MSI Unveils AMD-Powered Gaming Handheld and Enhanced Mid-Range Laptops at Computex

Sure, here’s an article inspired by your description:

—

MSI kinda blew my mind at Computex this year. They rolled up with a gaming handheld packed with an AMD chip — finally, right? This beast, the Claw A8 BZ2EM, made quite the entrance. Plus, they tossed new versions of their Crosshair and Cyborg laptops into the spotlight.

So, here’s the backstory. MSI used to shove Intel chips into their handhelds, like the Claw 8 AI+ — they were pretty much the only ones doing it in the gaming universe. Now, they’re playing with the big boys, mixing in some AMD for good measure. Not ditching Intel, just keeping options open. Smart move, I guess.

Okay, let’s break it down. The Claw A8, with its AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme propelling it forward, feels like a next-gen console shrunk down. You’re looking at integrated AMD Radeon graphics, an 8-inch screen that’s crisp enough to make your eyes happy at 1920 x 1200, and running at 120 Hz — slick! And let’s talk RAM: up to 24GB LPDDR5x-8000. What? My laptop barely keeps up.

Oh, random note: the controller layout… very Xbox, if you catch my drift. And they’ve got Hall Effect joysticks. Supposed to stop drift. Not gonna lie, I’ve had many a rage quit thanks to drift. Also, rounded corners and bigger grips for comfort. Feels like they actually thought about human hands this time.

And then there’s RAM. Up to 24GB blows my mind, honestly! Asus gave it a shot with the ROG Ally X, which was a winner, so let’s see if MSI rolls it out globally or keeps us hanging.

Let’s talk battery life — 80 WHr on this handheld. Same as the Ally X. I imagine it’s like trying to outlast the original ROG Ally with its anemic 40 WHr. More power equals more game time, hopefully.

Ports galore on top: headphone jack, microSD slot, two USB 4 Type-Cs, volume rocker, and a power button that moonlights as a fingerprint sensor. I could pop in an M.2 drive without needing a degree in engineering. Sweet.

MSI’s also reworking its software gig, making stuff accessible through the Xbox Game Bar. Whoops, they’re still using Windows 11. Because why simplify when you can complicate, right?

Gaming laptops — buzzword alert. MSI’s stepping behind Acer and Asus, tweaking their middle tier with Nvidia’s RTX 5060 and 5070. The names are a fun mix-up: Crosshair 18HX for Intel, Crosshair A18HX for AMD. Keeping things light and breezy.

And yada yada, all the laptops — Nvidia GPUs, up to 115W on the GPU and 170W on the CPU. Huge batteries, packed with Wi-Fi 6E, screaming-fast 2560 x 1600, 240 Hz screens. But MSI’s still keeping us in suspense with full specs and pricing. They’re like, “We’ll tell you when we get to it.”

Then there are the Cyborgs. They look kinda cool with a mix of plastic and metal. Packed with Intel and AMD processors, with screens that flip from mediocre to pretty awesome. Starts at $1,149 at Costco, jumping to $1,549 if you’re feeling extra fancy.

Ah, MSI’s other tidbits: a few productivity laptops like the new Stealth A16 AI+ and a Prestige 13 crafted with love by artists. Fancy artwork on the lid, if you’re into that sort of thing.

So, I guess keep your eyes peeled for more news. Prices? Release dates? MSI’s keeping mum for now. Typical.