MSI has officially launched its Lunar Lake-powered Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ gaming handhelds
The main concerns regarding the original MSI Claw's battery life seem to be addressed on paper.
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Meet the new handhelds from MSI. Image: MSI
Earlier teased at Computex 2024, MSI has now officially launched the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ handheld gaming devices, powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 processors based on Intel's Lunar Lake architecture. On paper, these new devices are designed to offer both improved performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for long gaming sessions.
In our review of the original MSI Claw, the battery life was rather disappointing. Thankfully, the Claw 8 AI+ now includes an 80Wh battery, while the Claw 7 AI+ comes with a slightly larger 54.5Wh battery. According to MSI, both devices have been designed to offer optimised power consumption for longer gaming sessions. Aside from the improved battery capacity, the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ are now also equipped with 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM for smoother multitasking and better overall performance.
The Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+. Image: MSI
The Claw 8 AI+ features an 8-inch FHD+ touchscreen with a resolution of 1920x1200 at a 16:10 aspect ratio, while the Claw 7 AI+ offers a 7-inch FHD display with a resolution of 1920x1080. Both displays feature a 120Hz refresh rate, support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and 100% sRGB colour coverage, for vibrant and fluid visuals during gaming.
Powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 processors and Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics, the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ look to offer improved gaming performance over their predecessors. MSI claims the devices provide 113% higher peak FPS and 20% higher average FPS compared to competitors under identical power conditions, thanks to Intel's efficient 17W power consumption.
To enhance the gaming experience, the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ feature redesigned joysticks, bumpers, D-pads, and hall-effect triggers for more precise control. Both handhelds also incorporate MSI’s Cooler Boost HyperFlow technology, a dual-fan, dual-heat-pipe cooling system designed to keep the devices cool during extended gaming sessions.
For connectivity, both devices are equipped with dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, a microSD card reader, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a fingerprint sensor on the power button. As for what the AI naming scheme refers to, the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ support the Copilot+ feature, allowing them to function as capable AI-supported mini PCs when connected to external peripherals.
Finally, both handhelds utilise MSI’s App Player, enabling users to play both Windows and Android games, expanding the game library and offering a versatile gaming experience.
Specifications | Claw 8 AI+ | Claw 7 AI+ |
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V |
Memory | 32GB LPDDR5x | 32GB LPDDR5x |
Storage | Up to 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD | 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD |
Display | 8-inchFHD+ (1,920 x 1,200), 16:10, 120Hz, 100% sRGB, 500nits | 7-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080), 120Hz, 100% sRGB, 500nits |
Graphics | Intel Arc 140V GPU | Intel Arc 140V GPU |
Battery | 80Wh, 6-cell Li-Polymer | 54.5Wh, 6-cell Li-Polymer |
Weight | 795g | 675g |
Pricing and Availability
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is priced at US$899 for the 1TB SSD model, while the Claw 7 AI+ starts at US$799 with a 512GB SSD. There is currently no mention of local pricing and availability but we will update this article with the relevant information once it arrives. For now, full specifications of the MSI Claw can be found on the official website here.
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