During Computex 2026, the Intel Technology Channel had an exclusive interview with product manager Joseph at MSI’s Taipei headquarters to discuss in depth the technological evolution of MSI’s third-generation gaming console Claw 8 EX AI+ from the first generation to today. This new machine equipped with Intel Arc G3 Extreme (Panther Lake architecture) is not only upgraded in specifications, but also redesigned in every aspect from the cooling system, motherboard layout to controller feel.
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Dongyankan: The world’s first Intel Arc G3 Extreme gaming handheld
MSI’s handheld journey started with Intel Meteor Lake (Core Ultra 100) three years ago, which was a 7-inch model. The main goal was to allow players to bring AAA gaming experience to handheld devices. Joseph recalled that the success of Steam Deck at that time made many players look forward to playing AAA masterpieces on handheld consoles. It was against this background that the first generation of Claw, a collaboration between MSI and Intel, was born.
The second-generation Claw 8 AI+ switched to Lunar Lake (Intel 200V series). Joseph described this processor as being famous for its excellent energy efficiency at the time. The third-generation Claw 8 EX AI+ is further upgraded to the Arc G3 Extreme with Panther Lake (Intel 300 series) architecture, which uses the Intel 18A process and has 2 P cores, 8 E cores and 4 LPE cores for a total of 14 cores and 14 threads. Joseph admitted that the power consumption of Panther Lake is indeed higher than that of Lunar Lake, but after MSI and Intel jointly adjusted it, it was able to run more game frames under the same settings. The improvement in cross-generation performance far exceeds the traditional 20-30%, which he described as “a big leap.”
Complete refurbishment of cooling system
Faced with the higher TDP requirements of Panther Lake, MSI redesigned the entire cooling system. Officially called Cooler Boost HyperFlow (IntraFlow technology), compared with Claw 8 AI+, the size of the fan and heat pipe have been increased to cope with the heat dissipation characteristics of the new generation processor.
In an exclusive interview, Joseph demonstrated the differences between the two generations of heat dissipation modules through physical comparison. The new version’s heat pipe is significantly wider. He said that although Panther Lake requires more cooling work to maintain performance, after engineering adjustments by the MSI team, this handheld console has achieved an excellent balance between power consumption and temperature, and the final result is impressive.
Revolutionary motherboard layout: CPU and DRAM are separated on both sides
In order to fit a large 80Wh battery into the limited space, MSI worked closely with Intel and adopted an unconventional motherboard design: placing the processor and 32GB LPDDR5X-8533 memory on both sides of the motherboard. Joseph described this “back side” placement method as effectively utilizing the PCB space and improving the airflow inside the machine, making it easier for heat to be discharged from the outside of the fuselage. This is a very rare engineering technique among handheld consoles of its class.
Another practical neat touch is the placement of the SSD. It is located above the CPU. Users can upgrade the M.2 2280 NVMe SSD (factory standard 1TB) by simply opening the back cover of the fuselage without disassembling the entire machine or touching the motherboard. Considering that the size of PC game files is getting larger and larger, this self-upgradeable design is quite practical for players.
Ergonomic overhaul: Xbox-style grip design
In terms of ergonomics, MSI has done a complete redesign. Joseph revealed that the team started thinking about the shape of the grip after the first-generation 7-inch model was completed: Should it maintain a rounded and compact style, or should it move towards a grip design similar to that of an Xbox controller? Ultimately they chose the latter, as most games on Windows platforms include an Xbox controller as standard.
The design team cut the Xbox controller in half and attached it to both sides of the screen as a prototype, and then continuously adjusted the angle according to the actual configuration of the battery, SSD, speakers and other components, with the goal of allowing players to hold it for a long time without fatigue. Joseph emphasized that these angles are crucial to the long-term gaming experience, considering the Claw 8 EX AI+ is still slightly heavier than the Switch or Steam Deck. Reporters who have actually held it generally report that the laser-etched texture of the new generation grip provides better friction, and the overall feel is significantly improved compared to the previous generation.
Comprehensive controller upgrade: Hall effect rocker and metal dome D-Pad
MSI continues to use Hall Effect rockers and triggers on the Claw 8 EX AI+ to ensure high precision and durability, fundamentally avoiding the common drift problem of traditional analog rockers. In addition, they also responded to players’ feedback and added a metal dome structure under the D-Pad to make the pressing sequence of the cross keys clearer and closer to the feel of an Xbox controller.
The weight of the new machine is about 20 grams lighter than the previous generation. Although the number is not large, considering the large 80Wh battery and the larger heat dissipation module, it can reduce the weight while increasing the specifications, showing MSI’s intention in structural optimization.
Performance Breakthrough: 120 FPS The Handheld Era Is Coming
In terms of performance, Claw 8 EX AI+ sets a new benchmark in the handheld field. The built-in Arc B390 GPU has 12 Xe3 cores, and the memory bandwidth reaches 8533 MT/s. The overall graphics performance is about 50% higher than the previous generation Claw 8 AI+ (8 Xe2 cores). In an exclusive interview, Joseph said excitedly that the Arc G3 Extreme is equipped with Intel XeSS multi-frame generation technology, making this device the first handheld device that can achieve 1080p 120 FPS.
In terms of actual test performance, the “F1” series can easily exceed 100 FPS, and games with extremely high hardware requirements such as “Cyberpunk 2077” can also reach this number. Paired with an 8-inch IPS display with 120Hz variable refresh rate (VRR), the gaming experience is quite smooth. The previous-generation processor was unable to truly unleash the potential of the 120Hz screen due to insufficient performance. This bottleneck was finally broken in the Panther Lake generation.
Not just a console: a Copilot+ PC too
Starting from the first generation of Meteor Lake, the MSI Claw series has been equipped with Thunderbolt ports. In the third generation, Claw 8 EX AI+ has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, paired with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, providing complete peripheral expansion capabilities. This means it’s not just a gaming handheld: it can be transformed into a complete Copilot+ PC by connecting an external screen, keyboard, and mouse. Joseph said with a smile: “Except for not having a network camera, this one can do everything that other Copilot+ PCs can do.”
For users who need a device that combines productivity and gaming capabilities, this flexibility is indeed quite attractive. One handheld device satisfies two usage scenarios at the same time, which is one of the core differences between the Claw series and pure gaming handheld devices such as Steam Deck.
Price and time to market
The current correct price of MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has not been announced (market speculation is about US$1,500; equivalent to about NT$48,750), and it is expected to be launched at the end of June 2026. Compared with the previous generation Claw 8 AI+’s pricing of US$899-1,000, the new machine may increase by as much as 50%. Behind such pricing, it reflects a new architecture, more complex heat dissipation design and more powerful GPU performance. Considering that it is also one of the few handheld products currently on the market that uses Intel Arc G3 Extreme, whether this device can carve out a way in the handheld market dominated by AMD Z2 Extreme, you can pay attention to our follow-up reports.
Source: KOCPC Chinese