Intel Arc Graphics: Why the MSI Claw 8 AI+ Delivers Smooth Gameplay

Handheld gaming in South Africa is exploding, but the conversation has been dominated by just two players. Until now. Enter the MSI Claw 8 AI+, a bold new contender powered by something different... Intel Arc graphics. But can a relative newcomer to the dedicated GPU space really compete? The answer is a resounding yes, and it’s all about a powerful combination of smart hardware, AI upscaling, and relentless software optimisation that delivers seriously smooth gameplay. 🚀

ASUS ROG Ally Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console - White / AMD Ryzen™ Z2A Extreme / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM / 512GB NVMe SSD / 7" FHD (1920 x 1080), 120 Hz Refresh Rate, Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Panel / AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support (DisplayPort™ / Power Delivery) / 1 x MicroSD Card Reader / 1 x Audio combo jack / Finger Print Sensor / 802.11 ax WiFi 6 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.2 / Windows 11 Home (64bit) / 2-Speaker System with Smart Amplifier Technology / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 60Whr Battery / <span style="color: red;" >Xbox Game Pass Included</span> / 1 Year Warranty / 90NV00G1-M000L0

R12999.00In Stock

Adata SC735 1TB High-Performance External SSD with USB-C / 1,050MB/s Read & 1,000MB/s Write Speeds / Cable-Free Mobile Phone Compatibility / Gaming Handheld Compatible / Supports Latest Game Consoles / Multi-OS Support / SC735-1000G-CCBK/GY

R2199.00In Stock

Lenovo Legion Go S 8ARP1 Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console - Black / AMD Ryzen™ Z2 Extreme / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM / 512B NVMe SSD / 8.8" WUXGA (1920 x 1200), Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Display/ Integrated AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 2x USB Type-C support (DisplayPort™ 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / AMD Wi-Fi® 6E RZ616 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.3 / SteamOS / 2 Stereo Speakers / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 55.5Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / 83L3004VSA

R13499.00In Stock

Turtle Beach Atom Mobile Game Controller with Bluetooth for Cloud Gaming on Android Mobile Devices with Compact Shape, Console Style Controls, Low Latency Bluetooth - Red / TBS-0766-05

R2499.00In Stock

Lenovo Legion Go S 8APU1 Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console - Black / AMD Ryzen™ Z1 Extreme / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM / 1TB NVMe SSD / 8.8" WUXGA (1920 x 1200), Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Display/ Integrated AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 2x USB Type-C support (DisplayPort™ 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / AMD Wi-Fi® 6E RZ616 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.3 / SteamOS / 2 Stereo Speakers / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 55.5Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / 83N6002ESA

R17499.00In Stock

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller - Carbon Black / Hybrid D-Pad / 3.5mm Stereo Headset Jack / Textured Triggers And Bumpers / Compatible for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Android And iOS / QAT-00009

R1599.00In Stock

What Makes Intel Arc Graphics a Handheld Hero?

For years, Intel was the king of integrated graphics—good enough for spreadsheets, not so much for Starfield. That has completely changed. With their dedicated Intel Arc architecture, they've jumped into the high-performance ring, and their secret weapon for devices like the MSI Claw is XeSS, or Xe Super Sampling.

Think of XeSS as a bit of magic. 🪄 It uses AI to render your game at a lower resolution and then intelligently upscale it to your screen's native resolution. The result? You get a massive frame rate boost with minimal impact on visual quality. This allows the efficient chip in the MSI Claw to deliver smooth gameplay in demanding AAA titles, something that would have been unthinkable on older integrated solutions. It's this kind of smart technology that makes modern tech essentials so powerful.

MARVO GT-84 Wireless Gaming Controller - Strong compatibility: PS4/PS3/Windows/IOS/Android - 6 hour battery life - Double Triggers And Analog Mumpers - 6-axis sensor and dual vibration feedback for an immersive gaming experience - Ergonomically designed for comfort with sweat-proof and anti-slip materials / GT-84

R399.00In Stock

Lenovo Legion Go S 8APU1 Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console - Black / AMD Ryzen™ Z1 Extreme / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM / 1TB NVMe SSD / 8.8" WUXGA (1920 x 1200), Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Display/ Integrated AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 2x USB Type-C support (DisplayPort™ 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / AMD Wi-Fi® 6E RZ616 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.3 / SteamOS / 2 Stereo Speakers / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 55.5Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / 83N6002ESA

R17499.00In Stock

Logitech F710 Wireless Gaming Gamepad / 2.4GHz Wireless / Broad Game Support / Familiar Button Layout / 940-000142

R849.00In Stock

Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL iPad & Android Tablet Gaming Controller / Full-Sized Console-Style Controller / Fits Phones and Tablets up to 10” / Razer Sensa HD Immersive Haptics / RZ06-05470100-R3M1

R5199.00In Stock

ASUS ROG Ally X Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console / AMD Ryzen™ Z2 Extreme / 24GB LPDDR5X RAM / 1TB NVMe SSD / 7" FHD (1920 x 1080), 120 Hz Refresh Rate, Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Panel / AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 1x USB 3.2 Type-C / 1 x Thunderbolt 4 / DisplayPort / USB Type-C (w/ PD 3.0 Charging) / 1 x MicroSD Card Reader / 1 x Audio combo jack / Finger Print Sensor / 802.11 ax WiFi 6 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.2 / Windows 11 Home (64bit) / 2-Speaker System with Smart Amplifier Technology / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 80Whr Battery / <span style="color: red;" >Xbox Game Pass Included</span> / 1 Year Warranty / 90NV00H2-M003E0

R18999.00In Stock

Razer Kishi V3 Pro Gaming Controller / Supports Android, iPhone & iPad Mini / Full-Sized Console-Style Controller / Fits Phones and Tablets up to 8” / Razer Sensa HD Immersive Haptics / RZ06-05460100-R3M1

R4199.00In Stock

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Intel Arc: A Perfect Match

MSI didn't just randomly pick a GPU. They chose the latest evolution of Intel Arc graphics for the Claw 8 AI+ because of the incredible synergy with Intel's new "Lunar Lake" processors. These chips are built from the ground up for efficiency and AI performance, which is exactly what you need in a handheld device where battery life is just as important as raw power.

This tight integration means the CPU and GPU can communicate more effectively, reducing bottlenecks and squeezing out every last drop of performance. Combined with a lightning-fast NVMe drive, the whole system feels incredibly responsive. After all, what’s the point of a powerful GPU if you're stuck on loading screens? Upgrading to one of the best SSD deals is one of the best ways to boost any gaming machine's overall speed.

Unlocking Smooth Gameplay with Driver Evolution

Let's be honest: the launch of Intel Arc had some teething issues, particularly with drivers. However, Intel has since been on a mission, releasing a relentless stream of updates that have dramatically improved performance and stability. They've delivered huge gains in older DirectX 9, 10, and 11 games while optimising for the latest DirectX 12 titles.

This commitment means that the Intel Arc graphics inside the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is a mature and powerful solution. The performance you get today is fantastic, and it’s only set to get better. This ongoing support is a huge vote of confidence for gamers investing in the platform. To fully immerse yourself in the action these drivers unlock, pairing your device with a quality headset is a must, and you can find some incredible best gaming headset deals right now.

Logitech F710 Wireless Gaming Gamepad / 2.4GHz Wireless / Broad Game Support / Familiar Button Layout / 940-000142

R849.00In Stock

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller - Carbon Black / Hybrid D-Pad / 3.5mm Stereo Headset Jack / Textured Triggers And Bumpers / Compatible for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Android And iOS / QAT-00009

R1599.00In Stock

Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL iPad & Android Tablet Gaming Controller / Full-Sized Console-Style Controller / Fits Phones and Tablets up to 10” / Razer Sensa HD Immersive Haptics / RZ06-05470100-R3M1

R5199.00In Stock

ASUS ROG Ally X Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console / AMD Ryzen™ Z2 Extreme / 24GB LPDDR5X RAM / 1TB NVMe SSD / 7" FHD (1920 x 1080), 120 Hz Refresh Rate, Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Panel / AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 1x USB 3.2 Type-C / 1 x Thunderbolt 4 / DisplayPort / USB Type-C (w/ PD 3.0 Charging) / 1 x MicroSD Card Reader / 1 x Audio combo jack / Finger Print Sensor / 802.11 ax WiFi 6 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.2 / Windows 11 Home (64bit) / 2-Speaker System with Smart Amplifier Technology / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 80Whr Battery / <span style="color: red;" >Xbox Game Pass Included</span> / 1 Year Warranty / 90NV00H2-M003E0

R18999.00In Stock

MSI Claw 8 AI+ A2VM Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console / Intel Core Ultra 7 258V / 32GB LPDDR5X RAM / 1TB NVMe SSD / 8" FHD+ (1920 x 1200), 120 Hz, Touchscreen Display / Intel® Arc 140V Graphics / 2 x USB Type-C (Supports Thunderbolt 4 / DisplayPort / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Micro SD Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / 1x Fingerprint Reader / Intel® Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 Wireless LAN / Bluetooth 5.4 / Windows 11 Home (64bit) / 2 × 2W Speakers, Hi-Res Audio ready / 6-Cell, 80Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / CLAW-8-AI-A2VM-067ZA

R18999.00In Stock

Razer Kishi V3 Pro Gaming Controller / Supports Android, iPhone & iPad Mini / Full-Sized Console-Style Controller / Fits Phones and Tablets up to 8” / Razer Sensa HD Immersive Haptics / RZ06-05460100-R3M1

R4199.00In Stock

Beyond the Pixels: The Complete Claw Experience

While the Intel Arc GPU is the star of the show, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is a fantastic piece of kit all around. It boasts a brilliant high-refresh-rate screen, comfortable ergonomics for long gaming sessions, and a robust cooling system to keep performance high without cooking your hands. It’s a complete package designed for serious gamers. 🎮

The experience is about more than just what's inside the shell. It's about having the right setup to enjoy your games anywhere. Whether it's a protective case for your travels or a high-capacity power bank for extended playtime, browsing a few key gaming accessories deals can take your handheld experience from great to perfect. The MSI Claw, powered by Intel's impressive graphics, is more than just a device; it’s your portal to AAA gaming on the move.