MSI just announced its first ever handheld gaming PC , the MSI Claw , but how does it compare to the new Steam Deck OLED ? Let ’s take a look .
While it may have had some detractors at launch ( partially due to its unwieldy size next to aNintendo Switch ) , theSteam Deckhas intelligibly had an shock on the industry . you could tell as much because of all the competitors that have come out of the woodwork to claim some of its territory , with late addition such as theLenovo Legion Goand theAsus ROG Ally .
Keen not to give any more ground anyway , MSI has finally entered the affray with theMSI Claw , which we ’ve croak hands - on with at CES 2024 . It promises a high - ending gaming experience on the go . The question is , what does the Claw offer against the current gold standard of handheld gambling PCs : the Steam Deck OLED .
Keep on reading to see how these two handhelds compare .
The Claw boasts new Intel chipsets
While it ’s easy to get distracted by the esthetic of these handheld devices , the actual gaming experience is always dictate by the power of the CPUs and GPUs under the hood . All we know about MSI ’s handheld on this front is that it ’ll be powered by an Intel Core Ultra processor that ’s hike up by XeSS technology to improve the frame charge per unit , alongside an integrated SoC to help out with the graphics .
For the Steam Deck OLED , Valve ’s thrown a Zen 2 CPU and an 8 - substance RDNA GPU into the premix . It ’s a similar lot - up to the original Steam Deck from 2022 but it has been developed on a 6 nm process rather than a 7 nm , boosting efficiency . Both the Claw and the Steam Deck boast 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM .
OLED vs Refresh rate
Just in face it was n’t obvious , the Steam Deck OLED ’s swelled asset is its gorgeous 7.4 - inch OLED show which feels like a huge step up from the old LCD variant on its herald . colors are now brighter and there ’s a greater degree of contrast on - screen door but alas for the MSI Claw , it ’s already a step behind in this area .
With a 7 - column inch liquid crystal display HD showing , the MSI Claw will no doubt look impressive , but it ’s unlikely to match up to the newfangled standard position by the Steam Deck OLED . In the Claw ’s defense lawyers however , OLED is hardly the norm within this sphere , so it should n’t be too surprising that it has n’t been assume for a first multiplication merchandise . What is deserving manoeuvre out though is that the Claw will have a 120Hz refresh which beats the 90Hz roof of the Steam Deck OLED , mean this could be a better pickaxe for fast paced games .
Battery life
Aside from its raise display , one of the proficient improvements the Steam Deck OLED packs over its herald is a far superscript electric battery life . With the power to make up to 12 - hours of footrace - prison term in sure use cases , the newer Steam Deck is now far well suit for longer gaming sessions .
By compare , MSI has go for a dissimilar tact . We wo n’t know for sure exactly how long the battery go until we get the Claw in for testing , but the ship’s company has emphasised that the gadget can last for two - hour when placed under a full workload environment , which suggests the Claw is being aimed specifically at gamers who want to represent triple - A titles on the go .
Early verdict
At this percentage point , there ’s still so much that we do n’t know about the MSI Claw , most noteworthy of which is the price , but there ’s enough here to suggest that the gadget , if up to engrave , could end up being a remarkable competitor to the Steam Deck OLED .
