1. MSI’s upcoming gaming handheld, the Claw 8 EX AI+, is expected to feature the Arc G3 Extreme processor, with a listed price of €1,599.
2. The Arc G3 Extreme includes a 14-core CPU, 12 MB L3 cache, and is designed as a higher-tier option compared to the standard Arc G3 and other handheld APUs.
3. Performance claims regarding the Arc G3 Extreme should be approached cautiously, as benchmark data is preliminary and not definitive.
4. MSI plans to unveil the Claw 8 EX AI+ at Computex 2026 in June.
Initial Rumors about MSI’s New Gaming Handheld
Early today, a retail store in Italy founds listed MSI’s next handheld gaming device for about €1,599, featuring a Arc G3 Extreme processor. This new model, known as the Claw 8 EX AI+, is likely to appear alongside the Claw A8 (which costs around $1,299 currently), rather than replacing older models too quickly. It seems MSI plans to introduce this at the upcoming tech exhibition, Computex 2026.
Details About the Chipset and Benchmark Leaks
Strangely, the same chipset has been seen on Passmark’s database before its official announcement. Intel might announce an Arc G3 version as an affordable alternative to their G3 Extreme, similar to how AMD launched the Ryzen Z2 and Z2 Extreme back in 2025. The specifications listed on the screenshot imply it’s meant for the Claw 8 EX AI+ handheld, rather than some different device. Also, the Arc G3 Extreme’s core architecture includes the Arc B390, a powerful 12-core iGPU combining Xe3 cores, but Intel currently restricts this to their Core Ultra X 300 series processor.
Hardware Specifications and Performance Expectations
The listing additionally specify that the Arc G3 Extreme features a 14-core CPU with 18 MB L2 cache and 12 MB L3 cache. It also has 2 Performance cores combined with 12 Efficient cores, but interestingly, it does not support Hyper-threading. Still, it’s too early to pass final judgment based solely on one benchmark test. Claims that the Arc G3 Extreme will outperform the Ryzen Z2 Extreme and other handheld APUs by a large margin are premature. MSI probably plans to launch the Claw 8 EX AI+ officially at the Computex 2026 event, in June.
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