Summary

  • The MSI Claw handheld gaming device features an Intel CPU, offering smooth gameplay for popular titles like Sleeping Dogs and Ghostrunner 2.
  • The Claw can handle games like Ace Combat 7 and Hogwarts Legacy at decent frame rates, providing an enjoyable gaming experience on the go.
  • Despite being taxing, games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Death's Door run well on the Claw with optimized settings, giving players a solid performance.

There has been an influx of handheld gaming devices running the Windows operating system in the last year. Devices like ASUS’ ROG Ally or the Lenovo Legion Go have taken the market by storm, and it seems like MSI wants a piece of the action, too. Recently, the company unveiled the Claw, which, unlike the competition, is powered by an Intel CPU.

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On that note, the Claw can be snagged with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, which by the way, powers most premium thin-and-light notebooks on the market. The choice of processor has raised some eyebrows, but the Claw has received its fair share of updates. Here are the best games to play on the handheld.

The following games were tested after MSI's BIOS 109 and Intel's Arc 5534 driver updates.

8 Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

Metacritic: TBD

Sleeping DogsDefinitive Edition on MSI Claw

Released
August 14, 2012
Developer(s)
United Front Games
Genre(s)
Open-World, Action
  • Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition can run at 1080p resolution without any upscaler on the MSI Claw.

Open-world games can bring powerful gaming PCs to their knees. Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is an exception to the rule, though. It offers an expansive map of Hong Kong while paying special heed to hand-to-hand combat and allows players to learn and master various martial arts techniques. The game’s story is centered around Wei Shen, who is an undercover cop working to bring down the Triads in the region.

The game runs superbly on the MSI Claw and averages around 80FPS at the Medium graphics preset and 1080P resolution. The FPS does dip to the low seventies, but the game is more than playable on the handheld.

7 Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Metacritic: 78

Ace Combat 7 on the MSI Claw
Ace Combat 7
Flight Simulator

Released
January 31, 2019
Developer(s)
Bandai Namco Studios
Platform(s)
PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre(s)
Flight Simulator
  • Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown works well on the MSI Claw. The game logs around 60FPS on the handheld at 1080p resolution.

There aren’t a lot of games like Ace Combat 7, which lets players sit in the cockpit of a state-of-the-art jet fighter. On that note, the game offers a superb collection of jets, including fighters like the F-35C or the F-22A Raptor. The game’s campaign has a lot going for it, too, and it offers challenging missions involving dog fights, stealth missions, and more.

Players can also take their favorite jet for a spin in Free Flight mode, accessing any completed mission map. The game runs well on the MSI Claw and logs 55-60FPS. The frame rate can be achieved at 1080p resolution and medium graphics presets.

6 Ghostrunner 2

Metacritic: 81

Ghostrunner 2 MSI Claw

Released
October 26, 2023
Developer(s)
One More Level
Genre(s)
Platformer, Adventure, Action
  • Ghostrunner 2 hovers around 60FPS on the MSI Claw at 1080p resolution and with Intel's XeSS Upscaling set to the Quality preset.

Ghostrunner 2 is a fast-paced, first-person action game. Following the events of the original game, Ghostrunner 2 focuses on the aftermath of the fall of the Keymaster and the Dharma Tower. The game has a unique one-hit-one-kill system, and players can eliminate the opposition with one strike from their swords. In a similar vein, enemies can also strike players down with just one hit.

Add to that a robust movement system with an emphasis on parkour, and Ghostrunner 2 makes for a challenging and fun game. It can run at around 80FPS on the MSI Claw at 1080p resolution and a low-medium graphics preset with Intel’s XeSS upscaler enabled and set to Quality. Players will run into jitters and frame drops during their playthrough, though, and the FPS can dip to the 55-60FPS mark when involved in intense battles.

5 Hogwarts Legacy

Metacritic: 83

Hogwarts Legacy on the MSI Claw
  • Hogwarts Legacy is a taxing game and it nets around 40FPS on the MSI Claw. The game was tested with Intel's XeSS upscaling set to Quality at 1080p resolution.

Hogwarts Legacy is one of the more demanding games on this list, and for good reason. In the game, players assume the role of a young wizard or witch and explore the renowned school of magic, Hogwarts, and its surrounding areas. The game features a sizable open-world area that can be explored either on foot or on a broomstick.

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Thankfully, the game runs adequately on the Claw. At 1080p resolution and low graphics setting with XeSS enabled, players can expect around 40FPS inside the castle and around 35FPS in the open world.

4 Death’s Door

Metacritic: 85

Death's Door MSI Claw
Death's Door
Action-Adventure

Released
July 20, 2021
Developer(s)
Acid Nerve
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure
  • Death's Door runs at around 60FPS on the MSI Claw at 1080p resolution and with all visual effects enabled.

In Death’s Door, players take on the role of a soul-reaping Crow who works for the reaping commission. During the initial stages of the game, players will be required to take the soul of a particularly demanding monster. Making matters worse, the soul is stolen, which sets players on the path to recover it by opening the Death’s Door. To do so, players must get three extremely powerful souls.

During their journey, players will be able to learn new moves and master different weapons. Notably, the game runs well on the MSI Claw and averages 50-60FPS at the highest graphics settings.

3 Cyberpunk 2077

Metacritic: 86

Cyberpunk 2077 on the MSI Claw
  • Cyberpunk 2077 is extremely taxing on the MSI Claw. As such, it's best played on the Steam Deck graphics preset, which leverages AMD's FSR technology.

Cyberpunk 2077 is quite taxing. The open-world RPG is backed by a compelling story, gorgeous graphics, and challenging gun battles. The game has oodles of side quests and lots of collectibles like exotic cars and bikes, ensuring players stay for the long haul.

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The game runs well on the Claw and averages around 40FPS with the graphics set to the Steam Deck preset. The FPS can dip to the low 30s, though, when involved in cop chases or gun battles.

2 Stardew Valley

Metacritic: 89

Stardew Valley on the MSI Claw

Released
February 26, 2016
Developer(s)
ConcernedApe
Platform(s)
PC, Xbox One, Android, iOS, PS4, Switch
Genre(s)
RPG, Simulation
  • Stardew Valley is a fairly lightweight game and runs at 60FPS on the MSI Claw.

Stardew Valley is a charming farming simulator. Although the game is almost a decade old, it still receives routine updates. The story puts players in the shoes of a burnt-out employee working for an MNC. The protagonist decides to take a leap of faith and travels to Pelican town to revive their grandfather’s farming land.

In the process, players will also be able to help fellow townspeople by completing various quests and even forming a romantic relationship with the eligible bachelors. The game’s sprites appear sharp on the MSI Claw’s screen, and the title runs flawlessly at 60FPS on the handheld.

1 Dave The Diver

Metacritic: 90

Dave the Diver on the MSI Claw

Released
June 28, 2023
Developer(s)
Mintrocket
Genre(s)
Simulation, Adventure
  • Dave the Diver can run at a stable 60FPS.

Players looking for a relaxing restaurant/farming simulator will feel right at home with Dave the Diver. The game’s pixelated graphics have a charming appeal, and its easy-to-understand mechanics make it a fun experience. As Dave, players must explore the ever-changing Blue Hole to catch different types of fish, which will help expand the restaurant's operations.

During their playthrough, fans will also be roped into the broader overarching story, which - without giving away any spoilers - involves saving a long-forgotten species. The game runs well on the MSI Claw and averages 60FPS consistently.

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