Compared to some of the best gaming handhelds, the Intel Core Ultra-powered MSI Claw has been behind in terms of overall performance. Interest has faded and it is cheaper at some retailers, but there’s some hope. The latest BIOS updates for the device are improving gameplay, making it significantly faster. Combine that with some recent price cuts, and you’re looking at an increasingly more promising-looking device — at least, in theory.
Noted by MSI in a forum post, the BIOS on the handheld was recently bumped to version E1T41IMS.106, with Intel Graphics moving up yo version 31.0.101.5382. Thanks to these two updates, you can get big performance improvements in select games. Hogwarts Legacy, for example, now runs with rates that are up to 27.6% faster. Forza Horizon 5, meanwhile, runs with 18.4% faster frame rates.
On the other end, F1: 23 is seeing frame rates bumped by as much as 43.5%. Other games like Diablo IV, Deadspace, and Helldivers 2 are getting boosted as well, as shared in the graphic below.
📢Claw software update notice
– BIOS Ver. E1T41IMS.106
– Intel Graphics Driver 31.0.101.5382
TLDR: Helldivers 2, Diablo IV and many other game's performance got improved. So upgrade now to enjoy the latest and greatest power on MSI Claw💪
👉More details: https://t.co/cKKaKN4NOy pic.twitter.com/jHXqcXBAll
— MSI Gaming (@msigaming) April 19, 2024
Of course, results may vary based on which configuration of the handheld you have, but the changes are pretty promising and show that, thanks to software updates, this handheld isn’t all too bad. If you own an MSI Claw yourself, you can grab the BIOS update files from MSI’s website, then extract the files and run it as an administrator. As for those Intel drivers, you can grab the update from Live Update in the MSI Center M or manually download it straight from Intel’s website. Make sure you’re connected to power when updating both drivers.
These new drivers and performance improvements come at a time when the MSI Claw is seeing some discounts. A lot of reviewers have slammed the device, with one saying that it is “impossible to recommend.” Others have dismissed it in favor of the Steam Deck OLED or the ROG Ally.
The discounts and graphics updates do give it some promise for those who might want to dip into handheld gaming for the first time. MSI isn’t giving up on the device and is committed to fixing it, making it still worth buying.
Over in the U.K., retailer Currys has the device for nearly 25% off. In the U.S, the discount isn’t as steep, but you can grab it for $649, instead of the usual $700, over at Newegg. We’ll have to wait and see if prices continue to drop across other retailers, but if they do, the MSI Claw may end up being a proper competitor to the best handhelds after all.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.