MSI Shows Off Claw 8 AI Plus Handheld With Lunar Lake And A Potent Strix Point Laptop
MSI is teasing several upcoming products at Computex, one of which is a second generation Claw handheld game console based on chips featuring Intel's newly announced Lunar Lake architecture. More than just a processor swap, the next version of the Claw, which is currently dubbed Claw 8 AI+, brings a bigger 8-inch display to the handheld gaming party.
The current iteration of the Claw is notable is because MSI veered away from the standard blueprint of using AMD hardware. Consoles like the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go feature AMD's Ryzen Z1 series chips inside, whereas MSI built its handheld around Intel's Core Ultra processors based on Meteor Lake, with Arc graphics.
Meteor Lake wasn't specifically built for handhelds, but it's proven to be a suitable foundation all the same. The same should apply with Lunar Lake, which Intel is positioning as its flagship system-on-chip (SoC) for next generation AI PCs. According to Intel, Lunar Lake is up to 50% more power efficient. In theory, this could translate to both a performance jump and longer battery life. We'll have to wait and see.
Not a whole lot more is known about the Claw 8 AI+, though MSI did reveal at least a few details. The 8-inch FHD display, for example, will have a 120Hz refresh rate. It will also feature an additional USB-C port supporting Thunderbolt 4, increased battery capacity, a lighter charger, and "enhanced LB/RB button feedback."
There will also be a limited edition Fallout-themed variant, albeit with a smaller display.
"MSI has partnered with Bethesda to unveil the Claw x Fallout co-branded limited edition. This unique version features a 7-inch FHD display and a unique design inspired by the Fallout series’ Vaults, Pip-Boys, and robots, offering fans an immersive experience in the game's post-nuclear apocalypse atmosphere," MSI says.
We also caught a glimpse of MSI's upcoming Stealth A16 AI+ laptop at Computex. This looks to be a potent system with a 16-inch display (IPS optional) rocking a 2560x1600 resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and 100% coverage of DCI-P3 color gamut, powered by AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor. That's a Strix Point chip based on Zen 5.
This will also be offered with up to a GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. As for RAM and storage, MSI hasn't yet said what options will be available.
The Stealth A16 AI+ is one of several upcoming laptops, some of which will run on AMD hardware and some of which will sport Intel's Lunar Lake chips. Either way, these systems will deliver AI grunt in the form of NPUs (neural processing units) present on both Strix Point and Lunar Lake.
