MSI Claw becomes the first gaming handheld to feature Intel Core Ultra processor with Intel Arc graphics

MSi and Intel have partnered together at CES 2024 to announce the world’s first PC gaming handheld powered by an Intel Core Ultra chip, the MSI Claw.

The MSI Claw is the latest addition to a growing class of Steam Deck competitors, but until now, they have all been powered by AMD APUs like the AMD Z1 and AMD Z1 Extreme. The MSI Claw will come equiped with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor with integrated Intel Arc graphics, 16GB LPDDR5, NVMe SSD storage, Intel Killer WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, and a 7-inch, full HD touch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, with 100% sRGB color coverage and up to 500 nits brightness.

As the first PC gaming handheld powered by Intel’s new Core Ultra processor, the MSI Claw is a major stage for Intel to show off its latest architecture in a market that has seen major growth following the smashing success of the Steam Deck. As MSI’s first gaming handheld, the Claw comes with some major gaming pedigree to back it up, something that should help distinguish itself from the growing number of competitors like the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally.

One thing that the MSI Claw also brings to the game is Intel XeSS graphics upscaling. Unlike the ROG Ally and Legion Go, which relies on software algorithms to render a frame at a lower than native resolution before expanding it to the target frame resolution, the MSI Claw will be able to use dedicated AI hardware to better upscale the lower resolution frames. This will provide a higher quality result with fewer visual artifacts while maintaining faster frame rates.

In addition to the impressive internal specs, the new handheld also comes equipped with a 53WHr battery, the largest battery for any gaming handheld on the market right now. This should make the MSI Claw an ideal gaming handheld for thos eon the go who aren’t going to have easy access to a power outlet to keep the device charged, and MSI promises 50% longer battery life than other handhelds, including two full hours of battery life under full-performance workloads.

Finally, the MSI Claw also features full key recording functionality so users can create their own personal macros for certain games.

This story is developing…