Tuesday, December 3rd 2024

MSI Launches New Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ Gaming Handhelds

Gear up for unparalleled mobile gaming with the new MSI Claw 8 AI+& Claw 7 AI+ refresh. Powered by the next-gen Intel Core Ultra 7 processor (Series 2), these two compact powerhouses combine exceptional performance with outstanding efficiency. Enjoy stunning visuals on vibrant displays, available in two sizes: 7-inch and the new 8-inch, enhanced by AI-driven precision.

Upgraded with larger batteries for longer gaming sessions and optimized power consumption for smoother performance. Designed for optimal comfort during intense gameplay, the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ feature sleek ergonomic designs, advanced cooling technology, and comprehensive I/O ports for seamless connectivity. As the Copilot+ PC-capable handhelds available, they set a new standard for portable gaming.
Inspired by wind-sculpted desert rocks, the Claw 8 AI+ design in sandstorm embodies the transformative power of gaming while maintaining the brand's distinctive identity. Its ergonomic design is tailored to fit the natural contours of the hand, ensuring comfort, intuitiveness, and precise control for any hand size. The device's well-balanced internal weighting makes it easy to hold and use.

Furthermore, the redesigned sticks, bumpers, D-pad and the hall-effect triggers, offer users a smoother and more comfortable experience. This ensures more accurate button presses while using the device.

MSI Claw 8 AI+& Claw 7 AI+ harness Cooler Boost HyperFlow technology, a dual-fan, dual-heat-pipe system that efficiently dissipates heat, ensuring extended gaming sessions. Powered by Intel's latest Core Ultra Processor and enhanced by Intel's XeSS technology, it delivers a superior gaming experience, supporting over 150 AAA titles on this portable powerhouse. The next-gen Intel Core Ultra 7 processor (Series 2) optimizes power efficiency, maximizing performance while using very low power consumption. Running at 17 W for longer battery life, the MSI Claw 8 AI+& Claw 7 AI+ still outperform competitors, boasting a remarkable 113% higher peak FPS and an average 20% higher FPS under identical power conditions.

These come equipped with brand-new, updated MSI Center M software, offering a more intuitive interface. This makes it clearer and easier for users to navigate their handheld devices.

Additionally, with its dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, the Claw 8 AI+& Claw 7 AI+ offer the most comprehensive I/O support, making it a perfect Mini PC with Copilot+ capabilities.

Last but not least, thanks to the exclusive App Player, the MSI Claw 8 AI& Claw 7 AI+ offer the widest game library, encompassing both Windows and Android titles, providing multiple gaming platforms to cater to diverse gamer preferences.

With the Claw 7 AI+ refreshed design and enhanced capabilities, users can expect to elevate their experience with greater power and intuitive functionality, setting a new benchmark in handhelds. MSI Claw 8 AI+& Claw 7 AI+ are now ready to enhance and discover more with you.

Specifications:
Model Name
MSI Claw 8 AI+ A2VM
  • Processor
  • Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 258V
  • Operating System
  • Windows 11 Home
  • Chipset
  • Integrated SoC
  • Memory
  • LPDDR5x-8533 Memory on Package, 32 GB
  • Display
  • 8" FHD+ (1920 x 1200), 16:10, Touchscreen, 120 Hz Refresh Rate, 100% sRGB (Typical), 500 nits (Typical), VRR, IPS-Level panel
  • Graphics
  • Intel Arc 140V GPU
  • Storage Slot
  • Up to 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD Easy Access
  • Sensor
  • 6-axis IMU, vibration motor
  • Communication
  • Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth v5.4
  • Audio
  • 2x 2 W Speakers, DTS sound effect, support Hi-Res Audio
  • I/O Port
  • 2x Thunderbolt 4 / DP/ USB Type-C (w/ PD 3.0 Charging)
  • 1x microSD Card Reader
  • 1x Audio combo jack
  • 1x Power button with fingerprint Sensor
  • Battery/Adapter
  • 6-Cell, Li-Polymer, 80 Whr / 65 W USB Type-C PD 3.0
  • Dimension
  • 299 (W) x 126 (D) x 24 (H) mm
  • Weight
  • 795 g
  • Color
  • Sandstorm
  • OS
  • Win 11 (support App Player to play Android Mobile Game)
Model Name
MSI Claw 7 AI+ A2VM
  • Processor
  • Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 258VV
  • Operating System
  • Windows 11 Home
  • Chipset
  • Integrated SoC
  • Memory
  • LPDDR5x-8533 Memory on Package, 32 GB
  • Display
  • 7" FHD (1920 x 1080), Touchscreen, 120 Hz Refresh Rate, 100% sRGB (Typical), 500 nits (Typical), VRR, IPS-Level panel
  • Graphics
  • Intel Arc 140V GPU
  • Storage Slot
  • 1x NVMe M.2 2230 SSD by PCIe Gen 4 x4
  • Sensor
  • 6-axis IMU, vibration motor
  • Communication
  • Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth v5.34
  • Audio
  • 2x 2 W Speakers, DTS sound effect, support Hi-Res Audio
  • I/O Port
  • 2x Thunderbolt 4 / DP/ USB Type-C (w/ PD 3.0 Charging)
  • 1x microSD Card Reader
  • 1x Audio combo jack
  • 1x Power button with fingerprint Sensor
  • Battery/Adapter
  • 6-Cell, Li-Polymer, 54.5Whr / 65 W USB Type-C PD 3.0
  • Dimension
  • 290 (W) x 117 (D) x 21.2 (H) mm
  • Weight
  • 675 g
  • Color
  • Black
  • OS
  • Win 11 (support App Player to play Android Mobile Game)
Source: MSI
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28 Comments on MSI Launches New Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ Gaming Handhelds

#26
StimpsonJCat
What exact benefits does including the acronym A.I. into its product name bring to the customer? Does it play the game for you?
Posted on Reply
#27
Cheeseball
Not a Potato
kapone32Yep Intel said the same thing about the first Claw. MSI Gaming even did a 2.5 hr live stream on how good it was. Then the reviews launched and the bloodbath begun. At least they get all the sales of people that don't like AMD APUs for whatever reason. Btw the Steam Deck is not old but this is moot as the next generation of AMD handhelds is around the corner and will push the Ally and Steam Deck even lower in price. There is also the fact that the Steam Deck is much cheaper than the Claw and does not need MSI Center to run properly.
This may actually beat the Z1 Extreme as it only has 4P+4E cores without HT (so it's more similar to the Steam Deck's Aerith/Sephiroth APU) with 8 Xe (Arc) cores, which already does beat 780M at the same TDP.



Hopefully MSI got the cooling down right for their 2nd generation handhelds, but it should be easy since its only 4+4 cores.
Vayra86Where are the power numbers here? I just see numbers. Of laptops

The only issue I can see is if MSI screwed up the cooling for these 2nd gen. Claws, but it shouldn't be hard as its just 4P+4E without HT. Take note, in the video he power-limited the 258V to the TDPs that should be attainable in handhelds, especially since the ROG Ally X also goes up to max 30W TDP stock.

Also that Zenbook S14 only has one fan with two heatpipes, so should be more or less like the cooling systems of the handhelds. I had to double check this, but it actually has two fans on two heatpipes:



Doesn't change anything since both ROG Allys and the 1st gen MSI Claws have dual fans as well.

EDIT: For what it's worth, I gave the Claw A1M series a bad score (I even returned my Claw, LOL) as it needed 35W to 45W TDP to even beat the Z1 Extreme handhelds and the minimum stock TDP was 20W :laugh: , but that just shows the inefficiency of Meteor Lake CPUs and early Arc graphics.
Posted on Reply
#28
Vayra86
CheeseballThis may actually beat the Z1 Extreme as it only has 4P+4E cores without HT (so it's more similar to the Steam Deck's Aerith/Sephiroth APU) with 8 Xe (Arc) cores, which already does beat 780M at the same TDP.



Hopefully MSI got the cooling down right for their 2nd generation handhelds, but it should be easy since its only 4+4 cores.



The only issue I can see is if MSI screwed up the cooling for these 2nd gen. Claws, but it shouldn't be hard as its just 4P+4E without HT. Take note, in the video he power-limited the 258V to the TDPs that should be attainable in handhelds, especially since the ROG Ally X also goes up to max 30W TDP stock.

Also that Zenbook S14 only has one fan with two heatpipes, so should be more or less like the cooling systems of the handhelds. I had to double check this, but it actually has two fans on two heatpipes:



Doesn't change anything since both ROG Allys and the 1st gen MSI Claws have dual fans as well.

EDIT: For what it's worth, I gave the Claw A1M series a bad score (I even returned my Claw, LOL) as it needed 35W to 45W TDP to even beat the Z1 Extreme handhelds and the minimum stock TDP was 20W :laugh: , but that just shows the inefficiency of Meteor Lake CPUs and early Arc graphics.
If you have a real review we can read, with numbers we can count on, I'm all ears. We're NOT talking about laptops with a much bigger battery in them. We're talking about handhelds that mostly need to play games on an IGP at a specific power budget. If they are capped at 30W... they'll drain twice as fast as a Deck. How are they doing capped at 15W? This also does not take into account the battery drain from the screen, which is a significant part of the whole handheld affair, but 120hz IPS 1900x1200 with 500 nits peak brightness screams inefficiency. The lower contrast rating will promote higher brightness values, further increasing battery usage. Been there done that... you wont be playing long.

The numbers ain't there for the specific handheld implementation yet, but so far, every more powerful APU in a handheld, especially Intel ones, have been a guarantee for a fast draining battery. So sure, you have 40 FPS now instead of 25. But you can play one level. Yay! If we then start insinuating Lunar Lake is different... yeah. Real numbers pls, or its all bullshit. You can't cheat on gaming metrics. Its full utilization, so it wants full SoC power more often than not, so anything that promotes being super performant is also going to be super power hungry. The world of chips didn't magically change with Lunar Lake.

I think the importance of the chip used in a handheld and its raw peak performance numbers are grossly overestimated. This is not the metric that truly matters for this form factor. Quality of life is where its at. Optimized experience and options. The non-Decks are getting better and with Steam OS support will improve tangibly, but the optimized experience most certainly in my view also includes an OLED screen. Its an immense gain, and its utterly silly to pay north of 600 bucks for fast hardware only to play it on a subpar screen, when that money gets you an OLED that supports and improves the entire device's experience massively.

Frankly all I see in the handheld space aside from Deck is cheap, quickly thrown together copycats that quickly get improved upon, a bit like how companies release mobile phones every year. This is not The Way. I view them as shitty Android siblings whereas the Deck provides the Apple experience - without the Apple price point.
Posted on Reply
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