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Why it matters: MSI's new Claw A8 handheld builds on the success of the Claw 8 AI+ with notable performance gains in popular games, especially at typical handheld power levels. As handheld gaming grows more demanding, small but key hardware improvements are making a big difference for players.
Following the success of its Claw 8 AI+ console in 2024, MSI unveiled the Claw A8 handheld at Computex 2025. Early benchmarks from China-based reviewer Golden Pig Upgrade show a significant performance boost over the previous model, based on tests across 10 games at 1080p using 17W and 30W power targets. The results suggest the Claw A8 is noticeably faster than the Claw 8 AI+.
The Claw A8, powered by AMD's new Ryzen Z2 Extreme 'Strix Point' processor, led in nearly all the games at 17W, delivering higher average frame rates and similar or better one-percent lows. Titles where it held a clear edge include Far Cry 6, Monster Hunter Wilds, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Resident Evil Village.
AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme@17W (MSI Claw A8)
vs
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V@17W (MSI Claw 8 AI+)https://t.co/dN3oqGzzCX pic.twitter.com/JNmPJHCkjs
The Claw 8 AI+, powered by Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V 'Lunar Lake' SoC, edges ahead in Hitman 3, posting 32.1 fps versus the Claw A8's 32. It also delivered better one-percent lows in Mount & Blade 2 and F1 24, suggesting more consistent frame pacing in those titles. While the margins are narrow, they highlight that AMD's lead isn't absolute – and Intel's chip can still shine in some games.
The tipster also tested both consoles at 30W to gauge performance scaling when plugged into a power source. While this didn't significantly change the overall rankings, the Claw 8 AI+ delivered slightly better frame rates in five of the games tested.
The Z2 Extreme in the Claw A8 combines three Zen 5 performance cores and five Zen 5c efficiency cores, paired with a Radeon 890M GPU featuring 16 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units. By contrast, the Claw 8 AI+ uses Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V, which includes four Lion Cove performance cores and five Skymont efficiency cores, along with Arc graphics powered by eight Xe2 cores.
Both the Claw A8 and Claw 8 AI+ currently retail between $900 and $1,000, a logical price point given their similar performance in most games. However, the newer model is likely the better pick for most gamers, offering slightly faster performance in the crucial 15 – 20W range and a higher 35W TDP ceiling that provides extra headroom when drawing from AC power.
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