Don't choose the wrong model, as leaked MSI Claw benchmarks show significant performance gap

The MSI Claw benchmarks detailing the performance of the upcoming handheld gaming PC against the likes of the ASUS ROG Ally have been leaked recently. A few testers have also managed to get their hands on the lower-specced Core Ultra 5 model and run comparisons against the higher-end Core Ultra 7 unit. This information comes courtesy of a BiliBili video.

Unfortunately, Intel’s more budget-oriented Core Ultra 5 performs way worse in comparison, to the point where it may not be worth the buy at all. Read on to learn more about these MSI Claw benchmarks and the conclusions drawn.

Disclaimer: Parts of this article are subjective and solely reflect the author’s opinions.

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MSI Claw benchmarks show a significant performance gap between the Core Ultra 5 and 7 models

155H versus 135H (Image via BiliBili)

While readers may be keen to opt for the lower-priced Core Ultra 5 model, leaked MSI Claw benchmarks paint a sorry picture of the 135H APU across all wattages. A breakdown of these benchmarks can be found below, detailing average frame rates in Cyberpunk 2077 across the 155H and 135H with the following wattages:

Wattage	135H Average FPS	155H Average FPS
28 W	34	28
20 W	37	28

This does not take into account the severe frame rate dips exhibited by the Core Ultra 5 (135H) model. The frame rates dip into the low 20s in most cases. Curiously, the Core Ultra 7 benchmark also does not do it any favors either, as the souped-up handheld is barely any faster than the 135H.

For reference, the settings utilized for Cyberpunk 2077 are as follows:

• 1920 x 1080 resolution.
• “AI Engine” enabled from the MSI Claw’s Dragon Center.
• What seems to be a mixture of medium and low settings.

Keep in mind that the settings listed above are for reference only and may be subject to translation errors.

Z1E versus 135H (Image via BiliBili)

Things look even bleaker when compared to the ROG Ally’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU, which displays superior performance (averaging at around 40 frames per second) at the same settings and wattages. For reference, go through our comprehensive breakdown of the Z1E versus 155H

Interestingly, the situation is similar to that of the Z1E versus Z1, where, despite the lower price, the non-Extreme Ryzen Z1 performed significantly worse, making it not worth the purchase at all.

As such, readers should be better off picking the Core Ultra 7 (155H) model over the vastly underpowered Core Ultra 5 (135H) units despite the bump in price. While the results are admittedly disappointing, do keep in mind that these frame rates are due to pre-release drivers. These MSI Claw benchmarks are expected to get better with time as the Intel Arc drivers mature.

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