MSI continues to throw its hat into the handheld gaming space, and I am here for it. Despite the volatile nature of the market right now, hold on while I have a moment of silence for the Steam Deck... or not, considering it still managed to sell out despite its increased price.
But we're not here to discuss that. Today, we're here to talk about the MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus, revealed ahead of Computex 2026. It's certainly a mouthful of a name, but it features Intel's Arc G3 Extreme chip, which means it should pack quite a punch.
Speaking of packing a punch, instead of droning on and listing the specifications, or at least the specifications that we do know, I’ll put them in a lovely table here:
Specification |
MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus |
Processor |
Intel Arc G3 Extreme |
Display |
8-inch touchscreen |
Resolution |
1920 x 1200 |
Refresh rate |
Up to 120Hz |
Memory |
Up to 32GB dual-channel LPDDR5x |
Storage |
Single NVME M.2 SSD slot |
Controls |
Hall effect sticks and triggers |
Haptics |
New high-end linear motor |
Design |
Redesigned chassis with updated grips |
Battery life |
Not announced |
Price |
Not announced |
Release date |
Not announced |
As you can tell from the table above, there's still quite a bit we don't know about this device. However, we do have a look at the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip, which we covered here.
As for the price, we don't know anything yet, and given the current state of the handheld market, it's difficult to put an exact number on it. MSI's previous handheld, the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus, launched at $1,000, so if MSI gets a little lucky, perhaps this new model could land around a similar price point.
That's about all we know for now, though. Outside of its "Void Purple" color, which does look pretty neat, MSI hasn't shared much else. It was also nice to see the device showcased using the Xbox app, which I presume was running Xbox Mode.
I'm all for having more handhelds in the space. Price concerns aside, the more competition there is, the more choice we get as consumers, and hopefully that competition pushes companies to build even better hardware.
But enough about what I think. What do you make of the MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus? Let me know in the comments, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll!
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