MSI has just announced the Claw 8 AI+ , its young hand-held gambling personal computer , and we ’re stabbing to see how it compares to one of our best-loved option , the Asus Rog Ally X.
After a solid first venture into hand-held gaming consoles with theRog Ally , Asus especially strike us the second time round with theRog Ally X , which we awarded with a virtually - perfect 4.5 - star military rank .
Much like the Rog Ally X , the Claw 8 AI+ is MSI ’s 2nd attempt at a handheld gaming microcomputer with the make promising it has actively listen to exploiter feedback to make the necessary upgrades .
Although we have n’t reviewed the fresh MSI Claw 8 AI+ yet , we ’ve compared the initial specs to the Rog Ally X and play up the key difference below .
Price
At the time of writing , the MSI Claw 8 AI+ ’s pricing and availability is yet to be confirmed . MSI name only that the Claw 8 AI+ should be available “ at the rootage of 2025 . ”
Available now , having launched earlier this yr , the Rog Ally X has an RRP of £ 799/$799 .
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ has a larger screen
At a solid 8 - inches , the Claw 8 AI+ ’s screen is not only larger than the Rog Ally X but it ’s also bigger than its predecessor , as both the Rog Ally X and MSI Claw are 7 - inches .
It ’s worth noting that a bigger silver screen does n’t necessarily imply well . Although a larger show offers more outer space for gambling , a smaller gadget is more portable and soft to ferry around on commute or while travel .
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ runs on an Intel Core Ultra 200V processor
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the world ’s first Windows 11 handheld gaming PC to run on the Intel Core Ultra 200V ( Series 2 ) processor . Code - namedLunar Lake , the Intel Core Ultra 200V supports AI and boasts better DOE efficiency .
Meanwhile , the Asus Rog Ally X runs on the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor . Unchanged from its predecessor , the chipset is build on the latest Zen 4 computer architecture with 8 cores and 16 threads , and is integrated withRDNA 3 graphicstoo .
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ has two Thunderbolt ports
One of the bragging issues with the original MSI Claw and Asus Rog Ally was the lack of connectivity ports , with the former sporting just oneThunderbolt 4 - supported USB and the latter lacking one altogether .
The Rog Ally X now include a much - appreciated Thunderbolt-4 supported USB 4 port wine alongside a USB 3.2 larboard , while the MSI Claw 8 AI+ boasts two Thunderbolt 4 - support USB - carbon ports .
Both handhelds also let in a microSD card reader too , for expandible storage .
The Asus Rog Ally X has a tweaked design
Rather than a complete revamp , Asus tweaked the design of the new Rog Ally X to help it feel more comfortable to hold and apply for extended gaming periods . It still includes the same controls as its herald , like the Xbox style ABXY buttons and conduce - backed analogue sticks , but these have been impress slightly to improve reachability .
There ’s also more curvature to the rearward triggers which run out for a taller and wide footprint .
The Claw 8 AI+ also sees hardware improvement , with MSI explaining it has enhanced the haptic feel of the LB / RB buttons .
The Asus Rog Ally X comes with three months of Game Pass
MSI promises that after the official release of the Claw 8 AI+ , all cabinet will come equipped with a one - month devoid trial of Xbox Game Pass , allowing users access to an expansive library of game .
Although a generous offer , the Rog Ally X surpasses this with three months ofXbox Game Pass Ultimateat no price . Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offer all the welfare of Game Pass but with additional benefits such as extra game and undivided price reduction .
Early Verdict
Although we have n’t reviewed the MSI Claw 8 AI+ yet , the upgrades from its herald make it a hopeful handheld gaming PC . Not only does it boast a heavy eight - inch display but it ’s the first Windows 11 handheld to feed on the new Intel Core Ultra 200V processor .
Having said that , as we have reviewed the Asus Rog Ally X we can confidently say that it ’s a fantastic handheld console . Not only does it feature a speedy AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor but we can also substantiate it feels comfortable in the hired hand .
