In the world Transformers toys have a concept of “redecos,” where a manufacturer takes a mold of one figure, uses a different colored plastic or paint, and calls it a new figure. When I was testing the MSI Claw, a gaming handheld from a PC maker, all I could think was that it felt like a redecos of the Asus ROG Ally.
This isn’t a good thing, because I rated the Ally pretty low (although Asus’ new ROG Ally X was rated a bit better). That said, we feel it feels like a reskin of a poor product, but other factors make the Claw even worse. It took a while for our review unit to arrive at our doorstep, but in June, just a few months after the Claw’s launch, MSI announced: two Its successor is due to be released this fall. Oddly enough, despite its poor launch reception and a string of sequels, Claw is still selling, so here’s a PSA for you: don’t buy it.
Outdated hardware
The differences between the MSI Claw and the original ROG Ally are minimal: the Ally uses an Intel processor instead of an AMD, has a 53 watt-hour battery instead of a 40 Wh, and the power button with integrated fingerprint sensor is on the left side instead of the right. There are some minor hardware differences, of course, but the similarities are far more noticeable. The button layout is nearly identical, right down to the two customizable paddles on the back. It also has the same 7-inch 1080p, 120Hz screen, 16GB of LPDDR5 memory, and 512GB solid-state drive.
Photo: Eric Ravenscraft
You can also buy a slightly upgraded model (which is what I tested) with a 1TB SSD and an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, but with the recent release of the ROG Ally X, you probably shouldn’t buy that. The Claw’s successor, the MSI Claw 8 AI+, has better specs and isn’t far behind.
To be honest, we could end the review here. Hardware iterations can be fast, but few companies release a successor product three months after the first one is released. There is no reason to buy the MSI Claw rather than wait for the successor. But we still need to discuss the performance of this product as a benchmark. And, well, the bar is already set pretty low.
Square One
At this point, I know that when I open up any new Windows-based gaming handheld, I’ll have to wrestle with the interface for hours just to get even basic functions to work. I’m not a fan of rating things with a score — the kind of user interface issues that are acceptable on a device like this wouldn’t be tolerated on, say, the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck — but even with my expectations adjusted, I was consistently frustrated.
Photo: Eric Ravenscraft
