MSI has two new versions of the MSI Claw after the original it landed with a thud earlier this year. The company costs $900 MSI Artiglio 8 AI+ and $800 Claw 7 AI+ Have Intel Lunar Lake processingbetter battery life and quality of life improvements such as redesigned thumbsticks, bumpers and triggers.
The previous model was launched “a little late and a little too expensive”, according to Engadget’s Sam Rutherford in our review. He said his performances were disappointing compared to cheaper rivalsits software was too clunky and was plagued by an overabundance of optimization updates (presumably because MSI rushed to fix its long list of problems). We didn’t deal with the new models, but with their transition to the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 processor Should lead to better performance and lower power consumption: two of the A1M’s biggest drawbacks.
The Claw 8 AI+ has an 8-inch display (1,920 x 1,200) while the Claw 7 AI+ has a 7-inch one (1,920 x 1,080). Both devices support a 120Hz refresh rate. However, they are LCD panels; you won’t find an OLED option here yet, as in Valve AND Lenovo’s alternatives.
The Claw 8 has an 80Wh battery, while the 7-inch model has a 54.5Wh battery. It uses MSI’s Cooler Boost HyperFlow technology, which includes dual fans and heat pipes. The company claims to outperform “competitors” (without specifying which ones) when running at an energy-efficient 17W.
Each handheld has a pair of Thunderbolt 4 portsso you can connect your handheld to a monitor and use it as a makeshift Windows PC. They even did it CoPilot+ support integrated.
MSI has redesigned the new generation joysticks, bumpers, D-pad and triggers for this generation. Although the latest model had Hall effect sticks, the new ones also have it in the triggers. Ergonomics were a rare highlight in the previous model, and MSI advertises the new handhelds as “tailored to fit the natural contours of the hand.”
Regarding artificial intelligence in the handheld brand, MSI is presumably referring to the XeSS upscaling technology in the Intel chip. However, the previous model also used XeSS, so perhaps the company simply wanted to shout to customers and investors that it uses artificial intelligence.
The new handhelds will arrive on December 25th. GameRant notes that their pre-order pages are listed with no stock available (yet). Regardless, once you can purchase them, the Claw 7 AI+ costs $800 and the Claw 8 AI+ will set you back $900.
MSI
MSI’s updated Claw handheld promises better performance and battery life.
