• MSI has revealed a new handheld gaming device called the Claw at CES 2024.
• Unlike other recent handheld offerings, it’s using Intel silicon.
• MSI also claims that it has a battery life of two hours under full workload.

It is day two, or day one depending on who you ask, for CES 2024. Where the previous day focused heavily on smart TVs, this one is all about gaming, with a number of companies showcasing their latest wares.

In the case of MSI, it includes a wide range of AI-ready gaming notebooks, but our interest was more piqued by the introduction of the company’s new handheld gaming device – the MSI Claw.

It sees the Taiwanese outfit join the likes of ASUS, Lenovo, Valve, and several others in bringing a handheld gaming device to market in recent months. What makes the Claw different to the aforementioned devices is that MSI has tapped Intel to assist on the silicon side of things.

More specifically the Claw is running Intel’s latest Core Ultra chipsets, with up to a Core Ultra 7 processor 155H available to spec on the device.

“The Core Ultra stands out with its new silicon architecture, AI capabilities, and the pioneering ARCTM integrated graphics, boasting up to 8 Xe cores. This configuration delivers twice the graphical performance of previous generations. Enhanced by XeSS super-sampling technology, the ARCTM offers smooth gameplay at 1080p resolution and medium settings,” MSI highlighted in a release shared with Hypertext.

“The device incorporates MSI Cooler Boost Hyperflow technology, featuring dual fans and heat pipes that efficiently dissipate heat. The intraflow thermal design optimizes airflow to cool internal components, ensuring top gaming performance,” it adds.

One of the other elements that MSI is touting on the Claw is its battery life, with the company claiming it can muster two full hours of gameplay under full workload.

“The Claw boasts a class-leading 53Whr battery, offering an impressive 2-hour battery life under full workload, allowing gamers to enjoy prolonged sessions,” the company explained.

As we have seen with the ASUS ROG Ally, battery life can waver greatly depending on how resource intensive the game being played is, so it will be interesting to see how the Claw performs across a few different titles and whether the two-hour claim can be backed up.

At the time of writing, local availability and pricing are yet to be confirmed, but considering MSI does have a presence in South Africa, hopefully it will choose to bring the new device to our shores.

The full specifications of the MSI Claw are as follows: