It’s been just about three months since the MSI Claw A1M made its way to the masses. However, that’s not stopping MSI from announcing its successor, dubbed the MSI Claw 8 AI+.
This upcoming Windows handheld made its debut during Computex 2024, as it’s the first to be announced powered by Intel’s upcoming “Lunar Lake” chip. While we now know some of the specs, MSI stopped short of sharing all of the details. Part of this can likely be attributed to the fact that Intel has yet to announce specific Lunar Lake SoCs.
However, there are a few key details that we do know about the MSI Claw 8 AI+. First of which is the change to the display, which now uses an 8-inch screen, as opposed to the 7-inch display on the current version. MSI states that it’s using a Native Landscape panel, which means we have VRR to go along with the 120Hz refresh rate.
MSI Claw 8 AI+ Specs Preview
- Display: 8-inch, FHD (1920 x 1080), 120Hz, VRR
- Processor: Intel “Lunar Lake”
- Up to 32GB LPDDR5x RAM
- 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
- Cooling: Cooler Boost HyperFlow w/ 2 fans & 2 pipes
- Dual Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Hall Effect joysticks and triggers
- MSI Center M w/ “tailored interface for handheld experience and customizable Quick Settings and advanced Macros.”
- 80Whr Battery
The shell has also been redesigned in order to be more ergonomic while accommodating the larger display and battery. Speaking of which, MSI isn’t letting the ASUS ROG Ally X get too much of a lead, as the Claw 8 AI+ sports the same 80Wh battery. The company didn’t reveal what this would equal in real-world usage. Seeing as the current Claw only packs a 53Wh battery, this should still provide a massive upgrade.
Something else that the larger footprint allows for is an additional USB-C port, which is found along the top. This gives the MSI Claw 8 AI+ dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, which will come in quite handy when you’re traveling and want to connect peripherals.
More Power?
As for what’s powering this new handheld, all we know is that MSI is sticking with Intel, as the Claw 8 AI+ will use a “Lunar Lake” SoC. However, until Intel actually announces its Lunar Lake chips, there’s not much for us to go off of.
Besides that, MSI’s next handheld includes up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, a 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, and Hall Effect triggers and joysticks. All of this is pretty much what we expect from a second iteration, so it’s good to see MSI committed to the space.
As for pricing and availability, those are two more questions that remain unanswered after Computex 2024. Speaking to Digital Trends, MSI expects to release the Claw 8 AI+ sometime in September. With so much left that we don’t know, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that MSI didn’t share pricing.
MSI Claw Pip-Boy
MSI Claw Fallout Edition at Computex 2024
While the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is just a teaser for things to come, there’s actually a “new” version of the Claw A1M on the way. Well, “new” is a subjective term, as MSI is set to release a Fallout-themed Claw A1M. There’s even a chance that you may not even be able to buy this for yourself, as it could either be a limited edition or will only be used for promotional purposes.
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