The handheld gaming PC market has seen significant growth since the Steam Deck's launch in 2022, with devices like the MSI Claw A8 leading the charge by adopting the latest technology. Announced at Computex 2025, the MSI Claw A8 is the first handheld to feature the AMD Z2 Extreme chipset, unveiled at CES 2025. This new device marks a shift from the previously used Z1 Extreme, promising enhanced performance for gamers on the go.

Compared to its predecessor, the MSI Claw 8 AI, the Claw A8 has some notable spec changes. It now comes with 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM, down from 32GB, but with a faster clock speed of 8,000MHz. Additionally, the display supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), reducing screen tearing on its 120Hz FullHD panel, enhancing the visual experience.

The most significant upgrade is the transition from the Intel Core Ultra 7 285V to the AMD Z2 Extreme. This gaming APU boasts 8 Zen 5 CPU cores and 16 RDNA 3.5 graphics cores, offering more Compute Units and a more advanced architecture than the Z1 Extreme. This should result in a noticeable performance boost for gamers.

Alongside the Claw A8, MSI also introduced an updated version of the MSI Claw 8 AI+, featuring a new color option and a larger 2TB SSD, but it retains the same Intel Core Ultra 7 285V processor.

While the MSI Claw A8 is slated for release later in 2025, specific details on the launch window and pricing remain undisclosed. Given the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is priced at $999, the new AMD-powered Claw A8 is expected to be similarly positioned in the premium segment.

The AMD Z2 Extreme Race Is On

The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, quietly announced at CES in January 2025, has yet to appear in a consumer handheld. The race is on to see which manufacturer will be the first to market with this new silicon. While the Lenovo Legion Go 2 was announced with the Z2 Extreme at CES, no release date has been hinted at, leaving the market in anticipation.

Instead, Lenovo released the less powerful and pricier Z2 Go-powered Lenovo Legion Go S. Meanwhile, rumors suggest that the Asus ROG Ally 2, yet to be officially announced, might also utilize the Z2 Extreme. There's also buzz about a potential collaboration between Asus and Microsoft for an Xbox-branded version of the Ally 2, which would likely employ the same chipset.

However, not all manufacturers are jumping on the Z2 Extreme bandwagon. Valve has confirmed that the Steam Deck 2 will not use this new chipset, citing insufficient generational improvement. While this may raise questions about the Z2 Extreme's capabilities, new handhelds with this chip are still expected to offer better performance than current models, which is a positive development for the market.