MSI’s new Intel Lunar Lake AI gaming handhelds are at Best Buy, but they’ll have to Claw their way up against stiff competition

MSI's new Intel Lunar Lake AI gaming handhelds are at Best Buy, but they'll have to Claw their way up against stiff competition

What you need to know

  • The new MSI Claw 7 AI+ and more premium MSI Claw 8 AI+ gaming handhelds are now available.
  • These new portable gaming devices feature the new Lunar Lake AI processors, which likely makes them far more powerful than the original MSI Claw, but also more expensive.
  • Best Buy has listings for both new handhelds, but they are marked as “Sold Out.” This might just mean Best Buy hasn’t made stock available yet.
  • The original MSI Claw A1M was the first gaming handheld to feature an AI processor, but it also offered the poorest performance compared to ROG Ally and Legion Go.

As a seasoned analyst with over two decades of experience in the tech industry, I have seen countless devices enter the market and either thrive or falter based on their performance and value proposition. The new MSI Claw 7 AI+ and MSI Claw 8 AI+ gaming handhelds are no exception to this rule.


Yesterday, I was thrilled to hear about Micro-Star International (MSI) unveiling its latest gaming handhelds – the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and MSI Claw 7 AI+ Copilot+. These unique portable gaming devices are making waves as they’re the first to integrate the brand new Intel Core Ultra 7 Lunar Lake AI processors. Excitingly, these handhelds now have listings on Best Buy! But, here’s a twist – they’re currently labeled as “Sold Out.” Now, I can’t help but wonder if they’ve actually sold out or if Best Buy hasn’t started selling them yet.

Let’s discuss the specs of the new handhelds as well as their chances in the market.

Stiff competition in an expanding market

MSI's new Intel Lunar Lake AI gaming handhelds are at Best Buy, but they'll have to Claw their way up against stiff competition

The initial MSI Claw A1M, debuted in March 2024 and priced at $649.99 from Best Buy, struggled in the expanding PC gaming portable market due to intense competition from the ASUS ROG Ally, the new ROG Ally X, and Lenovo Legion Go. This is primarily because the MSI Claw entered the market later and delivers less game performance compared to these other gadgets, which significantly impacted its inclusion on our list of top-rated gaming handheld devices.

For MSI to outshine competitors’ devices, the newly introduced MSI Claw series should provide strong motivations for buyers – primarily, they must deliver exceptional gaming performance. Yet, given that they are among the priciest choices available, affordability might present an obstacle.

At Best Buy, you can purchase the MSI Claw 7 AI+ with its 7-inch touchscreen and sleek black design for $799.99. The larger MSI Claw 8 AI+, featuring an 8-inch display in a “Sandstone” color, costs $100 more at $899.99. These handhelds are among the pricier mainstream options, with the AYANEO Kun being slightly more expensive at $999.00, also available at Best Buy.

It’s uncertain if AI processors will give us an edge against competitors, as we can’t confirm until we test one ourselves. However, based on MSI’s press release, these new models could potentially provide a more seamless control experience compared to the original, due to enhanced joysticks, bumpers, D-Pad, and Hall Effect triggers.

It seems that these new models provide enhanced power efficiency and battery life due to the Cooler Boost HyperFlow technology, which is a high-performing dual-fan, dual-heat-pipe system that effectively manages heat. On top of this, MSI’s Intel Core Ultra 7 processors exhibit significantly greater power compared to the previous MSI Claw’s Intel Core Ultra 5 and operate at 17W. As per MSI, these new models deliver “an increase of 113% in peak FPS and an average boost of 20% in FPS under identical conditions.

Initially, most portable PC gaming devices only had a single USB-C port, leaving some users feeling restricted as they couldn’t charge the device and connect a wired accessory simultaneously. However, the latest MSI Claw AI+ handhelds are equipped with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, resolving this issue.

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2024-12-05 00:39