I got hands-on with the MSI Claw at CES 2024 – and it wasn't exactly promising

09 January 2024 , 01:05

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I got hands-on with the MSI Claw at CES 2024, the device hoping to compete with the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally (Image: Jasmine Mannan)

The MSI Claw will be the latest gaming handheld to hit the market and after being announced at CES 2024, I got hands-on with the device. Here are my first impressions.

The MSI Claw will be the first gaming handheld to feature an Intel chip and separate Intel GPU, with its competitors, including the Asus ROG Ally and Steam Deck, having AMD APUs. I'm on the ground at CES 2024, and was able to get hands-on with the device following its official reveal, and despite not being able to play any games, I was able to use the device and see what was on offer in terms of design and hardware.

We don’t have a confirmed MSI Claw release date just yet, but MSI has confirmed that the gaming handheld will be released early this year and it will start at $699, the same price as the Lenovo Legion Go. This roughly converts to £549 or AU$1050 as there's not confirmed regional pricing yet.

MSI Claw: hands-on impressions

Inside the MSI Claw, you'll get an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 155H paired with Intel Arc Graphics, which should make for a pretty powerful unit. The separate CPU and GPU chips mean the device will likely be able to take on a higher load when compared to its APU counterpoints.

One of the first things I noticed when booting up the device was that the MSI Claw runs Windows 11. This means you have access to all of your game libraries, just like the Asus ROG Ally, rather than just being limited to Steam like you are with the Steam Deck.

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The MSI Claw is definitely on the smaller side, feeling much more compact and lightweight when compared to other similar devices, particularly the Steam Deck. It felt nice to use and I can already tell it will be great for longer gaming sessions, as there’s no strain at all and it feels super comfortable in the hand.

The chassis of the device is matte black, meaning you don’t have to worry about fingerprints when you’re using it. You’ll also find all of the buttons of the MSI Claw on the top half of the device to make for an ergonomic grip. However, the buttons are made of plastic and feel quite tacky, which is super unsatisfying and just not what you’d expect from a device of this level. The RGB joysticks are hall-effect meaning you don't have to worry about drifting later down the line, this makes for a great addition to the device.

You get two macro buttons on the back of the device, which for the most part is covered in grates to allow for the device to cool efficiently. Although great for cooling, having all of the grates along the back could mean the device will blast hot air out onto your hands while gaming. As I wasn’t able to test out a game on the device, it’s hard to tell whether or not this will be the case.

It's hard to make judgements about the 53Whr battery which MSI has stuck in the device as I was only able to go hands-on with it very briefly and didn't play any games. This is the biggest battery within a gaming handheld which means it should provide you with more game time but if the device isn't optimised well or very efficient then the larger battery could make little to no difference.

I got hands-on with the MSI Claw at CES 2024, the device hoping to compete with the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally (Jasmine Mannan)

As for the screen, it didn't exactly didn’t blow me away. At 7 inches and 1080p, it's nothing spectacular. The real power behind this display will be on show during gaming sessions though, as it has an impressive 120Hz refresh rate.

MSI prides itself in offering a bespoke UI for the MSI Claw, which allows you to access all of your game libraries in one place. However, my first experience with this UI was, frankly, terrible.

The device was constantly lagging and crashing, often not allowing me to select any of the menu options. Hopefully, these bugs will be ironed out before launch, as the device I got hands-on with at CES 2024 is a pre-production unit. However, these are the same issues I faced in my Lenovo Legion Go hands-on preview, and these issues continue to persist as I’m reviewing the device, so hopefully MSI can do a better job in terms of optimisation in the lead-up to launch.

I’m hesitant to form any firm opinions on the device for the moment, but I'm excited to get a review unit for the MSI Claw in hand so I can see how games run on the device, as this will be the true acid test. As for my first impressions, it didn't exactly blow me away, and it needs work if it wants to compete against the gaming handhelds currently on the market.

Jasmine Mannan