MSI
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+
- 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
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ vs. AYANEO Pocket ACE
Specs, emulation, community reviews, ownership and play history, side by side.
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Shown to scale from each device’s real-world dimensions.
Quick verdict
- Best value
- Pocket ACE
- Better screen
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+
- More portable
- Pocket ACE
- Newer model
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+
Main differences
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has similar emulation coverage to AYANEO Pocket ACE.
- AYANEO Pocket ACE is about $1,286 cheaper based on catalog pricing.
- AYANEO Pocket ACE is roughly 62% smaller and 61% lighter.
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has a 120 Hz IPS Touchscreen screen, versus 60 Hz IPS on AYANEO Pocket ACE.
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ runs Windows 11; AYANEO Pocket ACE runs Android 13.
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is highlighted for Switch, PS3, Wii U, 3DS; AYANEO Pocket ACE is highlighted for Switch, PS2, PSP, GBA.
Details
AYANEO
Pocket ACE
- Price
- $514.00
- OS
- Android 13
- Released
- Apr 2025
- Up to
- Switch
- Screen
- 4.5 inch IPS
- Weight
- 310 grams
We’re not tracking prices for this one yet.
No reviews yet
1 collector
Specs
BetterWorse
| Spec | MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ | Pocket ACE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,800.00 | $514.00 |
| OS | Windows 11 | Android 13 |
| Screen | 8.0 inch | 4.5 inch |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 | 3:2 |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1620 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Panel | IPS Touchscreen | IPS |
| Chipset | Intel Arc G3 Extreme | Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 |
| CPU | Intel Panther Lake | Qualcomm Kryo Prime Ultra |
| GPU | Intel Arc B390 | Qualcomm Adreno A32 |
| RAM | 32 GB LPDDR5X | 8 GB / 12 GB / 16 GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | Internal 1 TB 2280 SSD, External MicroSD | Internal 128 GB (UFS 3.1) / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB UFS 4.0, External MicroSD |
| Battery | 80 Wh | 6000 mAh |
| Weight | 785 grams | 310 grams |
| Dimensions | 296 - 321 mm x 130 mm x 25 - 48 mm | 176 mm x 82.5 mm x 18.4 mm |
| Video out | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Stick type | Hall effect | Hall effect |
| Analog triggers | Yes | Yes |
| Touch screen | Yes | Yes |
Emulation
Excellent › Good › Playable › Limited › Unsupported
| System | MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ | Pocket ACE |
|---|---|---|
| Classic systems | ||
| Game Boy | ||
| NES | ||
| Genesis | ||
| GBA | ||
| SNES | ||
| PS1 | ||
| Mid-generation systems | ||
| DS | ||
| N64 | ||
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| PSP | ||
| Saturn | ||
| Sixth-generation systems | ||
| GameCube | ||
| Wii | ||
| PS2 | ||
| Modern systems | ||
| 3DS | ||
| Switch | ||
| Wii U | ||
| PS3 | ||
Emulation source notes
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Pocket ACE DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip This device does not have a touchscreen, so you won't be able to play DS games that rely heavily on the touchscreen
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Pocket ACE 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: 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 ACE GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: 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 ACE N64: Nintendo 64: 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 ACE NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: 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 ACE PS1: Sony Playstation: 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 ACE PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Pocket ACE 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+ PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Pocket ACE PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: 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 ACE Wii: Nintendo Wii: 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 ACE SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: 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
- Pocket ACE Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Pocket ACE Saturn: Sega Saturn: 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
- Pocket ACE Switch: Nintendo Switch: 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 ACE Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: 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 ACE Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: 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 ACE GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: 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
- Pocket ACE Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
Frequently asked
- What's the difference between the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and the AYANEO Pocket ACE?
- MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has similar emulation coverage to AYANEO Pocket ACE. AYANEO Pocket ACE is about $1,286 cheaper based on catalog pricing. AYANEO Pocket ACE is roughly 62% smaller and 61% lighter. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ has a 120 Hz IPS Touchscreen screen, versus 60 Hz IPS on AYANEO Pocket ACE. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ runs Windows 11; AYANEO Pocket ACE runs Android 13. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is highlighted for Switch, PS3, Wii U, 3DS; AYANEO Pocket ACE is highlighted for Switch, PS2, PSP, GBA.
- Which is cheaper, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ or the AYANEO Pocket ACE?
- The AYANEO Pocket ACE is the cheaper of the two at around $514.00, roughly $1,286.00 less than the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ based on catalog pricing.
- Which is newer, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ or the AYANEO Pocket ACE?
- The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the newer model, released in 2026.
- Which is more popular on retroshelf, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ or the AYANEO Pocket ACE?
- The AYANEO Pocket ACE is in more collections on retroshelf right now, with 1 collector tracking it.
