MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM: what the reviews agree on

Reviewers call it very fast for a handheld, with a Cyberpunk 2077 lead over the ROG Xbox Ally X at stock power. The gain over Ryzen Z1 Extreme handhelds is modest, and at maximum power the Asus device pulled level or ahead.

• Tom's Guide says MSI's claimed 30% gain is true only at the 33 W profile. At 17 W it saw roughly 20 to 25% and higher frame rates than the Core Ultra 7 258V, with Spider-Man 2 holding 60 fps using FSR at 1080p.
• Club386's Cyberpunk 2077 run put the Claw A8 4 fps ahead of the ROG Xbox Ally X at stock power and 3 fps behind at 35 W. It also measured 48% more fps than the Steam Deck OLED at stock power while using 5 W more.
• Trusted Reviews recorded 59 fps in Forza Horizon 5 at native 1920x1200 on High, but only 24 fps in Returnal and about 23 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at Full HD on top presets. FSR 2.1 raised those to 35 and 34 fps.
• Notebookcheck found gaming on par with the Intel Claw 8 AI+ and says the 20 W sustained limit holds CPU scores back. Club386 saw the lowest result of its group in Doom: The Dark Ages, within 5 fps in sub-30 fps results.

The 80 Wh cell gives about two to three hours of gaming in the tests, similar to other Z2 Extreme handhelds. Charging claims differ: Trusted Reviews measured a quick full charge while Tech Critter complains about the 65 W limit.

• Club386 got just under two and a half hours of Cyberpunk 2077 at stock settings and just under two hours at maximum power. Tom's Guide got a touch over three hours in Silksong at 60 fps in Endurance Mode.
• Trusted Reviews measured 2 hours 45 minutes in the PCMark 10 gaming test and nearly 10 hours in the Modern Office test at 150 nits. Notebookcheck expects 1.5 to 3 hours of gaming depending on TDP.
• Tech Critter measured 1 hour 49 minutes in PCMark at 35 W and 100 nits, and says the 65 W input limit makes charging while playing at full power very slow.
• Trusted Reviews recorded 31 minutes to 50% and 70 minutes for a full charge. Tech Critter put a full charge at nearly two hours with the unit off.

The 8-inch 1920x1200 IPS panel at 120 Hz with VRR gets steady praise for size, smoothness and brightness at around 500 to 530 nits. Reviewers want OLED, and Notebookcheck flags slow response times.

• Trusted Reviews measured 514.9 nits, a 1330:1 contrast ratio, 99% sRGB and 77% DCI-P3. Tech Critter measured about 530 nits with nearly 100% sRGB and about 75% DCI-P3.
• Club386 calls it about as good as traditional backlit panels get for handhelds but would like an OLED, and says it misses the Steam Deck OLED's contrast and HDR. Tom's Guide and Retro Handhelds likewise note it is not OLED.
• Notebookcheck rates picture quality as very good but notes a blue cast from the factory and relatively slow response times.

Reviewers disagree on comfort. Four found the blocky grips and Hall effect controls comfortable for hours, while Retro Handhelds got numb fingers within about 30 minutes and Notebookcheck rates it below the Intel Claw.

• Tom's Guide, Trusted Reviews and Club386 found it comfortable for long sessions at 765 g (1.7 lb at Tom's Guide), and praise the Hall effect sticks and triggers.
• Retro Handhelds could not play for more than about 30 minutes before its fingers went tingly and numb, and calls the ergonomics its major flaw.
• Notebookcheck finds the angular case and the narrower shoulder buttons and triggers less comfortable than on the Claw 8 AI+. Club386 and Tech Critter dislike the rear paddles and the M1 and M2 keys, which Tech Critter disabled after accidental presses.

Surface temperatures stayed low in testing, but fan character is disputed. Notebookcheck measured 36 to 39 dB(A) while gaming, and Tech Critter calls the two thin fans whiny. Trusted Reviews hit one thermal shutdown on an external display.

• Notebookcheck measured 36 to 39 dB(A) in games and about 29 dB(A) at idle, with a 39.2 °C maximum on the upper side and cool grips.
• Tech Critter calls the two thin fans whiny. Tom's Guide says the Cooler Boost HyperFlow system kept the device cool under sustained load.
• Trusted Reviews did not find it too warm in use, apart from one instance connected over Thunderbolt to an external display where it overheated and shut off.

Windows 11 and MSI Center M are the most common complaint in the reviews. The Xbox Full Screen Experience improves the picture, and Club386 says it is now available on the Claw A8.

• Tom's Guide and Trusted Reviews both find Windows 11 awkward on a touchscreen, and Trusted Reviews adds that MSI's overlay is less complete than Armoury Crate SE.
• Retro Handhelds says MSI Center needs a rethink, with an overlay that resets to its first tab. Tech Critter calls it quirky and Notebookcheck says it still needs to catch up, especially on power profiles.
• Club386 says it would not use a Windows handheld without the Xbox Full Screen Experience, which is easier to navigate and frees about 1 GB of RAM. Notebookcheck notes the Claw can launch straight into it.

Verdicts on price divide. Club386 and Tech Critter call it worth the money next to the ROG Xbox Ally X, while Tom's Guide calls the price high for the gains and Notebookcheck sees no added value over the Intel Claw.

• Tom's Guide calls the price rather bonkers given the minor gains over a Ryzen Z1 Extreme, a Steam Deck OLED at half the cost and laptops at the same price, and advises waiting. Trusted Reviews says the high price and clunky Windows stop it being the ultimate handheld of 2025.
• Club386 says the £850 price, £50 above the ROG Xbox Ally X, is worth paying for the larger display and Hall effect sticks. Tech Critter calls it a good deal at RM4,199, RM500 below the Xbox Ally X.
• Notebookcheck says the AMD model adds no real value over the Intel Claw 8 AI+ at the same 999 euros, with 24 GB of RAM against 32 GB, and costs 100 euros more than the ROG Xbox Ally X. Retro Handhelds finds it tough to recommend because of the ergonomics.