The MSI Claw 8 AI Plus, successor to the Windows gaming handheld of a similar name launched earlier this year, is reportedly significantly faster in gaming performance compared to the leading competitor in the market.
YouTube channel ETA PRIME went hands-on with the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus and shared slides from MSI regarding its performance versus the Asus ROG Ally X, a phenomenal mid-generation refresh that I showered in praise in my 4.5 out of 5-star review.
If these claims have any merit, we could see the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus launch as the strongest Windows gaming handheld on the market, but what exactly is MSI claiming in these tests?
Does MSI Claw 8 AI Plus truly get anywhere near Asus ROG Ally X?
MSI claims an average performance increase of 20% from the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus versus the Asus ROG Ally X under the same power load of 17 watts. The most extreme difference in performance came from Metro 2033, where the Asus ROG Ally X hit 44 fps, while the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus went as high as 94 fps, resulting in a 113% increase between the two.
Of course, don't take this as the be-all-end-all of performance, especially because this is coming directly from MSI. We'll likely see different results when we officially test the device ourselves.
But that's not the only issue here: is it really that impressive for the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus to have a 20% bump in gaming performance when compared to the Asus ROG Ally X? After all, the Asus ROG Ally X is utilizing the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, which was still available in 2023's Asus ROG Ally.
Considering that the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus is launching in 2025, it's not particularly exciting to compare your new device with hardware from two years ago.
While 20% is still a pretty solid increase in gaming performance, how impressive it is will largely depend on when the successor to the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme is available in upcoming AMD gaming handhelds like Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally.
If we see the Asus ROG Ally 2 launch with an even more powerful AMD chip, and if it surpasses the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus in performance, MSI won't be wearing its crown for very long.
Of course, it's also a question of whether or not the claimed 20% increase in gaming performance will reflect our actual tests, but that's a question we cannot do much about until we get it in our hands.
MSI Claw has a huge uphill battle to fight against competitors
MSI is also fighting an uphill battle in the Windows gaming handheld market, the MSI Claw which launched earlier this year was an absolute disaster, with Laptop Mag giving it 2.5 out of 5 stars in our review. It suffered from terrible game performance, a shoddy, awkward design, tons of software issues, and weak battery life.
The MSI Claw 8 AI Plus has to address these issues to get close to what competitors like the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go can do, and considering it is going to be built with an 80Wh battery, that will quickly address at least one major flaw.
The Asus ROG Ally X also featured an 80Wh battery and yielded staggering longevity, and our Asus ROG Ally battery life comparison saw that the ROG Ally X lasted 8 hours and 19 minutes in the Laptop Mag battery life test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits.
The MSI Claw lasted 6 hours and 8 minutes with its 53Wh battery, while the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme lasted 5 hours and 51 minutes with its 40Wh battery. If MSI Claw can reach the Asus ROG Ally X's battery life with its 80Wh battery, then that'll already be one positive for it.
And while we won't know until we get it in our hands, MSI Claw 8 AI Plus has to address its ergonomic issues. Its macro keys being nudged so closely to the grips are uncomfortable and easy to click accidentally, while the curved bumpers are unpleasantly squishy and lack a satisfying click, with the edges towards the center being impossible to press down on. In addition, the vents are so close to the grips that your fingers are always being blasted by heat when playing.
On paper, these issues should be easily solvable with the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus, so here's hoping it actually addresses these flaws while churning out the excellent performance MSI claims it can.
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