MSI’s new Claw 8 EX AI+ it’s a handheld device I want to slip between my tired fingers. The Intel-based gaming PC has ergonomics the now – $790 Steam deck and still promises performance and efficiency that AMD’s offerings lack. Too bad it can cost a lot of money.
This device has big shoes to fill considering the number of similar devices available today. But even before production, with the hardware and software incomplete, this PC built for the palm of your hand excels in performance and convenience. It’s light enough, at 1.7 pounds, that I didn’t need to strain it to keep it aloft. Its display is large enough that you will keep your eyes on the characters on the screen. It hits the target framerates and performance, finally giving me the feeling that handheld devices hold their own.
Of course, the price of the device for this privilege can be close to 1500 dollars. MSI hasn’t revealed specific pricing yet, but the Taiwan-based computer and peripheral company has independently confirmed that we can get our hands on an expensive device alongside Intel. I haven’t had enough testing time to properly assess whether the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is worth the price. I’m not sure any gaming hardware is worth this much.
Anyway, I also spent a few hours with the newly announced four handsets sporting Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme chip. There’s OneXPlayer 3 and OneXPlayer X2, the latter with an optional keyboard attachment and detachable controllers. the now – $2000 Lenovo Legion Go 2 (sensing a theme here?). There is also one Acer Predator Atlas 8It has an 8-inch display similar to MSI’s Claw 8 Ex AI. Based purely on the control of these pre-production units, I’d still prefer the Claw.
i came Computex 2026 with Asus ROG Xbox Ally X it takes up space in my bag. I also had the DBrand Killswitch case wrapped around it, which makes the device feel bulkier and heavier than usual. Although the Claw 8 Ex weighs about 0.2 pounds more than the Ally, it’s slimmer thanks to the lack of full Xbox controller-like grips. MSI nailed the ergonomics this time. My hands slipped into each grip with ease, relieved by the textured plastic on all sides.
Although the bars were thinner than I normally go for, they had a full range of motion. Plus, they’re Hall effect, a type of magnetic sensing technology that better resists the dreaded stick slippage and mis-insertion problems. The Acer Predator Atlas is stuck with old potentiometer joysticks that are prone to potential breakage. The MSI’s face buttons and trigger ergonomics also fit the size of my paw.
MSI’s new handheld feels like something designed to be used out of a dock or away from a power outlet. Considering that it’s the performance that makes this device stand out. I played many games including Forza Horizon 6, The legacy of Hogwartsand Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33all with a high TDP (thermal design power) of 35 W, and each managed to surpass 60 fps at high graphics settings with the help of Intel’s XeSS scaling.
Intel promises these the new Arc G3 Extreme-based handhelds will outperform AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme in several key ways. In its graphics, Intel promises you’ll see the new Claw 8 beat an Asus ROG Xbox Ally Xi running at 1080p with 2X zoom enabled (using AMD’s FSR software when Intel’s XeSS isn’t supported). Some games, eg Diablo IV get about 85% better performance – equal to 122 fps vs. 66 fps. There were titles where the Claw could play over 60 fps, where the Ally broke at 30 fps.
This likely cannot be attributed to the rise of AI alone. I played for several hours during the flight to Taipei, Taiwan 007 First Light On Xbox Ally X at low graphics settings, with 25W TDP and FSR scaling enabled, it managed between 30-40 fps. I could play the game at 80fps on MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ with high graphics settings and FSR enabled. It ran the game at the system’s full TDP without a power cable, but it was a much better experience than Ally.
At 17W, the Claw 8 still beats the Xbox Ally Xi in some games Cyberpunk 2077. In other titles, e.g Red desert or Battlefield 6Claw can perform up to 18% worse at these watts. Intel attributed this to driver and compatibility issues, not hardware. It still goes to show that how good your experience will be depends on the games you’re running.
Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme is essentially scaled back Panther Lake laptop chip with only two P (performance) cores. The other 12 cores are all E (efficiency) and LP-E (low power efficiency) cores. The focus shifts to the GPU side of the chip. At power levels below 12W, Intel says the handheld won’t even run the P cores. This system is GPU dependent, although one benefit of relying on efficient cores is overall battery life. If you limit the power envelope to 17W in “Endurance” mode, Intel claims you can get more than five hours of battery life in such a game. Forza Horizon 6.
This is where Intel is trying to push its multi-frame generation technology. This technology is a form of frame interpolation that inserts AI-generated frames between two displayed frames, artificially increasing the frame rate. The chip maker emphasized that this is just an option. Intel’s Tom Petersen, the company’s main spokesperson for most gaming and computing, emphasized that this technology is better thought of as frame “smoothing” rather than actual performance enhancement.
I’ve said this before, but frame generation makes more sense on smaller screens with less powerful systems. Frame generation creates strange visual artifacts, especially when the game is running at lower frame rates before interpolation is enabled. This visual fraud is harder to see on a smaller screen. Although you still need to log into Intel’s graphics software (which will force you to use a touchscreen) to force multi-frame generation to work in XeSS-compatible games, Intel wants you to enable frame generation to help save battery life.
I got more hungry with Claw 8 Ex AI+. Fortunately, the device will be available on June 25th, so I won’t have to wait too long to dig deeper. The $1,500 price point is a tough cross to bear, despite rising RAM prices. To be worth it, the Claw should be the only handheld you need. Let’s hope so.
