofa or in mattress, these gadgets are designed to be transportable first, and nearly all the time come second to a different, main gaming machine.

Nevertheless, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the primary gaming handheld I’ve tried that feels prefer it might really turn out to be the first approach I play video games. With insane {hardware} beneath the hood, a high-quality display screen, and AI options that take the guesswork out of optimizing your machine in your favourite recreation, I discovered myself prioritizing taking part in 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 on the lookout for a gaming machine that fairly actually does all of it, and do not thoughts plunking down a hefty chunk of change, this simply is likely to be the console-replacement you are on the lookout for.

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Worth, availability, and specs

Energy in your fingers

Underneath the hood, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is rocking the extremely highly effective Intel Core Extremely 7 258V processor, which supplies a lot 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 essentially the most highly effective I’ve examined and might 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.

Nevertheless, it ought to be famous that each one this energy does come at a value, because the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is among the most costly gaming handhelds presently out there, costing an eye-popping $1000 as of July 2025. Little question a few of this value could also be attributable to elevated prices thanks to political policy, however with this unit costing greater than a PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Swap 2 mixed, value is unquestionably one of many first components you must think about if you happen to’re pondering of selecting up this machine.

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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 way of 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 gadgets with frequent crashes, framerate drops, and loading points. And after I acquired 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.

Nevertheless, the sport has a wise AI Engine characteristic that robotically optimized efficiency and as soon as I turned it on I used to be capable of get the sport working easily in only a matter of moments. Although you’re nonetheless free to make use of the machine’s guide 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 attainable, 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 taking part in this recreation, however after 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 ample efficiency as effectively.

It doesn’t matter what you are taking part in, the MSI Claw 8 AI+’s huge 8-inch IPS touchscreen appears vivid and delightful and makes use of VRR (variable refresh price) at as much as 120Hz to make sure clean efficiency from even essentially the most demanding titles. Given the machine’s premium value, you would be forgiven for questioning why the MSI Claw 8 AI+ would not have an OLED display screen, however I actually assume the LCD will get the job performed effectively sufficient that if that is the place the nook needed to be minimize to maintain the machine 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 is not nearly energy

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

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

One other small challenge I had was with the MSI software program that ships with the machine. Very similar to different gaming handhelds, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ has its personal proprietary app on the machine named Heart M, which permits customers a central hub from which they will launch video games, customise controls, regulate settings, and customarily bypass a whole lot of Home windows 11. Although the launcher will get the job performed, it is not as absolutely featured as Legion House or Armory Crate on ROG gadgets, and it takes some digging to seek out primary features contained in the app. Fortuitously, if you happen to’re like me and also you hate it, you’ll be able to 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, this can be a comparatively small downside.

Lastly, like just about any gaming handheld, the battery life on the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is not nice. When taking part in Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, I used to be capable of simply barely eke out 90 minutes of gameplay earlier than needing to plug in. Granted, when taking part in 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 count on prolonged battery instances, and be sure you have a high-capacity power bank with you if you happen to’re taking it on the go.

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Do you have to purchase the MSI Claw 8 AI+?

Take into consideration your individual use case first

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

Nevertheless, if you’re on the lookout for a brand new main gaming machine (or simply have cash to burn I assume) that is nearly definitely the very best handheld presently out there. 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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