As someone who has been getting more involved with the handheld PC gaming scene, I have been doing my best to get my hands on the devices I have really wanted to check out. One of those is the MSI Claw A8 (BZ2EM), the updated version of the first ill-fated MSI Claw, this time powered by AMD’s Ryzen Z2 processor. Except, it hasn’t available in North America. And despite speaking with multiple people at MSI over the past several months, there was never any clear news on if or when that would change.
Thankfully, that has now changed and during CES 2026, as I both able to get some hands-on with the device, but also to speak with MSI directly and the company confirmed that the MSI Claw A8 is officially coming to North America.
First and foremost, the MSI Claw A8 will be releasing in the United States as soon as February 2026 and will be available at most major retailers. Many have already noticed that the device is already listed on Best Buy’s website. Pricing is set at $1,149.99, and while the Claw A8 is available in both green and white overseas, MSI confirmed that only the white version will be coming to the U.S.
The good news is that MSI also confirmed there will not be any major changes for the North American release. In other words, we’re getting the same configuration that has already been available overseas, including key areas like RAM and battery capacity, which should help avoid the kind of “U.S. model downgrade” concerns that sometimes happen when products finally make their way stateside.
As for why it took so long to bring the handheld over here, despite being available internationally for months, the reason was pretty much what many of us assumed. MSI explained that the tariffs placed against China made it difficult to release the device in North America under the original production setup. To make the U.S. release possible, MSI adjusted where parts were sourced and where assembly took place, shifting manufacturing from China to facilities in Taiwan and Korea. That change cleared the way for the Claw A8 to finally make its way to the States.
| Specification | MSI Claw A8 Technical Specs |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme |
| GPU | Integrated RDNA 3 GPU |
| RAM | Up to 24GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | Up to 1TB NVMe SSD |
| Display | 8-inch Full HD (1920×1080), 120Hz |
| Battery | 80Wh dual-cell battery |
| OS | Windows 11 Home |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, microSD |
| Color Variants | White, Lime Green |
| Weight | Approx. 675g |
With two different SKUs now on the table, I also wanted to know if there were any major differences between the Intel-powered MSI Claw AI 8+ and the AMD-powered MSI Claw A8. Surprisingly, MSI told me there really aren’t. While some games might perform slightly better on one device than the other, the difference wasn’t significant enough for MSI to recommend one version over the other strictly based on performance.
Outside of the internal hardware, the biggest difference between the two models comes down to the exterior shell design, which impacts ergonomics. Because of that, MSI made it clear that the deciding factor for most buyers will likely come down to comfort in-hand, personal preference, and pricing rather than raw performance.
To back that up, MSI had both versions of the Claw on-hand at CES, and I was able to try several games that include Sonic Racing: Crossworlds, Hollow Knight: Silk Song, to name a few. And just like the MSI representative mentioned, the performance difference between the two was much smaller than I expected.
In the end, it will likely come down to long-term support and driver maturity. AMD has a more established driver ecosystem and is more widely supported across the handheld PC space than Intel’s Arc graphics. That doesn’t mean the Intel model is a bad choice, but if you’re buying a handheld PC today, you’re also buying into the platform support behind it. And because of that, most people will probably gravitate toward the AMD-powered MSI Claw A8 once it hits North American shelves.
Needless to state that I was impressed with the MSI Claw A8, especially after waiting all this time to finally play with one. The only disappointment, well outside of not getting the green one, is that it will still ship with Windows 11 and I don’t have to go into my frustration with handheld gaming on that OS.
Regardless, it’s exciting to know that we’ll have yet another handheld we’ll be able to pick up without having to resort to importing one.
