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The MSI Claw is yet another addition to the selection of handheld gaming PCs released since the Steam Deck popularized the form factor nearly two years ago.
We’ve recently seen the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally join the Steam Deck among handheld gaming PCs, with Aya Neo’s vast collection also always in gamer’s minds. Now, though, there’s a new player scratching at the doors.
Our team on the ground at CES has recently had a hands on with the MSI Claw, and we’re hearing good things. Fancy trying to get one yourself?
Where to buy the MSI Claw?
With the MSI Claw now allegedly available to purchase through Spanish retailer PC Componentes, though orders won’t ship until the start of April, we’ve also had a first look at a general price-range for the MSI Claw.
The MSI Claw is expected to release later on in April, though an exact date has not been confirmed by MSI despite the Spanish leaks. Before then, though, you’re still going to want to know where you’re going to be able to buy the product from. As we’ve seen with other handheld gaming PCs, they’re not usually directly available from the standard retailers the day they become available.
As with the Steam Deck OLED and AyaNeo handhelds, ordering from Amazon is sometimes the less optimal option. With Valve’s handhelds, they’re usually retailed through the company’s own store first, and later released onto other retail sites. That’s not before third-party vendors get hold of the console and try and resell it. It’s possible that the MSI Claw could see a similar launch, so it makes sense to have a look at the expected retailers so you can avoid falling into any consumer-targeted traps.
Expected retailers of the MSI Claw in the US:
Expected retailers of the MSI Claw in the UK
Confirmed retailers of the MSI Claw in Europe
As of yet, we’re predicting the MSI Claw to retail through a select few stores at first. MSI, for certain, and Amazon and Best Buy are a possibility in the US. Over in the UK, these are our best educated guesses judging on the prior launch of MSI gaming laptops and the availability of the Lenovo Legion Go, too.
Is it worth buying the MSI Claw when it launches?
You might be wondering if you should buy the MSI Claw at release, or if you should wait a little longer post-launch. If you’re a die-hard gamer looking to experience a whole new handheld experience, you’re probably thinking it’s not a bad idea to pick it up as soon as possible.
The reality, as we saw with the ASUS ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, is that portable gaming experiences are very temperamental. When the Ally launched, it was a fantastic option with great performance. However, a few bios updates were flashed that led to some undesirable performance drops. We’d advise holding off on any purchases until the console has had a few weeks – if not months – in the hands of reviewers and testers. When you see it start to populate the lists of best gaming handhelds, we recommend thinking about it then.
We’re going to keep an eye out for updates on the MSI Claw, but now that CES 2024 is fully underway, we might even see more handhelds announced. Our team on the ground in Vegas will be keeping us keyed in, so stay tuned.
Image Credit: MSI, edited in-house.
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