Game On with the MSI Claw A1M; the First Intel-based Handheld PC for Gaming!
MSI now joins the ranks of other hardware manufacturers joining the handheld console competition with its new MSI Claw A1M! Announced at CES 2024, MSI’s device bills itself as the first Intel-based handheld device in the space, and it’s primarily positioned to challenge other consoles like the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go in the space.
Of course, the models on display were still their pre-production models but we have been able to catch some more details regarding the capabilities of MSI’s latest handheld. See them all right here:
A more ergonomic handheld
Right away, the MSI Claw A1M stands out from other devices via its RGB lighting features. You get a nice pop of color not just on its joysticks but even on its smoky-black buttons, making for a cool show under low lighting conditions.
In terms of portability and ergonomics, the MSI Claw A1M sits somewhere in-between the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally. It’s got a similar flat body on the screen like the Ally, while sporting the more bulbous protrusions on the grips similar to the Steam Deck.
MSI claims that this is meant to help maintain comfort over longer play periods, which the brand appears to target thanks to the claw’s bigger battery compared to its competitors. This does make it heavier than the ROG Ally though, but not by much that it’s uncomfortable to bring around.
MSI Claw A1M Handheld Specs:
Just like the ROG Ally, the MSI Claw comes with a 7” display with IPS-technology and a full HD resolution. And yes, the screen does come with variable refresh rate, which should help keep the experience smooth across a wide range of apps and games.
Keeping in with their promise of long play times, the MSI Claw will ship with a 53W/hr battery inside; larger than what’s inside the Ally. MSI claims that this battery combined with the efficiency of their Intel “Meteor Lake” chip, should allow the console to run for around 2 hours for heavy, intensive games, or even up to 5 hours for lighter, more casual games.
So far, it definitely looks promising. Here’s a brief rundown regarding the rest of the specs posted on MSI’s official website:
CPU: Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 155H “Meteor Lake”
GPU: Intel Arc Graphics
Memory: Up to 32 GB LPDDR5-6400
Display: 7-inch IPS-Level Touchscreen | 1920 x 1080p Resolution | Variable 120Hz Refresh Rate
Battery: 6-cell 53Whr Battery
I/O Ports: USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 4) with PD Charging x1 | Micro SD Card Reader x1 Audio: 2W Speaker x2 | Mic-in/Headphone-out Combo Jack x1
OS: Windows 11 Home
As far as games go, users can gain access to a wide assortment of Windows titles and even Android mobile games via the console’s exclusive MSI App Player.
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The first Intel-based handheld gaming console
Unlike competing handhelds like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or even boutique offerings like the Ayaneo Air, MSI has chosen to go with Intel instead of AMD for their latest device. The highest configuration for example, will be using an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H; a chip usually found in laptops like the Acer Swift Go 14, paired with Intel Arc Alchemist graphics.
The Core Ultra 7 features 16-cores and 22-threads overall, broken up into 6-performance cores for intensive tasks, 8-efficiency cores for other processes, and 2-low power efficient cores for even more minor use cases. It also comes with Intel’s first integrated NPU, which should help with some AI applications such as adjusting backlight and chip power.
Being an Intel chip, the console can also support Intel XeSS; Intel’s own upscaling technology, at least in compatible games, which can help boost performance.
Still, we’ll have to wait for the final version to hit the market before we can see how it properly stacks up to its rivals in terms of performance and efficiency. It should be interesting to see how it competes with the Steam Deck’s custom APU or the ROG Ally’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme.
Pricing and Availability
MSI announced that it plans to ship three different models of their Claw A1M; with the base tier coming with a Core Ultra 5 and 512 GB of storage. Pricing will supposedly range from $699 to $799 for the higher-end models.
We’ll keep you posted when we finally get more news regarding the device’s availability and pricing here in the Philippines. In the meantime, feel free to check out some of our portable devices like the Steam Deck here to get the best price!
For gadgets and electronics, get it at Kimstore!
