Handheld gaming PCs have been steadily gaining traction since the Steam Deck burst onto the scene in 2022. For the past couple of years, the top-tier handhelds have been powered by the Z1 Extreme chipset. However, the MSI Claw A8, unveiled at Computex 2025, marks a significant shift as it's the first to feature the newly announced AMD Z2 Extreme from CES 2025.
The MSI Claw A8 shares similarities with the recently launched Claw 8 AI but boasts some key modifications. MSI has adjusted the RAM, reducing it from 32GB to 24GB of LPDDR5X, operating at 8,000MHz. Additionally, the display now supports VRR (variable refresh rate), which should minimize screen tearing despite both models featuring 120Hz FullHD panels.
The most notable upgrade in the Claw A8 is the transition from the Intel Core Ultra 7 285V to the AMD Z2 Extreme. This gaming APU comes equipped with 8 Zen 5 CPU cores and 16 RDNA 3.5 graphics cores, offering more Compute Units than the 12 found in the Z1 Extreme, and a slight bump in architecture.
Alongside the Claw A8, MSI also introduced an updated version of the MSI Claw 8 AI+, which sports a new color scheme and a larger 2TB SSD, yet retains the Intel Core Ultra 7 285V.
While the MSI Claw A8 is slated for release later this year, specifics on the launch window and pricing remain undisclosed. Given that the MSI Claw 8 AI+ retails at $999, the new AMD-powered Claw A8 is likely to command a premium price.
The AMD Z2 Extreme Race Is On
The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme was quietly introduced at CES in January 2025. Five months later, no handheld featuring this new silicon has hit the market, sparking a race to see which manufacturer will launch first.
Although the Lenovo Legion Go 2, showcased at CES 2025, is powered by the Z2 Extreme, Lenovo has yet to provide a release timeline. Instead, they released the less powerful and pricier Z2 Go-powered Lenovo Legion Go S.
Rumors suggest that the Asus ROG Ally 2 will also adopt the Z2 Extreme, although no official announcement has been made. There's also speculation about a potential collaboration between Asus and Microsoft for an Xbox-branded version of the Ally 2, likely to feature the Z2 Extreme.
However, the Steam Deck 2 will not utilize the Z2 Extreme. Valve has stated that the new Z-series chips do not represent a significant enough leap to warrant a new model. While this might raise questions about the Z2 Extreme's performance, new alternatives to the Steam Deck are poised to offer improvements over current market offerings, which is a positive development for gamers.
