In the world of Transformers toys, there is a concept called “redecorate.” This is when the manufacturer takes the mold to a picture but use a different color plastic or paint and call it a new one. When I was testing the MSI Claw, a handheld game console from a PC maker all i can think of is that it feels like a remake of Asus ROG Ally.
That’s not good because I rate Ally pretty poorly (despite the new Asus ROG Ally X performs a little better). So we’re left with what feels like a rework of an already poor product, but other elements make the Claw even worse. Our review unit took a while to arrive, but in June—just a few months after the Claw’s launch—MSI announced two new successors It’s scheduled to come out this fall. Oddly enough, despite its lukewarm reception at launch and the upcoming sequels, Claw is still on sale. So here’s a PSA: Don’t buy it.
Outdated hardware
The differences between the MSI Claw and the original ROG Ally are minimal. It uses an Intel processor instead of the AMD one on the Ally, has a 53 watt-hour battery instead of a 40-watt-hour battery, and the power button with an integrated fingerprint sensor is on the left side instead of the right. Yes, there are a few other minor hardware differences, but the similarities are more striking. The button layout is nearly identical, even down to the two customizable paddles on the back. It has the same 7-inch 1,080p display, 120 Hz displaywith 16GB LPDDR5 memory and 512GB solid-state drive.
Photo: Eric Ravenscraft
You can get a slightly upgraded model with a 1 terabyte SSD and an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor (which is the model I tested), but with the recent release of ROG AllyXMaybe you shouldn’t. Claw’s replacement, MSI Claw 8 AI+has better specs and not much difference.
Honestly, I could end this review here. Hardware releases can be fast, but it’s rare to see a company announce a successor to a product three months after the original was released. There’s no compelling reason to buy the MSI Claw instead of waiting for the next version. But we should still talk about its performance as a baseline. And, well, the bar is set pretty low already.
A square
At this point, when I open a new Windows handheld game consoleI know it takes a long time to wrestle with the interface to get the basics working. I don’t like curve scoring—the kind of UI issues that are forgivable on devices like this would be inexcusable on, say, Nintendo Switch or even Steam deck—but even when my expectations were adjusted, I still felt constantly disappointed.
Photo: Eric Ravenscraft
