This $1,000 gaming handheld gets Windows 11 Build 7051 with Xbox Full-Screen Experience Mode — saving up to 2 GB RAM and boosting FPS
Over the past few months, we've seen how the handheld gaming market is evolving, with both Windows and Linux-based devices continuing to give tough competition to each other. We’ve seen the GPD Win 5 with AMD Strix Halo running Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p Ultra on SteamOS 3.8 with impressive results.
We also saw a detailed handheld comparison between the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, Z2 Extreme, and Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V to understand where the upcoming Xbox-branded model might stand in terms of performance, since it also features the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU.
Meanwhile, an experiment with Bazzite, the popular Linux fork, on the ROG Xbox Ally X highlighted how far enthusiasts are willing to go, installing a new OS on an Xbox-branded device, to squeeze every bit of performance out of these handheld machines.
And now, Microsoft is upping its game by officially rolling out its full-screen handheld mode for the MSI Claw series through the Windows 11 Insider Dev and Beta channels (build 7051), effectively expanding the Xbox full-screen experience beyond Asus’ ROG Ally line. This marks a crucial step toward treating Windows handhelds as a first-class category and removes the need for unofficial hacks to enable the gaming-optimised interface.
Xbox full screen experience for third-party handhelds
YouTuber ETA Prime, in their latest video, showcased how the update brings the full-screen experience natively to MSI Claw devices, including the Intel-powered Claw 8 AI+. Users can now boot directly into the new Xbox-like interface, navigate with the device’s buttons, and log in without a keyboard. While the mode still requires an Insider build, Microsoft has confirmed that more OEMs will be supported in the coming months.
The interface integrates seamlessly with the Claw’s built-in utilities, such as MSI Center M, allowing players to tweak TDP and performance settings through the Xbox Game Bar. It’s a unified experience closer to what SteamOS offers on Valve’s handhelds, but designed entirely within Windows.
RAM savings and small performance gains
Testing done by the YouTuber on the Claw 8 AI+ shows that switching from traditional desktop mode to the new full-screen experience reduces background memory usage from about 7.3 GB to 6.2 GB, nearly matching Microsoft’s claim of a 2 GB reduction. This optimisation could be particularly useful for 16 GB models, freeing up more headroom for games or VRAM allocation.
In performance tests, titles like Cyberpunk 2077 showed modest yet consistent gains:
- Desktop mode: 55.3 FPS (1200p / 30 W TDP)
- Full-screen mode: 61.2 FPS under the same conditions.
Other games, Forza Horizon 5 and Black Myth: Wukong, also saw minor uplifts, while battery life remained unchanged.
Early limitations and user feedback
According to ETA Prime, despite the functional improvements, the interface still lacks polish. The Xbox-style launcher offers limited customisation and only auto-detects game launchers rather than all installed apps. Users who rely on monitoring tools or mod managers will still need to launch them separately or through Steam’s non-Steam shortcut feature.
Still, ETA Prime notes that this release represents a meaningful shift in Microsoft’s strategy toward handheld gaming PCs, an area historically dominated by Linux-based systems. With wider OEM adoption expected, handheld gamers can look forward to better compatibility and similar performance across devices like the MSI Claw, ROG Ally, and others.
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