At CES 2024 MSI launched the Claw, an Intel Core Ultra based gaming handheld device and Adam was on hand to compare it against the Valve Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally.
It just makes noooo sense to me that it can go up to 45 watts. I would be surprised if the battery drains from 100% in 20 minutes.
The MSI claw as a whole doesn’t seem to have any benefits to what already exists. It draws more power, is heavier than the ROG and Steam Deck, starts at $700… I guess the 120Hz screen is nice, but everyone knows you’ll barely hit 60 on any modern games.
The steam deck can drain that fast (for example when I played H:zd I basically had to be plugged in the whole time) but I doubt you’d even hit the same performance per watt with an Intel part. You’re essentially paying 20% more for a worse product, and I’m not even gonna get into MSI support, especially given how nice valve support is.
Meh, for me it makes sense if it’s plugged into the wall. Also with a 50Wh battery it should last an hour in such a mode
That’s just the soc wattage though, the screen would also take up a substantial portion of the battery
The Lenovo with its mouse-like input is still the most interesting to me, next ot the Steam Deck with its dual pad inputs.
One of the DF guys was pointing out recently that all of these handheld PCs have names like 90s graphics cards
I do not see a good reason to get this over the Steam Deck.
All the other manufacturers seem to see linux based OS as a weakness. I see it as a necessity. Why would I want more MS bs, if I don’t need to run 3D Max, MagiCAD or some god awful DRM raped software on my system.
I’m happy to skip some AAA games for using proton and I did skip all exclusives from Ubisoft and Epic well before the Deck.
Why would I wan’t more MS bs, if I don’t need to run 3D Max, MagiCAD or some god awful DRM raped software on my system.
Ignoring your eloquent wording, you want Windows - from the perspective of a device maker - because it ensures the easiest access for your buyers.
That’s a non-trivial point that should not be easily dismissed. Virtually everyone games on Windows. Virtually all PC-bound games are primarily developed for and optimized for Windows. If you make a hardware device, and you do get to pick the main OS you ship with, making it Windows ensures both maximum compatibility and a smooth transition from their desk-bound gaming to their handheld for your users as the UX is the exact same.
Sure, to power users is a downside. But those are also the ones who will figure out how to run whatever OS they like on it, and they’re also a very small number to begin with. While the Steam Deck and other handheld PCs before it were okay as power-user-centric devices, if this device type is going to be truly mainstream in a post-Steam-Deck world, then something like basing them on Windows by default is a quite real considering for a device maker, and a very natural one.
Systems that attract power users tend to have better 3rd party tools and plugins for everyones use.
