MSI Claw after extra updates: nope, it is nonetheless a dud

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After I referred to as the MSI Claw a humiliation in my Could 18th overview, one commenter identified they’d gotten larger benchmark scores than me. Certain sufficient: MSI had pushed out new graphics drivers and BIOS updates between the time I benchmarked and the time we revealed.

I’ve now examined these updates. In a few of my assessments, they’re higher. In others, I really discovered them worse! Total, they do not change my conclusion one bit: the MSI Claw is the worst choose from at present’s crop of client handheld gaming PCs, and you must steer clear.

Beneath, you will discover my new benchmark leads to the identical video games, throughout the entire Claw’s commonplace energy modes. In virtually each take a look at, you will see the Claw dramatically behind the competitors in pace whereas utilizing extra energy.

New leads to daring. All assessments at 720p low, save Grime Rally at 720p extremely.

Worse, I am nonetheless discovering the Claw varies wildly between playable and utterly unplayable in demanding video games the place the inexpensive Steam Deck has no points. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, I noticed the sport repeatedly and inexplicably dip to only 20fps in a cave with no enemies round at 720p and Medium spec, earlier than recovering to a steady 60fps a short time later.

I noticed one thing comparable in Cyberpunk 2077, though the MSI Claw now typically has a better framerate in that sport after updates.

And I am additionally now seeing some very bizarre habits with the Claw in relation to energy modes. You would possibly count on MSI’s “Efficiency” mode to be sooner than its “Balanced” mode, proper? That is not what I noticed in Cyberpunk 2077 — and once I took an in depth take a look at the framerate dips, I seen they at all times coincided with an surprising energy dip.

Whereas the Intel Meteor Lake chip consumed a reasonably steady 30 watts in Balanced mode, it tried to hit 35, 36, even 37 watts in Efficiency mode — and could not preserve it, dipping right down to 29 watts time and again. Plugged into USB-C energy, the Efficiency mode labored higher, constantly pulling between 37 and 45 watts of energy. Not that the additional energy made an enchancment in Cyberpunk, sadly.

And should you’re seeing larger scores than I’m, I extremely counsel you run that benchmark one other three or 4 instances, as a result of it seems like MSI now runs its chip unsustainably sooner for some time after you turn energy modes, then throttles again down. The Asus ROG Ally does the identical trick, and I at all times needed to run my benchmarks a bunch of additional instances there earlier than I begin counting, so I do not throw off the common with outliers. I did not want to try this once I first reviewed the Claw.

To MSI and Intel’s credit score, at the very least Dave the Diver feels playable now at a easy 60fps with solely occasional drops, not like in my unique overview.

Total, I believe the MSI Claw ought to by no means have gone on sale. I am glad I by no means had the urge to purchase one when it first got here out. I might really feel cheated, similar to the customers in MSI’s personal boards say they really feel cheated, now that MSI has introduced not one, however two improved variations lower than three months after the unique got here out.

It actually does not assist that the corporate put it on sale earlier than giving reviewers an opportunity to warn anybody.

If MSI is severe in regards to the handheld house, and it appears like the corporate is, I believe it ought to supply a trade-in program for patrons of the unique Claw. If you wish to repair this, MSI, let me choose one among this fall’s revisions at an enormous low cost.

MSI Claw after extra updates: nope, it is nonetheless a dud

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