MSI's Claw 8 EX AI+ launched four months ago with Intel's Arc G3 Extreme SoC and Arc B390 integrated graphics. The handheld delivers double the performance of Steam Deck OLED in some games, but costs roughly twice as much at £1,399.
The device pairs its GPU with 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Hall effect thumbsticks, and a 120Hz 1920x1200 IPS display. It weighs 785g and is nearly an inch wider than its predecessor, though improved grips make it more comfortable. The Claw 8 EX AI+ handles demanding titles smoothly: Resident Evil Requiem averaged 57fps on Low, Elden Ring stayed above 50fps on Medium at native 1200p, and Forza Horizon 5 scored 81fps on High, outpacing the ROG Ally X and Legion Go 2.
Battery performance competes with Steam Deck OLED in high-demand games. Elden Ring delivered 2h 29m versus the Deck OLED's 2h 14m, though Portal 2 showed the Deck lasting 5h 48m against the Claw's 3h 37m. The cooling system runs quietly without throttling performance.
The display disappointed despite 99% sRGB coverage and a 120Hz refresh rate. The Claw 8 EX AI+ measured 1,291:1 contrast and 418cd/m2 brightness, down from the previous Claw 8 AI+'s 1,412:1 and 521cd/m2. Windows 11 remains problematic on handheld hardware. Xbox Full Screen Experience, Microsoft's controller-focused interface, produced multiple bugs: Steam notifications appeared center-screen instead of corners, Cyberpunk 2077 lost fullscreen capability, and Xbox FSE itself lagged on startup, causing input lag.
The reviewer would wait for SteamOS compatibility on the Claw 8 EX AI+, citing software friction as the main drawback despite the hardware's power and efficiency.