Skip to main content TechRadar the technology experts Search TechRadar View Profile België (Nederlands) Deutschland North America US (English) Australasia New Zealand Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming Amazon Prime Day Back to school Nintendo Switch 2 NYT Wordle today Best laptop Best web hosting Recommended reading Forget the Nintendo Switch 2 – MSI’s surprise new Steam Deck rival could be the handheld gaming device to get without costing a fortune Microsoft's Xbox handheld could take on the Switch 2 in October – but we still don't know one big detail that could seal its fate A new MSI Claw is rumored to be in the works – and it could get AMD's best handheld processor to challenge the Legion Go 2 Forget the Switch 2 – this dual-screen handheld gaming PC brings back the glory days of the Nintendo DS, but with all your Steam games Intel’s latest boasts about its integrated graphics makes me less excited for the Nintendo Switch 2 - and more hyped for the MSI Claw 8 AI+ Desktop PCs AMD's Ryzen AI Max 395+ processor will power a new GMKtec mini-PC supposedly launching in May - and I'm curious to see its gaming performance AMD is making a handheld gaming PC chip with proper AI capabilities, but do gamers really need this? Gaming Computers Finally, the MSI Claw A8 is almost here to rival the Switch 2 and other handhelds – just be ready to pay a hefty sum Isaiah Williams 4 July 2025 The new generation of handheld gaming is here... When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: MSI) The MSI Claw A8 is now available for pre-order in China It has an official price of 6,999 RMB without subsidy, which is roughly $970 It's expected to launch this July in China, and potentially the same in other regions MSI announced its latest handheld gaming PC at CES 2025 without any word on release date or pricing, so official details have been a long time coming – but it looks like we may finally have our answer. As reported by VideoCardz, the MSI Claw A8 is now available for pre-order in China, with a confirmed launch this July. Its official price (according to its China pre-order listing) is 6,999 RMB, which is roughly $970 (including tax), making it even more costly than its MSI Claw 8 AI+ predecessor. There's also a subsidized price at 5,949 RMB (around $737), thanks to the Chinese government offering a 15% subsidy on some products, but this likely won't be relevant for other regions. You may like Forget the Nintendo Switch 2 – MSI’s surprise new Steam Deck rival could be the handheld gaming device to get without costing a fortune Microsoft's Xbox handheld could take on the Switch 2 in October – but we still don't know one big detail that could seal its fate A new MSI Claw is rumored to be in the works – and it could get AMD's best handheld processor to challenge the Legion Go 2 As the first handheld to use AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor (if it releases before the ROG Xbox Ally), it's expected to outperform most handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go, and the Nintendo Switch 2. However, if the converted price is accurate for its retail price when it becomes available in the US and other regions, some prospective buyers could be put off. The MSI Claw 8 AI+, the Claw A8's predecessor, is already an expensive handheld; it can be argued that it backs up its pricing with great gaming performance, but that doesn't change the fact that it prices out most gamers. The Claw A8 potentially having a higher price would suggest the Z2 Extreme is the more powerful chip than the Claw 8 AI+'s Core Ultra 258V – but it's hard to see it selling well if it's pushing even closer to a $1,000 price point. Analysis: Don't muck this up please, MSI... (Image credit: MSI) While nothing is confirmed for other regions just yet, I'd say it's highly likely that the purported price based on its Chinese listing (or somewhere within that ballpark) is accurate. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. It's hard to believe that the Claw A8 will be significantly cheaper than the Claw 8 AI+, especially if the Ryzen Z2 Extreme turns out to be the better option for performance. It would have been unreasonable to expect a major price shift, then, but that doesn't mean the pricing won't affects its appeal. If it's pricier than the handheld that's already difficult to buy (since the Claw 8 AI+ is scarce), then we can forget about it truly challenging other handhelds and the Switch 2. The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is already pushing it with its $899 / £899 / AU$1,799 price tag, and it's worse with price rises due to tariffs. I have no doubts that it will be one of the best handhelds on the market in terms of performance, but I can't say I'm not worried about the impression its cost will leave on consumers... You might also like... Nintendo Switch 2 owners, beware – some owners are reporting worrisome overheating problems The Switch 2's value has just been diminished significantly due to its poor display - and it's another reason you should opt for a handheld gaming PC Don't expect any good Prime Day Nintendo Switch 2 deals – here are the 3 handheld gaming PCs I recommend instead, and the deals to look for See more Computing News Isaiah Williams Social Links Navigation Staff Writer, Computing Isaiah is a Staff Writer for the Computing channel at TechRadar. He's spent over two years writing about all things tech, specifically games on PC, consoles, and handhelds. He started off at GameRant in 2022 after graduating from Birmingham City University in the same year, before writing at PC Guide which included work on deals articles, reviews, and news on PC products such as GPUs, CPUs, monitors, and more. He spends most of his time finding out about the exciting new features of upcoming GPUs, and is passionate about new game releases on PC, hoping that the ports aren't a complete mess. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Forget the Nintendo Switch 2 – MSI’s surprise new Steam Deck rival could be the handheld gaming device to get without costing a fortune Microsoft's Xbox handheld could take on the Switch 2 in October – but we still don't know one big detail that could seal its fate A new MSI Claw is rumored to be in the works – and it could get AMD's best handheld processor to challenge the Legion Go 2 Forget the Switch 2 – this dual-screen handheld gaming PC brings back the glory days of the Nintendo DS, but with all your Steam games Intel’s latest boasts about its integrated graphics makes me less excited for the Nintendo Switch 2 - and more hyped for the MSI Claw 8 AI+ AMD's Ryzen AI Max 395+ processor will power a new GMKtec mini-PC supposedly launching in May - and I'm curious to see its gaming performance Latest in Gaming PCs Save $300 on this powerful Alienware Aurora gaming PC with an RTX 5070 Ti Don't expect any good Prime Day Nintendo Switch 2 deals – here are the 3 handheld gaming PCs I recommend instead, and the deals to look for Microsoft's Xbox handheld could take on the Switch 2 in October – but we still don't know one big detail that could seal its fate DOOM: The Dark Ages looks stunning at 8K with new lighting effects – but it almost humbled my Nvidia RTX 5090 Forget the Switch 2 – this dual-screen handheld gaming PC brings back the glory days of the Nintendo DS, but with all your Steam games Microsoft’s ROG Xbox Ally will feature a new “Xbox full-screen experience” to finally rival the Steam Deck’s ease of use – and more Windows 11 gaming handhelds will get it too Latest in News Windows 11 search just got more powerful courtesy of Copilot - and I think this is a great use of AI, even if there'll still be haters Techland has seemingly canceled two projects ahead of the release of Dying Light: The Beast Got a Pixel 6a? 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