MSI Claw 8 AI Plus Gets Windows 11 Full Screen Experience Upgrade

Microsoft’s full screen experience update enhances performance, stability, and memory efficiency on MSI Claw 8 AI handheld devices.

Hardware by Katmin on Nov 05, 2025

MSI Claw 8 AI has just received a major update that enhances the overall handheld gaming experience. Microsoft has recently rolled out the full-screen experience for handheld devices, which is now officially available through the Windows 11 Dev and Beta channels.

This marks a significant step forward, as the update eliminates the need for manual tweaks or hacks to enable the mode. The feature is specifically optimized for Claw devices, making gaming and multitasking smoother and more efficient.

MSI, Claw 8 AI Plus, Gets Windows 11, Full Screen Experience Upgrade, NoobFeed

Full-Screen Experience Arrives for Claw Devices

The latest update introduces full-screen mode, which was previously available on the Asus ROG Ally and Ally X. This feature is now compatible with the MSI Claw series. Additional OEM handhelds are expected to receive it in the next few months. Once installed, users can easily enable it by navigating to Settings → Gaming → Full Screen Experience → Enter full screen experience on startup.

Claw devices have already been known for their tight integration with Microsoft's Game Bar and MSI's own software, such as MSI Center M, which allows direct control over TDP and other performance settings through the interface. With the addition of the full-screen experience, the entire Windows handheld environment becomes more unified and intuitive.

RAM Usage and Performance Testing

We decided to test total RAM usage in both full-screen experience mode and standard desktop mode to see how much memory could be saved. In desktop mode, total system usage reached approximately 7.3GB, while switching to full-screen experience mode reduced it to around 6.2GB. This aligns closely with Microsoft and Xbox's claims of saving up to 2GB of RAM.

For systems like the Claw 8 AI, which comes with 32GB of RAM, this difference might not be crucial. However, for devices limited to 16GB, the savings could be substantial, freeing more resources for VRAM allocation or general system performance.

MSI, Claw 8 AI Plus, Gets Windows 11, Full Screen Experience Upgrade, NoobFeed

Gaming Benchmarks: Desktop vs. Full Screen Experience

We tested several games to see how they performed in both modes under identical settings. Using Cyberpunk 2077 at the medium preset and 1200p resolution with a 30W TDP, desktop mode averaged 55.37fps while full-screen experience mode achieved 61.26fps. The performance improvement is notable and consistent across repeated tests.

When using the Steam Deck preset at 1200p and 30W TDP, desktop mode averaged 49.66 FPS, while full-screen mode reached 58.32 FPS. This indicates that offloading unnecessary desktop tasks likely reduces CPU usage, resulting in slightly better frame rates.

At a lower 17W TDP, Cyberpunk 2077 averaged 42fps in desktop mode and 44fps in full-screen experience mode. Shadow of the Tomb Raider showed no difference, maintaining 54fps in both modes at 1200p low settings. Forza Horizon 5, running at 1200p medium, improved from 73 FPS to 76 FPS in full-screen mode. Finally, Black Myth Wukong at 1200p low with FSR at 60% also saw a minor gain in full-screen mode.

While the improvements vary by game, the pattern shows that the new interface slightly reduces background CPU load, helping boost overall performance.

MSI, Claw 8 AI Plus, Gets Windows 11, Full Screen Experience Upgrade, NoobFeed

Battery Life

We tested a couple of light indie games at lower wattages to see how long the battery would last. The data showed no visible change because the power drain stayed the same in both modes. It appears that the full-screen experience is primarily about optimizing system resources rather than conserving power.

Early Impressions and Areas for Improvement

The full-screen experience is a good way for Microsoft to enter the mobile gaming market. There are still certain aspects that need improvement, though. When you turn on your Xbox, it takes you directly to the interface. Right now, it can't be customized like Steam's Big Picture mode or the MSI Center M game launcher that comes with the console. The layout appears to be limited, and there aren't many options to personalize it.

Another limitation is the "My Apps" section, which mainly detects game launchers and fails to display non-gaming applications. To work around this, we added such applications to Steam as non-Steam games to launch them more easily. Having a built-in, fully functional app launcher in future updates would make the experience much more complete.

Expanding Support for Handheld Devices

Microsoft's choice to offer official support for more handhelds than just the ROG Ally series is a big step forward for Windows-based gaming devices. Users may look forward to better interoperability and smoother integration across different systems as more manufacturers are likely to join the range.

We're really looking forward to testing the full-screen experience on the MSI Claw A8 with the Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU to see if we can get the same performance improvements there. Overall, the upgrade is a good start for Windows handheld gaming, as it enhances the performance of portable PCs and makes them feel more like consoles.

Also, check our other Handheld articles :