The MSI Claw arrived back in March 2024, yet a successor has already been unveiled. MSI is planning to release the MSI Claw 8 AI+ early next year, the second handheld in the Claw series. While the company has not shared an exact release date for the next model, they have revealed its specifications, which give us an idea about what it will offer.
The initial reviews of the MSI Claw were underwhelming, but MSI managed to improve its performance later through different updates. Now, all eyes are set on the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and everyone is wondering how it compares to the current model. Does it offer significant upgrades, or is it just a new handheld with some minor improvements? Let’s find out while we wait for the 8 AI+ release date.
Quick Answer
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ will reportedly offer an Intel Ultra Core 200V processor, Arc Graphics 8 Xe2-Cores SoC GPU, a bigger 80 Wh battery, larger 8-inch display, and an additional Thunderbolt 4 port. While there isn’t an exact release date for it, the Claw 8 AI+ is excepted to arrive in early 2025.
MSI Claw 8 AI+ vs MSI Claw specs
First, let’s take a look at the specifications of the two handhelds. Although the official MSI blog post provides limited information about the specifications of the MSI Claw 8 AI+, Digital Trends and Tom’s Hardware were able to uncover more details through MSI representatives at Computex 2024.
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| Specification | MSI Claw 8 AI+ | MSI Claw |
| Architecture | Intel Lion Cove, Skymont Xe2-LPG | Intel Redwood Cove, Crestmont Xe-LPG |
| APU | Intel Core Ultra 200V | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or Intel Core Ultra 5 135H |
| SoC GPU | Arc Graphics 8 Xe2-Cores | Arc Graphics 8 Xe-C with 155H or 7 Xe-C with 135H |
| External GPU | Two Thunderbolt 4 ports | One Thunderbolt 4 port |
| Memory Capacity | 32 or 16GB LPDDR-8533 | 16GB LPDDR5-6400 |
| Storage Capacity | Yet to be confirmed | 512 GB |
| Storage Type | M.2 NVMe 2280 SSD PCIe 4.0 | M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD PCIe 4.0 |
| Battery | 80 Wh | 53 Wh |
| Display | 8-inch 1920×1200 120 Hz, 500 nits brightness, VRR | 7-inch 1920×1200 120 Hz, 500 nits brightness, VRR |
| Connectivity | WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 | WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Default OS | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
Architecture, APU, and SoC GPU
To begin with, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ will come equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 200V processor, code-named Lunar Lake. MSI hasn’t shared any details about the specs and the exact processor that will be used for the next model, but it’s safe to say that it will offer better performance than the Intel Core Ultra 7 and Ultra 5 being used in the original MSI Claw. On top of that, the MSi Claw 8 AI+ will also introduce a more powerful GPU in the form of Arc Graphics 8 Xe2-Cores.
Display
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ will offer an 8-inch display with a resolution of 1920×1200, 120 Hz refresh rate, 500 nits brightness, and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate).
The original Claw, on the other hand, offers a 7-inch display with the same specs. Both displays offer high brightness and refresh rates, catering to a smooth visual experience. However, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ will have a 16:10 aspect ratio instead of 16:9.
Battery
The 8-inch display may have made the MSI Claw 8 AI+ bigger in size, but it has also allowed MSI to add a bigger battery inside it. The upcoming model will offer an 80 Wh battery, which is pretty big compared to the original Claw’s 53 Wh battery and is similar to the ASUS ROG Ally X. This means the Claw 8 AI+ will offer a longer battery life, making it suitable for users who are always on the go and away from power sources. However, do keep in mind that this will likely increase the device’s weight.
Storage
MSI is yet to reveal the storage capacity of the MSI Claw 8 AI+. However, it offers a better storage type, NVMe 2280 instead of NVMe 2230, and we can expect it to launch with different storage options.
Connectivity
With support for the latest WiFi and Bluetooth standards, WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, both devices ensure fast and reliable wireless connectivity for internet and peripheral devices. On top of that, the original Claw offered a single Thunderbolt 4 port, while the next model will come with an additional port.
Weight and dimensions
We currently don’t know the exact weight and dimensions of the MSI Claw 8 AI+. However, considering it will offer a bigger display, battery, and storage, we can definitely expect it to weigh more than the original Claw. But will a bigger size still feel comfortable in the hands? We’ll have to wait to find out.
MSI Claw pricing differences
These days, you can grab the MSI Claw with the 155HU and 1TB storage for around $799, 155H with 512GB storage for $749, and 135H paired with 512GB storage for $699. As for the MSI Claw 8 AI+, its official price is yet to be revealed, but we can expect its price tag to be between $750-800. When it launches, we can also expect the price of the current model to get slashed. In fact, the original model has already been seeing some price drops as of late.
Alternatives to the MSI Claw range
Conclusion
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ definitely offers some major improvements over its predecessor. The new processor, a bigger 8-inch display, and an 80 Wh battery will improve the handheld experience. However, these are just specifications on paper. We’ll have to wait for the device to launch to understand its real-life performance and find out if it’s significantly better than the current model. At the moment, MSI hasn’t shared an exact release date for the Claw 8 AI+, but it is expected to arrive in early 2025.
