AYANEO Next vs. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

Specs, emulation, community reviews, ownership and play history, side by side.

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Quick verdict

Best value
AYANEO Next
Better screen
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+
More portable
AYANEO Next
Newer model
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

Main differences

  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has similar emulation coverage to AYANEO Next.
  • AYANEO Next is about $535 cheaper based on catalog pricing.
  • AYANEO Next is roughly 22% smaller and 4% lighter.
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has a 120 Hz IPS Touchscreen screen, versus 60 Hz IPS on AYANEO Next.
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ runs Windows 11; AYANEO Next runs Windows 10/11.
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is highlighted for Switch, PS3, Wii U, 3DS; AYANEO Next is highlighted for Wii U, 3DS, PS2, Wii.

AYANEO

AYANEO Next

Details
Price
$1,265.00
OS
Windows 10/11
Released
Apr 2022
Up to
Switch
Screen
7.0 inch IPS
Weight
750 grams

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MSI

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

Details
Price
$1,800.00
OS
Windows 11
Released
Jun 2026
Up to
Switch
Screen
8.0 inch IPS Touchscreen
Weight
785 grams

We’re not tracking prices for this one yet.

No reviews yet

Specs

BetterWorse

SpecAYANEO NextMSI Claw 8 EX AI+
Price$1,265.00$1,800.00
OSWindows 10/11Windows 11
Screen7.0 inch8.0 inch
Resolution1280 x 8001920 x 1200
Refresh rate60 Hz120 Hz
PanelIPSIPS Touchscreen
ChipsetAMD Ryzen 7 5800UIntel Arc G3 Extreme
CPUAMD Zen 3Intel Panther Lake
GPUAMD Radeon RX Vega 8Intel Arc B390
RAM16 - 32 GB LPDDR4x32 GB LPDDR5X
StorageInternal 1 - 2 TB NVMe SSDInternal 1 TB 2280 SSD, External MicroSD
Battery4100 mAh80 Wh
Weight750 grams785 grams
Dimensions267 mm x 112 mm x 30 mm296 - 321 mm x 130 mm x 25 - 48 mm

Emulation

Excellent › Good › Playable › Limited › Unsupported

SystemAYANEO NextMSI 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

  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next Switch: Nintendo Switch: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Switch: Nintendo Switch: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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
  • AYANEO Next 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 AYANEO Next and the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has similar emulation coverage to AYANEO Next. AYANEO Next is about $535 cheaper based on catalog pricing. AYANEO Next is roughly 22% smaller and 4% lighter. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has a 120 Hz IPS Touchscreen screen, versus 60 Hz IPS on AYANEO Next. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ runs Windows 11; AYANEO Next runs Windows 10/11. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is highlighted for Switch, PS3, Wii U, 3DS; AYANEO Next is highlighted for Wii U, 3DS, PS2, Wii.
Which is cheaper, the AYANEO Next or the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
The AYANEO Next is the cheaper of the two at around $1,265.00, roughly $535.00 less than the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ based on catalog pricing.
Which is newer, the AYANEO Next or the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the newer model, released in 2026.

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