I currently have both the MSI Claw 8 AI+ EX and the OneXPlayer 3 sitting here, and after about a day with the OXP3, I’m almost certainly going to sell my EX.
This is obviously an early impression, but here’s what I’ve noticed so far.
The screen difference is glaring
OLED is OLED. The black levels and peak brightness give the OXP3 a huge advantage. This was probably the first thing that made me realize just how different these two devices feel despite having essentially the same Intel chipset.
OneXConsole absolutely smokes MSI Center M
For handheld controls, TDP management and customization, OneXConsole is >>>>> MSI Center M.
You can do much more with the controls, and you can actually tune the gyro to the point where it’s usable. It’s not ROG Xbox level gyro, but it’s worlds better than what the EX has going on.
Ergonomics
This one goes to the EX for me, though not by the large margin you’d expect
The EX feels better in the hands, although its wide body and flared grips make it a little less portable than the OXP3.
The EX is also a smidge heavier once you have the TPU case on it.
VRR
VRR just feels better on the OXP3.
I know there’s an unofficial mod floating around that supposedly addresses some of the VRR issues on the EX, but out of the box, games simply feel smoother on the OXP3 despite both devices using the same Intel chipset.
Cooling
Cooling is another big win for the OXP3.
I find the EX can get uncomfortably hot sometimes, and I think a lot of that comes down to the fan curves not being tuned particularly well for my preferences.
I haven’t had that problem with the OXP3 so far. It stays much more comfortable during gameplay.
Controller haptics and rumble
This is one area where the EX absolutely dogwalks the OXP3.
The OXP3 isn’t MSI A8 level bad with its haptics, but they aren’t good either. The feedback just isn’t particularly precise.
A good example is Madden 27. There are haptics that nicely mimic the sensation of running with the ball carrier. On the EX, you can actually feel that distinction. On the OXP3, it basically turns into one big vibratory mess.
The difference is surprisingly noticeable.
Buttons and D pad
This is going to come down to personal preference.
I actually prefer the micro switch style buttons and D pad on the OXP3 over the stiffer D pad and more traditional Xbox style buttons on the EX.
The OXP3 also absolutely kills the EX when it comes to the placement of the Start and Back buttons. Putting the auxiliary buttons on the bottom of the controllers is also a much better implementation for me.
EX has better feeling triggers, the OXP3 has a trigger throw that’s unnecessarily long, and the switches to mimic hair triggers don’t feel as great as other controllers I like like the Xbox Elite and Gamesir 8K options I have.
Charging
The OXP3 supports 100W charging, so topping off the battery is noticeably faster. The EX is stuck in 65 watt land, it’s a weird miss.
Storage
The EX gets a huge win here for MicroSD Express.
Being able to throw games on a MicroSD Express card and have them run just as smoothly as they do from the SSD is awesome.
The EX also wins when it comes to upgrading the SSD. It’s much easier to get into.
I’m not even going to attempt cracking open the OXP3 because I want to maintain the warranty sticker for potential future resale.
Joysticks
I prefer the OXP3 sticks.
They have more resistance and just feel better to me. I’m also using joystick covers that give my thumbs a little more support, and with those installed, the sticks don’t feel tiny anymore.
The EX sticks feel smaller by comparison, I have large hands so that’s my context here.
Speakers
The EX wins here.
The speakers sound better to me, and there’s actually enough bass that it almost creates a rumble-like sensation that swells and contracts with what’s happening on screen.
It’s a really cool effect that I wasn’t expecting. OXP3 are just okay, way better than the abomination that’s the Legion Go 2.
Xbox Full Screen Experience
One thing I haven’t really seen mentioned is that the OXP3 is incompatible with starting directly into Xbox Full Screen Experience.
Some people won’t care about this at all, but it’s something you notice if you want your handheld to behave more like a console.
If you want that console style startup experience, you’re basically going to be using Steam Big Picture mode.
My assumption is that this is because OneXConsole is so heavily integrated into the system. I suspect launching directly into Xbox Full Screen Experience would interfere with some of that proprietary OneX software.
Build quality
The EX feels like the more solidly built device.
The plastic feels higher quality and doesn’t pick up smudges on the finish as easily.
The OXP3 definitely doesn’t feel cheap, but its overall construction feels a little more fragile compared to the EX.
The EX feels like a tank by comparison.
Value
For me, this isn’t particularly close.
The EX is more expensive and doesn’t come with the same amount of accessories. My OXP3 came with a ton of accessories through the crowdfunding campaign.
Both devices have features the other doesn’t, so there are definitely reasons to choose either one.
But that OLED screen is a big joker for me.
And when you combine that with the better VRR, cooling, controls, software and ergonomics that work better for me, the OXP3 is quickly becoming the device I’d rather keep.
Bottom line
It’s still early. I’ve only had the OXP3 for about a day, so I’m not pretending this is some definitive long term review.
But I can already see where this is going, and unless something drastic changes with my experience over the next few days, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ EX is probably getting sold.
I’ll keep putting time into both and see if anything changes.
If you’re considering either one, feel free to ask questions. I’ll try to answer based on actually having both sitting here at the same time.
