For the first time you are doing something, it probably will not become perfect, so it was not a huge surprise when MSI debut games He fought from the gate. And this is before you consider an unorthodox choice to go with Intel chip, and not one of AMD, like almost all its competitors. However, MSI did not give up, and now he has returned with Not one But Two versions the second -generation manual control, under the heading Claw 8 AI+The field not only is more than before, it has twice as many Thunderbolt 4 ports, a much larger battery and some of the best performance that we saw from any device in this category. But even more important, since the continuation of the device that suffers from dull software and unfinished drivers seems that the claw has returned its bite.
Design and display: desert cat
With his 8-inch screen, Claw 8 AI+ more than his predecessor, and a number of his competitors, such as ROG ALLY Xalthough it is still less than 8.8 inches Lenovo Legion go. MSI also gave him a two -color chassis of black and sandstone. Ergonomics, as a rule, is in order, but if I find fault, I would prefer slightly large grips to increase comfort. But in addition, in the portable course there is a relatively simple mixture of premium components scattered according to the familiar plan.
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Thanks to the new Intel chips and the MSI CLAW 8 AI+ massive battery, it offers excellent performance and durability. Unfortunately, with a starting price of $ 900, it is also more expensive than almost all his competitors.
- Hall effect of joysticks and triggers
- Strong performance
- Double ports Thunderbolt 4
- The service life of the battery is higher than the average
- Built -in fingerprint sensor
- Bright 8-inch screen VRR 120 Hz
- No on -board touch panel
- The MSI Center application feels a little naked
- A little expensive
It has sensors of the effect of the hall for its joysticks and triggers, as well as some built -in lighting RGB, the last of which was a kind of unspoken requirement among portable gaming PCs these days. You also get two Thunderbolt 4 ports that support both data and charging – which are especially convenient if you once plan to use this thing for performance – and a microSD card slot to expand storage. I appreciate that, unlike Lenovo portable devices, MSI turned on the built -in fingerprint reader, which makes the windows -based devices, such as CLAW much more convenient. Nevertheless, you do not get a touch panel, although MSI software allows you to control the cursor using joysticks, so this is not complete pain in the butt at any time when you need to switch between games and applications. And finally, there is one pair of blades around the back.
As for the display, while the IPS panel instead of the OLED super -fighted on some portable devices, the claw screen provides brightness above the average (up to 500 NIT), a continuous update speed of 120 Hz (with VRR) and the ideal resolution for a system of this size (11920 x 1200). So everyone said that when it comes to its visual effects, there are very few. In addition, thanks to some surprisingly sharp front -line speakers, it also has a solid sound.
Performance and software: restrained beast
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that after the weak result of the first attempt by MSI, CLAW 8 AI+ pumped out strong performance, which could easily keep up, and sometimes surpass what I saw with his competitors. Some of them are surely due to more polished software and recent updates of Intel drivers, but, nevertheless, between its Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chip, 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of SSD TSD, claws created personnel, which were often 10-15 percent higher than we received from Ally X.
For example, when installing on a 30-watt preset, in Cyberpank 2077 At 800p, on the average claw settings, 75 frames per second against 65 frames per second for an ally of ROG X on the same TDP (heat structure power). Meanwhile, c Returning At 800p on the medium, the legion also surpassed the claw, reaching 56 frames per second compared to 46 frames per second for Lenovo. Now it is important to note that the MSI power in the average range for preliminary installation on the claws (this is what I used to obtain these numbers in Returning) is 17 watts instead of 15 watts, as on most of its competitors, which could be an attempt to distort the tests in his favor. But even after you explain this, the claw still comes forward.
Another pleasant thing in claws is that if you do not want to constantly go around the settings, there is that MSI calls it the EI Engine mode, which automatically regulates things to optimize the performance or service life, depending on what you want. This is a good option to quickly change how much horsepower you need, although, as always, you will need to configure things manually to achieve the best results.
The rest of the MSI Center application seems somewhat Spartan. There are sections for launching games, performing software updates, changing RGB lighting and much more. You can even install gaming stores such as Steam directly to the program. But besides this, the application is not very fashionable or so beautiful to watch. However, there are all important things, which really matters, since Windows 11 generally still feels more awkward in use than more custom -made platforms, such as Steamos Valve.
Battery service life: surprisingly good
CLAW 8 AI+ is equipped with a 80whr cell, which is one of the largest batteries in this category and provides amazing durability. IN Elden Ring In the medium settings, the portable device lasted a little more than three hours per charge. This is not too worn, especially after my recent testing with Lenovo Legion GO, which at best lasted only two and a half hours, and this was a much less demanding game in the game Metal tactics of the slugField
Wrap
After the initial bombardment, many companies would simply call it a departure. Of course, many problems of the first system, perhaps, were caused by Intel chip and more unlawed drivers than something, what MSI did (or did not). But with the claws of 8 AI+MSI returned and I completely bought myself. Not only is it a very competent gaming portive, this cat offers a solid design, excellent performance and service life above the average.
Nevertheless, despite the fact that he pushes a little less personnel, Rog Ally X for $ 800 remains better (especially if you can find it on sale), and its smaller screen makes it a more portable choice for people planning to play on the move. When it comes to larger competitors, Lenovo Legion Go offers similar power for even less money with starting prices of $ 700 (or less, now that he regularly receives discounts). But if you are looking for first-class performance with a portable PC with an assortment of premium components, CLAW 8 AI+ makes an interesting case as an update among game portage.