New MSI Claw gaming handhelds debut with Intel Lunar Lake to challenge Asus ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go

[Redaktion]

MSI has now shared full details about its two new gaming handhelds. While the Claw 7 AI+ and Claw 8 AI+ share Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processors, Arc Graphics 140V iGPUs and 32 GB of RAM, they also differ in a few key areas.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/New-MSI-Claw-gaming-handhelds-debut-with-Intel-Lunar-Lake-to-challenge-Asus-ROG-Ally-X-and-Lenovo-Legion-Go.927313.0.html

[Enma45]

I will never spend almost $1,000 on a console, regardless of whether it's Intel or AMD. Here MSI is making a mistake on the prices again and I'm waiting for independent reviews. I'd rather spend it on a laptop or a PC which I can get more use out of.
Currently, the Asus ROG Ally X seems to me to be a better console, but its price is still too high to just play games or buy for your child.
These consoles should not exceed $500-600 and I doubt MSI can sell at such high prices.

[GeorgeS]

I will never spend almost $1,000 on a console, regardless of whether it's Intel or AMD. Here MSI is making a mistake on the prices again and I'm waiting for independent reviews. I'd rather spend it on a laptop or a PC which I can get more use out of.
Currently, the Asus ROG Ally X seems to me to be a better console, but its price is still too high to just play games or buy for your child.
These consoles should not exceed $500-600 and I doubt MSI can sell at such high prices.

The thing is folks with lots of money will buy these up. Being 'practical' is not something ANY of these 'gaming systems' have any intentions of. :)

The masses that are drunk on the 'must have latest and greatest' koolaid will swarm on these devices.

Forgetting for the moment that much of the entire segment is both larger and heavier than a 'standard' game pad the actual performance (and run time) of these devices are meager at best.

While the Steam Deck actually represents a viable inexpensive entry point into PC gaming, the WIN11 based products have stiff competition with discounted last & current year laptops that offer far more usability and performance.

[Papsy]

Some years back I always thought it through about when are we going to see pic handheld buh now that the era is in, I see how unuseful they're.

I mean I would rather go in for a portable 15 midrange laptop than these, now that I've trellis how small their screens are.

[conjecture]

Actually think what has happened here is AMD is completely lost interest in handhelds. They were only initially interested to win the console bid with Nintendo. After they lost that, they did some initial experimentation with pc handhelds and to strengthen relations with OEMs expand mindshare in mobile market segment.

But this is no longer necessary anymore. Intel is falling apart themselves. Literally firing their own CEO.

You can't just blame OEMs and rich people when you start seeing $1600 strix point handhelds. They had to know and been watching this.

They just don't care and have moved on. More interested in selling premium strix halo workstations for $3000-$4000 for the higher margins to ai / ml / dl engineers and data scientists,

We'll probably see the disabled bin scraps of bad yields next year in gaming laptops right next the launch of Nvidia's arm laptops and Snapdragon x elite V2.

Well played AMD. Wonderful execution.

[GeorgeS]

Ahh the age old competing: resolution, details, frame rate & battery life.

Reset your expectations on what and for how long a Nintendo Switch can be played on battery. :)

While YES, if one has a decent USBC power source and cable you can play 'tethered' to your power source for sometime.

However for maximum FPS and battery life you might as well kiss goodbye as many details and as much resolution as you can.

Much like just about anything else in the market, OEM's will try to out do 'premium' with each other (attempting to increase margins) while pricing themselves out of the market.

Many years ago Intel actually bought their way into the 'mobile market' (like I think they are doing here) but quickly turned around and backed out as there was not enough money (IE: margin) in it.

Hence why we see mostly inexpensive ARM powered devices powering nearly everything.

The AMD and Intel parts are simply to expensive (as is their support BOM's).

[Elias_40]

Who needs a low resolution 120Hz display when the hardware can probably only deliver Gameboy-like 15fps frame rates? MSI is screwing up on the processor and even more so on the high price tag of $900
I still remember when Intel said the same thing about the first Claw and it ended up being a disaster. MSI Gaming even did a 2.5 hour livestream about how great it was. Then the reviews started and the bloodbath began and MSI DID NOT SELL ANYTHING. For me personally the best is the Steam Deck and despite being old it works wonderfully, it is debatable since the next generation of AMD Z2 powered handhelds is just around the corner and will bring the price of the Ally and Steam Deck down below $500 which is a great time for those who like these types of consoles.
There is also the fact that the Steam Deck is much cheaper than the Claw and does not need MSI Center to work properly and has many more AAA games.
We will wait for the reviews and videos on Youtube of this MSI Claw vs the rest that will be released at CES 2025