MSI Claw 8 Ryzen Edition: MSI to beat Asus and Lenovo to premiering AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme with summer 2025 release planned
MSI has offered up new details about its next gaming handheld following its introduction at Computex 2025 in mid-May. For context, the announcement of the Claw A8 as the company's first AMD-based gaming handheld followed months of speculation that MSI would finally be embracing Ryzen APUs.
While MSI shared detailed specifications in May, it provided no indications as to when the Claw A8 BZ2EM would be available. For reference, the Claw A8 BZ2EM, or Claw 8 Ryzen Edition 2025 as it is now referred to by MSI, combines the following hardware:
| MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM | |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme |
| GPU | AMD Radeon 890M |
| RAM | Up to 24 GB LPDDR5x-8000 (dual channel) |
| Display | 8-inch, 1,920 x 1,200, 120 Hz refresh rate, VRR, 100% sRGB, 500 nits |
| Storage | 1x M.2 2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4) & 1x microSD card reader |
| Battery | 6-cell, Li-Polymer, 80 Wh |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 & Wi-Fi 6E |
| I/O | 2 x USB4 Type-C, 1x 3.5 mm jack, 2x 2 W speakers, 6-axis IMU vibration motor, fingerprint scanner |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Dimensions | 299.5 x 126.2 x 24 mm |
| Weight | 765 g (estimated) |
In an article posted on Weibo, MSI has now clarified that the Claw A8 will be released this summer. Seemingly, the company plans to showcase the new gaming handheld later this month during BiliBiliWorld 2025 in Shanghai, which runs between July 11 and July 13. At this stage, we suspect a summer release may only be on the cards for China and not other markets as well.
In the meantime, MSI has also suggested that the device will serve as a premiere for the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. Consequently, it looks like MSI will beat Asus and Lenovo to releasing the first Ryzen Z2 Extreme gaming handheld, which are preparing to introduce successors to the ROG Ally (curr. $549.98 - renewed on Amazon) and Legion Go later this year.
