New MSI Claw models scratch at thin air and thinner market share

 You know some corporate marketing gimp is running MSI's show when they try to promote a games machine with AI. How would that help or even work? Does it play the games for you? And as for "Grip and Game"?? Sounds like something out of a dodgy sex dungeon.

Ignoring the marketing bullshit for a minute, competing against the other higher-end handhelds, we have two Claw models with a 7- or 8-inch 120Hz screen. Packing Intel Core 7 Ultra processors and Arc graphics for $799 or $899, they run Windows 11 Home, so you can enjoy the world of Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Remote Play, and Steam/PC games plus the emulators or services of your choice. 

Update: The Claw 8 AI+ A2VM picked up a 2025 CES Innovation Award honoree nomination, standing out among a blistering array of handhelds large and small.

• Atari GameStation Go packs in the retro controls for CES launch
• Acer jump the portable shark with an 11-inch Blaze handheld at CES
• Lenovo and Valve waving new handheld gaming devices at CES

But the marketing bullshit is back, I think this means it has a fan... "Revolutionary Cooler Boost HyperFlow technology redirects airflow to cool internal components." In summary, over the first generation models, that I never saw anywhere, there's improved efficiency, better battery life, and, of course, AI! Okay, other brands do the marchitecture crap, but this feels really needy.

 The 8-inch model comes in sandstorm colour scheme, ahem, "inspired by wind-sculpted desert rocks." If anyone other than a journalist owns one of these, do let me know! I'm sure they are powerful and fun units, they certainly look chunky, but for all MSI's industry nous and history, this feels like a poor marketing effort.

Small Change, Big Market 

I know why MSI and others are playing at portable hardware, according to very-dull-analyst-types, the number of handheld devices sold globally is expected to grow from 19.3 million in 2023 to 29.3 million by 2028. But, as with the phone market where many players nip at the ankles of market giants Apple and Samsung, the drop off is huge (even Sony Mobile cratered, bar a lingering Xperia model or two). 

With gaming, its PlayStation, Switch (and PS5P and Switch 2), and Steam Deck, and then everyone else. Likely, a long way back, which is why no one likes showing their sales figures these days. (ironically, I asked an AI, it said - "There isn't much information about MSI Claw sales figures").

I guess good luck to MSI and everyone else, and I hope if you buy one the Claw is a great piece of kit, but I'm guessing the owners' club is pretty skinny.