Barbara
**NO ONE SHOULD PURCHASE AN MSI CLAW**
THE MSI CLAW SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE TECHNICALLY MALFUNCTIONING, THIS INAUGURAL 7-INCH INTEL CORE ULTRA HANDHELD GAMING PC FALLS SIGNIFICANTLY SHORT OF ITS COMPETITORS, RENDERING IT VIRTUALLY OBSOLETE.
**AN INFERIOR OFFERING**
THE $750 MSI CLAW PAILS IN COMPARISON TO THE ASUS ROG ALLY, DESPITE COSTING MORE. FOR A FAR SUPERIOR GAMING EXPERIENCE AND SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS, OPTING FOR A STEAM DECK OLED WOULD BE A WISE CHOICE.
**LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?**
AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, ONLY A FEW MINOR IMPROVEMENTS OF THE CLAW OVER ITS RIVALS WERE IDENTIFIED.
**THE GOOD**
– Virtual surround sound feature is impressive
– Grips offer more comfort compared to ROG Ally or Legion Go
– Less buggy compared to Ally and Deck at launch
**THE BAD**
– Unacceptably low performance
– Questionable battery life
– Issues with sleep and wake functions
– Poor rumble feedback
– Windows poses limitations for handheld gaming
**THE POWER STRUGGLE**
IN BENCHMARK TESTS, THE STEAM DECK OLED PROVED TO BE FAR SUPERIOR TO THE MSI CLAW IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE AND POWER. THE SIGNIFICANT DISPARITY LEAVES LITTLE ROOM FOR DEBATE.
**SIZING UP THE COMPETITION**
WHEN COMPARED TO WINDOWS GAMING HANDHELDS, THE CLAW FALLS SHORT YET AGAIN, DISPLAYING A LACKLUSTER PERFORMANCE ACROSS THE BOARD.
**A GLIMMER OF HOPE**
WHILE **RETURNAL**, A DEMANDING PC TITLE, RAN SLIGHTLY BETTER ON THE CLAW, IT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO SALVAGE THE DEVICE’S REPUTATION. PLAYABILITY REMAINED A MAJOR ISSUE WITH TITLES LIKE **SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER** AND **CYBERPUNK 2077** SUFFERING FROM CHOPPINESS.
**SEARCH FOR ANSWERS**
EVEN AFTER CONDUCTING BENCHMARK TESTS, THE CLAW’S PERFORMANCE WAS SUBPAR, LEAVING MUCH TO BE DESIRED IN TERMS OF GAMING EXPERIENCE.
**BATTERY DRAIN**
ALTHOUGH THE CLAW’S BATTERY LIFE DID NOT FALL BELOW ITS WINDOWS COUNTERPARTS, IT STILL LAGGED BEHIND THE STEAM DECK OLED, CALLING INTO QUESTION MSI’S CLAIMS OF LONGER BATTERY DURATION.
**DESIGN INSIGHTS**
WHILE THE CLAW BOASTS A THOUGHTFUL USER EXPERIENCE, CERTAIN DESIGN CHOICES SUCH AS A STIFF D-PAD AND INCONVENIENT VENT PLACEMENTS DETRACT FROM ITS OVERALL APPEAL.
**WINDOWS WOES**
MICROSOFT’S OPERATING SYSTEM CONTINUES TO POSE CHALLENGES FOR GAMING ON THE CLAW, LACKING THE USER-FRIENDLINESS OF ITS LINUX-BASED COMPETITORS.
**FUNCTION OVER FORM**
ALTHOUGH MSI CENTER OFFERS SOME CONVENIENT FEATURES, NAVIGATING IMPORTANT SETTINGS CAN BECOME TEDIOUS, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO THE EFFICIENCY OF OTHER HANDHELD DEVICES.
**THE FINAL WORD**
WHILE THE MSI CLAW IS NOT THE WORST HANDHELD GAMING PC ON THE MARKET, IT FAILS TO MEET EXPECTATIONS COMPARED TO ITS RIVALS. PROSPECTIVE BUYERS SHOULD PROCEED WITH CAUTION BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE DECISION.
*Source: This article is based on reviews and analysis conducted by industry experts.*
