MSI's follow-up to the Claw handheld, the Claw 8 AI Plus, has a lot to live up to — and we might be able to put it to the test sooner than expected.
Based on a CES 2025 Innovation Awards listing found by VideoCardz, the Claw 8 AI Plus may launch at the CES tradeshow in early January 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Claw underperformed and was a disappointment compared to its stiff competition, such as the Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and Steam Deck. While Valve has updated the Steam Deck with an OLED variant, and Asus has refreshed the ROG Ally in the Ally X, the Claw 8 AI plus is the first proper "sequel" handheld.
So what can we expect from the Claw 8, and how likely is it to launch at CES next year?
What do we expect from the Claw 8 AI Plus?
Based on what we know so far, the Claw 8 AI Plus will feature an Intel Lunar Lake chipset with integrated Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of RAM, an 8-inch 120Hz FHD+ (1,920 x 1,200) display, a larger 80Whr battery, 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports, a microSD card slot, and an audio combo jack.
Based on our hands-on time with the Claw 8 AI Plus at IFA Berlin in September, we noticed improved joysticks with a smoother and sturdier feel, improved Hall Effect switches with better tactile feedback, and adjusted paddle placement.
While Intel's Meteor Lake also features integrated Arc graphics, the Arc iGPU in the Lunar Lake chipset shows impressive gaming performance on Medium settings and at 1080p resolution. That performance does degrade at higher graphics settings and resolutions, but it is enough to make us hopeful for how Lunar Lake gaming handhelds like the Claw 8 AI Plus.
How likely is a CES 2025 launch?
We heard rumors of the Claw 8 AI Plus before its official unveiling at Computex Taipei in June, where MSI showcased the handheld under a glass box on the show floor at the TaiNex convention center. The Claw 8 AI Plus was also featured at the MSI booth during IFA Berlin in September, where media and fans could get hands-on with the handheld gaming PC for the first time.
The initial MSI Claw was officially announced at CES 2024, though units were shipped to buyers and media in March. So if the Claw 8 AI Plus releases around CES 2025, it would make a 10-month turnaround for MSI. Of course, MSI could launch the handheld at the show while the Claw 8 AI would ship in March, a full year after the original Claw launch.
Outlook
Based on how final the IFA Berlin build of the Claw 8 AI Plus feels, a CES launch seems likely. However, that doesn't mean we can get our hands on the Claw 8 AI right after the tradeshow.
We have a lot of reason to be wary of the Claw 8 AI Plus, but we also have plenty of reason to be hopeful. The Claw 8 AI Plus has a larger screen and a larger battery, with better joysticks and updated Hall Effect switches, which would help make up for some of the issues we had with the Claw 7. Intel's Lunar Lake integrated GPU feels stronger overall than the Arc iGPU in MSI's initial handheld.
But as always, we'll have to wait until we can spend some quality time with the Claw 8 AI Plus to be sure.
