6 hours ago
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✅ 🧱Bold new colors and blocky design make this handheld look fun
✅ 🙌 Bigger, but somehow lighter for more comfortable extended play
✅ 🏃🏻♂️ AMD Z2 Extreme delivers even smoother and higher-frame-rate gameplay
✅ 🕹️ Clicker face buttons, rounded off triggers, and larger to hit option buttons
❌ Less and slower memory than the MSI Claw 8 AI+
❌ Won’t arrive until after June at least
❌ Price remains a complete mystery
I came to Computex 2025 fully expecting the Asus ROG Ally 2 to give us a first look at the power of AMD Z2 Extreme, but out of left field comes the MSI Claw A8 to steal the show. This is probably (definitely) because Microsoft is forcing Asus to keep everything hush until the Xbox Handheld reveal this non-E3 season in the summer. But this game gave MSI the perfect chance to slide into the picture and steal Asus’ thunder, and it worked gloriously.
MSI has delivered on a thoroughly impressive device that feels nostalgic and fun with a blocky design and bright colors. The AMD Z2 Extreme also delivers on impressive performance so far, with over 100 frames per second while playing Lies of P and 60+ fps on Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. The overall controls feel even better, too, with clicker face buttons, rounded-off triggers, and option buttons that are larger to hit. Hopefully, MSI can keep up the momentum and ship the Claw A8 before the Asus ROG Ally 2 releases.
🎨 Bold new colors. I love the MSI Claw A8’s eye-catching colors. The neon green is my favorite, mostly because it looks like the Game Boy Color I had. I wish there were an indigo purple to match my Game Boy Advance, too. MSI is also looking for feedback on other colors, so shout out your wish in the comments. There’s also a more neutral white version that looks great as well.
🎮 Bulkier but lighter. The MSI Claw A8 has a noticeably bulkier and blockier design. It features bigger, squared-off handholds on the back, which give you a firmer grip on the device. Surprisingly, the MSI Claw A8 isn’t any thicker than the MSI Claw 8 AI+, even though it is a tiny bit wider and even a tinnier bit taller. The MSI Claw A8 is also miraculously lighter at just 1.67 pounds versus the 1.75-pound Claw 8 AI+.
⚙️ AMD Z2 Extreme’s first outing. Here’s the big deal change. The Claw A8 is MSI’s first AMD-powered handheld after the Intel-equipped MSI Claw, Claw 8 AI+, and Claw 7 AI+. This was also our first glimpse of the AMD Z2 Extreme processor, and we played a game of Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess that ran like butter. Even while repeatedly tasking NPC villagers to attack while we swung viciously at a boss, the gameplay stayed at a steady 60+ fps. Lies of P also played at a locked 100 frames per second, too, with FSR turned on.
🧠 Less and slower memory? Here’s one curious downgrade: the Claw A8 actually has less and slower 24GB LPDDR5X-8000 memory than the MSI Claw 8 AI+, which has 32GB LPDDR5X-8533 RAM. This largely has to do with the fact that the Claw 8 AI+ comes with memory built into its processor, but at least the MSI Claw A8 has faster memory than the Asus ROG Ally X’s 24GB LPDDR5X-7500 RAM.
📺 Big 8-inch screen. The MSI Claw A8 sports an 8-inch screen just like its Intel-powered brother. This gives it a more spacious display than other 7-inch handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally X, Zotac Zone, and Acer Nitro Blaze 7. However, more recently, there have been more 8-inch handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go S and an even larger 11-inch Acer Nitro Blaze 11.
🕹️ Improved inputs. The MSI Claw A8 has a great set of Xbox-style controls. The asymmetrical thumbsticks have the right amount of resistance and were also fitted with grippy rubber caps to make them even more responsive. The buttons feel even more clicky and satisfying. MSI even improved the trigger with a more rounded surface and studded texture – that’s the most significant improvement for me personally. Lastly, the start, options, and shortcut buttons along the edge of the screen feature a wider, pill shape that makes them easier to press than the long-thin bars on the Claw 8 AI+.
📆 Price unknown and availability coming later. Speaking of which, MSI told me it's ramping up Claw A8 to full production by June, but it didn’t share when the product will be released other than sometime later this year. The company also didn’t speculate on price, largely due to the ambiguous market conditions set by the Trump tariffs.
Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.
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