The MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus is a technical triumph you shouldn't buy

The Claw EX feels like a milestone for portable gaming, outperforming the Xbox Ally X by nearly 40 percent in several demanding titles. Its 8-inch 1200p display is a significant upgrade over the cramped screens found on rival devices, and the ergonomic manta-ray-wing grips make the 1.73-pound frame comfortable for extended sessions. Most importantly, the device handles power management with enough finesse to squeeze an extra hour of gameplay out of high-demand titles like Cyberpunk 2077 compared to its predecessors.

However, the hardware is held back by the persistent friction of the Windows ecosystem. I frequently encountered black screens, unresponsive game launches, and bizarre permission errors that required administrative intervention. Furthermore, the Intel drivers still struggle with graphical fidelity in specific games, leading to missing volumetric fog, broken particle effects, and occasional system hangs. Even the device's strengths are conditional; performance drops sharply once the battery hits 15 percent, and the ultra-glossy screen struggles significantly with glare. At a price point nearly double that of a Steam Deck, these flaws transform a promising piece of engineering into a luxury curiosity that even dedicated enthusiasts should avoid.