Unveiled at the last CES, the MSI Claw A1M is the brand’s very first portable console which now has a very reduced price. In fact, we find it at 449 euros instead of 799.99 euros.
It was almost a year ago, last January, that MSI, a brand well established in the gaming laptop market, unveiled its very first portable console, the MSI Claw A1M. Asus, another laptop manufacturer, had already launched into this market with its acclaimed model, the ROG Ally. With its MSI Claw, MSI naturally wanted to compete with this rival, to the point of copying certain aspects, particularly in terms of the ergonomics of the console. But, if we much preferred the ROG Ally, the MSI Claw still has some positive points which are worth the detour, especially with 350 euros reduction.
The strengths of the MSI Claw
- Perfect ergonomics
- A console under Windows
- Very well controlled heating
Instead of 799 euros, the MSI Claw AM1-042FR under Intel Core Ultra 5 and with 512 GB SSD is on sale today at 449 euros on Amazon.
If, subsequently, the offer mentioned in this article is no longer available, please take a look below to find other promotions regarding the MSI Claw. The table updates automatically.
The ergonomics of the ROG Ally
At first glance, the MSI Claw is a near-perfect copy of the ROG Ally. But this is not necessarily a criticism, quite the contrary, as the Asus portable console is ergonomic. The entire chassis of the MSI Claw is therefore similar to that of its rival (but in black), but its back is, for example, more open to help cool the device. Be careful, the console is therefore more vulnerable to small shocks or other accidents. Concerning its configuration, all the buttons are placed in the places of a traditional Xbox controller, which will not disorient serious gamers.
Where the MSI Claw will clearly score points is the fact that its triggers and joysticks all use Hall effect technology, based on magnets, to prevent the stick driftor a false contact which generates an unwanted action on the screen. On the ROG Ally, only the triggers benefit. Otherwise, the D-Pad tends to crash a lot, which can make maneuvering difficult in fighting games, for example.
Regarding its connectivity, the MSI Claw outperforms the ROG Ally thanks to the presence of Thunderbolt 4, which allows it to be compatible with less expensive external GPU boxes, which is a real asset for those who are watching their budget, although it is limited to 40 Gbps bandwidth. The console also has a microSD card reader up to 2 TB and a 3.5 mm jack.
A console under Windows that relies on Intel
Concerning its screen, the MSI Claw integrates a 7-inch IPS LCD panel in Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels). Its refresh rate can go up to 120 Hz, which promises great fluidity in the game. The colors displayed are quite realistic, and during our test, we found coverage of 96.1% of the sRGB space for 68.1% of DCI-P3 space. On the software side, this console has Windows, just like the ROG Ally.
Remember that this system has the clear advantage of offering full compatibility with any PC game, unlike the Steam Deck. You can therefore play all the titles available on Steam, Epic Games Store and PC Game Pass. On the other hand, note that Windows is unfortunately not well suited for this type of device.
The MSI Claw still integrates the MSI Center M, the brand’s console interface, which is notably measured against SteamOS and Asus’ Armory Crate. The interface is particularly refined and promises good responsiveness. In terms of performance, the MSI Claw AM1-042FR is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 135H with 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a 512 GB SSD.
During our test, conducted with an MSI Claw equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, we unfortunately suffered from a few bugs. We console ourselves with the excellent heating control offered by the device, which benefits from a super quiet fan. Finally, in terms of autonomy, the MSI Claw managed to achieve, during our test, 2h15 of use in Super Battery mode (20W), 1h35 in Balanced mode (35W) and 1h35 in Extreme Performance mode (40W). Fairly common data found among the competition.
To find out even more, don’t hesitate to read our full review of the MSI Claw.
In order to compare the MSI Claw with other more or less similar models, we invite you now to consult our guide to the best portable consoles of the moment.
