Competition in Handheld Gaming: MSI Claw AM1 vs. Asus ROG Ally and Steam Deck OLED
The CES 2024 event marked the grand debut of MSI’s maiden handheld gaming device, the MSI Claw A1M. Running on Windows 11, this gaming marvel is fueled by an Intel Meteor Lake chip that boasts support for Intel’s XeSS AI upscaling technology specifically crafted for gaming experiences. Featuring a 7-inch 1080p screen, the MSI Claw A1M promises a seamless visual journey with its impressive 120Hz refresh rate. What sets it apart is its robust 53WHr battery, eclipsing its competitors—the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally sport 40WHr batteries, while the Steam Deck OLED boasts a 50WHr battery.
As for availability details, information on the MSI Claw A1M’s release remains pending. The handheld gaming device comes with a starting price of $699 (approximately Rs. 58,100) in the US and will initially hit the market in a striking Black color option. Positioned for competition, it will take on the Asus ROG Ally, launched at the same price point of $699 (available for Rs. 69,990 in India), along with the Steam Deck starting at $399 (around Rs. 33,200) and the Steam Deck OLED starting at $549 (about Rs. 45,600). However, there is no confirmation yet regarding its availability in India.
Delving into the MSI Claw A1M’s specifications, the gaming device boasts a 7-inch full-HD (1,920×1080 pixels) IPS touchscreen display that boasts 500 nits of peak brightness and an impressive 120Hz refresh rate, offering a higher on-device resolution compared to Steam’s handheld gaming devices. It operates on Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 (Series 1) processor and comes pre-installed with Windows 11 Home.
The device is equipped with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and comes with a NVMe M.2 SSD along with a MicroSD card slot. Connectivity options on the MSI Claw A1M include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, a Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C) port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
MSI’s new handheld gaming PC has bumpers, triggers, thumb sticks, ABXY buttons, a D-Pad, volume buttons, and a power button with an integrated fingerprint sensor. It packs a 6-cell, 53WHr lithium polymer battery with 65W USB PD 3.0 charging support. It is equipped with two 2W speakers with Hi-Res Audio. It measures 294x117x21.2mm and weighs 675g.