Maybe you (I) should stay clear of the MSI Claw 8 AI+ because you (I) don't want to be caught at 4 a.m. grinding for seasonal loot.
I got my hands on the MSI Claw 8 AI+ in December, and I have to say, the Claw made a solid comeback with this second generation. MSI reworked the joysticks, triggers, and bumpers to address complaints from the original Claw handheld. Also, the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V "Lunar Lake" processor provides solid performance and battery efficiency, with strong Intel Arc 140V graphics.
My biggest struggle with the Claw 8 is not build quality or performance. No, the struggle is restraining myself from becoming a total MMO hermit and not speaking to actual humans.
Am I to become hermit?
You know the meme about gamers needing to go outside and touch grass? Yeah, that's me with a gaming handheld that can smoothly run Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail. The endgame RPG grind is real, and all the downtime I could use to meet my weekly caps was appreciated. By me, anyway.
My family, who had to deal with my antisocial behavior over the Holidays, were less than pleased.
And even when I wasn't elbow-deep in a Final Fantasy grind session, I was trying to progress my Baldur's Gate 3 Dark Urge run. This did not help with being sociable, because immersive D&D RPGs don't make great dinner conversation when talking to lawyers and bankers.
My own wretched behavior is the primary reason I haven't purchased a Claw 8 AI+ A2VM or Claw 7 AI+ A2VM for myself. But for the less depraved, hear me out.
If you're not at risk of being a hermit, keep reading
Gaming handhelds have been around for generations, starting with the Merlin in 1978. The gaming handheld experience was perfected by the 1989 Nintendo GameBoy and 1990 Sega GameGear.
While gaming PCs and home consoles offer better graphics and performance, gamers love the ability to game anywhere. And who could blame them?
I started my life as a gamer with the GameBoy Color while waiting at doctor's offices and surviving long drives and flights. So the handheld form factor is incredibly nostalgic. But handheld game consoles haven't kept up with the modern gaming market, which is where handheld gaming PCs come in.
The Claw 8 AI+ leverages Intel's new Lunar Lake mobile processor and integrated Arc 140V graphics to provide a smooth gaming experience held back only by the Windows 11 operating system. The Claw 8 offers frame rates of 30 fps or higher on demanding games like Black Myth: Wukong and Cyberpunk 2077 even without Intel's XeSS frame-generation technology. It's the first Intel handheld that could give the Asus ROG Ally X a run for its money.
The Claw 8 AI+'s high price point and weight were my primary concerns while reviewing the handheld. At $899, the Claw 8 AI+ was more expensive than the other gaming handhelds on the market. And at 1.75 pounds, it was also on the heavy end with only the Lenovo Legion Go being a heftier handheld.
Recent handheld announcements, like the Lenovo Legion Go 2 concept and Acer Nitro Blaze 11, have made me reconsider. The Legion Go 2 and Nitro Blaze 11 weigh over 2 pounds, and the Blaze 11 is expected to retail for $1,099. We also expect a higher price for the Legion Go 2, as the Legion Go S (Windows 11 version) will retail for $799.
If not for my predilections for the grind, I would jump at the MSI Claw 8 AI+.
Outlook
My personal attachment to massive RPGs and lack of impulse control aside, the Claw 8 AI+ is a fantastic choice for a gaming handheld if you're in the market. If you'd rather bet on AMD over Intel, the Asus ROG Ally X is hard to beat.
If you want to casually play a few games on a flight or during your commute, handheld gaming PCs are a great choice. You run into a few additional snags if you prefer to play online games like an MMO, but even then you can just turn your phone into a mobile hotspot.
But if you've got no good sense of a gaming life balance, it may be best to avoid handheld gaming PCs entirely. Unless avoiding your family is the point, in which case, I highly recommend it.
More from Laptop Mag
