Device comparison

Asus ROG Ally vs. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

Compare specs, emulation support, community reviews, ownership, and play history.

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ROG Ally
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

Shown to scale from each device’s real-world dimensions.

Quick verdict

Best value
ROG Ally
More portable
ROG Ally
Newer model
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

Main differences

  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has similar emulation coverage to Asus ROG Ally.
  • Asus ROG Ally is about $1,201 cheaper based on catalog pricing.
  • Asus ROG Ally is roughly 18% smaller and 23% lighter.
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has a 120 Hz IPS Touchscreen screen, versus 120 Hz IPS on Asus ROG Ally.
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is highlighted for Switch, PS3, Wii U, 3DS; Asus ROG Ally is highlighted for Switch, Wii U, 3DS, PS2.

Asus

ROG Ally

Details
Price
$599
OS
Windows 11
Released
Jun 2023
Up to
Switch
Screen
7.0 inch IPS
Weight
608 grams

No reviews yet

2 collectors

MSI

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

Details
Price
$1,800
OS
Windows 11
Released
Jun 2026
Up to
Switch
Screen
8.0 inch IPS Touchscreen
Weight
785 grams

No reviews yet

0 collectors

Specs

BetterWorse

SpecROG AllyMSI Claw 8 EX AI+
Price$599$1,800
Screen7.0 inch8.0 inch
Aspect ratio16:916:10
Resolution1920 x 10801920 x 1200
PanelIPSIPS Touchscreen
ChipsetAMD Ryzen Z1 /Intel Arc G3 Extreme
CPUAMD Zen 4Intel Panther Lake
GPUAMD Radeon 780MIntel Arc B390
RAM16 GB LPDDR532 GB LPDDR5X
StorageInternal 512 GB M.2 2230 NVMe SSD, External MicroSDInternal 1 TB 2280 SSD, External MicroSD
Battery40 Wh80 Wh
Weight608 grams785 grams
Dimensions280 mm x 113 mm x 39 mm296 mm x 130 mm x 25 - 48 mm
Hall effect sticksNoYes

Emulation

Excellent › Good › Playable › Limited › Unsupported

SystemROG AllyMSI Claw 8 EX AI+
Classic systems
Game Boy
NES
Genesis
GBA
SNES
PS1
Mid-generation systems
DS
N64
Dreamcast
PSP
Saturn
Sixth-generation systems
GameCube
Wii
PS2
Modern systems
3DS
Switch
Wii U
PS3

Emulation source notes

  • ROG Ally DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally N64: Nintendo 64: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ N64: Nintendo 64: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally PS1: Sony Playstation: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ PS1: Sony Playstation: All games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally Wii: Nintendo Wii: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Wii: Nintendo Wii: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally Switch: Nintendo Switch: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Switch: Nintendo Switch: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • ROG Ally Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip

Frequently asked

What's the difference between the Asus ROG Ally and the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has similar emulation coverage to Asus ROG Ally. Asus ROG Ally is about $1,201 cheaper based on catalog pricing. Asus ROG Ally is roughly 18% smaller and 23% lighter. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has a 120 Hz IPS Touchscreen screen, versus 120 Hz IPS on Asus ROG Ally. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is highlighted for Switch, PS3, Wii U, 3DS; Asus ROG Ally is highlighted for Switch, Wii U, 3DS, PS2.
Which is cheaper, the Asus ROG Ally or the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
The Asus ROG Ally is the cheaper of the two at around $599, roughly $1,201 less than the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ based on catalog pricing.
Which is newer, the Asus ROG Ally or the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the newer model, released in 2026.
Which is more popular on retroshelf, the Asus ROG Ally or the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
The Asus ROG Ally is in more collections on retroshelf right now, with 2 collectors tracking it.

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