First Look: MSI Tears Veil Off Upgraded, Lunar Lake-Powered Claw Handheld

Steam Deck-style Windows handhelds are having a moment in the gaming industry, and MSI has doubled down on its Claw device with a fresh model featuring Intel's next-generation AI-ready processors.

At Computex 2024, MSI showed off the new Claw 8 AI+, which will run on Intel’s upcoming “Lunar Lake” AI platform. This new model also includes several hardware and design improvements based on user feedback, including a new 8-inch screen.

We were able to get a closer look at the Claw 8 AI+ ourselves on the show floor, though it remained behind glass, so we were unable to play or test any performance. You can see our video of the device above and read on for a list of the changes.

Behold the Claw…Again

The original MSI Claw only launched this past spring—our review was published just last month. A follow-up device coming out this soon may cut short the original device’s sales tail while also potentially frustrating those who purchased it. You expect eventual obsolescence on PCs and most gaming hardware, but ideally, it’s not made to come so soon.

We were lukewarm on the Claw in our review, primarly citing glitchy software and performance issues that made the experience less than seamless. It has a decent base, though, with a comfortable design and, of course, the ability to run Windows 11 entirely. We highly recommend the Asus ROG Ally (a new version, the Ally X, was also announced at Computex) and the Lenovo Legion Go as alternatives in this category.

Upgrades Inside and Out: Welcome Lunar Lake

So, what new upgrades has MSI made to help the Claw 8 AI+ reach its potential? With AI even making it into the product name, the biggest draw is the new processor. These “Lunar Lake” chips are the second generation of Intel’s Core Ultra processors. This brand exists alongside the traditional Core i line and denotes an included neural processing unit, or NPU, for handling local AI tasks.

In addition to a faster performance baseline than the first-generation Core Ultra chip, the Lunar Lake processors drive higher TOPS, or trillions of operations per second, a standard metric for measuring AI task capability. I don’t think the need for AI assistance is immediately obvious for a handheld gaming device compared with a real laptop for productivity. Still, it can also enhance software and run background features without burdening the CPU.

MSI also highlighted new drivers and a fresh BIOS that will improve game performance. This is especially welcome as we felt the original Claw left frame rates on the table with its hardware due to a lack of optimization. MSI also promises an improved MSI Center M app to address some of our complaints.

The company also claims improved battery life with its 53Whr battery, thanks to Lunar Lake's inherent energy efficiency, further optimizations, and improved settings options. For reference, the new Asus ROG Ally X packs an 80Whr battery.

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I also mentioned some external improvements up top, and while they aren’t massive changes, they are quality-of-life improvements. The new product name denotes its larger 8-inch display (the original features a 7-inch screen), so you have a little extra gaming space on this version. The visual style is different, too; the original was plain black, while this has a lighter two-tone design.

The Claw now has an additional USB Type-C port with Thunderbolt 4 support, which adds some versatility. You'll also find a new, lighter charger that should be friendlier to wall outlets and different configurations. MSI has also changed the LB and RB shoulder buttons for a more tactile feel—again, something we couldn’t verify with the system behind glass.

Finally, as somewhat of an aside, MSI will also release a Fallout-themed version of the original Claw. This limited-edition, co-branded version is styled after the Fallout setting's Pip-Boy device made mainstream by the popular Amazon TV adaptation.

MSI has not provided pricing or an exact launch window yet. We’ll test this system when we can try out a review unit ourselves, so check back for our full judgment then.