MSI · Updated June 2026
MSI Claw A1M: price, specs & release date
MSI Claw A1M, released 2024-03. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.
Source: en.wikipedia.org verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger
The MSI Claw A1M is listed at $699 on en.wikipedia.org as of 2026-06-27, #13 cheapest of 18 game consoles (median $649); other retailers may be lower. It earns a Bronze Deskmark — 53/100 pay-blind standing, #15 of 18 in class.
Verified Jun 27, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
- Best for Comfortable ergonomics, good to hold; Bright, colorful 120Hz 1080p display.
- Skip if Gaming performance trails cheaper AMD rivals and doesn't justify the price is a dealbreaker.
Is the MSI Claw A1M a good buy?
At $699, the MSI Claw A1M is #13 cheapest of the 17 game consoles we track, where the median is $599. On the spec sheet, its GPU of 4.5 TFLOPS is below the median of the 13, its RAM of 16 GB is at the median of the 18, and its storage of 512 GB is at the median of the 15.
Evidence of Record
Our data- Independent labsmeasured it
- 4
- Physical metricsrecorded
- 12
- Outlets on recordall tested
- 4
4 independent labs measured this product, logging 12 distinct physical metrics between them — brightness, contrast ratio, noise and 9 more. That is how much independent evidence stands behind any claim about it — not a rating of the product.
brightness · contrast ratio · noise · battery · weight · shadow of the · cyberpunk 2077 · returnal · dying light 2 · power · doom eternal · cyberpunk 2077 with
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the MSI Claw A1M
Four whitelisted testers (Notebookcheck, Engadget and Digital Trends full reviews, plus a Tom's Guide hands-on) broadly agree the Intel-based Claw A1M is overpriced versus cheaper AMD rivals like the ROG Ally and Legion Go, while praising its ergonomics, Hall-effect sticks and bright 120Hz 1080p display. The three full reviews fault its gaming performance and clunky MSI Center software / immature Intel drivers; Notebookcheck and Digital Trends also flag weak battery life, though Engadget rated battery 'decent'. Tom's Guide found raw performance roughly on par with rivals and blamed the software above all.
Based on 4 reviews · 4 lab-tested · 2024-03-15–2024-08-02
Tested by Notebookcheck, Engadget, Digital Trends, Tom's Guide
Consistently praised
- Comfortable ergonomics, good to hold · 4 sources
- Bright, colorful 120Hz 1080p display · 4 sources
- Quality Hall-effect joysticks/triggers and solid build · 3 sources
- Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 connectivity (supports eGPU) · 3 sources
- Speakers sound surprisingly full
Commonly flagged
- Gaming performance trails cheaper AMD rivals and doesn't justify the price · 3 sources
- Clunky/buggy MSI Center software and immature Intel drivers · 3 sources
- Overpriced versus ROG Ally / Legion Go · 3 sources
- Poor battery life despite the larger 53Wh cell · 2 sources
Where reviewers disagree Two genuine splits. Fan noise: Notebookcheck measured 45-48 dB(A) while gaming and called the Claw 'one of the loudest handhelds on the market,' whereas Tom's Guide praised 'how quietly it runs.' Performance: the three full reviews rated gaming performance below AMD rivals, but Tom's Guide found its results 'about on par with other Windows 11 handhelds at 1080p.'
The sources (4)
Max display brightness: 483 cd/m² · Average display brightness: 461 cd/m² · Contrast ratio: 1491:1 (black 0.32 cd/m²) · Fan noise while gaming: 45-48 dB(A) · Fan noise in Super Battery mode: ~37 dB(A) · Battery life gaming (AAA titles): ~80 minutes · Full charge time (powered on): 106 minutes · Weight: 672 g
The fans are practically always active and in total, the Claw is one of the loudest handhelds on the market.
In other fields such as its joysticks/buttons and its gaming software, on the other hand, the MSI Claw left a good impression on us.
Due to its weaker gaming performance compared to the AMD competition as well as its higher price, the Intel handheld is not worthy of our recommendation.
Tested display brightness: ~450 nits · Shadow of the Tomb Raider, 720p high, 30W (Balanced): 52 fps · Shadow of the Tomb Raider, 720p high, 35W (Extreme): 59 fps · Cyberpunk 2077, 720p medium, Balanced: 50 fps · Returnal, 720p medium: 32 fps · Diablo IV battery life (medium graphics): 1 hour 43 minutes
The Claw's grips are more pronounced, so it's more comfortable to hold, while its rear paddles are smaller and located a bit further down so there's less of a chance you press them by accident.
Unfortunately, the Claw's real-world performance lags behind MSI's claims and rival handhelds.
Windows 11 generally works as you'd expect, but the MSI Center app feels much less polished.
Cyberpunk 2077 battery life (Balanced mode): 1 hour 15 minutes · Dying Light 2 minimum framerate: 5 fps (vs 18 fps ROG Ally) · Idle desktop power draw: 8-10 W · Cyberpunk 2077 battery, lowest power mode: under 2 hours
It's more expensive than the competition while offering worse performance and inferior battery life, and that's the most important thing you need to know.
In Cyberpunk 2077, I watched the Claw die in just an hour and 15 minutes.
Rounding out the build are dual 2-watt speakers that sound shockingly full.
Doom Eternal, 1080p medium, Performance mode: 30-40 fps · Doom Eternal, 720p: a little over 60 fps · Cyberpunk 2077 with Intel XeSS: ~30 fps
there are aspects I love, such as how good it feels to hold, how quietly it runs and its vivid 1080p 120Hz display
As things stand, I can't recommend the MSI Claw.
The main culprit? You guessed it — the software.
Specifications
| Price (US) | $699 US MSRP for Core Ultra 5 135H / 512 GB base config |
|---|---|
| Brand | MSI |
| Released | 2024-03 |
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 5 135H (Meteor Lake @ up to 4.6 GHz) |
| GPU (TFLOPS) | 4.5 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 |
| Max resolution | 1920x1080 |
| Max (fps) | 120 |
| Optical drive | No |
Source: en.wikipedia.org (verified 2026-06-15) · corroborated by msi.com. Wikipedia MSI Claw A1M article: released March 8–15 2024. Intel Core Ultra 5 135H or Ultra 7 155H (Meteor Lake), Intel Arc Xe-HPG GPU (8 Xe cores) up to 4.5 TFLOPS (Ultra 5) / 4.6 TFLOPS (Ultra 7). 16 GB LPDDR5-6400. 512 GB or 1 TB NVMe SSD. 7-inch FHD 1920x1080 at 120 Hz. Base model (Ultra 5, 512 GB) $699.99 US MSRP. No optical drive. Notable as first Intel-based gaming handheld.
Is the MSI Claw A1M worth it vs cheaper game consoles?
MSI Claw A1M against its closest cheaper and pricier game consoles on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 18 ranked
| Product | Price | CPU | GPU (TFLOPS) | RAM (GB) | Storage (GB) | Max resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSI Claw A1M this | $699 | Intel Core Ultra 5 135H (Meteor Lake @ up to 4.6 GHz) | 4.5 | 16 | 512 | 1920x1080 |
| Microsoft Xbox Series X (2 TB Galaxy Black Edition) | $599 | Custom AMD Zen 2 8-core @ 3.8 GHz | 12.155 | 16 | 2000 | 4K |
| Lenovo Legion Go S | $729.99 | AMD Ryzen Z2 Go (4-core @ up to 4.3 GHz) | — | 16 | 512 | 1920x1200 |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the MSI Claw A1M?
Four whitelisted testers (Notebookcheck, Engadget and Digital Trends full reviews, plus a Tom's Guide hands-on) broadly agree the Intel-based Claw A1M is overpriced versus cheaper AMD rivals like the ROG Ally and Legion Go, while praising its ergonomics, Hall-effect sticks and bright 120Hz 1080p display. The three full reviews fault its gaming performance and clunky MSI Center software / immature Intel drivers; Notebookcheck and Digital Trends also flag weak battery life, though Engadget rated battery 'decent'. Tom's Guide found raw performance roughly on par with rivals and blamed the software above all. Praised: Comfortable ergonomics, good to hold; Bright, colorful 120Hz 1080p display; Quality Hall-effect joysticks/triggers and solid build; Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 connectivity (supports eGPU); Speakers sound surprisingly full. Flagged: Gaming performance trails cheaper AMD rivals and doesn't justify the price; Clunky/buggy MSI Center software and immature Intel drivers; Overpriced versus ROG Ally / Legion Go; Poor battery life despite the larger 53Wh cell; Only a single USB-C port. (From 4 tester reviews, 4 lab-tested.)
How much does the MSI Claw A1M cost?
The MSI Claw A1M has a US price of $699 (US MSRP for Core Ultra 5 135H / 512 GB base config), as of 2026-06-15.
How does the MSI Claw A1M compare on price?
At $699, the MSI Claw A1M is #13 cheapest of the 17 game consoles we track, where the median is $599.
When was the MSI Claw A1M released?
The MSI Claw A1M was released 2024-03.
What are the MSI Claw A1M's key specs?
MSI Claw A1M (MSI): cpu Intel Core Ultra 5 135H (Meteor Lake @ up to 4.6 GHz), gpu tflops 4.5, ram gb 16, storage gb 512, max resolution 1920x1080. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.
Price of record: $699 at en.wikipedia.org, 2026-06-27. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:
See MSI Claw A1M on Amazon As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.Similar game consoles
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