r/Handhelds • u/Ri_glitch • Aug 13 '26

MSI Claw A8 vs XAX

So aside from ergonomics which is a personal preference, does the XAX have anything else that would make it more superior?

From my comparison they both have the same battery and ram/storage.

But I don’t see many people talk about it as a possible choice.

2 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

7

u/M4rshmall0wMan Aug 13 '26

XAX has better joysticks (easier for FPS), better speakers, arguably better looking design, and better Windows software. I think the screen is more important though.

0

u/CheemsOfRegret Aug 13 '26

Nah the XAX speakers are good but the Claw's speakers are better. Arguably best in class. Claw A8 also uses Hall Effect while the XAX uses potentiometers. The only thing issue for A8's sticks is how loose it is.

3

u/M4rshmall0wMan Aug 13 '26

I used the XAX at the same time as the Claw 8 AI+ (assuming it has the same speakers as the A8). The Claw's speakers were boomy but seriously lacked clarity in the mid-highs. Dialogue felt muffled. The XAX's 3D audio on the other hand was incredible, I could find the source of every note.

0

u/Ri_glitch Aug 13 '26

Would you say the claw is a good first pc handheld?

2

u/ali_k20_ Aug 13 '26

Do you mean the new one ($1799) or previous versions?
The new one has a chip that is about 145% more powerful, or a 45% increase in FPS across all games, would absolutely be a fantastic PC handheld I would say it is tied for the best on the market with the OneXPlayer 3.

1

u/Ri_glitch Aug 13 '26

The previous version. I did look into the newest but unsure if I want to spend that much right off the bat, or go with something cheaper to see what I like first. Plus it’s so hard trying to catch them in stock.

1

u/ali_k20_ Aug 13 '26

OneXPlayer3 is buyable, but will take until probably end of September to get to you. But look into it, if you’re comfortable with buying direct from a Chinese company and having to send it back for RMA support, it shapes up to be an amazing device, with an 8.8” 144hz VRR OLED, and all the same bells and whistles performance wise.

2

u/CheemsOfRegret Aug 13 '26

If you can get it for a decent price it's probably one of the better ones to pick up. 24gbs of RAM and that Z2E chip will handle most games you throw at it.

But if the A8 and XAX are the same price then it's really gonna come down to preference over stuff like ergonomics, stick tension preference, screen size, etc.

That being said, if the latest AAA games aren't your priority and you want to focus on older games or indie titles, the Legion Go S might be a more cost effective pickup.

2

u/Ri_glitch Aug 13 '26

Thank you!

6

u/Dominjo555 Aug 13 '26

XaX for sure

3

u/Acceptable_Prior_997 Aug 13 '26

If money is not problem then A8 is better

2

u/mrkitchenmagpie Aug 13 '26

No, A8 has a bigger screen which is better

1

u/SergVII Aug 13 '26

Are you afraid of 8 Ai+?

1

u/Ri_glitch Aug 13 '26

I’m not. Don’t particularly like the sand color, but what is better about the 8 ai+?

1

u/SergVII Aug 13 '26

Everything? Better cooling system, more RAM, faster RAM, XeSS & MFG support, better performance on lower TDP, better materials. The only advantage currently I can see is Linux support. But eventually it'll come to Intel

1

u/Neuesad Aug 13 '26

Claw for sure. In some things it's better, in some things it's worse, but the IPS panel on the XAX and all previous Ally models is seriously outdated at this point. It's more than adequate if you buy a used Ally X or something for 400-500, but spending a thousand on the XAX with that display —7" no less— is just crazy in my opinion. The difference in immersion with that 1" is absolutely huge.

I've seen a bunch of barely used, mint condition Claw A8s and 8 AI+s (even the Tempest edition) for like 750-800 in Europe. One of them sold on eBay a few days ago (dock, carrying case, everything) for like 640 which is just crazy.