The MSI Claw 8 AI+, an upgraded version of the MSI Claw (which was released not too long ago), is already expected to launch at some point this year. As its time draws closer, more and more rumors about its specs & features are spreading.
The most recent leaks regarding this device detail how it could feature an Intel Core Ultra 200 ‘Lunar Lake’ chip, this was shared on X by a hardware leaker named momomo_us. On top of this, it was also speculated that the next-gen MSI Claw handheld gaming console will incorporate a larger screen and improved battery capacity. With gaming PC handhelds becoming a fast-moving sector (see the announcement of the ASUS ROG Ally X), MSI is acting fast to keep up.
What does this mean for the new MSI Claw 8 AI+?
In a recent leak on X, it was detailed that the MSI Claw 8 AI+ may be featuring a new Lunar Lake chip and potentially a larger 8-inch screen. It is also suggested in this leak that MSI has collaborated with Bethesda to create a Fallout-themed version of the handheld console. It’s uncertain whether this will just be a skin on the current MSI Claw A1M or if it will be a more affordable version of the MSI Claw 8 AI+, but it will feature a 7-inch FHD screen.
It will be interesting to see how AI processing will impact the console’s gaming performance, with Lunar Lake expected to have more than 100 TOPS in AI performance. 45 of these TOPS come from just its NPU, which makes it ten times better than the Meteor Lake CPUs in the Claw A1M. We expect the Claw 8 AI+ to come with an improvement on the Claw A1M’s graphics performance, due to the fact that the Intel Core Ultra 200-series is likely to be coming with the Battlemage GPU architecture.
When will 8 AI+ come out?
There’s been no information regarding the release date of the MSI Claw 8 AI+ yet, however, Intel’s Lunar Lake CPUs are expected to arrive in Q3 of 2024 so it could be argued that we may see the next-gen of MSI Claw sometime around the holiday season or potentially leading into 2025.
It hasn’t been too long since the original MSI Claw released, but with poor reception, an upgraded variant may claw back some interest. As the time draws closer we expect to see more and more information being leaked about the MSI Claw 8 AI+, so stick with us as we’ll be covering everything you need to know.
