The MSI Claw looks set to be another admirable PC gaming handheld, but whether or not it dethrones the Steam Deck OLED remains to be seen. As the first major Intel handheld, it feels as though there is more riding on the success of the Claw A1M.
On paper, the MSI Claw has the makings of one of the best PC gaming handhelds, even if it may struggle to catch up to the Steam Deck right away. Now, following a release date leak, we know when we’ll be getting our hands on a retail unit, but that comes with a caveat.
MSI Claw release date
The MSI Claw is set to release on Friday, March 8 according to Newegg, who recently set pre-orders live for the new handheld. Not all SKUs will be launching simultaneously, however, with two other models arriving on Friday, March 15.
The first version of the MSI Claw to launch will have a Core Ultra 7 CPU and 512GB of storage. Meanwhile, you’ll be able to upgrade to 1TB of storage or save $50 by downscaling to a Core Ultra 5 processor the week after the initial launch.
MSI Claw price
The MSI Claw will start at $699.99 for the Core Ultra 5 model and 512GB of storage. You’ll need to splash $749.99 for the Core Ultra 7 model or $799.99 for the faster processor and double the storage capacity.
It’s unclear which SKU will offer the best value, but spending an additional $50 for an additional two performance cores seems like a smart move.
MSI Claw specs
MSI is releasing three Claw A1M models, one of which is an entry-level spec with an Intel Core Ultra 5 135H CPU with integrated Arc graphics. This model also features 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD.
| Claw A1M 052US | Claw A1M 051US/050US | |
| OS | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 5 135H | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
| GPU | Intel Arc graphics | Intel Arc graphics |
| Display | 7 Inch, FDH, IPS, 1920×1080, 500 nits | 7 Inch, FDH, IPS, 1920×1080, 500 nits |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5 | 16GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD | 512GB SSD (051US) 1TB (050US) |
The two remaining models adopt the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H APU, with the only variation between them being that one has 512GB of storage and the other has 1TB. All models will run on Windows 11.
On its display, the MSI Claw has a 7-inch FHD IPS screen, capable of 120Hz with VRR (variable refresh rate) included between 48-120Hz. The battery is a class-leading 53WHr, which equates to around three hours of gaming even at full power draw. With brightness being important for PC gaming handhelds to ensure the screen remains visible while out and about, the MSI Claw packs in 500 nits. That doesn’t quite rival the latest smartphones but is higher than typical gaming monitors, for instance.
It has two 2W speakers and a 3.5mm audio combo jack while also supporting Bluetooth audio peripherals. The power button has a built-in fingerprint sensor, just like the ROG Ally, and for additional storage, you can use a microSD card but there is no additional internal slot for extra SSDs.
If you want to check out our early impressions of the latest gaming handheld, read our MSI Claw preview from CES where we were mightily impressed by the portable, even if it may struggle to surpass the Steam Deck.
