Since the Steam Deck burst onto the scene in 2022, handheld gaming PCs have been steadily gaining traction. For the past two years, the top-tier handhelds have been equipped with the same Z1 Extreme chipset. However, the MSI Claw A8, unveiled at Computex 2025, marks a significant shift as the first handheld to incorporate the newly announced AMD Z2 Extreme at CES 2025.

The MSI Claw A8 bears a resemblance to the recently launched Claw 8 AI, but with some notable spec adjustments. MSI has scaled back the maximum RAM from 32GB to 24GB of LPDDR5X, operating at 8,000MHz. Additionally, the display now supports VRR (variable refresh rate), which means the 120Hz FullHD panel on the A8 will suffer from less screen tearing compared to its predecessor.

The most substantial 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. The GPU contains more Compute Units than the 12 found in the Z1 Extreme and benefits from an architecture that's half a generation ahead.

MSI has also introduced an updated version of the MSI Claw 8 AI+ featuring a new color option and an expanded 2TB SSD. This model continues to run on the Intel Core Ultra 7 285V.

The MSI Claw A8 is slated for release later this year, though MSI has yet to announce a specific launch window or pricing. Given that the MSI Claw 8 AI+ retails for $999, it's safe to assume that the new AMD-powered A8 won't be budget-friendly.

The AMD Z2 Extreme Race Is On

The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme was quietly introduced at CES in January 2025. Five months on, we're still waiting for a handheld featuring this new silicon to hit the market, making it a race to see which manufacturer will launch first.

Technically, the Lenovo Legion Go 2, which also made its debut at CES 2025, is powered by the Z2 Extreme, but Lenovo has provided no hints about its market entry. Instead, they released the Z2 Go-powered Lenovo Legion Go S, which was both less powerful and more costly than the original Legion Go.

Rumors suggest that the Asus ROG Ally 2 will likely use the Z2 Extreme, though it hasn't been officially announced yet. There's also speculation about a potential collaboration between Asus and Microsoft to produce an Xbox-branded version of the Ally 2, which would presumably also feature the Z2 Extreme.

One thing is clear: the Steam Deck 2 won't be using the Z2 Extreme. Valve has stated that the next generation of AMD's Z-series chips doesn't offer a significant enough leap to justify a new handheld. While this might cast some doubt on the Z2 Extreme's capabilities, the upcoming alternatives to the Steam Deck should still offer improvements over current models, which is a positive development for gamers.