MSI Claw brings more brands into the handheld game at CES

MSI Claw handheld on a dark blue background — (Image credit: Future)

MSI is jumping on the bandwagon. After Asus and Steam solidified their positions among the best gaming handhelds last year, the gaming brand is looking to enter the fray. The MSI Claw was announced at CES 2024, bringing the world's first Meteor Lake powered device to the market.

The Windows handheld was leaked last week, with today's showfloor reports confirming the device's existence, though we still don't know anything about pricing or availability. Still, should MSI pull it off this could be a new contender in the space.

That's thanks to the massive 53Whr battery, capable of running at full load for two hours. The Asus ROG Ally manages to pack around an hour in 30W Turbo mode and the Steam Deck places similarly with everything whacked up to 11 as well. There's more than just an extra hour of on the go playtime here, though. The MSI Claw will be powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, a departure from the AMD precedent set by Asus and Valve. That means the Claw will be able to run games with the assistance of Intel's XeSS tech, an alternative super sampling upscaler to AMD's FSR platform for higher framerates.

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Like the Ally, the Claw will be able to run games across a variety of launchers and with its own software to keep all your titles easily accessible in one place. That's a big draw for Asus's device compared to the Steam Deck at the moment, so if MSI pulls it off better there could be trouble for Asus fans. Similarly, the Claw offers a 7-inch FHD display running at 120Hz - the same base specs as the Ally and slightly smaller, though higher resolution than the 7.4-inch / 1200x800 screen on the Steam Deck OLED.

We're still awaiting launch information for the MSI Claw, but we'll be keeping this page updated as we find out more.

In Association with ROG Ally

If you're after a full tower, check out the best gaming PCs or for something in the middle we're also rounding up all the best gaming laptops on the market as well. If you've gone down the Valve route it's also worth checking out the best Steam Deck docks for some accessories.

Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector.