MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Review: Great Power, Shocking Price
MSI's high-end handheld gaming PC, the Claw 8 EX AI+, costs $1,800 but offers top-tier specs.
How much do you love high-end PC gaming on the go? Can you put a price on that love? Is that price $1,800 ?
If so, MSI has the handheld for you: the Claw 8 EX AI+, an all-powerful addition to the Taiwanese manufacturer’s Claw range . The price dominates the discussion. At $1,800, it makes the premium ROG Xbox Ally X look like a bargain, with its $1,000 MSRP.
You could buy three regular ROG Xbox Ally units for the price of one MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. It even blows past the launch price of the Lenovo Legion Go 2, a previous contender for “most expensive handheld” with its then-$1,350 MSRP. The Claw 8 EX AI+’s price isn’t solely due to profit-driven motives.
The extraordinary sum is largely due to the AI bubble constraining component supplies and driving up prices even on existing hardware. An MSI spokesperson confirmed this, telling me the MSRP was “based on component and production cost considerations.” When a gaming handheld is as powerful as this, those components don’t come cheap. So, what do you get for your nearly two grand?
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is a flagship for Intel’s powerful new Arc G3 Extreme chips. It packs a whopping 32 GB of LPDDR5x RAM, 1 terabyte of SSD storage, and an 8-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS touchscreen with a 120-Hz variable refresh rate (VRR), all powered by a massive 80-watt-hour battery. Why this matters: The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ represents a concerning trend in the gaming industry, where high-end components drive prices to unprecedented levels.
For gamers, this means that accessing top-tier PC gaming on the go may become increasingly unaffordable. Developers and businesses must consider whether the demand for such powerful, portable devices justifies the cost. As the AI bubble continues to influence component supplies and prices, consumers may need to adjust their expectations or explore more affordable alternatives.
The Claw 8 EX AI+ may set a new standard for handheld gaming performance, but its price tag will likely limit its appeal to a niche audience.
Source: Wired