“This is the gaming handheld we’ve been waiting for” — MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review of a masterpiece priced for the few

Wide 16:9 front view of the metallic purple gaming handheld under blue ambient light, showcasing its expansive screen and symmetric controller layout.

If you told me a year ago that an Intel‑powered gaming handheld would be sitting on my desk in 2026, absolutely clowning AMD’s best silicon, I’d have told you to lay off the spice. Yet here we are. Computex 2026 teased it, Cale Hunt went hands‑on, and now the retail MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is in front of me.

Let’s be honest: MSI’s first handheld felt like a prototype that slipped out the side door. Instead of giving up, MSI regrouped, teamed up with Intel, and came back with a device that blows past every expectation.