Today, I'm excited to finally share my thoughts on the MSI Claw, a device that I've been using non-stop for the past three days. In this article, I'll be taking a closer look at the specs, design, and software of the MSI Claw.
Starting with the specs, the MSI Claw is a Windows device that comes with Windows 11 Home. It features the newest Intel Core Ultra 7-155H with Intel Arc Graphics, a 7-inch screen with 1080p and 120HZ capabilities, 16GB LPDDR5 6,400 megahertz, 512 GB storage, hall effect joysticks and triggers, great speakers, and a decent battery life. The MSI Claw is priced at $699, $749, and $799 USD, depending on the model.
Starting with the design, the MSI Claw has a sleek design with all vent on the back and top, which looks awesome. The device feels great in the hand, and the plastic is of high quality. The hall joysticks feel similar to my Legion go, and the buttons feel great on the MSI Claw. The device is pretty lightweight and well balanced, and it is slightly bigger than the Ally.
The MSI Center is a great utility that can be accessed by pressing the MSI Center button on the left. The utility allows you to set up your game library, recently played games, launchers, user scenarios, and control modes. You can also edit your quick settings menu and change what is going to show up and in what order. The MSI Center has been working well for me, and it is pretty approachable.
When it comes to games, I tried out a few different titles such as HellDivers, Cyberpunk, Spider-Man, Sonic, and Last Epoch. HellDivers and Cyberpunk were not performing well, and the power delivery or the balance just wasn't working out great for getting performance. The device was not able to maintain high frame rates and was dipping down in clock speeds. The VRAM being stuck on auto was causing performance issues as well.
However, Spider-Man and Sonic ran great for me, and I was able to get good performance out of Last Epoch too. The MSI Claw's performance has been a bit hit and miss with the games, and it depends on what you are playing. The device was able to maintain high frame rates and clock speeds and was delivering a smooth gaming experience.
The physical aspects of the MSI Claw are great, but there are some issues with the shoulder buttons and the d-pad. The shoulder buttons are not great, and the d-pad is quite stiff in comparison to other devices in the market. The sporadic performance and the way this chipset is working right now is a bit of a concern. Lack of VRAM options and things like that make it hard to recommend the MSI Claw right now.
Overall, the MSI Claw has a lot of potential, and I hope to see a lot of improvement in the future. The device has a great design, and the MSI Center is a great utility. However, the device is not performing well with some games, and the shoulder buttons and d-pad need improvement. If you are looking for a gaming device, the MSI Claw is worth considering, but it is not the best option in the market right now.