AYANEO Pocket Vert 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
Pocket Vert
Better screen
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+
More portable
Pocket Vert
Newer model
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

Main differences

  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has similar emulation coverage to AYANEO Pocket Vert.
  • AYANEO Pocket Vert is about $1,461 cheaper based on catalog pricing.
  • AYANEO Pocket Vert is roughly 68% smaller and 59% lighter.
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has a 120 Hz IPS Touchscreen screen, versus 60 Hz LTPS LCD on AYANEO Pocket Vert.
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ runs Windows 11; AYANEO Pocket Vert runs Android 14.
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is highlighted for Switch, PS3, Wii U, 3DS; AYANEO Pocket Vert is highlighted for Genesis, GBA, Game Boy, NES.

AYANEO

Pocket Vert

Details
Price
$339.00
OS
Android 14
Released
Jan 2026
Up to
Switch
Screen
3.5 inch LTPS LCD
Weight
318 grams

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No reviews yet

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

SpecPocket VertMSI Claw 8 EX AI+
Price$339.00$1,800.00
OSAndroid 14Windows 11
Screen3.5 inch8.0 inch
Aspect ratio10:916:10
Resolution1600 x 14401920 x 1200
Refresh rate60 Hz120 Hz
PanelLTPS LCDIPS Touchscreen
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1Intel Arc G3 Extreme
CPUCortex-X2 / Cortex-A710 / Cortex-A510Intel Panther Lake
GPUQualcomm Adreno 730Intel Arc B390
RAM8 GB / 12 GB LPDDR532 GB LPDDR5X
StorageInternal 128 GB / 256 GB UFS 3.1, External MicroSDInternal 1 TB 2280 SSD, External MicroSD
Battery6000 mAh80 Wh
Weight318 grams785 grams
Dimensions86.4 mm x 143 mm x 20.5 mm296 - 321 mm x 130 mm x 25 - 48 mm
Stick typeUnknownHall effect
Analog triggersNoYes

Emulation

Excellent › Good › Playable › Limited › Unsupported

SystemPocket VertMSI 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

  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert PS3: Sony Playstation 3: RPCS3 was recently ported to ARM (2024/12/9), so please leave a comment if you know how well this device can handle PS3
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Cemu for Android has only just released so performance estimates for this handheld are coming soon
  • MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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
  • Pocket Vert 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 Pocket Vert and the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has similar emulation coverage to AYANEO Pocket Vert. AYANEO Pocket Vert is about $1,461 cheaper based on catalog pricing. AYANEO Pocket Vert is roughly 68% smaller and 59% lighter. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has a 120 Hz IPS Touchscreen screen, versus 60 Hz LTPS LCD on AYANEO Pocket Vert. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ runs Windows 11; AYANEO Pocket Vert runs Android 14. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is highlighted for Switch, PS3, Wii U, 3DS; AYANEO Pocket Vert is highlighted for Genesis, GBA, Game Boy, NES.
Which is cheaper, the AYANEO Pocket Vert or the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
The AYANEO Pocket Vert is the cheaper of the two at around $339.00, roughly $1,461.00 less than the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ based on catalog pricing.
Which is newer, the AYANEO Pocket Vert or the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the newer model, released in 2026.

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