MSI introduces its first Ryzen-based handheld — The Claw A8 packs the Z2 Extreme and 24GB of fast RAM

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MSI introduces its first Ryzen-based handheld — The Claw A8 packs the Z2 Extreme and 24GB of fast RAM

MSI has launched its first Ryzen-based handheld, powered by AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU under the hood, at Computex. While serving as an AMD alternative to the established Lunar Lake options, the MSI Claw A8 shares many similarities with them. This includes dimensions, weight, audio, sensors, storage, and even the display. The company has not yet detailed pricing and availability, but we expect to hear more shortly.

Under the hood, the Claw A8 sports the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU with eight cores (3x Zen 5 + 5x Zen 5c) and 16 threads. This configuration is largely similar to the Ryzen AI 7 Pro 360, but packs a more powerful RDNA 3.5-based graphics engine with 16 Compute Units (Radeon 890M). This is complemented by 24GB of soldered LPDDR5x-8000 memory. This is slightly lower than the typical 32GB LPDDR5x-8533 we’ve seen with Lunar Lake-powered Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ options. The default configuration comes with a 1TB M.2 2280 SSD, which should be upgradable.

In terms of the display, MSI has opted for an 8-inch 1080p IPS panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate and VRR functionality, covering 100% of the sRGB color space. This is oddly similar to the Claw 8 AI+, and we wouldn’t be surprised if MSI is using identical displays.

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Specifications	MSI Claw A8	MSI Claw 8 AI+	MSI Claw 7 AI+
Processor	AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme	Intel Core Ultra 7 258V	Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
Memory	24GB LPDDR5x-8000 (Integrated)	32GB LPDDR5x-8533 (integrated)	32GB LPDDR5x-8533 (integrated)
Storage	1x NVMe M.2 2280 SSD Gen4 x4	Up to 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD Easy Access	1x NVMe M.2 2230 SSD Gen4 x4
Graphics	AMD Radeon 890M GPU (Integrated)	Intel Arc 140 GPU (integrated)	Intel Arc 140 GPU (integrated)
Display	8-inch FHD+ (1920×1200), 16:10 Touchscreen, 120Hz, 100% sRGB, 500nits, VRR, IPS-level	8-inch FHD+ (1920×1200), 16:10 Touchscreen, 120Hz, 100% sRGB, 500nits, VRR, IPS-level	7-inch FHD (1920×1080), Touchscreen, 120Hz, 100% sRGB, 500nits, VRR, IPS-level
Audio	2x 2W speakers, DTS, supports Hi-Res Audio	2x 2W speakers, DTS, supports Hi-Res Audio	2x 2W speakers, DTS, supports Hi-Res Audio
Sensors	6-axis IMU, vibration motor	6-axis IMU, vibration motor	6-axis IMU, vibration motor
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E / Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 6E / Bluetooth 5.34
Ports	2x Thunderbolt 4/DP/USB Type-C *** 3.0, 1x microSD slot, 1x 3.5mm combo jack, 1x power button with fingerprint sensor	2x Thunderbolt 4/DP/USB Type-C *** 3.0, 1x microSD slot, 1x 3.5mm combo jack, 1x power button with fingerprint sensor	2x Thunderbolt 4/DP/USB Type-C *** 3.0, 1x microSD slot, 1x 3.5mm combo jack, 1x power button with fingerprint sensor
Battery	80Whr 6-cell Li-Po	80Whr 6-cell Li-Po	54.5Whr 6-cell Li-Po
Dimensions (W x D x H)	299.5 x 126.2 x 24mm	299 x 126 x 24mm	290 x 117 x 21.2mm
Weight	765g	795g	675g
Operating System	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Home

With a 6-cell setup, the battery offers a substantial 80Wh capacity, which should be enough for several hours of gameplay. The Claw A8 is equipped with two USB4 Type-C ports, one 3.5mm combo jack port, one microSD slot, and a power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor. Wireless connectivity is powered by Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, as the Z2 Extreme lacks support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 available on Lunar Lake.

Performance will be interesting to see, as based on our testing, Intel’s Arc 140V outperforms the Radeon 890M in gaming. Lunar Lake is also more efficient and might be the better choice for longer gaming sessions. Pricing will be a crucial factor since, despite its apparent advantages, Lunar Lake SoCs are likely more expensive due to advanced manufacturing (TSMC N3B) and packaging (Foveros 3D). As a point of reference, the 1TB configuration of the Claw 8 AI+ had a debut price of $899, though it currently retails for $999 or more.

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#MSI #introduces #Ryzenbased #handheld #Claw #packs #Extreme #24GB #fast #RAM

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