The new AMD version of the MSI Claw A8 is worse than the Intel version, despite the same price
MSI exclusively used Intel processors for its Claw gaming handheld so far. This was rather surprising, especially for the first generation with Meteor Lake processors, because the efficiency was worse compared to AMD chips like the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. The second generation on the other hand uses Intel's Lunar Lake processors, which makes much more sense and the Claw 8 AI+ is a good, but also expensive overall package.
In a somewhat surprising move, MSI now also offers an AMD version of the Claw, which is called Claw A8 and powered by the current AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. The price of 999 Euros is identical to the Intel SKU, but after our comprehensive review, we have some questions and we do not really know why there is an AMD version. This starts with the chassis, because MSI uses a completely new chassis and the cooling unit changed as well. This has the advantage that the Claw A8 is equipped with a common M.2-2280 SSD. However, the case is also more angular, so we think it is not as comfortable. MSI also reduced the size of the shoulder buttons and the triggers, which also affects the comfort.
In terms of performance, the two versions are very close to each other, but MSI's power profiles are still not ideal. In addition to the mode AI Engine, which is set by default and supposed to adjust the performance based on the application, there is also a manual mode. While there were three sub-profiles with different TDP values (which were very useful) before, those are now removed and you can adjust all the CPU parameters manually. This is certainly handy if you like to experiment, the the ability to quickly change the settings is gone. The reduced amount of RAM is also a disadvantage of the AMD model, because it only gets 24 GB RAM, while the Intel SKU gets 32 GB. The Lunar Lake model also manages longer battery runtimes, so if you are interested in the Claw, we recommend the Intel SKU. Please see our comprehensive review of the new Claw A8 for more information.
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