MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ priced at $1,799 as component costs rise

MSI announced that its Claw 8 EX AI+ handheld gaming PC will retail for $1,799 in the United States, a price that surpasses the combined cost of a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch 2. The device features an Intel Arc G3 Extreme CPU, Intel Arc B390 graphics, 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory, a 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD and an 8‑inch 120 Hz VRR display. MSI product marketing lead Andy Chu said the company “tried every approach to get the memory and also storage at a lower cost” but warned, “It will be a tough year for us and for the gamers.”

The high price reflects a broader industry squeeze caused by a global memory shortage and rising storage costs, which have also driven up prices for competing handhelds such as Valve’s Steam Deck OLED (now $949), Nintendo’s Switch 2 and Sony’s PS5 Pro. Chu warned there is “room for another price hike” if component costs continue to climb. The Claw 8 EX AI+ is scheduled to ship on June 23 in the US.