Every MSI Claw Compared: A1M vs Claw 7 AI+ vs Claw 8 AI+ vs Claw A8 vs Claw 8 EX AI+

MSI has released five Claw handhelds since 2024, and the names hide how different they are. Four use Intel chips and one uses AMD; prices run from heavily discounted first-generation units to $1,799 for the current flagship; and two of the five were praised while one was widely panned. If you only read one line: the Claw 8 AI+ is the best MSI Claw for most people, the Claw A8 is the pick if you want AMD's mature graphics drivers, and the Claw 8 EX AI+ is the fastest handheld you can buy but costs twice as much as most rivals.

This guide ranks every model, explains what actually separates Intel and AMD Claws in daily use, compares battery life and features side by side, works out which Claw gives the most performance per dollar, and lists the known problems with each so you are not surprised after buying.

MSI Claw Lineup at a Glance

Every MSI Claw Ranked

1. MSI Claw 8 AI+ — Best MSI Claw for Most People

This is the Claw that fixed MSI's reputation. Intel's efficient Lunar Lake chip, 32GB of LPDDR5X, an 8-inch 1920×1200 120Hz screen and an 80Wh battery won over nearly every reviewer. It also has two Thunderbolt 4 ports — a real external GPU path that AMD handhelds lack — plus Wi-Fi 7 and a fingerprint reader. The catch is price: it launched at $899.99 and now sells for around $1,149 because of the memory shortage. Our full MSI Claw 8 AI+ review tracks the price history.

• Pros: excellent efficiency, 32GB RAM, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, big sharp screen.
• Cons: 25% more expensive than at launch; MSI Center M software still feels rough.
• Buy if: you can find it near its original $899 price.

2. MSI Claw A8 — Best for Game Compatibility

MSI's only AMD Claw uses the Ryzen Z2 Extreme (8 Zen 5 cores, 16 RDNA 3.5 graphics units) with 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000, a 1TB SSD, Hall effect sticks, backlit face buttons and Wi-Fi 7. AMD's graphics drivers are more mature than Intel's, which means fewer surprises with older games. In real-game tests at 17W it beat the Claw 8 AI+ (16.3 vs 14.6 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p high), even though the Intel model scores higher in synthetic benchmarks. Read what nine reviews concluded in our MSI Claw A8 review roundup.

• Pros: mature drivers, strong real-game performance, long battery at low power.
• Cons: 8GB less RAM than the Claw 8 AI+ at the same price, 765g weight, no Thunderbolt, fan spins up at idle.
• Buy if: you play a wide mix of old and new PC games and want the fewest compatibility headaches.

3. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — Fastest Handheld You Can Buy

Launched on June 23, 2026 as the first handheld with Intel's Arc G3 Extreme. Reviewers were unanimous on speed: Engadget measured 95 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 35W against 62 fps for the ROG Xbox Ally X, and Notebookcheck put its graphics roughly 50–60% ahead of Z2 Extreme rivals. It also lasted longer in The Shortcut's standard battery test than any handheld they had tested, with nearly ten hours of Hades II in its 30fps Endurance mode. It adds a reworked grip, a microSD Express slot rated above 800MB/s and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. See our Claw 8 EX AI+ review roundup for every verdict.

• Pros: unmatched performance, excellent battery, best connectivity of any Claw.
• Cons: $1,799, IPS rather than OLED at that price, 785g, reported Wi-Fi lag spikes during local game streaming.
• Buy if: you want the most powerful handheld regardless of cost.

4. MSI Claw 7 AI+ — Best Compact Claw

The same Lunar Lake chip and 32GB as the Claw 8 AI+, in the smaller 7-inch body with a 53Wh battery, launched at $799. It is lighter and easier to hold for long sessions, but the smaller battery means shorter play away from a charger.

• Pros: Lunar Lake efficiency, smaller and lighter, cheaper than the 8-inch models.
• Cons: 53Wh battery, smaller screen.

5. MSI Claw A1M — Only at a Deep Discount

The original Claw promised to beat AMD handhelds by 20–25% and did not. Immature Intel Arc drivers caused stutters and crashes, and the 53Wh battery managed only about two hours in demanding games. Two years of driver updates have improved it substantially, and it still has Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7. It makes sense only at a steep discount — our MSI Claw A1M worth it in 2026 review explains what to check before buying one.

Intel vs AMD MSI Claw: What Actually Changes

MSI is the only major handheld maker to bet heavily on Intel, so the chip choice matters more here than with any other brand:

• Drivers: AMD's Radeon drivers have years of handheld tuning. Intel Arc drivers have improved enormously since 2024, but older and less popular games are still more likely to misbehave.
• Upscaling: Intel Claws get Intel's XeSS, which looks good on Arc hardware; the A8 relies on AMD's FSR. Both work in many modern games.
• External GPUs: every Intel Claw has Thunderbolt 4 for an eGPU dock. The AMD A8 does not.
• Linux and SteamOS: community SteamOS-style distributions generally have better support on AMD hardware, though reviewers noted limited Linux compatibility on the A8 too.

MSI Claw Battery Life Compared

MSI Claw Features Compared

Which MSI Claw Gives the Most Performance per Dollar?

The Claw 8 EX AI+ is about 50% faster than a Z2 Extreme handheld in the heaviest games but costs roughly twice as much as a discounted ROG Xbox Ally X. The Claw 8 AI+ and A8 cost the same $1,149 and trade wins depending on the game. That makes the 8 AI+ or A8 the value sweet spot, and the 8 EX AI+ a luxury purchase. If you are weighing MSI against ASUS at the top end, our Claw 8 EX AI+ vs ROG Xbox Ally X comparison does the maths game by game.

Known Problems With Each MSI Claw

1. MSI Center M (all models): the handheld interface over Windows is the most common complaint in reviews — useful for avoiding the desktop, but inconsistent.
2. Claw A1M: units sitting in warehouses ship with old drivers — update Intel Arc drivers before judging performance.
3. Claw A8: fan spin-up at idle and hand discomfort during long sessions were reported.
4. Claw 8 EX AI+: TechPowerUp found lag spikes roughly every ten minutes when streaming games over Wi-Fi, traced to a known Intel Wi-Fi scanning issue.

Which MSI Claw Should You Buy?

MSI Claw FAQs

Which MSI Claw is the newest?

The Claw 8 EX AI+, released on June 23, 2026.

Can you upgrade the RAM or storage on an MSI Claw?

Storage yes — every Claw uses a replaceable M.2 SSD. RAM is soldered on every model and cannot be upgraded, so choose your memory at purchase.

Do MSI Claws work with Xbox Game Pass?

Yes. Every Claw runs full Windows 11, so Game Pass, Steam, Epic, Battle.net and other launchers all work.

Why did MSI Claw prices go up in 2026?

A global DRAM shortage raised memory costs across the industry. Claws with 32GB of on-package memory are especially exposed, which is why the Claw 8 AI+ rose from $899.99 to around $1,149.

Is an MSI Claw better than a ROG Ally or Steam Deck?

The 8-inch Claws offer bigger screens, more RAM and Thunderbolt, while ASUS's Xbox Ally models are usually cheaper and the Steam Deck is simpler to use. Our best handheld gaming PC ranking compares them all.

The Verdict

Buy the Claw 8 AI+ if you find it near $899, or the Claw A8 if you value AMD's driver maturity more than Thunderbolt and extra RAM. The Claw 8 EX AI+ is the best handheld money can buy, but only worth it if $1,799 does not make you hesitate. Skip the A1M unless it is very cheap, and choose the Claw 7 AI+ only if a smaller, lighter device matters more than battery.

How we researched this guide: we compiled specifications from MSI, US pricing from MSI and major retailers (October 2026), and benchmark and battery results from published reviews by Engadget, Tom's Hardware, Notebookcheck, TechPowerUp, The Shortcut and others. The Day Current has not lab-tested these devices; figures are attributed to the outlets that measured them.

If you're still comparing handhelds, see our Steam Deck vs ROG Ally comparison, ROG Ally Z1 Extreme review, and ROG Ally X specs breakdown.