The MSI Claw 8 is a superb handheld out of the box, but three accessories turn it from "great little machine" into a proper do-everything setup. One thing to settle first: there are two Claw 8s, and they take different SSDs - the Claw 8 EX AI+ has an M.2 2280 slot, the earlier Claw 8 AI+ an M.2 2230. The dock and the power bank below fit either. Now, the three: more storage so you're not uninstalling games to fit new ones, a dock so it drives a TV or monitor with a keyboard and mouse, and a big power bank so a long session doesn't end at the wall. Those are the three we'd buy first — a WD_BLACK SN850X SSD, an iVANKY 8-in-1 dock, and an Anker 737 power bank. Skip the gimmicks; these are the upgrades you'll actually use every day.
The logic is simple. The Claw ships with a single drive that a couple of modern games will fill, so storage is the first upgrade almost everyone needs. A dock unlocks a completely different way to play — big screen, real controller or mouse-and-keyboard, wired internet. And because a demanding game can outpace the battery, a high-wattage USB-C power bank keeps you going on the couch or on a flight. Here's the best of each.
Who this comparison is for#
- New MSI Claw 8 owners deciding which accessories are actually worth buying first.
- Players who want to use the Claw at a desk or TV, not just handheld.
- Anyone who's run down the battery mid-session and wants proper portable power.
How we picked#
- Upgrades you'll use daily, not gimmicks. We focused on the three that materially change how you use the Claw — storage, docking and power — over novelty add-ons.
- Handheld-appropriate. The dock had to support the Claw (and other handhelds), and the power bank had to push enough watts over USB-C to actually run the machine, not just trickle-charge it.
- Proven gear. Each pick is from a maker with a solid track record, so you're not gambling on a no-name accessory attached to a machine this expensive.
- Plays nicely together. Storage, dock and power cover the three real gaps without overlap — buy all three and the Claw does everything.
WD_BLACK SN850X SSD — Best Upgrade: Storage#
Storage is the upgrade nearly every Claw owner needs first, and the SN850X is still the easy pick - with one caveat you should know before you click. SanDisk has declared it superseded. The listing's own first line now reads that the product has been replaced by the latest generation and points you at the SanDisk Optimus GX PRO 850X. The SN850X is still sold, still in stock and still the drive most Claw owners will be happiest with, but you are buying a run-out model, not the current flagship. MSI's spec sheet for the Claw 8 EX AI+ (CG3EM) lists one M.2 2280 SSD slot on PCIe Gen4, so you can drop a full-size desktop drive straight in — WD sells the SN850X from 1TB up to 8TB, with sequential reads quoted up to 7,300MB/s on the 1TB-to-4TB models and a 5-year limited warranty.
Check which Claw you own before you buy this drive. The 2280 slot is specific to the Claw 8 EX AI+. The earlier Claw 8 AI+ (A2VM) takes an M.2 2230 drive instead, and a 2280 stick physically will not fit it — both figures come straight from MSI's own Storage Capability line for each model. The dock and the power bank below suit either machine; only the SSD is model-specific.
One more buying note specific to a handheld: get the bare, no-heatsink version, which fits the slot without fouling the chassis. For the full breakdown of drives and how to install one, see our best SSDs for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ comparison — but if you just want the safe pick, this is it.
Key specs#
Type : M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD (buy the no-heatsink version)
Fits : Claw 8 EX AI+ (CG3EM), which has an M.2 2280 slot — NOT the Claw 8 AI+ (A2VM), which is M.2 2230
Why : Adds fast, roomy storage — the first upgrade most owners need
Capacities : 1TB to 8TB (7,300MB/s read on the 1TB-4TB models)
Best for : Ending the "storage full" dance for good
Bottom line. The essential first accessory for a Claw 8 EX AI+. Desktop-class speed and up to 8TB of room in its 2280 slot — just get the bare, no-heatsink version, and check your model first.
iVANKY 8-in-1 Docking Station — Best Upgrade: Docking#
A dock is what turns the Claw into a little desktop, and iVANKY's 8-in-1 is the one we'd pick. It pushes 4K at up to 144Hz over HDMI 2.1 to a monitor or TV, adds Gigabit Ethernet for lag-free online play, three USB-A 3.0 ports for a keyboard, mouse and controller, and a 100W USB-C passthrough so the Claw charges while you play. Plug in once and you've got a full big-screen setup.
It's built for exactly this use — explicitly supporting the MSI Claw alongside the ROG Ally and Steam Deck — so the ports and power all behave as they should. For couch gaming on the TV or a productive desk session with real peripherals, this is the accessory that unlocks it, and it's inexpensive for what it does.
Key specs#
Type : 8-in-1 dock — HDMI 2.1 (4K@144Hz), Gigabit Ethernet, 3x USB-A 3.0, 100W PD
Why : Drives a TV or monitor with wired peripherals and power
Best for : Playing on a big screen or working at a desk
Bottom line. Turns the Claw into a desktop or console: 4K@144Hz, Ethernet, USB ports and 100W passthrough in one cheap, handheld-ready dock.
Anker 737 Power Bank — Best Upgrade: Power#
A demanding game can drain the Claw faster than you'd like, and a phone-sized power bank won't keep up — you need real watts over USB-C. The Anker 737 delivers up to 140W from a 24,000mAh cell - far more headroom than the Claw's own charger asks for, so it keeps the machine running rather than slowly losing ground the way a phone-sized bank does. It's the difference between a long flight or a couch marathon ending when you want it to, and ending when the battery says so.
Anker states it meets airline carry-on requirements. It also fast-charges a laptop, phone or Steam Deck, so it is not a single-purpose buy. If you play away from a wall socket — travelling, in the garden, on the sofa across the room — this is the power accessory that keeps the Claw going.
Key specs#
Type : 24,000mAh USB-C power bank, up to 140W output
Why : Enough wattage to run and charge the Claw during play
Best for : Long sessions away from a wall socket
Bottom line. Real 140W power for the Claw on the go, from a big 24,000mAh bank that also charges your laptop and phone. The pick for playing off the wall.
Which should you buy first?#
Start with storage — the WD_BLACK SN850X is the upgrade almost every Claw owner needs, and it's cheap for the room and speed it adds. Add the iVANKY dock next if you want to play on a TV or work at a desk; it transforms how you use the machine for very little money. And grab the Anker 737 if you play away from a socket and want sessions to last as long as you do.
Buy all three and the Claw genuinely does everything — a big-screen console, a desktop, and a go-anywhere handheld that doesn't die mid-game. If you only get one to begin with, make it the SSD; it's the upgrade you'll feel every single day. For the deeper storage breakdown, our Claw 8 EX SSD comparison has the full rundown.
FAQ#
What's the most important MSI Claw accessory to buy first? : Storage. The Claw ships with a single drive that fills quickly, so a bigger drive is the upgrade nearly everyone needs first — and the one you'll notice most, every time you install a game. Match the form factor to your model: the Claw 8 EX AI+ takes M.2 2280, the earlier Claw 8 AI+ takes M.2 2230.
Will the iVANKY dock work with the MSI Claw? : Yes — it's designed for handhelds including the MSI Claw, ROG Ally and Steam Deck. It outputs 4K up to 144Hz over HDMI 2.1, adds Ethernet and USB ports, and passes through up to 100W so the Claw charges while docked.
Can a power bank actually run the Claw while I play? : Yes, if it pushes enough wattage. The Anker 737 outputs up to 140W over USB-C, which is enough to power and charge the Claw during play, unlike small phone banks that only trickle-charge. It's the right kind of power for a gaming handheld.
Do I need the no-heatsink version of the SSD? : For the handheld, yes. A tall SSD heatsink won't clear the Claw's chassis, so buy the bare version. The Claw's own cooling handles the drive. Our dedicated Claw SSD comparison covers this in detail.
Is it worth docking a handheld instead of just playing handheld? : If you ever want a big screen, wired internet, or a real keyboard and mouse, yes. A dock lets the Claw double as a desktop or a living-room console for the price of a cheap accessory, without changing anything about handheld play.