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MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Lands At $1,699, Nearly Doubling The Claw 8 AI+ As Handheld Prices Spiral

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is now priced at $1,699, nearly doubling the cost of its predecessor, the Claw 8 AI+. This marks a sharp uptick in handheld gaming PC prices, with competition intensifying between Intel and AMD processors. The new model arrives amid a broader shift where handheld consoles increasingly challenge gaming laptops in performance. Industry analysts note a growing divide between entry-level and high-end handheld devices.

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What changed

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has been officially launched at $1,699, a near-doubling from the Claw 8 AI+’s price.

Live updates

  1. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ hits $1,699 as handheld PC prices surge in 2026

    The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is now priced at $1,699, nearly doubling the cost of its predecessor, the Claw 8 AI+. This marks a sharp uptick in handheld gaming PC prices, with competition intensifying between Intel and AMD processors. The new model arrives amid a broader shift where handheld consoles increasingly challenge gaming laptops in performance. Industry analysts note a growing divide between entry-level and high-end handheld devices.

    What's confirmed:

    • The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is priced at $1,699, nearly doubling the cost of the original Claw 8 AI+.
    • Handheld gaming PC prices have surged in 2026, with high-end models now competing closely with gaming laptops in performance benchmarks.
    • Intel’s Arc G3 and AMD’s Z2 series are central to the current handheld gaming PC market, with Intel’s 16-core processors and AMD’s Z2 chips driving the high-end segment.
    • The new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ represents a step up in power and features compared to earlier handheld models, aligning with broader industry trends of premium pricing for advanced hardware.

    Still unconfirmed:

    • Intel’s Arc G3 models are positioned as the future of handheld gaming, though detailed benchmarks against AMD’s Z2 series remain limited.
    • ASUS’s Xbox Ally handheld is expected to enter the market soon, potentially disrupting the pricing dynamics of the handheld PC segment.
    • Some industry observers speculate that the price spike for high-end handhelds could slow adoption among casual gamers, favoring mid-range or console alternatives.
    confidence 95%