Amidst the surge in handheld gaming popularity, MSI has thrown its hat into the ring with the unveiling of the Claw, a gaming handheld running on Windows 11. Positioned as a competitor to devices like the Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go, and ROG Ally, the Claw distinguishes itself by being powered by Intel’s latest Meteor Lake chip, ensuring a superior battery life experience.
In terms of design, the Claw closely resembles other micro-PC gaming machines, featuring generous grips on each side of a 7-inch 1080p display, complete with a standard array of buttons and thumbsticks. MSI has incorporated its “Mystic Light” RGB setup, adding aesthetic appeal with small rings around the thumbsticks and beneath the transparent ABXY cluster.
In a departure from some common issues faced by handheld gaming devices, MSI has equipped the Claw with triggers and thumbsticks that utilize Hall effect mechanisms, offering reliability and longevity without the risk of drift. The inclusion of a Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port ensures not only rapid charging but also high-speed data transfers and expandability.
Addressing the typical challenge of limited battery life in such devices, MSI claims to have tackled this with the Claw by incorporating an impressive 56Wh battery. Under “full workload conditions,” the device reportedly offers two hours of gaming, with multiple power modes available to extend battery life. However, the larger battery does contribute to the Claw’s weight, tipping the scales at 675 grams.
What sets the Claw apart is its status as the first gaming handheld featuring Intel’s new Meteor Lake chips. While the Steam Deck and ROG Ally rely on mobile-optimized AMD chipsets, Meteor Lake’s potential performance gains make it a notable contender. The Core Ultra 7 155H chipset boasts 16 CPU cores, three power levels, a robust Arc GPU, and even an on-device neural processing unit for potential AI workloads in the future. The Claw also offers 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.
Although MSI hasn’t provided a firm launch date, the Claw is anticipated to hit the market in the first half of 2024. Priced at $699, on par with premium competitors like the ROG Ally and the Legion Go, it sits slightly above the Steam Deck OLED in terms of cost but offers superior specifications and compatibility with PC games, making it an enticing option for gaming enthusiasts. Additionally, the Claw runs on Windows 11 Home but includes a built-in emulator for playing Android games.
| Model Name | Claw A1M |
| Processor | Up to Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor 155H |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home (MSI recommends Windows 11 Pro for business.) Windows 11 Pro |
| Chipset | Integrated SoC |
| Memory | LPDDR5 onboard, 16GB, dual channel |
| Display | 7″ FHD (1920 x 1080), 120 Hz Refresh Rate, Touch Screen, 120 Hz Refresh Rate, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level panel |
| Graphics | Intel® Arc Graphics |
| Storage Slot | 1 x NVMe M.2 2230 SSD by PCIe Gen 4 x4 |
| Sensor | 6-Axis IMU Vibration Motor |
| Communication | Intel® Killer™ Wi-Fi 7 BE1750, Bluetooth v5.4 |
| Audio | 2 × 2W Speakers / 1× Audio combo jack / Hi-Res Audio readyk |
| I/O Port | 1 x Thunderbolt™ 4 / DP/ USB Type-C (w/ PD 3.0 Charging) 1 x microSD Card Reader 1 x Audio combo jack 1x Power button with Finger Print Sensor |
| Battery/Adapter | 6-Cell, Li-Polymer, 53Whr / 65W USB Type-C PD 3.0 |
| Dimension | 294 (W) x 117(D) x 21.2(H) mmn |
| Weight | 675 g |
| Color | Black |
