The MSI Claw price creates a headache for the ROG Ally and Legion Go

Whereas we don’t but have benchmarks for the MSI Claw A1M, on paper, it seems to supply double the ability of the Legion Go, ROG Ally, and Steam Deck. Taking this under consideration, and the very fact it’s the primary Intel Core Extremely handheld to hit the market, an unique worth level might have been up for dialogue. As an alternative, the MSI Claw falls into the protection of $699.99, the identical because the Go and Ally, however dearer than the Steam Deck OLED.

Time – and rigorous testing – will inform whether or not or not the MSI Claw A1M can compete as one of many best handheld gaming PCs, nevertheless it’s off to a robust begin. Regardless of not matching the display high quality of the Steam Deck OLED, it might beat it for energy, if the specs carry out as marketed.

Debuting a brand-new handheld in an already-established market is undoubtedly a tricky process. The MSI Claw not solely has to justify why present homeowners of a handheld may additionally purchase the gadget, nevertheless it additionally has to drag potential patrons’ consideration away from the established names already on sale.

Launching at $699.99 could be thought of protected, however the pre-benchmark {hardware} specs are mightily spectacular, and carrying the Intel Core Ultra mark of high quality is an enormous benefit.

If, and it’s an enormous if, the MSI Claw can overshadow the ROG Ally and Legion Go from a efficiency perspective, launching on the similar worth can be thought of the appropriate transfer.

It forces Asus and Lenovo to rethink its stances on worth, and both maintain agency, asking for a similar cash as a tool twice as highly effective, or transfer the Ally and Go to a less expensive worth level, basically blinking in an intense staring contest with MSI.

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