Latest news with #ClawA8
Tom's Guide
24-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
The MSI Claw A8 could be a game-changer for PC handhelds — 3 reasons why I'm stoked
The MSI Claw 7 distinguished itself from the best handheld gaming consoles by featuring an Intel Core Ultra chip instead of an AMD processor. While that aspect made it unique, Intel's silicon largely kept the device from hitting its potential. Thankfully, we'll soon get an MSI handheld powered by an AMD chip with the MSI Claw A8. Revealed during Computex 2025, the MSI Claw A8 will be the first gaming handheld to utilize an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor. This could make it one of the most powerful Windows 11 handhelds yet. On top of that, the Claw A8 features a more ergonomic design and even comes in a bold new color. It has all of that with that same 80Wh battery, up to 24GB of RAM and an 8-inch 1080p 120Hz display. Though I wish the MSI Claw A8 used SteamOS instead of Windows 11 as its operating system, I'm still excited about this potential Steam Deck OLED rival. Here are 3 reasons why. Let's start with the big one: the MSI Claw packs an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip. While AMD announced this new mobile processor at CES 2025, it was up in the air as to which handheld would utilize it first. Now we have an answer, and I couldn't be more excited. In his MSI Claw A8 hands-on preview, Jason England said he was floored by the handheld's gaming performance. When playing Lies of P on his Asus ROG Ally, he sets the game to medium graphical settings and turns on resolution scaling to achieve 60 frames per second. With these same settings, Lies of P ran at an astonishing 100 fps on the MSI Claw A8! We'll need to test the handheld outside of MSI's controlled environment to truly gauge its gaming performance. But if what Jason experienced at Computex is an indication, the Z2 Extreme chip is going to be a monster for gaming performance on handhelds. I liked the design of the previous MSI Claw handhelds since they looked and felt great. MSI could have kept the same design as the Claw 8+ AI, and I would have been happy. However, the company chose to give its new handheld a bit of a facelift that should make it easier to use and more fun to look at. Per Jason's preview, the Claw A8 has squared-off grips that make it easier to hold. The two analog sticks feel smoother and more accurate, and the four face buttons now have a more tactile click. Lastly, the MSI Claw A8 sports a colorful front shell that immediately sets it apart from the typical black, white or gray handhelds. Though I'm boring and prefer all-black electronics, I always appreciate it when companies at least offer more colorful options. And since this is a gaming device, having a striking color just makes sense! Though I wish the MSI Claw A8 offered an OLED option, I won't complain too much since it seemingly keeps the same display as the MSI Claw 8+ AI. Like that handheld, the Claw A8 has an 8-inch 1200p IPS touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate. In our MSI Claw 8+ AI review, we said that colors pop and details are crisp in games like Red Dead Redemption and Cyberpunk 2077. The 8-inch screen also makes it easier to read small text, which can be an issue on smaller 7-inch screens. With more games that can potentially run at over 100 frames per second, the Claw A8's 120Hz refresh rate should ensure they run buttery smooth. The original MSI Claw 7 was a disappointment, but the company made a market improvement with the MSI Claw 8+ AI. Now that MSI is using an AMD chip for the Claw A8, we could see the strongest Steam Deck competitor yet. I'll need to check out the MSI Claw A8 for myself to see if it can live up to the hype. But based on what we've reported so far, this is definitely the handheld to keep an eye on.
Euronews
23-05-2025
- Euronews
The top 5 tech that caught our eye at Computex in Taiwan
The Computex tech fair in Taiwan's capital closes its doors on Friday after a week filled with weird and wonderful product announcements. Euronews Next spent the week trawling the exhibition to find the most practical, beautiful, and frankly, the oddest tech announcements. Here is what caught our eye on the showfloor. Gaming is a massive part of Computex, so as you would expect, there was plenty on display. One bit of tech generating a lot of buzz was MSI's upgraded Windows PC handheld device, the Claw A8 with AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. It comes in a variety of bright colours and has a built-in front-facing camera and mic, allowing gamers the freedom not to have to use a headset. It also has a massive 80Wh battery and has a roomy screen. It also looks to be the first handheld to use the high-end chip Z2 Extreme, and it boasts plenty of RAM. No release date has been set for its launch, but it comes as the Nintendo Switch 2 is about to be released. Though split keyboards are not exactly new, one designed specifically for gamers is. Asus displayed its ROG Falcata, a wireless keyboard that connects or disconnects magnetically, at the show in Taipei. The exact point of the design is so that gamers can have more space for the mouse. The right side of the keyboard is less interesting for gamers, as the keys that are mainly used are W, A, S, and D. Or, if not used for gaming, you can just detach the two sides for a more ergonomic keyboard. A release date has been set for the summer, but the price is so far unknown. While smart rings can be on the pricey side (think Samsung's Galaxy ring, which retails around €449, or Ultrahuman's luxury 18-carat gold ring, at around €2,000), Acer has a more humble offering. The company showed off a titanium smart ring, which has a $199 (€175) price point. It also, unlike many other companies, has no subscription. The ring comes in black or rose gold, has four days of battery life. It shows health data such as heart rate, sleep quality, and blood oxygen levels. It will be available for purchase this summer. Tech giant MSI showed off a beautiful laptop lid that looks like it had been hand-painted. MSI partnered with Japanese art studio Okadayo to create a limited edition lacquered print laptop. The art can also be placed on a computer mouse. The first design is Hokusai's iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa. MSI will only produce a few hundred per month for the moment, as applying the art requires extra steps in manufacturing. One of the main highlights at Computex was the level of creativity on show - and the number of beautiful and strange PC cases was certainly one of the focal points. Many of them were colourful and themed; others also had a beer and wine tap built in. It all comes down to personal preference. EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné has asked member states to agree among themselves on whether to support the Commission's intention to ditch a proposal on standard essential patents (SEP). The French commissioner for the internal market has said he wants to hear back from governments in the next three weeks. Member states are divided about the way forward after the Commission said in February it intended to withdraw a plan on SEPs which it presented in 2023, arguing that it couldn't see an agreement being reached. SEPs are patents that protect the technology deemed essential in a technical standard or specification and are used in the automotive, smart energy, and payment industry. Which means that if a company wants to make a product that complies with technical standards (such as 5G or wifi), it needs to use the technology covered by SEPs. Disputes over the value of SEPs licenses are proliferating as their use increases. The Commission proposal intended to make the process of licensing SEPs more transparent, which was welcomed by patent lobby organisations who called for modernisation of the rules to make the bloc more competitive. A group of eight countries – Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain – called for other EU member states to support continued work on the file during a meeting of industry ministers in Brussels on Thursday, arguing that the rules are crucial for industry. The Spanish representative said that SEPs will be beneficial for Europe's automotive industry. Italy added that: 'We need to ensure the value chains are resilient in the current geopolitical situation.' Ireland, Finland and Sweden, by contrast, backed the Commission's assessment that since no deal is within reach it should be dropped. The Swedish representative said that the proposal had created 'major divisions in the business community', adding that 'any initiative in this field needs to encourage innovation and not create undue regulatory burden.' Finland added that the decision to withdraw is in line with the Commission's simplification plan. 'We think there are fundamental problems in the proposal, they cannot be amended with this draft.' Séjourné told lawmakers of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs (JURI) in April that the Commission scrapped the SEP proposal in a bid to reach a broader agreement on the topic. Some argue however, that the incoming US administration and the EU Commission's current strategy for deregulation killed the proposal. While the majority of the member states do not see the need to continue with the topic, lawmakers want it kept on the table. The proposed rules on SEPs were agreed by the Parliament in February 2024 - with 454 votes for, 83 against and 78 abstentions - before the Commission announced its intention to withdraw the file. German MEP Bernd Lange (EPP), who chairs the heads of the Parliamentary committees, is expected to discuss the issue with Parliament President Roberta Metsola in June. A letter signed by Lange and seen by Euronews, said that the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) – which is leading on the file – 'objects, by a large majority, to the proposed withdrawal.' 'The proposal remains highly relevant due to its impact on competitiveness, transparency, and innovation, particularly for SMEs,' the letter said. The Commission has until August to decide whether to go ahead with its intention to withdraw the plan.
Gizmodo
21-05-2025
- Gizmodo
MSI's Lime-Colored Claw A8 Will Make You Forget About the Missing Xbox Handheld
Without any sign of that rumored Xbox handheld, the Computex computing conference in Taipei, Taiwan has been missing out on what's now one of the best avenues for gaming on the go—handheld PCs. MSI is now posing as the lone figure promoting a whole new class of handhelds with the Claw A8. It's a device that looks very, very close to what we've seen before—even in blinding lime green—but it may offer a glimpse of what's in store for handhelds beyond the Nintendo Switch 2, even though we still don't know how much it will cost. The Claw A8 comes in two colors—a white and a very, very green hue. The shell looks familiar if you've seen MSI's other handhelds, and if you didn't know the device contained an 8-inch 120Hz IPS display with variable refresh rate, you may have assumed it was the original Asus ROG Ally or even a white version of the Claw 7 A1M. Unlike last year's Claw 8 AI+, the new handheld includes more severe, squared-off edges. That doesn't necessarily mean it's uncomfortable. MSI said it designed the device's underside grips to make it easier to hold while still letting your fingers reach the front thumbsticks and face buttons. The Claw A8's controls include Hall effect joysticks, which should make the device last longer without the usual fear of stick drift. The other big difference between this device and last year's iteration is the CPU. The Claw A8 is one of the few of its kind confirmed to house an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. That chip is a sequel to the Ryzen Z1, one of the most-used handheld CPUs from the last two years. The new CPU is built on the chipmaker's Zen 5 microarchitecture, bringing it in line with AMD's latest family of Strix Point laptop CPUs. It's also supposed to offer far better graphics potential than its predecessor. We've seen the chip running with a few games on an early version of the Lenovo Legion Go 2, but without our own tests, we can only speculate on just how much better it will be over similar devices you can buy today. MSI's Claw A8 is a confusing name if you've heard of the company's previous flagship handheld, the Claw 8 AI+. That device was a beast in terms of performance, not the least because it contained an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, a full laptop CPU that used Intel's Arc 140V graphics. That meant the device was far more hefty than the competition, but it offered solid performance for its $1,000 price (the cost has gone up since release, but you'll be lucky to find it available anyway). The Claw 8 AI+ also holds the edge in memory compared to the A8. The new handheld has a max of 24GB of RAM with a slower 8,000MHz speed compared to the 8 AI+'s 8,533MHz. At least the squatter handheld will weigh a little less than the last generation's bulky frame. MSI moving to AMD It seems less a betrayal and more an acknowledgement that there's a benefit to a dedicated gaming CPU designed specifically for a device of this size. A laptop chip is simply built to handle more productivity tasks. Intel also seems to know it's missing out on this space. The chipmaker recently told Laptop Mag it was working on handheld-specific CPUs. PC-class gaming, now in your hands. Pre-order the new Lenovo Legion Go S with Steam OS at — Lenovo Legion (@LenovoLegion) March 28, 2025 There hasn't been too much news about gaming handhelds in the months following CES 2025 in January. Lenovo opened up the year with the Legion Go S, a lower-powered handheld with Windows 11, and the still-unreleased Legion Go 2 with the Ryzen Z2 Extreme. That device with its brand-specific AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip didn't knock our socks off, especially for its price, but we have a feeling a lower price that edges closer to the $550 Steam Deck OLED, combined with the console-like experience of SteamOS, will make it a much better handheld experience. That Legion Go S with SteamOS should be available May 25 for $600 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The gaming elephant still stomping around this crowded room is the Nintendo Switch 2. Those who want to get into Nintendo's sequel system for $450 may not want to drop even more money on a separate handheld. Nintendo's impending June 5 release date seems like a good excuse for both Asus and Lenovo to hold off on a more expensive, more powerful console until later. We should hear more about pricing in the following months. By that time, we'll be so overwhelmed with handhelds we'll need to grow more hands to try them all.
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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Tech Wrap May 20: Google I/O 2025, Nothing Phone 3 launch, NotebookLM app
Google I/O starts tonight. Nothing to launch Phone 3 in July. Google launches NotebookLM app. Microsoft Build 2025 conference. MSI unveils Claw A8. HP expands OmniBook 5 series BS Tech New Delhi Google I/O starts today: Will it be all AI, or will hardware share stage? Google is kicking off its annual developer conference, Google I/O, on May 20 with a keynote address. Although 'The Android Show: I/O Edition' has already detailed changes in Android 16, the main event is likely to emphasize enhancements to Gemini and its integration throughout Google's product range. Still, the possibility of an unexpected hardware announcement remains. Nothing's 'true flagship' Phone 3 is set to launch in July UK-based tech brand Nothing has officially announced that its upcoming smartphone, the Nothing Phone 3, will make its global debut in July 2025. Described by the company as its first genuine flagship device, the Phone 3 is expected to feature high-end materials, improved performance, and a software experience that 'genuinely levels things up.' Google has brought its NotebookLM app to Android and iOS, broadening access to its AI-enhanced note-taking and research tool. Previously exclusive to desktop since its 2023 release, the mobile version now enables users to generate summaries, analyze documents, and ask questions directly on their smartphones. At its Build 2025 developer conference held on May 19, Microsoft introduced a wave of AI-based enhancements across its ecosystem. Though many of the new features target developers, several reveal how AI will soon influence daily user interactions with Microsoft services and web browsing. At Computex 2025, MSI introduced a new version of its Claw A8 handheld gaming device, now powered by AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip. This model supports up to 24GB of DDR5 RAM, slightly less than the 32GB included in the Intel-powered version. HP expands OmniBook 5 series with Snapdragon chip-powered AI PCs HP has added new models to its OmniBook 5 series, this time featuring AI-enabled PCs powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X-series processors. This follows a previous release in the same line-up that used AMD chips, and the latest additions include Snapdragon X and X Plus-based Copilot Plus PCs. Google is introducing an update to its Translate app, allowing iPhone users to designate it as their default translation service—replacing Apple's built-in Translate. This update comes following iOS 18.4, which added support for setting default apps for tasks like navigation, music playback, and translation. Huawei has unveiled its latest device, the MateBook Fold, in China—a foldable laptop featuring an all-screen design. The laptop is just 7.3mm thick when open and 14.9mm when closed. It includes an 18-inch flexible OLED display in the footprint of a 13-inch laptop, runs on HarmonyOS 5, and offers 32GB RAM with 2TB SSD storage. The base model is priced at CNY 23,999. Google is said to be introducing a new feature in its Gemini app, allowing users to search through previous chats by keyword or topic. As per a report from 9to5Google, the 'Search for chats' feature will make it easier for users to revisit earlier questions and interactions. Apple is reportedly developing its own AI chatbot to keep pace with advancements in artificial intelligence. As cited by 9To5Mac via Bloomberg, internal testing has shown major progress in the chatbot's capabilities over the past six months. Some Apple insiders now consider the tool to be 'on par with recent versions of ChatGPT.' MediaTek plans to begin manufacturing its smallest chip yet—based on 2-nanometer technology—starting this September, a company executive said. At present, the smallest chips in production use a 3-nanometer process. 'We are now moving into 2 nanometers. We will be taking out our first 2 nanometers device in September this year. Of course, this is a high-volume chip,' said MediaTek Vice Chairman and CEO Rick Tsai at Computex. Qualcomm, the American chipmaker, has officially announced that it will unveil its next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite processor along with other new products by the end of September 2025. This marks an earlier reveal compared to last year, when the company's annual event took place in October. The updated timeline was shared during Qualcomm's presentation at Computex 2025.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Time of India
MSI reveals new Claw A8 handheld with AMD Ryzen power
In the world of handheld consoles, MSI Claw is a renowned name. Despite the dominance of Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, PS Portal, Asus ROG Ally, and many more, this Windows based has held firm in the console market. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Now it seems MSI is looking to carry forward its legacy to a whole new level as the company has recently revealed the latest Claw A8 BZ2EM handheld gaming PC at Computex 2025. This recently announced system is jam-packed with impressive specs, which has made the gaming community go frenzy over it. The all new MSI Claw A8 is now revealed MSI has revealed the MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM along with a new edition of Claw 8 AI+. | Image via MSI. The recently revealed handheld console is going to be the first leap ever by MSI from Intel-based chips to AMD-powered processors. The MSI Claw A8 BZ2EM is going to feature a custom made processor, which is designed specifically for handheld gaming. The main highlight of this processor is its insane power efficiency, which is obviously needed for a handheld device. Not only that, this chip keeps the console a lot cooler, which is again an important aspect for a handheld gaming PC. Now coming to the GPU, the MSI Claw A8 will boast a Radeon 890M graphic card, which is obviously a part of AMD's APU. The GPU is based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture with 16 computing units, which is best in this segment in terms of visual performance. Keeping in mind the capability of this APU, this upcoming system is supposed to run modern AAA titles at 1080p with ease. With an 8-inch full HD (1920x1080) 120Hz touchscreen display, this console will have up to 24 GB of DDR5 RAM along with up to 1 TB of M.2 SSD. However, the most exciting feature has to be its 80Wh battery which is massive for a handheld console. Steam Deck, which is one of the most popular handheld gaming devices in the market right now, has a 40Wh battery. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now So, in Claw A8, it's double. Despite revealing so much information, MSI is yet to disclose the release date and price details of this highly promising handheld gaming device. Looking at the price of the currently available Claw 8 AI Plus, which is priced at $999.99, the Claw A8 is believed to priced in that similar range. Read More:
