MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ with Intel Arc G3 Extreme inside revealed at Computex 2026

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ uses the new Intel Arc G3 APU, one of the first portable gaming devices to use this chip, similar to the recently introduced Acer Predator Atlas 8.
This new Intel Arc B370-powered iGPU supports multi-frame rendering via XeSS 3, allowing the hardware to achieve higher frame rates.
Ergonomically, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ takes inspiration from the Asus ROG Ally X with its new gamepad-style grips, with Hall effect joysticks and RGB lighting.

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ was announced at Computex 2026, billed as the “world’s first portable gaming device” powered by the Intel Arc G3 processor. It is joined by recently announced competitors, such as the Acer Predator Atlas 8, leading the charge for the next generation of mobile gaming hardware.

This third-generation MSI Claw gaming handheld features Intel XeSS 3 Multi-Frame Generation, enabled by the latest Intel Arc iGPU standard. Specifically, the Arc G3 is built on the B390 chip, with 12 Xe cores and a TDP range of up to 30W.

Pricing for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has yet to be announced; However, it is expected to be a gaming handheld on the premium end of the spectrum. We can calculate a rough estimate by looking at the current generation of the MSI Claw 8 AI+, with its cheapest 1TB variant selling for $899/£899 and its most expensive option (which doubles the storage) selling for $1,129/£999. As such, we expect this new model to follow a similar pricing strategy.

How does the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ compare to its predecessors?

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MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ vs. previous generation models
Row 0 – Cell 0	MSI Claw 8 EX AI+	MSI Claw 8 AI+	MSI Claw A1M
Processor	Intel Arc G3 Extreme	Intel Core Ultra 7 258V	Intel Core 7 155H
Show	8 inch 1920 x 1200 120 Hz touch screen	8 inch 1920 x 1200 120 Hz touch screen	7 inch 1920×1080 120Hz touch screen
Graphics	Intel Arch B390	Intel Arc 140V Graphics	Intel Xe-LPG Architecture
Memory	32GB LPDDR5x-8533	32GB LPDDR5x-8533	16GB LPDDR5-6400
Battery	80Wh	80Wh	53Wh

How would the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ fare in the wearable market of 2026?

The meteoric rise of Valve’s Steam Deck four years ago set in motion a path that would see dozens of different and remarkably similar handheld devices hit the market. Most of the competitors of the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ use the AMD Z2 Extreme or the old Z1 Extreme, and the lesser-known brands go for Intel. We’ve seen this with OneXPlayer X1 and AOKZOE A2 Ultra, both using the older Intel Core 7 Ultra 155H and integrated 140V Arc graphics.

As mentioned above, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is among the first portable gaming devices to use the recently introduced Intel Arc G3 chipset, although it is not the first to be announced on the market.

The Acer Predator Atlas 8 appears to be similar to what MSI offers. It has the same Intel Arc G3 processor, XeSS 3 Multi-Frame Generation, 80 Wh battery, 120 Hz screen and also Xbox controller-style ergonomics. It’s never a bad thing to have too many options as a consumer, so time will tell which of these devices is superior and if it has what it takes to dethrone the Steam Deck or ROG Ally.

Crucially, the implementation of the much more capable B390 die ensures that your games will look better and play better than before. This is solely due to true MFG, and XeSS enhancement technology has greatly caught up with what AMD FSR and Nvidia DLSS can do in the last two years, as the transition from the Alchemist to Battlemage architecture has truly been night and day in terms of performance. We’ll have more to share when we hands-on the device to render a proper verdict.