Upcoming MSI Claw variant could ditch Intel chip for Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme

Last year, we had a chance to speak with MSI about its handheld console business and what direction it will take in the future. At the time, the company said it was open to collaboration with SoC partners for future products, but didn't explicitly confirm anything. A new rumour from X suggests otherwise.

It says an upcoming MSI Claw variant will launch with the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme SoC. Do note, it is the AI-branded variant that was talked about in an earlier rumour, which is not a part of AMD's CES 2025 lineup. This makes more sense because it will let MSI keep the AI branding that debuted alongside the Lunar Lake powered MSI Claw 8 AI+.

Even though AMD hasn't officially confirmed it, the Ryzen Z2 Extreme (and likely its AI-branded variant) will be based on Strix Point. Our MSI Claw 8 AI+ review shows the Core Ultra 7 258V can successfully trade blows with AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 in some games. Whether it holds true with the Ryzen Z2 Extreme remains to be seen.

There's no telling when this new MSI Claw variant will debut, but it may be the while. The Lunar Lake version has only been out and about for a while, and it would make little sense for MSI to cannibalize its lineup with an entirely new chip, especially from one of Intel's main competitors. That said, MSI might not have much of a choice because Lunar Lake's successor, Panther Lake, isn't due to launch until the second half of 2025 and maybe even 2026.