MSI unveils Switch-like handheld gaming console for desktop games
MSI is taking on Valve's Steam Deck, ASUS' ROG Ally and Lenovo's Legion Go with a new high-end handheld console of its own.
The so-called Claw combines Intel's new Meteor Lake Core Ultra processors, Arc graphics chips and Windows 11 to allow for a desktop gaming experience on the go.
Unveiling the console at the CES tech fair in Las Vegas (January 9-12), MSI said it would come with its own app store and platform for launching games, allowing it to offer games across both Windows titles and Android mobile games.
Unlike Nintendo's Switch handheld, its controllers are permanently installed on both sides of the screen with RGB lighting on the controls. MSI says they are ergonomically tailored "to fit the natural contours of your grip."
There are two player-facing speakers for stereo sound and the 7-inch Full HD screen has a maximum refresh rate of 120 hertz. A 53-watt-hour battery is said to provide two to four hours of mobile gaming time.
The device itself weighs 675 grams, making it roughly as heavy in the hands as its biggest rivals, which all weigh at least 600 grams.
Using a Firebolt connection, it can be hooked up to a screen and used as a controller and console in one.
According to MSI, sales are set to start in the second half of 2024. The entry-level version with an Ultra 5 processor will then cost around $699 in the US and presumably more if choosing the highest level of processor available, Intel's Ultra 7.
