MSI Claw 8 AI+ is going head-to-head with the Nintendo Switch 2 this summer

During a time when you can’t move for gaming handhelds, what with the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 lauch to the recently teased partnership between Xbox and ASUS, MSI has come out swinging with a handheld that could rule them all: the MSI Claw 8 AI+

The Switch 2 will no doubt be the console releasing this summer that everyone is talking about, and rightfully so, given the Switch’s success. Yet, if you’re looking more for a portable PC to plough through your Steam pile of shame rather than Nintendo’s library of games, the new MSI Claw 8 AI+ offering could scratch that itch. It might even make you think twice before grabbing a Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally X, the current front-runners in the handheld PC gaming race.

This updated version of the Claw 8 is set to release in July and brings with it ‘best-in-class battery life’, offering over four hours of gameplay in Endurance mode (1080p, 60Hz), an impressive feat for any gaming handheld. Considering how much you can tinker with the output, who knows how far you can push the 80Wh battery?

On top of the four-hour battery life, the handheld PC also boasts an 8-inch full HD 1920 x 1200p screen, capable of 120 Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness. Under the hood, you have a 1 TB SSD with 32 GB of RAM for all your storage needs, all of which is supported by an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Processor.

What also helps the MSI Claw 8 AI+ stand out compared to other handheld PCs is how easy it is to connect to a monitor thanks to the extra ports on the top. If you want to connect an external GPU to get even more juice out of the device, you can — helping make it feel more like the Switch 2’s hybrid approach to console gaming.

Although it will cost considerably more than Nintendo's latest offering at £899 from Currys, it is hard to see more quality on offer from a hardware perspective, anywhere in the market. In a pre-release preview, our pals at Tom's Guide gave it the Best Gaming Handheld award at CES this year. The only downside is it won’t have Donkey Kong and his newfound love for dress clothes.

• If you’re looking forward to the release of the new Switch, check out our Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on preview and our early picks for the best Nintendo Switch 2 games we've seen so far.