The MSI Claw A1M: A Powerful Handheld With A Flawed Foundation
The rise of handheld gaming PCs has been nothing short of explosive, with companies like Asus, Lenovo, and even Nintendo jumping on the bandwagon. MSI, known for its gaming laptops and desktops, joined this race with the MSI Claw A1M, a Windows 11-powered handheld hoping to capture a slice of the rapidly growing market. But amidst the hype surrounding this new wave of gaming devices, the Claw A1M finds itself struggling to stand out, plagued by performance and software issues that cast a shadow on its potential.
MSI Claw A1M: Design and Display
The Claw A1M, despite its reliance on Intel’s Core Ultra 5 and 7 processors, borrows heavily from the existing design language of the Asus ROG Ally, especially in its all-black plastic construction and angular grips. This resemblance might appear comforting to some, but it also creates a sense of déjà vu, leaving little room for its own design identity.
The device boasts a comfortable grip, despite its weight of 675g, and the layout of its buttons is intuitive. However, the Claw A1M falters in the finer details. The face buttons, while responsive, lack distinct color coding, and the D-pad and bumpers feel somewhat mushy. The addition of quick action buttons positioned beside the display, offering quick access to "View," "Menu," "MSI Center M software," and "Quick Settings," also lack the satisfying click feel you’d expect.
The 7-inch "IPS-level" touchscreen is a bright spot. The Full-HD (1920×1080 pixels) display offers crisp visuals, vibrant colors, and commendable responsiveness, even for touch input. However, its susceptibility to fingerprints requires a screen protector to maintain its pristine look.
MSI Claw A1M: Software Frustration
The Windows 11 Home operating system running on the Claw A1M comes with the same baggage of issues associated with most Windows-based handhelds. While the OS offers remarkable versatility, navigating it on a 7-inch touchscreen proves challenging. Constantly battling bottlenecks, bugs, and general Windows-related hurdles makes the experience far from seamless.
The MSI Center M software, intended to streamline the user experience, unfortunately, adds to the frustration. The launcher exhibits noticeable lag, leading to frequent input issues. The software also struggles to accurately register inputs from the left analog stick and buttons, forcing users to rely on the touch screen or the D-pad. While restarting the device often resolves these problems, they occur with such regularity that the interface becomes a chore to use.
The Quick Settings overlay suffers its own share of trouble. Accessing this menu often takes several presses of the dedicated key, and when it does finally appear, the touch input often registers on the underlying window, leading to accidental in-game actions when trying to tweak performance settings or take screenshots.
One of the more glaring issues lies in the control mode switching. The Claw A1M attempts to automatically adapt between Desktop and Gamepad modes, but the process is unreliable and inconsistent. The handheld frequently fails to switch to Gamepad mode when entering a game, leaving users with unresponsive controls. Even manually changing the mode doesn’t always solve the problem. This persistent issue makes the experience disjointed and forces players to constantly fiddle with the touchscreen to correct the controls.
MSI Claw A1M: Performance and Battery Life
The Claw A1M boasts the capability to run triple-A titles at respectable frame rates, but the performance is far from smooth. Stuttering and lagging appear at frequent intervals, creating a jarring experience. While updates have improved the situation since the device’s launch, inconsistency persists. The Claw A1M delivers much better performance when focusing on less demanding, older games.
The Core Ultra 7 processor utilizes a TDP range of 20-35W on battery and 20-40W while charging, offering several power profiles to balance performance and battery life. However, even with the "Performance" user scenario which aims for maximum frame rates, the device struggles to maintain consistent performance in demanding games like Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut. In this scenario, with the game set to High settings and 1080p resolution, frame rates vary between 40-45fps, dipping to the low 30s during action-packed sequences.
The "Super Battery" profile, intended for extending battery life, significantly impacts performance. In this mode, even with Low graphical settings, frame rates hover around 35-45fps, and changing the settings to High drops those rates to the 30fps range. Plugging in the charger doesn’t bring a noticeable performance boost across any power profile.
The Claw A1M excels in handling older or indie titles. Titles like Portal 2 consistently deliver frame rates exceeding 100fps on High settings and Super Battery profile, and games like Spiritfarer achieve a smooth 90-100fps performance on Performance profile. Even Dying Light runs comfortably at 60-70fps with Medium or Low settings on the Super Battery profile.
Beyond gaming, the Claw A1M delivers enjoyable audio output. Its front-firing speakers offer loud, crisp sound without sacrificing clarity, enhanced by Nahimic audio. The addition of haptic feedback enhances the overall experience, contributing to a more immersive gaming session.
The battery life, however, remains a significant hurdle. With the Claw A1M unplugged and running Ghost of Tsushima on the Performance profile, the device drains completely in under an hour. Even on the Super Battery profile, the battery barely manages to last over an hour, falling far short of two hours. The only way to squeeze out more time is by switching to less demanding games and adopting a lower power profile, allowing for a maximum of two hours of playtime. Intel’s "Endurance Gaming" mode attempts to balance frame rates and battery consumption, but its effectiveness in extending battery life remains to be seen.
Conclusion: A Missed Opportunity
The MSI Claw A1M feels like a rushed attempt to capitalize on the handheld PC wave. Its performance is inconsistent, its software is buggy, and its battery life is disappointingly short. With newer Lunar Lake processors already on the market, the Claw A1M’s Meteor Lake processor appears outdated, and MSI’s plans to release a second generation within the year reveal their own level of dissatisfaction with the current model.
In the face of competition from the redesigned ROG Ally X, the Lenovo Legion Go, and even the more affordable ROG Ally and Steam Deck OLED, the MSI Claw A1M struggles to find its footing. Its lack of distinction, coupled with software issues and a less-than-stellar battery life, leaves the Claw A1M as an uncompelling option in a crowded market. Until MSI addresses its shortcomings and delivers a more polished product, the Claw A1M is a forgettable footnote in the story of handheld gaming PCs.
Pros:
- Good display
- Nahimic audio implementation
- Haptic feedback
- Sturdy build quality
Cons:
- Inconsistent performance
- Disappointing battery life
- Generic design
- Windows-based bottlenecks
- Buggy MSI Center M experience
Ratings (out of 10):
- Design: 6
- Display: 7
- Software: 4
- Performance: 6
- Battery life: 6
- Value for money: 5
- Overall: 6