One of 2025’s most powerful Steam Deck rivals just got a big performance boost

Of all the handheld gaming PCs to launch in 2024, the MSI Claw had the roughest reception. Multiple reviews pointed out the device’s performance issues and battery life woes, and MSI revealed a new, improved version would be arriving before long. Cut to a year later, and the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and MSI Claw 7 AI+ are now both available, and thanks to a new Intel graphics driver, they’re now a pair of proper handheld contenders.

For those who don’t know, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ are slightly special cases in the world of Steam Deck alternatives, as they are a couple of the few options to utilize an Intel processor rather than AMD hardware. Both options got a much better reception than the original, and that makes sense, given that the Claw 8 AI+ packs an 80 Wh battery, significantly bigger than the Steam Deck OLED’s 50 Wh cell, and an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor that easily beats out the Valve handheld’s AMD hardware in terms of gaming performance.

The release notes for the Intel Graphics Driver 32.0.101.6734 suggest a boost to power management, performance, and frame pacing in low-power modes. Already, we’ve seen reports from the MSI Claw Reddit of users benefitting from the update, dropping the TDP (thermal draw power) down to 17W without any lagging or rubberbanding issues. Unfortunately, we don’t have an MSI Claw on hand to test out the drivers, but on paper, it looks like Intel has made this already stellar handheld even better.

The new Intel driver update has arrived in the same week in which MSI revealed the Claw 8 AI+ Polar Tempest Edition. This new version of the souped-up handheld gaming PC is even more expensive than the original, retailing at $999, and comes with a pretty nice white colorway and a whopping 2TB of storage. I’m still not sure if it’s still worth double the price of the Asus ROG Ally, a top pick from our guide to the best handheld consoles, but the new Intel driver update should certainly help its case.

So, if you’ve got either the MSI Claw 8 AI+ or the MSI Claw 7 AI+, be sure to download the latest drivers and get that boost to graphics performance and battery life. If you’re looking for more great tech to add to your gaming arsenal, be sure to check out our guides to the best gaming phones and the best gaming tablets while you’re here. Or, if you want something a little more niche to go with your MSI Claw, see our list of the best retro handhelds.