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

Okay, so here’s the scoop. It’s like MSI decided to really shake things up at Computex. I mean, they rolled in with this gadget called the Claw A8 BZ2EM — sounds like a droid from Star Wars, doesn’t it? But no, it’s a gaming handheld. And guess what? AMD chip inside. I was trying to picture it, but I got lost in thought — does AMD make me think of spicy chips? Maybe just hungry.

But seriously, MSI wasn’t just dabbling with AMD; they also brought some updates to their laptop lines — Crosshair and Cyborg. It’s like they couldn’t choose between Intel or AMD. (Like me when picking dinner — tacos or pizza?)

Anyway, so the Claw A8, this thing is packing the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme. And they’ve ditched Intel here, unlike before with their Claw 8 AI+. Maybe it’s like switching between coffee brands for them. Why? Beats me.

Moving on, some tech specs — don’t snooze on me — they’ve used some kind of Hall Effect thingy for the joysticks and triggers. Hopefully, it stops the dreaded stick drift, whatever that means. The design? Rounded corners, Xbox-style controls… it’s green too, somehow.

Memory’s another story. They’re offering 24GB of RAM. I chuckled, remembering how my old laptop could barely manage 4GB. It’s like going from a kiddie pool to an Olympic-sized one. Asus has done something similar with their ROG Ally X. Speaking of pools, I’d love a nap by one right now.

The battery’s also 80 WHr, which they say is better than someone else’s ROG Ally. But who knows? Companies always boast about these things.

A side note — the machine has plenty of ports (like there’s a scarcity these days) — headphones, microSD, USBs galore. You can even swap the SSD, which sounds both exciting and daunting. I still have a VCR flashing “12:00.”

And oh, they’ve tinkered with their software, MSI Center or something, integrating with the Xbox Game Bar. Not sure if it’s a big deal, but Windows 11 hasn’t been the easiest OS for gaming. Again, what do I know?

Laptops — yes, there were those too. They brought in upgraded models with Nvidia RTX 5060 and RTX 5070 — graphics cards so cool I bet they wear sunglasses indoors. Strange naming conventions though. Some have Intel chips, others Ryzen. Big screens, RGB stuff — it’s all there. Pricing? Kind of like rubbing a crystal ball, really — uncertain.

Let’s talk Cyborgs — 15 and 17 inches of translucent plastic dreams. They’ve CPUs with Intel Core 200H, on one hand, Ryzen 200 on the other. I barely keep track at this point. Displays range from 1080p to 1440p, which is… frankly, meaningless to my tech-challenged brain.

Pricing details? Sparse. Like confetti thrown at a passing parade — bits here and there. Starts at $1,149 for the Cyborg A15 AI at Costco. But I wonder, does anyone ever just stop by Costco for these big purchases without misadventures in giant mayo jars?

And for the cherry, MSI’s partnered with AMG Motorsport and released a limited edition Prestige 13 AI+ showing “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” Art transcending tech—who’d have thought?

So there you have it. Computex seemed like a jam-packed event for MSI, and my head’s spinning with all these specs. Time for that nap, maybe. Or another coffee.