In today’s MSI Claw review article, we will see what’s so attractive about this new handheld gaming console. It features a powerful configuration, including an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chip, a 7-inch screen, and a 120Hz refresh rate.
Although it was released some time ago, I recently had the opportunity to experience the MSI Claw. Ergonomic design and impressive performance with Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chip help play all games smoothly. After more than one week of experience, I was very surprised by the feeling of holding it to the gaming experience.
MSI Claw Review
Sleek Design, Comfortable Grip
Our first impression of the MSI Claw is its beautiful and unique design. Unlike the list of handheld gaming consoles on the market, the MSI Claw impresses with its angular design and delicate beveled lines, creating a stylish appearance. With a large screen in the center and two symmetrically arranged control handles, the MSI Claw is aesthetically appealing and comfortable to hold, making it suitable for all gamers.
Although it is so rugged and angular, the design of MSI Claw is more attentive to the user experience, so every detail is made very ergonomically. Knowing that the device will be huge and heavy when equipped with a 7-inch screen, inside is a massive 53Whr battery and a powerful configuration, so its overall size is 294 x 117 x 21.2 mm, weighing 675 g.
During this MSI Claw review, I rated it as having a very comfortable grip, hugging the hand thanks to reasonable weight distribution, just right so the feeling of playing games for a long time is not too uncomfortable, in addition, it is also easy to carry it here and there conveniently.
With mobile handheld gaming PCs, users frequently interact with the front of the device. The edges are curved just enough to maintain sharpness while ensuring comfort when users rest their hands on them.
The device features dual speakers placed right above, facing the user directly. Moreover, the speaker position on the front is very reasonable, not covered by the palm while holding the device. On the back, it is raised and has edges on both sides of the handle cluster for more comfortable support when holding for a long time.
In addition to its powerful configuration, MSI prioritizes user experience. The design optimizes comfort for holding, resting hands, and prolonged use.
Built for Maximum Button Durability
I want to dedicate a separate section to discuss the buttons on the MSI Claw. Similar to other handheld gaming PCs, it features movement and operation buttons on both sides of the device. On the left front side, there’s a joystick for character movement positioned above the navigation button for item selection. On the side of the screen, there are two buttons and an MSI button for accessing the MSI Center M interface.
To the right are the 4 ABXY command buttons typically found on consoles and joysticks. Near the screen are two buttons to enter the game installation menu and a quick installation button.
On the top edge, users will immediately see the heat dissipation slot. There’s also a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 charging port, which supports 8K display output or two 4K displays. It charges from 65W to 100W, allowing use as a mini PC and supporting eGPU for enhanced graphics performance.
Next to the charging port is the power button, which also functions as a fingerprint reader. There’s also an SD card slot, volume up and down buttons, a 3.5mm audio jack, 2 RB and RT buttons on the right, and 2 LB and LT buttons on the left.
The back features a heatsink with red LED lights and the signature MSI logo. On both sides, users will find 2 Macro buttons for customizing combo moves.
Regarding the experience, the buttons of MSI Claw have good elasticity and high sensitivity, the buttons are very comfortable. The arrangement of the key clusters and joysticks on the device is clever. It fits all hand sizes for easy use, especially for users familiar with consoles like PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
I forgot to mention, the MSI Claw uses Hall Effect sensors—today’s most advanced sensors for gaming controllers. These sensors ensure high durability and prevent analog stick drift in the two analog sticks and L and RT triggers.
Expansive Touchscreen, Seamless 120Hz Refresh Rate
The MSI Claw features a sizable 7-inch screen, slightly smaller than the 8-inch screen on the ROG Ally. Nevertheless, it provides ample display space for users to comfortably view the games and maps. Fortunately, it uses a touch screen, so operating on the screen is quite convenient and smooth. Regarding resolution, the MSI Claw features an AMOLED panel that delivers incredibly realistic colors with a sharp Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
Of course, with a 120Hz refresh rate screen, the swiping and touching feel is smoother, the gaming experience is also faster, and the transition effects and character animations are much more pleasing to the eye.
It functions much like a mini PC. Users can browse the web, watch movies, and even use applications like Word and Excel, all in a compact format similar to a laptop. In addition to its gaming capabilities, it serves as a versatile technology toy, providing convenient multimedia entertainment.
MSI Claw review test
Next, let’s discuss the device’s configuration. The MSI Claw is equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chip, a new addition to the Intel Core Ultra line designed specifically for thin and light desktops and laptops.
Further details about this chip: it features 16 cores (6 P-Core cores, 8 E-Core cores, and 2 low-power saving cores), boasting a total clock speed of up to 4.8 GHz. Additionally, it includes an Intel AI Boost NPU core dedicated to AI processes. Consequently, this handheld computer offers sufficient power to deliver the ultimate gaming experience, even with AAA games.
I have left the configuration details below for your reference:
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
- OS: Windows 11 Home
- Display: 7-inch Full-HD (1920 x 1080) IPS panel with 120Hz refresh rate, 100% sRGB
- RAM: 16GB, LPDDR5-6400
- Storage: 512GB SSD PCIe Gen4
- Battery: 6 Cell 53 Whrs, 65 – 100W
- Dimensions: 294 x 117 x 21.2 mm
- Weight: 675 grams
To assess its performance, let’s begin by evaluating its benchmark score to gauge the power of the MSI Claw quantitatively. Like Laptop and PC tests, I will use Cinebench R23 and 3Dmark.
Cinebench R23
First is the Cinebench R23, the results show that MSI Claw has quite good performance with a multi-core score of 10,003 points and a single-core score of 1,624 points, generally quite close to the processors currently on the market, there is nothing to complain about.
3DMark
Continuing with the 3DMark, MSI Claw scored a Time Spy Score of 3,882, the application rated as “Great” in general, excellent, graphics score was 3,544 points, and multi-core was 8,459 points. Overall, the device’s benchmark score is impressive. It performs exceptionally well for a PC gaming handheld.
MSI strengthened via new drivers
In my personal experience, I have to admit that MSI Claw has made a big step forward thanks to the latest Driver update. Before this update, I encountered many performance issues when playing heavy games. Sometimes, the device even lagged, making the gaming experience not smooth. But since the Driver update, everything has changed completely.
The performance of the MSI Claw post-driver update is highly impressive. Games like Diablo 4 and Assassin’s Creed Mirage now run smoother, without the previous lag or FPS drops. This improvement underscores MSI’s dedication to product quality enhancement. The new driver update plays a pivotal role in reaffirming MSI Claw’s position in the PC gaming handheld market.
Windows Still Requires Improvements
Despite the MSI Claw being equipped with a Windows operating system, I find using this OS on handheld gaming devices quite limiting. Many times, I’ve felt frustrated because the Windows interface isn’t optimized for small screens and manual controls.
The Windows interface on handheld devices lacks user-friendliness and is often challenging to navigate and use with touch controls. Additionally, Windows consumes substantial system resources, significantly impacting the device’s battery life. I had to charge the battery more frequently, which was quite annoying as it interrupted my gameplay.
While Windows offers numerous applications and high compatibility, I still prefer operating systems optimized for handheld gaming, such as SteamOS or Android. These OS options manage resources more efficiently, extend battery life, and provide a smoother gaming experience.
Despite Windows’ rich features and utilities, its limitations on handheld gaming devices remain a significant drawback for users like me. Hopefully, in the future, MSI and other manufacturers will have improvements to optimize the user experience, exploiting the full potential of handheld gaming devices.
AI is Unnecessary for Handhelds
Another notable point when evaluating the MSI Claw is the integration of AI into this device. I believe that AI on handheld gaming devices like the MSI Claw is not necessary and effective as expected.
The MSI Claw features an Intel AI Boost NPU to support artificial intelligence processes. However, in my experience, AI does not significantly enhance the gaming experience. AI features such as performance optimization or graphics enhancement have not made a clear difference compared to devices that do not use AI.
Furthermore, integrating AI also requires additional resources and power, which puts pressure on the battery and overall performance of the device. Currently, when factors like battery life and stable performance are crucial for gaming handhelds, AI does not seem to provide sufficient value for its cost.
Perhaps in the future, as AI technology advances and becomes better optimized for handheld gaming devices, we may see more noticeable benefits. However, based on my experience, AI on the MSI Claw does not seem necessary or compelling as a crucial factor for handheld gaming.
Immersive Gaming Experience
To provide more detail, we will play actual games to evaluate the performance of the MSI Claw. I will play Diablo 4, Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR’S CUT, Forza Horizon 5, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
The application testing conditions I would like to share are as follows:
- Air-conditioned room 26 degrees Celsius
- Update Driver + Latest Windows version
- Performance mode (TDP at 35-40W)
Diablo 4
Firstly, in Diablo 4, I will test the game at two different graphics settings: with XeSS enabled and disabled. The results are detailed below.
Diablo 4 demonstrates the impact of enabling XeSS on the MSI Claw. With XeSS turned off, the device’s FPS drops to about 58. However, with XeSS enabled, the FPS increases to approximately 82, resulting in a gain of over 15 frames per second, or around a 20% increase. The gaming experience on the MSI Claw is highly satisfying, with beautifully rendered graphics that offer high contrast and detailed visuals, perfectly capturing the mysterious and magical atmosphere of Diablo.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Continuing with the game Assassin’s Creed Mirage, I set the Game to Full HD / Low Quality / Upsampling XeSS / Adaptive quality 45fps, and on the Claw, it is Extreme Performance mode / Full HD / 60Hz.
With Assassin’s Creed, the device performs exceptionally smoothly, delivering extremely beautiful graphics. All shadow effects and sunlight are rendered with impressive realism. FPS fluctuates from 40-45FPS, but when changing scenes or calling birds and changing the angle of Eagle Vision from above with more details, the FPS will drop to about 12-30 in a split second.
Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR’S CUT
Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR’S CUT is a pretty big game. After playing the game for a while, I only dare to set it to the lowest level, whether Xess is on or off.
Following Diablo 4, the massive PlayStation game ported to PC showcases stunning graphics. This could be the most demanding game I’ve tested. XeSS enhances FPS significantly, nearly doubling the frame rate. Specifically, with XeSS turned off, the game runs at 23 FPS, while with XeSS enabled, it reaches 40 FPS. This is an acceptable performance level for an AAA open-world game with such impressive graphics.
Forza Horizon 5
Finally, Forza Horizon 5 is an excellent choice for handheld PC gaming. As a top-tier racing game on PC, it deserves to be compared to other AAA titles, so I set it to Low mode. Utilizing the game’s detailed benchmark mode, I tested it and achieved a result of about 58 FPS without XeSS enabled. This was somewhat different from my actual gameplay experience.
This is the most optimized game for entry-level gaming, with FPS and temperature both satisfying gamers. The temperature is around 85-90 degrees very evenly. When setting low with XeSS turned off, FPS is around 80-90 for a pretty smooth racing experience, but I don’t understand why turning on the XeSS FPS buff feature causes frame drops. I tried racing a match, and the FPS only fluctuated between 75-80.
Battery life
As mentioned, the MSI Claw is equipped with a 53WHr battery, providing good battery life even when playing games unplugged. I have tested it for your reference and the conditions are the same as when testing performance such as testing in an air-conditioned room at 26 degrees Celsius, updated Driver + latest Windows version, playing in Battery mode (TDP at 35W).
Typically, I play games like EA 24, Ghost of Tsushima, and Forza Horizon. When tested, the battery level was at 80%. After playing for 20 minutes, it dropped to 42%, consuming 38% of the battery. I continued playing Ghost of Tsushima at 42%, the device consumed 34% battery in 35 minutes, and with the last 8% of battery, I played Forza Horizon for 30 minutes and ran out of battery. The result is that it can play continuously for 1 hour and 25 minutes.
The test resulted in only 1 hour and 25 minutes, which may not sound too impressive. However, for PC Gaming Handhelds like this one, battery life is often a weak point. The need to accommodate high-end hardware, manage heat dissipation, and fit a screen into such a small and compact case means the device’s battery has inherent limitations.
Final line
The PC Gaming Handheld market is more vibrant than ever when many famous manufacturers have their own impressive devices, but I think gaming devices like this will take a long time to conquer users. The MSI Claw is an exceptionally outstanding gaming PC handheld. From the moment I first saw it, I was impressed by its design and the features it offers. In terms of configuration, the device can smoothly handle popular AAA games available today.
I’m uncertain whether the battery poses a limitation. However, users who opt for the MSI Claw or similar PC gaming handhelds typically consider and accept the battery factor. It’s akin to a trade-off for a compact gaming device with robust configuration. As for beginners, this is a bad point on it.
Usually, mobile, portable devices will be limited in some way, MSI Claw will be a device that helps you play games more conveniently, not a machine that is too powerful to “feel” the game. In addition, MSI Claw will be more suitable for those who already have gaming devices, and this is like a backup machine, supporting when users want to continue playing their games anywhere such as lying on the bed, bringing the device to a friend’s house, playing at the airport, … or playing as a Mini PC in a compact working corner is also reasonable.
What do you think about this MSI Claw review? Let me know in the comments section below. It is currently available on Amazon.com for $599 for the variant with Intel Ultra 7-155H, 16GB LPDDR5, and 512GB NVMe SSD, up to 20% discount from the listed price of $749. Meanwhile, the Intel Ultra 5-135H handheld computer price is $595. If you’re interested, you can click the link above to buy one for your convenience.
