The world of handheld PC gaming experienced a seismic shift at CES 2024 with the claws-out launch of MSI aptly named Claw – a bespoke portable packing towering specs claiming to outmuscle even the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
But can this graphics-accelerated feline fusion satiate enthusiasts curious about uncompromised triple-A gaming freed from desktop confines? We unsheathed our claws at MSI’s booth for some hands-on impressions.
Spec Sheet Shows Promise
While a bit chunky at 1.5lbs, appearances prove deceiving. Our brief gaming sessions confirmed the Claw hides formidable Intel Core i7 processing chops charging through titles serenely.
Pair that brawn with 16GB RAM, NVMe storage and Intel Arc discrete graphics, and this machine matches mid-tier gaming laptop speeds while occupying half the size – an impressive achievement.
The 7-inch touch display felt vivid and responsive, while side-mounted controls passed ergonomic testing. But the gaming experience still comes down to execution across these domains.
Custom Gaming Software Needs Maturation
Booting into MSI’s gaming interface, functionality felt intuitive thanks to easily accessible game library management and performance tuning tools.
However, the experience itself appears quite skeletal currently – we spotted neither customizable control options nor a built-in game store for expanding your portable catalog.
But MSI mentioned software remains under active development. So hopefully additional polish arrives soon raising Claw’s handicap closer toward the feature-rich SteamOS.
The Games Themselves Looked Impressive
Gaming proved this device’s main attraction, though. Spiderman clung to buildings responsively at customized graphical settings. God of War: Ragnarok similarly swallowed the Claw’s hardware diet while faithfully recreating its epic mythological scope.
Occasional stutters did emerge, likely owed to early drivers. But seeing such ambition functional out the gate proved encouraging for MSI’s freshman gaming portable effort.
Battery Matters Most
Core to any gaming portable sits demonstrable runtime away from wall sockets. MSI promises a few hours for moderate gaming based on the Claw’s 53Wh battery.
Our abbreviated testing prevented conclusive battery analysis. However, venturing far from the charging cable may require dialing down graphical richness to retain playability; performance comes at a power cost when untethered.
We await comprehensive battery drain analysis from reviewers nearer the Claw’s launch this spring.
The Handheld Wars Have Only Just Begun
Hands-on time left us cautiously optimistic about the Claw’s prospects battling for gaming portable supremacy.
Its trimmed chassis packs a powerful hardware punch trading blows with pricier laptops. Software needs maturing quickly though, and battery longevity remains up in the air.
But MSI deserves applause for ambitiously distilling compact desktop-class gaming. And with tweaks, this scrappy portable could firmly insert itself into the handheld conversation dominated by Nintendo and Valve up till now.
Game on Claw; game on!
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