Msi's New Handheld Launches at $1,800 Amid Tough Market Conditions

WHO:

Kotaku - MSI product marketing lead Andy Chu discussed the challenges facing the company.

Video Games Chronicle - MSI is the hardware company announcing the new handheld.

WHAT:

Kotaku - The MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus PC gaming handheld is priced at $1,800.

Video Games Chronicle - The handheld features an Intel Arc G3 Extreme CPU, Intel Arc B390 graphics, 32GB of LPDDR5x memory, an 8" IPS touch screen, and 1TB of SSD storage.

Video Games Chronicle - Valve increased the price of the Steam Deck, with the 512GB model rising from $549 to $789 and the 1TB model from $649 to $949.

Video Games Chronicle - Nintendo announced a price increase for the Switch 2 from $449 to $449 effective September 1.

Video Games Chronicle - Sony confirmed plans to increase the price of its consoles by at least $100, with the PlayStation 5 Pro increasing by $150 to $900.

Video Games Chronicle - Microsoft raised the prices of its Xbox consoles, with the Xbox Series X now retailing for $649.99, an increase of $150 since launch, and the Series S selling for $399.99, an increase of $100.

WHY:

Kotaku - Andy Chu stated that rising costs of key components like memory and storage are driving the price of the handheld.

Video Games Chronicle - Chu mentioned that the current market conditions make it difficult to keep prices low, stating, "I would say, yes, it will be a tough year for us and for the gamers."

HOW:

Video Games Chronicle - MSI attempted to lower costs by deepening relationships with suppliers to secure better deals on memory and storage.

(UPDATED June 19, 2026 01:57 UTC)

MSI has announced the Claw 8 EX AI Plus PC gaming handheld, which is priced at $1,800 and features impressive specs like an Intel Arc G3 Extreme CPU, Intel Arc B390 graphics, 32GB of LPDDR5x memory, an 8-inch IPS touch screen, and 1TB of SSD storage. However, rising costs of key components such as memory and storage are making it challenging for the company to keep prices low, as noted by MSI's product marketing lead, Andy Chu, who described the upcoming year as tough for both the company and gamers. In related news, other gaming companies are also raising prices, with Valve increasing the Steam Deck's price and Sony confirming a $100 hike for its consoles, reflecting the broader market conditions affecting the industry.