A standout moment at CES 2024 was the introduction of the MSI Claw, a cutting-edge gaming handheld showcasing the latest Intel Core Ultra “Meteor Lake” processor. This signals MSI’s entry into the handheld gaming sector, setting the stage for heightened competition. With a broader range of choices, gamers can anticipate greater variety and competitive pricing dynamics as vendors strive to outperform each other based on performance benchmarks.
Despite the high expectations for the MSI Claw, its release was unexpectedly low-profile, receiving minimal attention from tech reviewers. Samples were dispersed in a disorganized fashion, hinting that MSI may have aimed to swiftly wrap up the launch process.
Early reviews indicated that the Core Ultra CPUs face challenges in competing with the Ryzen Z1 series. While GPU performance may be on par in specific games, overall performance lags behind, raising doubts about justifying the MSI Claw’s steep price point ($699+).
Retro Tech Dad recently delivered an extensive review by obtaining not only one but four devices: the MSI Claw featuring both the 155H and 135H CPU variants, along with the ASUS ROG Ally equipped with both the Ryzen Z1 Extreme and Z1 non-Extreme CPUs.
The reviewer tested all devices in their highest performance settings – “Turbo” for the ASUS ROG Ally and “Performance” for the MSI Claw. Synthetic tests were carried out while the devices were connected to power, whereas gaming tests were conducted on battery. It’s important to mention that the most recent Intel drivers, as of last week, were used for the tests.
Preliminary results indicate that the Core Ultra 5 135H outperforms the Core Ultra 7 155H in low-TDP settings. Nonetheless, overall, both APUs offer nearly same performance. This slight difference can be attributed to the GPU specifications of each variant. Unlike the Ryzen Z1 series, which come with either 12 CUs (Extreme) or 4 CUs (non-Extreme), the 155H is equipped with 8 Xe-Cores, while the 135H has only 1 Xe-Core less.
The variance of 1 Xe-Core doesn’t necessarily lead to reduced performance; rather, it signifies greater power overhead and frequently yields a higher framerate. Both the 135H and the 155H fall short in competing with the Ryzen Z1 Extreme across most tests. These devices align more closely with the standard Z1 model, but performance ultimately varies based on individual games.
Images: Retro Tech Dad