MSI Claw 8 ai+ Upgrading

I recently picked up an ‘MSI Claw 8 ai+ A2VM, Copilot+PC’ which is a terrible name for a product. It’s so bad, it sounds like a Star Gate address rather than a handheld gaming PC. Which, by the way, it is, a gaming PC, that fits in your hand. I know, neat, isn’t it? ☺️

The Claw is rocking an Intel Ultra 7 CPU, 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage. It’s using Intel graphics and has build quality which could give early two thousands Apple a run for their money. I like it. It’s overpriced, but I like it.

I upgraded from an ROG Ally (standard, not X variant), mostly because my daughter ‘needed’ a way to play Star Wars Battlefront 2 while away at university. To me, it was also a chance to upgrade from a 7 inch to an 8 inch screen and, let’s be honest, get more RAM for Final Fantasy XIV textures to use.

The Claw (I refuse to type its full name) is basically perfect, in every way, for me as I basically, only play FFXIV, and Star Wars Battlefront 2. It’s true that some people have had issues with some games due to the Intel graphics, which are very much a work in progress when it comes to drivers. I have not personally had any issues, but my standards are low, and my needs are modest.

To me, the only downside was that when I began installing my usual games, I then wanted to install some things I enjoyed in the past and quickly realised that I had used over half of the storage. Wich was annoying because I had a perfectly good 2 TB 2230 SSD sitting on my desk.

The price difference between the Claw (1 TB) and the Claw Polar Tempest (2 TB) was quite steep. The only difference between the two being SSD size, and the Polar Tempest has white faceplates (I’m not concerned with those sorts of aesthetics.) So, buying the standard and upgrading essentially for free was not stupid, but it was unplanned.

I downloaded a fresh windows ISO and prepared a USB memory stick. I did enough research to realise that I would also need some Wireless Fidelity drivers, which I also added to the stick.

I powered down the Claw by holding down the power button for about twenty seconds, when the light flashed a final time, I and told, the battery was isolated on a mainboard level and only plugging in power again would reconnect it, which is handy and saved me from physically pulling it.

The back was not difficult to get off, it was about half a dozen screws and few seconds of action for my plastic pry tool. Once open the internals were on show, which were modern, snug and thankfully, as it’s new, dust free. I unscrewed the drive (one holding screw) popped it up a little with my pry tool and pulled it out. Retuning the little thermal pad to the board because it came loose with the drive.

I inserted the new one, did it all in reverse and plugged in my USB storage before connecting power to restore the battery. Windows installed without incident and my drivers worked well.

Once I got the MSI software reinstalled, it had a handy driver scan tool which restored everything else.

After reinstalling games and drivers, and finding a nice wallpaper for it, I can say it runs better now it has a fresh Windows on it, and my new drive is a little faster than the old one. It was undoubtedly a great success.

It’s a shame that the 2230 drives don’t come in larger capacities. I saw a mod which allows a 2280 to fit in the Claw but, it seems like it’s going to be laying across the heat pipes, which does not seem smart. It is also frustrating because the Claw A8, the AMD-based one, which has recently launched does support the larger driver sizes.

I am happy with my Claw purchase and will, no doubt, update you on my ‘Clawing’ at some point.

If you can install windows on a Laptop, you can install it on a Claw. Go ahead, it was a fun morning.