SteamOS now works with Intel handhelds, which could revive a shunned portable

Valve added Intel chipset support to SteamOS in the beta 3.8.7 update, bringing controller compatibility, SD-card reliability fixes and a Bluetooth repair, along with firmware patches for devices such as the Panther Lake G3-based MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. ETA Prime’s video looks at the Claw 8 AI+ with a Lunar Lake chipset, and a Reddit thread by SaperPL shows the beta running on an Intel B580 graphics card.

Right now performance doesn’t match Windows 11 across the board: menu buttons can be mis-mapped and users sometimes need an extra plugin to toggle between 15W, 17W and 30W power profiles. The original MSI Claw A1M struggled at launch—its $799 MSRP and Core Ultra 7 155H required higher wattages to approach Steam Deck OLED performance, while an LCD model was available for around $400 and alternatives like the Asus ROG Ally remained competitive.

The Claw appears discontinued, but the 1TB model is still listed at $749.99 and shows up on Amazon for $719.99, so price drops during sales could change its appeal.

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