MSI Claw 8 EX: the most powerful Intel Panther Lake handheld - but not yet the one to buy

The Verge takes a close look at the MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus, the first handheld PC to feature an Intel Panther Lake chip. The result: the most powerful and portable handheld PC to date — but compromises still prevent it from being unreservedly recommended.

The handheld that moves the cursors

Since the Steam Deck, every new handheld PC tries to find the perfect formula: power, battery life, ergonomics, price. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus is the first to include an Intel Panther Lake chip (the generation following Lunar Lake) - and according to The Verge's review, it's now the handheld the reviewer grabs first in their collection. That's a strong signal.

What changes with Panther Lake

Intel Panther Lake delivers what Lunar Lake promised but failed to convincingly achieve compared to AMD chips: significantly improved energy efficiency with increased performance. On the Claw EX, The Verge reports this translates to the best battery life in the Claw lineup to date - finally an Intel handheld that can compete with the ROG Ally X and ASUS ROG Ally Ally on this point.

The machine is described as the most powerful and truly portable handheld PC on the market today, according to The Verge.

But (there's always a but)

The Verge doesn't recommend buying it, however - the review's title is explicit: “I still wouldn't buy one.” The usual handheld PC reservations persist:

• Price: high-end Intel handhelds remain significantly more expensive than a Steam Deck OLED
• Software: the Windows experience on a handheld remains less polished than SteamOS - MSI Center for Mobile and manual TDP adjustments are still friction points
• Ecosystem: without the equivalent of SteamOS or an optimized catalog, the hardware promise clashes with the realities of portable PC gaming

Verdict

To remember: Best Intel handheld to date, finally competitive battery life, but the price-to-performance ratio remains unfavorable compared to a Steam Deck OLED. For whom: Gamers who absolutely want Intel (compatibility, benchmarks) and can do without SteamOS. Others will either wait for a price drop or the next generation.