MSI Claw Statistics And Sales Data 2026
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ lists at $1,799.99 on MSI’s US store, and MSI has still not disclosed how many Claw handhelds it has sold. What exists is indirect MSI Claw sales data: an opt-in ownership poll, IDC shipment estimates for Windows handhelds, dated US price changes and resale listings. This report sets out each figure with its period and source, from the 2024 Claw A1M launch through August 2026.
MSI Claw Statistics And Sales Data 2026
No Official MSI Claw Sales Figure Exists as of October 2026
MSI has not published a lifetime unit count for any Claw model. No analyst firm has published one for the Claw alone.
IDC’s handheld tracker comes closest. Shared with The Verge in February 2025, it covers four device families: Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go and MSI Claw.
| Device or group | IDC shipment estimate | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Deck | Upwards of 3.7 million | 2022 to end of 2024 |
| ROG Ally, Legion Go and MSI Claw combined | As few as 2 million | 2023–2024 |
| MSI Claw alone | Not broken out | — |
Source: IDC estimates via The Verge, February 2025 (units shipped; excludes GPD, Ayaneo and OneXPlayer)
IDC did not split the Windows total by brand. Any single-device Claw figure circulating online is an extrapolation, not a published measurement.
The Claw A1M went on sale March 8, 2024, per TechPowerUp, so the Claw appears only in the second of those two years. The other Windows rivals are measured against Valve in this Steam Deck, ROG Ally and Legion Go sales comparison.
How Popular Is the MSI Claw Among Handheld Gamers?
The Claw finished last of six options in TechPowerUp’s community poll, published July 2025, with 266 votes. That equals 3.4% of the 7,852 respondents who said they game on a handheld.
TechPowerUp polled 22,649 PC gamers in total, and 34.7% of them answered yes to handheld gaming.
| Device | Votes | Share of handheld gamers |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Deck | 2,798 | 35.6% |
| Nintendo Switch | 2,785 | 35.5% |
| Asus ROG Ally | 913 | 11.6% |
| Other devices | 810 | 10.3% |
| Lenovo Legion Go | 280 | 3.6% |
| MSI Claw | 266 | 3.4% |
Source: TechPowerUp community poll, July 2025 (opt-in; shares of 7,852 handheld-gaming respondents)
Asus ROG Ally led the Windows devices at 11.6%, and its revenue guidance is tracked in this ROG Ally user trends report.
Lenovo’s Legion Go placed one spot above the Claw with 280 votes. Its pricing record sits in our Legion Go sales statistics.
Does the Poll Measure MSI Claw Sales?
No. The sample is opt-in and drawn from a PC-focused readership.
It ranks devices within that audience. It does not count units sold or an installed base.
MSI Claw Price Data by Model, 2024 to 2026
The cheapest Claw started at $699 in March 2024. The newest model lists at $1,799.99 on MSI’s US store.
| Model | Configuration | US price | Listing and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claw A1M | Core Ultra 5 135H, 512GB | $699 | MSI preorder, March 2024 |
| Claw 7 AI+ | Core Ultra 7 258V | $799.99 → $899.99 | MSI US store, April 2025 |
| Claw 8 AI+ | Core Ultra 7 258V | $899.99 → $999.99 | MSI US store, April 2025 |
| Claw A8 | Ryzen Z2 Extreme, 1TB | $1,149 | MSI US store, January 2026 |
| Claw 8 EX AI+ | Arc G3 Extreme, 32GB, 1TB | $1,699.99 | Best Buy listing, June 2026 |
Source: Notebookcheck reporting on MSI and retailer listings, March 2024 to June 2026
MSI’s US store added $100 to both Lunar Lake models in April 2025. Windows Central found no matching rise in other regions and linked the change to US tariffs.
The 2024 Claw A1M line also sold Core Ultra 7 configurations at $749 and $799, TechPowerUp reported in March 2024.
MSI product marketing lead Andy Chu told FRVR that 2026 “will be a tough year for us and for the gamers.” Pocket Tactics reported MSI tied the Claw 8 EX AI+ price to memory and storage costs.
Source: Windows Central, April 2025; Pocket Tactics, June 18, 2026
$2,599 on eBay: Claw 8 EX AI+ Sell-Out and Resale Statistics
The Claw 8 EX AI+ began shipping June 23, 2026. By June 29, Windows Central found it sold out for shipping and pickup at four US retailers.
| Retailer | Listed price | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Newegg | $1,699.99 | Sold out |
| Best Buy | $1,799.99 | Sold out |
| B&H | $1,799.99 | Sold out |
| Micro Center | $1,799 | Sold out |
Source: Windows Central, June 29, 2026
The same report said each store likely held very limited launch inventory. A sell-out here is a supply reading, not a volume figure.
Windows Central also dropped its restock tracker for the earlier Claw 8 AI+ after weeks with no restocks.
By August 17, 2026, eBay listings ran at $2,299.99 after a coupon plus $20 shipping, $2,499 and $2,599. The top listing sat $800 above the $1,799 MSRP.
One eBay seller had sold six of seven units. Every major US retailer still showed the handheld out of stock that day.
Windows Central recorded a $650 premium on the Lenovo Legion Go 2 in December 2025.
Source: Windows Central, August 17, 2026
Did Handheld PC Shipments Rise After the MSI Claw Launched?
No. IDC’s tracked shipments fell from 2,867,000 units in 2023 to 1,485,000 in 2024, the Claw’s first year on sale.
IDC does not attribute that drop to any single device.
| Year | Tracked handheld PC shipments | Steam Deck share |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,620,000 | All units |
| 2023 | 2,867,000 | Upwards of 50% |
| 2024 | 1,485,000 | 48% |
| 2025 (forecast) | 1,926,000 | Not stated |
Source: IDC estimates via The Verge, February 2025 (units shipped; four tracked device families)
The 2025 row is IDC’s February 2025 forecast of 29.7% growth, not a completed count. Valve’s side of the tracker is covered in our Steam Deck sales and adoption data.
Omdia’s Broader PC Handheld Count
Omdia tracks a wider set of PC gaming handhelds than IDC’s four families. Its figures cover units sold, so they sit apart from IDC’s shipment data.
| Year | PC gaming handhelds sold | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.7 million | Reported |
| 2025 | 2.3 million (+32%) | Forecast |
| 2029 | 4.7 million per year | Forecast |
Source: Omdia press release, August 18, 2025
Omdia senior analyst James McWhirter said Windows 11 is “currently poorly suited to handheld gaming.”
2026 Market Conditions for MSI Claw Sales
IDC forecasts worldwide PC shipments will fall 11.3% in 2026, with Q4 down 20% year over year. The firm expects no memory-shortage relief before the end of 2027.
Q1 2026 shipments grew 3%, which IDC credited to buyers purchasing early ahead of price increases. IDC also forecasts average selling prices up 17% this year.
Source: IDC, June 2, 2026
Valve raised the Steam Deck OLED 512GB from $549 to $789 and the 1TB model from $649 to $949 on May 27, 2026. Valve’s wider platform numbers are in our Steam statistics.
Asus kept the ROG Xbox Ally at $599.99 and the ROG Xbox Ally X at $999.99 at Best Buy, Windows Central reported in August 2026.
Nintendo reported 23.68 million Switch 2 units shipped by June 30, 2026. Its full run is tracked in our Switch 2 sales figures.
Source: Valve Steam store pricing, May 27, 2026; Windows Central, August 17, 2026; Nintendo earnings release, quarter ended June 30, 2026
FAQs
How many MSI Claw units have been sold?
No official figure exists as of October 2026. IDC counts the Claw inside a Windows handheld group with the ROG Ally and Legion Go that shipped as few as 2 million units across 2023 and 2024.
Is the MSI Claw popular?
Not in TechPowerUp’s July 2025 opt-in poll. The Claw drew 266 votes, 3.4% of 7,852 handheld gamers, last of six options. The Steam Deck led at 35.6%.
How much does the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ cost?
$1,799.99 on MSI’s US store at its June 23, 2026 launch. Best Buy listed it at $1,699.99 before launch, and eBay listings reached $2,599 by August 17, 2026.
Why does Reddit say the Claw 8 EX AI+ is hard to buy?
Supply is tight. Windows Central quoted a Reddit user told by Best Buy that MSI gave no restock date. The handheld sold out at Best Buy, Newegg, Micro Center and B&H by June 29, 2026.
Why did MSI Claw prices go up?
Two separate steps. MSI’s US store added $100 to the Claw 7 AI+ and 8 AI+ in April 2025, which Windows Central linked to tariffs. For 2026, MSI pointed to memory and storage costs.
