MSI Claw Shortage Sends Resale Prices Soaring to $2,500

After selling out fast at major stores soon after release, the MSI Claw is now hard to find. Because there aren't many and people want them, used and open-box units are selling for much more than MSRP. Some ads have reached $2,500.

There has been a lot of discussion around the MSI Claw because of what happened after it came out. Within the first 24 to 48 hours, it went from being in stock everywhere to basically unobtainable. None of the major retailers that originally sold it, including B&H, Best Buy, Newegg, and other normal MSI retailers, have any more of them.

MSI Claw Disappears From Major Retailers

The situation has reached the point where the MSI Claw is reportedly being scalped on eBay for large amounts of money, with some units selling for about $2,500. That price makes sense, since most Z2 Extreme handhelds, including the more expensive models, cost around $2,000. 

MSI Claw 8EX is faster with its Intel chip and is notably faster than the Z2 Extreme in some cases. However, there are reasons why the MSI Claw can be found in less expensive handhelds. It could be easier to manufacture, Intel could have offered a favorable deal, or the chip could simply be cheaper to produce.

It is hard to imagine many people willingly spending $2,500 on the MSI Claw when alternative Intel G3 Extreme devices are available. The OneXPlayer 3, for example, uses the same G3 Extreme chip and offers an 8.8-inch 144Hz VRR AMOLED display, which the traditional Claw lacks.

OneXPlayer 3 also has a detachable design similar to the Legion Go 2 and Switch 2 approach, along with a detachable keyboard, kickstand, and other features. It also has less memory, but the difference is not significant enough to change the overall comparison. OneXPlayer 3 can currently be purchased for $1,500. That is early-bird pricing for a preorder, with shipping expected to start later this month.

Used MSI Claw Units Are Selling Above MSRP

Some resale prices make the situation hard to understand. On August 18, one open-box used MSI Claw reportedly sold for $2,300 with $108 shipping. Legitimate alternatives use the same chip, and some cost around $1,000 less. When we look at the available options, spending that much extra money on a used MSI Claw does not make much sense.

There is also no clear information about when the MSI Claw will return to stock. However, the demand suggests that another restock could happen. The response has been large enough that it would be surprising if MSI did not eventually bring the device back in some form. 

A restock could come with a price increase, but another batch before the end of the year wouldn't be surprising. Buying one now at an inflated resale price is therefore difficult to justify. The MSI Claw normally costs around $1,800, and even that price is not particularly good. The device is still being affected by the current RAM crisis, which has impacted pricing across the hardware market.

Why is the MSI Claw Being Scalped?

Another popular device has been the Xbox Ally, mainly because it is one of the less expensive handhelds. At around $1,000, it comes with the Z2 Extreme, which makes more sense for the price. MSI Claw may have sold out because MSI didn't produce enough units and didn't expect this level of demand. Production may be increasing now, so availability could improve later this year or next year.

Production could also stop, but there isn't enough information to know that yet. For anyone looking for the new MSI Claw, the OneXPlayer 3 is worth considering instead. It uses the same G3 Extreme chip and offers a different design, display, and feature set for less money. If a used MSI Claw is being offered at a normal price, buying used can make sense. 

eBay buyer protection can also make used purchases easier to consider. But paying $800 or more above MSRP changes the situation completely. At that point, a gaming laptop or gaming desktop becomes another option. You can spend $2,500 and get more hardware for the money.

There are better ways to spend $2,500.

A $2,500 budget could cover a $500 ROG Ally or another Z1 Extreme-based handheld, while leaving enough money to build a gaming PC and buy a Nintendo Switch. That would cover several gaming needs instead of putting the entire budget into one handheld.

A media center PC is another option. A previous build using around $600 and an RTX 3070 came together well, especially because RAM prices were lower at the time. You can still find an RTX 3070 for around $200, which is close to what you paid for one before. The CPU has become more expensive, with the Core i5-3400 costing more than it realistically should, although it can still be enough for a particular setup.

Paying $2,500 for an MSI Claw that normally costs $1,800, especially when alternatives using the same chip are available for around $1,500, does not make much sense. For anyone interested in the MSI Claw, waiting for another restock is the better move. Paying inflated resale prices now only means spending hundreds of dollars more for a device that could become available again.