MSI Claw A1M Intel Core Ultra 5 135H 512GB

I thought it was a very good quality feeling product. But the annoyances do arise after a while, partly thanks to Windows. SD has less power than this but is much more plug and play. This is more powerful but still requires some patience and time before everything is working and running...

Windows 11 is not made for handhelds and you will immediately notice that. With the cumbersome installations…

The Claw is a handheld PC, specially developed for gaming. I tested the Claw from MSI for a week and my findings are as follows:

In addition to the Claw, the compact box contains an adapter with USB-C connection and a brief installation brochure. After switching on and updating, you can start immediately.

The Claw runs smoothly on Windows 11 thanks to the Intel processor. The game interface developed by MSI merges Steam and Xbox Game Pass into one library. Games run fine on low or medium graphics settings, but higher settings significantly reduce the frame rate.

The 7-inch 1080p screen with 120 Hz refresh is impressive. The joysticks and buttons are comfortable, but the battery life is only 90 minutes, which is a disadvantage for mobile gaming.

I have extensively tested this compact powerhouse over the past two weeks and here are my findings.

When unpacking the MSI Claw, the sleek design was immediately noticeable. It's very reminiscent of the ASUS ROG Ally, with the same joystick layout and M1 and M2 buttons on the back. The 7-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels offers clear images, although I sometimes noticed minor stuttering depending on the game.

Ergonomically, the Claw fits comfortably in the hand, even for people with smaller hands like me. The bulges on the back provide a comfortable grip, but the M1 and M2 buttons are sometimes a stumbling block because you can press them unintentionally. Fortunately, the buttons feel sturdy and the hall effect joysticks provide good control, similar to that of an Xbox controller. However, the d-pad feels a bit unclear, like with older Xbox 360 controllers.

With Windows 11 as the operating system, the Claw is versatile for both gaming and other tasks. The MSI Center provides handy shortcuts to platforms like Steam and Epic, and makes it easy to customize the Claw with RGB lighting. A big plus is the Thunderbolt 4 connection, which allows you to transform the Claw into a desktop computer with an external screen, keyboard and mouse.

A downside is the battery life; After about 1.5 to 2 hours of gaming, the Claw needs to be charged again. During intensive use, the device becomes quite warm, which is noticeable but not bothersome. The charger is quite large and the lack of a docking station is inconvenient.

Since Windows 11 is not optimized for controller use, MSI has developed its own 'launcher', the MSI Center M, which is similar to those of ASUS and Lenovo. It provides an easy-to-use interface to launch games and adjust settings such as RGB lighting and CPU power. The launcher starts automatically with Windows and can be quickly accessed using the buttons on the sides of the screen.

In summary, the MSI Claw offers an attractive combination of comfort, functionality and performance for gamers looking for a handheld PC. While the design isn't groundbreaking, it does offer reliability and usability. If you're looking for a portable gaming experience with Windows 11, the MSI Claw is definitely worth considering.