Let’s talk about MSI’s latest reveal at Computex. Honestly, it was a bit like the universe deciding to throw gaming tech fans a party. Picture this: their first-ever gaming handheld with an AMD chip—oh yeah, it’s the Claw A8 BZ2EM. They also slapped a fresh coat of tech on their Crosshair and Cyborg laptops.
Now, MSI has usually been cozy with Intel, especially with stuff like the Claw 8 AI+, which relied on Intel’s Core Ultra processors. So, it’s not like they’re ditching Intel totally, but they’re clearly playing both fields now with AMD in the mix. Who knew tech brand allegiances could get this spicy?
By the way, the Claw A8’s spec sheet—it’s a list that feels a bit like finding your childhood toys again but upgraded. We’re talking an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor and an integrated AMD Radeon graphics card. The thing has an 8-inch screen, 1920 x 1200, 120 Hz. Yep, sounds techy, right? Toss in up to 24GB of RAM and you’ve got a pocket beast. 80 WHr battery too, so maybe you won’t have to dash for the charger mid-game.
Stick drift? Fear not, thanks to these Hall Effect joysticks. Not even sure how those work, but sounds cool, right? They’ve also reshaped the corners and added bigger grips, kind of like giving a teddy bear new clothes—comfy and familiar, yet fresh.
A bit off-topic, but did you notice how companies sometimes not tell you straight up which models are coming where? Happens all the time. So MSI keeps us guessing which configurations will hit which markets. Ah, the suspense!
Anyway, round the back—no, the top—of this device, there’s a jumble of ports (headphone jack, microSD, USB-C). You can swap the M.2 drive if you’re into fiddling with tech guts. MSI’s also updated its MSI Center software to now play nice with Xbox Game Bar, which I guess is cool. But Windows 11 on a handheld? Let’s just say it’s not the most intuitive setup without snickering.
As for their gaming laptops, MSI’s tossing in Nvidia’s RTX 5060 and 5070 GPUs. The Crosshair lineup’s got some size options—16, 17, and 18 inches. Naming schemes here though? Kind of had me scratching my head. Crosshair 18 HX AI versus Crosshair A18HX? It’s like the tech version of who’s on first.
They’re still slotting massive 90 WHr batteries in these things alongside Wi-Fi 6E, which feels almost standard now but still worthy of high-fives.
Oh, they’ve got Cyborg line updates too. 15 and 17-inch models, plastic on the edges but still keeps a metal lid. It’s like dressing up for a party but not wanting to sweat through your fancy shirt. Prices? Partial info here too. All in all, it’s the tech world doing its thing—rolling out goodies and keeping us all eagerly waiting.
