MSI tipped to announce Claw 8 AI+ handheld at CES

MSI's next-gen gaming handheld, the Claw 8 AI+, hasn't been announced yet, but that's likely happening soon. After a quiet showcase at Computex earlier this year, MSI's new handheld is apparently ready to be launched.

The Claw 8 AI+ is a much-needed redemption arc for MSI after the somewhat underwhelming Claw 7. The previous model, based on Meteor Lake, struggled to compete with AMD's Ryzen Z1-powered handhelds, and its high price tag further hampered its appeal. This time around, MSI seems determined to get things right. The Claw 8 boasts a sleek new design, a larger display, and a beefier battery. While pricing remains a concern, the upcoming AMD Ryzen Z2 series handhelds might not be as budget friendly as their predecessors, potentially levelling the playing field.

Adding to the hype, the Claw 8 AI+ has snagged a CES 2025 Innovation Award. While these awards aren't always the most reliable indicator of success, they do guarantee that MSI will be showcasing the device at the show. With some luck, we can even get a release date for the console.

The Lunar Lake-powered Claw handheld is armed with Intel's latest Lion Cove and Skymont CPU cores, promising a significant performance leap over its predecessor. But the real star of the show is the upgraded Xe2 graphics architecture. As we've seen in recent Lunar Lake laptop reviews, Xe2 delivers impressive gaming performance, making it a perfect fit for a portable gaming device.

KitGuru says: Will the Claw 8 AI+ stand out from the competition with its Lunar Lake chip, or will it be outshined by the immense number of Z2-based handhelds that are already in the works?

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