Handheld enthusiasts have patiently waited for MSI Claw 8 AI+ since its soft debut at Computex 2024. The release of Intel Lunar Lake laptops, productised as Core Ultra 200V, has only tested their patience further. However, it seems that the long wait may finally be over as the device appears set to launch during CES 2025.
After receiving an honorary CES 2025 innovation award, it’s practically a given that Claw 8 AI+ will appear during the event in January 2025. As the first handheld gaming PC to rock a Core Ultra 200V processor, the pressure’s on for the device to perform. Both Intel and MSI will are keen to champion the potential pocket rocket, particularly after the lacklustre reception of MSI Claw.
There’s still no word on final specifications for Claw 8 AI+, but we do know that it’ll have four performance and efficient cores at its disposal and Xe2 graphics cores. The latter specification should help it fare much better than its predecessor, given the massive performance gaps between it and the likes of the Z1 Extreme-powered ROG Ally. However, with Z2 Extreme chips en route, it’s anyone’s game.
Aside from its SoC, Claw 8 AI+ offers several other improvements relative to Claw. For instance, it comes with a larger and sharper 8in 1200p display that boasts a refresh rate of 120Hz. Depending on the SKU(s) MSI offers, the device will pack 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM built right into the chip. This should help bolster the battery life of the 82WHr battery. As for connectivity, expect two Thunderbolt 4 ports in addition to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
Club386 will be on the CES 2025 showfloor, so expect hands-on coverage of the device once MSI reveals it proper. While nothing’s confirmed yet, I expect the team will find an AMD competitor or too as well. Suffice to say, stay tuned for the final word on this Lunar Lake maverick.
