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

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ uses the new Intel Arc G3 APU, among the first gaming handhelds to use this chip, along with the recently revealed Acer Predator Atlas 8
This new Intel Arc B370-powered iGPU supports Multi-Frame Generation through XeSS 3, enabling the hardware to reach higher framerates
Ergonomically, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has taken cues from the Asus ROG Ally X with its new gamepad-style grip with Hall Effect sticks and RGB lighting

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has been announced at Computex 2026, billed as the “world’s first gaming handheld” to be powered by the Intel Arc G3 processor. It joins recently announced competitors such as the Acer Predator Atlas 8 at the forefront of 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 die with 12 Xe cores and up to a 30W TDP range.

No MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ prices have been announced yet; however, it is expected to be a gaming handheld at the premium end of the spectrum. We can make a rough estimate by looking at the current generation MSI Claw 8 AI+, with its cheapest 1TB variant selling for $899 / £899 and its more expensive option (doubling the storage space) 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 120Hz touchscreen	8-inch 1920 x 1200 120Hz touchscreen	7-inch 1920×1080 120Hz touchscreen
Graphics	Intel Arc B390	Intel Arc Graphics 140V	Intel Xe-LPG architecture
Memory	32 GB LPDDR5x-8533	32 GB LPDDR5x-8533	16 GB LPDDR5-6400
Battery	80 Wh	80 Wh	53 Wh

How could MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ fare in the handheld market in 2026?

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

As mentioned above, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is among the first gaming handhelds to use the recently revealed 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 is on offer from MSI. It has the same Intel Arc G3 processor, XeSS 3 Multi-Frame Generation, 80 Wh battery, 120Hz screen and 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 are superior and whether they have what it takes to dethrone the Steam Deck or ROG Ally.

Basically, the implementation of the far more capable B390 matrix ensures that your games will look better and play smoother than before. It’s purely due to true MFG and XeSS’s upscaling technology has massively caught up with what AMD FSR and Nvidia DLSS can do in the last two years as the transition from Alchemist to Battlemage architecture has been truly night and day in terms of performance. We have more to share when we go hands-on with the device to pass a proper verdict.