Device comparison

AYANEO vs. MSI Claw A8

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

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With

AYANEO
MSI Claw A8

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

Quick verdict

Best value
AYANEO
Better screen
MSI Claw A8
More portable
AYANEO
Newer model
MSI Claw A8

Main differences

  • MSI Claw A8 has similar emulation coverage to AYANEO.
  • AYANEO is about $600 cheaper based on catalog pricing.
  • AYANEO is roughly 29% smaller and 19% lighter.
  • MSI Claw A8 has a 120 Hz IPS screen, versus 60 Hz IPS on AYANEO.
  • MSI Claw A8 runs Windows 11; AYANEO runs Windows 10.
  • MSI Claw A8 is highlighted for PS3, Wii U, 3DS, PS2, Wii, GameCube; AYANEO is highlighted for Game Boy, NES, Genesis, GBA.

AYANEO

AYANEO

Details
Price
$699
OS
Windows 10
Released
Jun 2021
Up to
Wii U
Screen
7.0 inch IPS
Weight
621 grams

No reviews yet

0 collectors

MSI

MSI Claw A8

Details
Price
$1,299
OS
Windows 11
Released
Feb 2026
Up to
PS3
Screen
8.0 inch IPS
Weight
765 grams

No reviews yet

0 collectors

Specs

BetterWorse

SpecAYANEOMSI Claw A8
Price$699$1,299
OSWindows 10Windows 11
Screen7.0 inch8.0 inch
Resolution1280 x 8001920 x 1200
Refresh rate60 Hz120 Hz
ChipsetAMD Ryzen 5 4500UAMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme
CPUAMD Zen 2AMD Zen 5
GPUAMD Radeon RX Vega 6AMD RDNA 3.5
RAM16 GB LPDDR4x24 GB LPDDR5X
StorageInternal 512 GB / 1 TB M.2 NVMe SSDInternal 1 TB M.2 NVMe 4.0 SSD, External MicroSD
Battery3x 4100 mAh80 Wh
Weight621 grams765 grams
Dimensions255 mm x 106 mm x 20 mm299.5 mm x 126.2 mm x 24.0 mm
Hall effect sticksNoYes

Emulation

Excellent › Good › Playable › Limited › Unsupported

SystemAYANEOMSI Claw A8
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 DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO N64: Nintendo 64: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 N64: Nintendo 64: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO PS1: Sony Playstation: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 PS1: Sony Playstation: All games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable
  • MSI Claw A8 PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Wii: Nintendo Wii: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 Wii: Nintendo Wii: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Switch: Nintendo Switch: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
  • MSI Claw A8 Switch: Nintendo Switch: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • AYANEO Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • MSI Claw A8 Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip

Frequently asked

What's the difference between the AYANEO and the MSI Claw A8?
MSI Claw A8 has similar emulation coverage to AYANEO. AYANEO is about $600 cheaper based on catalog pricing. AYANEO is roughly 29% smaller and 19% lighter. MSI Claw A8 has a 120 Hz IPS screen, versus 60 Hz IPS on AYANEO. MSI Claw A8 runs Windows 11; AYANEO runs Windows 10. MSI Claw A8 is highlighted for PS3, Wii U, 3DS, PS2, Wii, GameCube; AYANEO is highlighted for Game Boy, NES, Genesis, GBA.
Which is cheaper, the AYANEO or the MSI Claw A8?
The AYANEO is the cheaper of the two at around $699, roughly $600 less than the MSI Claw A8 based on catalog pricing.
Which is newer, the AYANEO or the MSI Claw A8?
The MSI Claw A8 is the newer model, released in 2026.

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