This is not the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus, but rather a Fallout edition of the original. (I used generative expand around the edge because the image was cropping poorly.) | Image: MSI Just three months after releasing its first gaming handheld PC to damning reviews — here’s mine — MSI is already announcing a likely replacement. The “MSI Claw 8 AI Plus” swaps its lackluster Intel Meteor Lake chip for the brand-new Lunar Lake ones, while replacing its 7-inch, 1080p 120Hz variable resolution rate screen for a larger 8-inch one.
Perhaps even more importantly, it will boast up to an 80 watt-hour battery, MSI tells The Verge — tying it with the recently announced Asus ROG Ally X for biggest battery in a PC gaming handheld. Despite the larger screen, it’ll still offer a smooth 120Hz refresh rate with VRR, writes MSI marketing specialist Anne Lee.
The Claw will also offer a second USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4 capabilities,…