Ugh, so MSI’s doing this gaming handheld thing with AMD now, their Claw A8 BZ2EM. I mean, I get it, they’re at Computex showing off not just this but also their laptops like Crosshair and Cyborg. I swear, it’s like a parade of tech jargon, right?
Anyway, MSI used to be all about Intel with their handhelds—only ones doing that, actually. But now they’re cozying up to AMD too. Not ditching Intel, just sort of… expanding the family, you know?
So, the Claw A8. It’s like they chucked in AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme… and something about these Hall Effect joysticks to avoid stick drift. That’s gotta mean something to someone, I guess. They’ve redesigned it with rounder corners and bulkier grips—feels like they’re trying too hard, but what do I know?
Now, you’ve got up to 24GB of RAM. Super quick LPDDR5x-8000, apparently. But they’re hush about which markets get what configs. The suspense is killing me! Sort of like when Asus did the 24GB thing with their ROG Ally X. Sharing memory between CPU and GPU or something. I drifted off halfway through that explanation.
Oh, and an 80 WHr battery. Same size as the Ally X, which outlasted its little sibling. Not massively big news, but worth a mention I guess.
Packed with ports—headphone jack, microSD, USB-C. Big whoop. But hey, there’s an M.2 2280 SSD, so DIY folks can swap it out. If you’re daring.
They’ve tuned their MSI Center software to fit into Xbox Game Bar now. More custom options? Probably. It’s all on Windows 11 though, so good luck navigating that maze of an OS on a handheld.
Still no pricing or launch dates. Classic.
They’ve got these gaming laptops too. Crosshair and whatnot. Upping to Nvidia’s RTX 5060 and 5070 GPUs. More sizes than you can shake a stick at—16, 17, 18 inches. Oh, and here comes the confusing bit: Intel models like Crosshair 18 HX AI, and AMD ones as Crosshair A18HX. Tell me that doesn’t trip you up.
Got a MUX switch, whatever the heck that does, RGB keyboard on the 18-inchers, and no clue on the final specs—or when they drop.
Then, Cyborg line refresh. Models in 15″ and 17″. Like, translucent edges but metal lids? Bit of everything. The naming, though—Cyborg A15 AI—I mean, they’re really mixing signals: AI means AMD here, not artificial intelligence. Mind. Blown.
The screens, so 15-inch is either 1080p 144Hz or 1440p 165Hz, and so on. Partial pricing out there, hints at Costco and Best Buy having them for a grand or so.
Wrapping it up, MSI’s also into productivity laptops. Fancy names like Stealth A16 AI+ and whatever, affiliated with AMG Motorsport. Practical? Or just a statement piece? Toss-up, really. And, outta nowhere, a Prestige 13 AI+ “Ukiyuo-e Edition” with “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” Artsy touch, if that’s your thing.
That’s the Computex scoop. Or something like it.
