Elevating the Game: MSI's Revamped CLAW Handheld Redefines Portable PC Gaming

MSI ventured into the handheld gaming PC market with its first Claw and found itself overcoming some challenges, from its performance to its lack of longevity in battery power. However, MSI is embracing its passion for innovation and leading the charge in the handheld gaming PC market. Here, we cover the redesign behind the MSI Claw, giving you a sneak peek of the next-generation of handheld gaming PCs.

The Future is Now: A Sneak Peek at the CLAW 2.0

With the new Claw months away, MSI teased an early prototype of the reboot, which could just be a game changer for portable PC gaming. The new Claw is based on a yet-to-be-announced Lunar Lake chip, and will likely be so powerful as to eclipse what went before. Its specs – up to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and a 1TB SSD – suggest that it’s designed not just for gaming but to be the best gaming machine available.

Interestingly, still more of the handheld’s new design revolves not around internal upgrades but around its ergonomics: MSI’s Claw now has twin Thunderbolt ports and a retooled exterior that includes new style triggers along with a beefier, redesigned body that the company claims is ‘even more ergonomically designed with larger shoulder buttons, amongst other considerations’. It’s that ergonomic reup along with a similarly more vibrant 8-inch 1080p 120Hz panel that suggests that MSI is doing everything they can to make sure they never leave another handheld gaming experience laid to waste by a discomfort barrier.

Power Play: The MSI CLAW's Enhanced Battery and Connectivity

Perhaps my favourite advancement is the battery – I now do not need to have it plugged in, or risk breaking my engagement ring. The Claw’s 80-watt-hour battery is up from 53 watt-hour on the original Claw. Photo by MSIIf the Claw could just iron out one of the largest criticisms of the original Claw, the new one might indeed make gaming a more relaxing experience.

The Dawn of the Lunar Lake Era in Handheld Gaming

Intel’s Lunar Lake has been fitted inside MSI’s Claw. With Intel claiming its new super-low-power architecture will feature ‘radical changes’ to the company’s custom silicon, combined with its new Battlemage graphics (exclusive to Intel integrated GPUs), the Claw is thus well positioned to take a leading role in the handheld gaming PC scene. We don’t know exactly what to expect from Lunar Lake just yet, but MSI’s decision to leapfrog the competition and attempt to use Lunar Lake to define the new generation of gaming handhelds shows the Valhalla Genesis to be a radical step in bringing premium gaming performance handheld.

MSI's Strategy: Continuous Improvement and Competitive Pricing

By being more assertive about fixing the problems that plagued the original Claw, MSI’s attitude shows that it is serious about bringing its handheld gaming endeavours to a successful conclusion. With the upcoming improvements for the Claw 8 AI+ and ongoing driver fixes for the original Claw, MSI seems willing to hit the sweet spot of innovation and customer satisfaction. Now there is just one more question: just how much can I actually rip my enemies apart now that I can point at them in the right direction? We’ve been told that the price of the Claw 8 AI+ will be competitive, and the original model may see a price drop as well. You can add MSI to your list of gaming vendors.

Gaming Beyond Boundaries: MSI's Vision for Portable Gaming

MSI’s foray into handheld PC gaming, embodied in the evolution of the Claw, represents a larger vision of where gaming can go. Through feedback, and through sheer innovation, MSI is setting new standards for how gamers should be able to play on the go, and the effects of that competition are only likely to accelerate. By refining and re-conceptualising gaming on the go, MSI represents a company that might be racing to the top of a new frontier for PC gaming.

Exploring MSI: A Force in Innovation

MSI has been at the spearhead of innovation in computing. Known for top-end computer hardware, laptops, and gaming controllers, MSI continues to develop ground-breaking – or The-Edge-breaking – technology and design. The Claw and its sequel exemplify an expansion of MSI’s footprint in gaming – but this expansion reveals both a departure from and a dedication to the future of gaming. With a century-long heritage of inventive technology, and in view of this vanguard vision for a future in gaming, MSI is a beacon of innovation in a sea of technological promiscuity.