This gaming handheld is up to 110% faster than the Lenovo Legion Go 2, and that's only the second-best thing about it
Gaming handhelds are one of the categories hit hardest by the ongoing component shortage. Valve recently had to increase the price of the Steam Deck despite it being based on hardware that is now more than seven years old. That makes getting the best value for your money more important than ever.
Keeping that in mind, YouTube channel PolarBuild recently compared two of the most popular handhelds in the $2,000 price range: the latest MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, powered by Intel's new Arc G3 Extreme graphics, and the Lenovo Legion Go 2, which uses AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, the same chip found in the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X.
The main focus of the comparison was how both handhelds performed at lower power limits, specifically 10 W and 20 W. Low-wattage performance is one of the most important factors for a gaming handheld, as it directly affects battery life and real-world gaming performance. That's one of the main reasons the Steam Deck became so popular. Despite having less powerful hardware than many newer rivals, it consistently delivered excellent performance at lower wattages, allowing it to keep pace with significantly more powerful handhelds in many games.
The creator also tested both handhelds at 35 W to see how powerful the two chips are when pushed to their limits. For consistency, upscaling was disabled throughout the comparison, with all games tested at their native 1200p resolution using low graphics settings.
In Black Myth: Wukong, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ delivered 45 FPS at 10 W, while the Lenovo Legion Go 2 managed just 24 FPS at the same power level. Increasing the power limit to 20 W widened the gap further, with the MSI handheld averaging 79 FPS compared to 56 FPS on the Legion Go 2. Even at 35 W, the MSI Claw maintained its lead, running the game at 89 FPS versus 74 FPS on the Lenovo handheld.
This means that, from 20 W to 35 W, the Legion Go 2's frame rate increased by 32.1%, while the MSI Claw improved by just 12.7%. However, at 10 W, the MSI Claw delivered an 87.5% higher frame rate than the Legion Go 2, potentially making it the better choice for longer gaming sessions on battery power.
However, some games simply cannot be played comfortably at lower power limits, and Cyberpunk 2077 is one of them. At 10 W, both handhelds struggled to reach 30 FPS, with the Lenovo Legion Go 2 managing just 10 FPS, while the MSI Claw delivered 21 FPS.
At 20 W, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ delivered 44 FPS, while the Lenovo Legion Go 2 managed just 25 FPS, making the game only somewhat playable on the latter.
Finally, at 35 W, the Lenovo handheld delivered 33 FPS, making the game playable, while the MSI Claw 8 AI+ ran it at 57 FPS, resulting in a much smoother gaming experience.
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ also has a pricing advantage. It currently costs $1,799 at Best Buy, making it $200 cheaper than the Lenovo Legion Go 2, which is listed at $1,999. Combined with its stronger gaming performance, that arguably makes the MSI handheld the better overall value.
That said, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ does come with one notable compromise. Unlike the Lenovo Legion Go 2, it uses an IPS LCD display instead of an OLED panel, which is worth keeping in mind if display quality is a priority.
The YouTuber also tested several other popular titles, including Monster Hunter Wilds, Hogwarts Legacy, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Forza Horizon 6. The complete comparison, including gameplay benchmarks across multiple titles, is available through the video link below.
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