MSI Claw Review: Don't Buy This Gaming Handheld

In the world of Transformers toys, there’s a conception known arsenic “redecos.” This is erstwhile the shaper takes the mold for one figure but uses a antithetic color integrative oregon overgarment and calls it a caller figure. As I was investigating the MSI Claw, a gaming handheld from a PC manufacturer, each I could deliberation of was that it felt similar a redeco of the Asus ROG Ally.

That's not large due to the fact that I rated the Ally rather poorly (though Asus' caller ROG Ally X fared a spot better). So we're near with what feels similar a reskin of a mediocre product, but different factors marque the Claw adjacent worse. Our reappraisal portion took immoderate clip to get astatine our doorstep, yet successful June—mere months aft the motorboat of the Claw—MSI announced two caller successors expected to get this fall. Bizarrely, contempt the mediocre reception astatine motorboat and the unreserved of sequels coming soon, the Claw remains for sale. So here's a PSA: Don't bargain it.

Outdated Hardware

Where the MSI Claw differs from the archetypal ROG Ally is minimal. It uses an Intel processor alternatively of AMD connected the Ally, has a 53-watt-hour artillery alternatively of 40 Wh, and the powerfulness fastener with a built-in fingerprint sensor is connected the near alternatively of the right. Yes, determination are a mates of different insignificant hardware differences, but the similarities are truthful overmuch much prominent. The fastener layout is astir identical, close down to the 2 rear, customizable paddles. It has the aforesaid 7-inch 1,080p, 120-Hz screen, the aforesaid 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory, and the aforesaid 512 GB solid-state drive.

You tin get a somewhat upgraded exemplary with a 1-terabyte SSD and an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor (which is the exemplary I tested), but with the caller merchandise of the ROG Ally X, you astir apt shouldn’t. The Claw’s replacement, the MSI Claw 8 AI+, has amended specs and it's not acold off.

Frankly, I could extremity the reappraisal here. Hardware iterations mightiness determination fast, but it’s uncommon to spot a institution denote a product’s successor 3 months aft the archetypal drops. There’s nary bully crushed to bargain the MSI Claw alternatively than hold until the follow-up. But we should inactive speech astir however this 1 performs arsenic a baseline. And, well, the barroom is already acceptable beauteous low.

Square One

At this point, erstwhile I unfastened up a caller Windows-based gaming handheld, I cognize to expect a lengthy play of wrestling with the interface to get adjacent basal things working. I don’t similar grading connected a curve—the benignant of idiosyncratic interface issues that get a walk connected devices similar this would beryllium inexcusable on, say, the Nintendo Switch oregon adjacent the Steam Deck—but adjacent with my expectations adjusted, I was perpetually frustrated.