MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review: Big money for big performance - Engadget

$1,800 for a handheld gaming PC is a ton of money, even if it comes with massive gains in horsepower. Unlike most of its rivals, MSI aligned itself with Intel instead of AMD when it made last year's Claw 8. The result was one of the most powerful PC gaming handhelds of its generation. For its latest endeavor, MSI partnered up with Team Blue again to incorporate an even beefier chip, the Arc G3 Extreme, which Intel says has been customized explicitly for portable gaming PCs. So not only is this handheld even faster, it offers smoother performance and better endurance. However, at $1,800, the new Claw 8 EX AI+ is also one of the most expensive portables from any mainstream PC manufacturer, which makes you question if the never-ending quest for higher frame rates is really worth the asking price. Editor's Note: This review was performed using an engineering sample provided by Intel and required us to install pre-production software and drivers, so our experience may differ slightly from retail models. Aside from its eggplant purple exterior, the Claw 8 EX has a very straightforward layout. You get a standard assortment of face buttons, analog sticks, a D-Pad and shoulder triggers alon