After a difficult start with its first Claw in March 2024, criticized for its performance and software support that could be improved under Intel, MSI seems to have listened to gamers. The brand, which had already corrected the situation with the Claw 8 AI+ at the end of last year, is driving the point home with the MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM, a machine that abandons Intel in favor of the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor.
This promising chip, equipped with 8 AMD Zen 5 cores and a Radeon 890M graphics chip (16 RDNA 3.5 cores), will be supported by a maximum of 24 GB of LPDRR5X-8000 RAM. It's certainly a bit less than the 32GB of the Intel-based Claw 8 AI+, but the AMD architecture could well make the difference in terms of raw gaming performance. The rest of the specifications remain solid: an 8-inch Full HD LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 1TB M.2 SSD, and two color options, white and lime green. On the connectivity side, there are two USB4 ports and a microSDXC card reader, as well as a 3.5mm combo audio jack. The only small downside is the absence of Wi-Fi 7, the console being content with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
The design is relatively classic and offers joysticks, buttons, triggers and a directional cross. An 80 Wh battery equips this variant, but the autonomy has not yet been announced. The Claw A8 BZ2EM measures 299.5 x 126.2 x 24 mm and weighs 765 g.
MSI opts for the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, but doesn't completely forget Intel
But MSI isn't abandoning its partnership with Intel. A new special edition, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ "Polar Tempest", has also been unveiled. This one retains an Intel chip, but not just any chip: a processor going up to the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. It also features a 2TB NVMe SSD and a "glittery" white coating.
These announcements demonstrate MSI's desire to establish itself in the highly competitive portable console PC market, dominated by players like Valve, ASUS, and Lenovo. AMD's choice for one of its flagship models is significant, especially after Lenovo opted for a less powerful version, the Z2 Go, for its Legion Go S, which some observers considered disappointing.
For the moment, MSI has not communicated a release date or price for these new models. However, it's likely that pricing will be in line with the standard MSI Claw 8 AI+, which currently retails for around 999.99 euros. One thing is certain, the battle of portable consoles is far from over, and MSI has just played two trump cards.
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