Despite only arriving a couple of months ago, a new version of the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is on the way, with a fresh design and an extra 1TB of storage. On paper, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ Polar Tempest Edition is a performance powerhouse of a handheld gaming PC, but it also has a pretty high price point to go with it.
For those who don’t know, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is one of the only Intel-powered Steam Deck alternatives out there, offering staggering performance that beats out Valve’s market-leading handheld console by some margin. It also comes with a whopping 32GB of RAM, a bumper 80 Wh battery, and an 8-inch 1200p display that offers even more pixels than the upcoming and upgraded Nintendo Switch 2. Simply put, it’s a beast of a handheld, with the new version taking things to the next level by offering double the 1TB of storage of the original.
Still, the most notable difference between the original MSI Claw 8 AI+ and the Polar Tempest Edition is the design. The new model has an arctic white shell, which helps it stand out a little from a lot of the rest of the best handheld consoles on offer, with the Steam Deck OLED, Asus ROG Ally X, and Lenovo Legion Go all rocking bold and black colorways.
The new version of the MSI Claw 8 AI+, which is currently exclusive to the US, starts shipping on July 15 and costs $999. That’s pretty pricey for a handheld, especially compared to the likes of the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go, each of which you can pick up for around $500. Still, considering the seriously impressive specs, the price point isn’t a massive surprise. It’s still not the most expensive handheld out there, with the priciest version of the new Ayaneo 3 costing upwards of $1,900.
While we’ll have to reserve judgment on the MSI Claw 8 AI+ Polar Tempest Edition until we get our hands on it, it looks like a pretty exciting bit of kit, even if it still runs on Windows. For more great tech while you’re here, check out our guides to the best gaming tablets and the best gaming phones. Or, if you’d rather pick up something a little more nostalgic and a lot cheaper, see our picks for the best retro handhelds.