Intel’s Meteor Lake-powered MSI Claw handheld has been making waves in the tech world as it undergoes testing and comparison against the ASUS ROG Ally powered by the AMD Ryzen Z1 series.

The MSI Claw handheld is set to provide crucial insights into the capability of Intel’s Meteor Lake SKUs in the handheld segment. Despite not being available in the global market, Chinese reviewers have managed to get their hands on the device and have pitted it against existing market competitors to gauge its performance and potential appeal to consumers.

The MSI Claw comes in two variants, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and the Core Ultra 5 135H, each offering a moderate performance difference. Reviewers have conducted tests across various gaming scenarios, comparing the performance of both variants with the ASUS ROG Ally handheld. These tests have also been carried out across multiple TDP settings.

During benchmark testing in Shadow of The Tomb Raider, the MSI Claw (Core Ultra 155H) consistently lagged behind the ROG Ally across all power levels tested, exhibiting an average performance difference of 10 to 15 percent. Similar performance gaps were observed in titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2.

Furthermore, the performance disparities between the two MSI Claw variants were also evident, with the model featuring lesser Xe cores and CPU cores exhibiting a noticeable performance gap, particularly in demanding titles where the difference exceeded 20%.

It is important to note that the ASUS ROG Ally benefits from a more mature state in terms of driver support and resources, while the MSI Claw is yet to hit the markets. As such, the performance gap may narrow down as the MSI Claw nears its official launch, but it is likely to persist in the long run.

While these initial test results provide valuable insights, it is essential to acknowledge that the device’s performance could see significant improvements as it approaches its official launch. These findings offer a glimpse into the current state of the MSI Claw but may not be conclusive in determining its overall performance potential.