MSI unveils the Claw, an Intel-powered handheld gaming PC

[midian182]

What just happened? Another device has joined the increasingly crowded handheld gaming PC marketplace, though this one has something different from its competitors: it's powered by an Intel Core Ultra chip. MSI's Claw has been officially unveiled at CES, where the company says it can play "AAA titles effortlessly."

The Claw will have its work cut out if it wants to challenge the king of PC handhelds, Valve's Steam Deck. It also faces stiff competition from the ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and others. But MSI is confident that the Claw's unique features will set it apart from the pack.

The highlight of the Windows 11-based Claw is that it sports one of Intel's recently announced Meteor Lake Core Ultra processors, as opposed to being powered by an AMD APU, which is usually the case in PC handhelds. The device can be specced from a Core Ultra 5 with 512GB of NVMe storage to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (1TB), offering Arc Graphics with 8 Xe-cores. Models range from $699 to $799.

Another of the Claw's selling points is its use of Intel XeSS upscaling tech in compatible titles – MSI says the Core Ultra 7 155H chip offers a "smooth and immersive gameplay experience." There's also a 53Wh battery that the company claims is the largest in its class, providing two hours of battery life under full load.

Elsewhere, the Claw comes with a 7-inch FullHD IPS display with 100% sRGB coverage, up to 500 nits brightness, and a variable refresh rate of 120Hz. It might not look as nice as the 90Hz OLED Steam Deck, but that refresh rate is higher. There's also 16GB of LPDDR5, Intel Killer WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, a Thunderbolt 4 port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a fingerprint sensor on the power button, and a microSD slot. In addition to Windows titles, users can play Android games on the Claw via its App Player.

The Claw is slightly heavier than the original Steam Deck at 1.34 pounds. It measures 294mm wide, 117mm tall and 21.2mm thick.

MSI has highlighted the Claw's cooling system (below), which uses the company's Cooler Boost Hyperflow tech for redirecting airflow to internal components, keeping things cool during lengthy gaming sessions. There's also ROG Ally-like RGB lighting around the thumbsticks.

MSI has not announced the launch date for the Claw, but more details are expected to be released soon. We'll have to wait and see if it really is a true Steam Deck competitor.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/101451-msi-unveils-claw-intel-powered-handheld-gaming-pc.html

 

[Bobbydpue]

After MSI sent me a bad refurbished motherboard to replace a new, but still bad, motherboard I was done with the company. Their motherboards ruined 3 x 16GB kits of RAM when they cost north of $200 each at the time and they wouldn't even entertain the possibly it was their motherboard that ruined them and refused to accept the RAM or to investigate the issue. I'll spend more money on other brands or buy nothing if there isn't anything else available than buy any MSI product, again.

 

[Threadcount]

...LoL, the Claw...nothing can stop the Claw..

 

[ScottSoapbox]

So an Ally with a bigger battery (making it heavier) and an Intel chip.

I’m interested to see the benchmarks, but I’m not holding my breath.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

After MSI sent me a bad refurbished motherboard to replace a new, but still bad, motherboard I was done with the company. Their motherboards ruined 3 x 16GB kits of RAM when they cost north of $200 each at the time and they wouldn't even entertain the possibly it was their motherboard that ruined them and refused to accept the RAM or to investigate the issue. I'll spend more money on other brands or buy nothing if there isn't anything else available than buy any MSI product, again.

But who does that leave? gigabyte BIOSes are a trainwreck, and their GPU boards are cracking. Asus shoves spyware into any OS installed on their boards, and their prices are nuts. Asrock plays funky games with their VRM setups, and their memory support is subpar.

You going to use Biostar?

 

[Atmajaya2020]

More companies are starting to want a piece of the pie from the success of handheld gaming..
hopefully this can start competition so that in the future there will be more choices of handheld gaming PCs for all of us..

 

[Bobbydpue]

But who does that leave? gigabyte BIOSes are a trainwreck, and their GPU boards are cracking. Asus shoves spyware into any OS installed on their boards, and their prices are nuts. Asrock plays funky games with their VRM setups, and their memory support is subpar.

You going to use Biostar?

There is a massive difference between those issues and a motherboard that actively ruins any RAM installed in it. Anyone who's building computers will eventually get a bad part, that's when a company has the opportunity to make it right and MSI failed miserably. I've had amazing customer service from EVGA where I had an issue with an old 1060 that was well outside of their warrantee period, and they replaced it. I got a bad ASUS motherboard, and they replaced it with a new one. MSI should have sent me a new motherboard, but they sent me a board that had an issue and was returned. When I asked MSI to replace the RAM their motherboard ruined they told me they aren't responsible for anything connected to one of their motherboards unless it's made by MSI.

I've been using Gigabyte, ASRock, and ASUS. You can turn off Amory Crate in the BIOS and Gigabytes BIOS being called a "trainwreck" is hyperbole it's just not great.

 

[Dimitrios]

But who does that leave? gigabyte BIOSes are a trainwreck, and their GPU boards are cracking. Asus shoves spyware into any OS installed on their boards, and their prices are nuts. Asrock plays funky games with their VRM setups, and their memory support is subpar.

You going to use Biostar?

I so agree with the Asus comment.

 

[Bobbydpue]

I so agree with the Asus comment.

Again you can turn off armory crate in the BIOS, which I do every time I use an ASUS motherboard. I'm in the BIOS setting the RAM speed and fan curves, anyway.

 

[Bamda]

I'll wait until its on sale. If it is any good that is.