The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ ships with a 1TB drive, and if you install a couple of modern games you'll be staring at a "storage full" warning within a week. The good news: this is the first Claw that takes a full-size M.2 2280 SSD — the same drives that go in a desktop or a Steam Machine — so the upgrade is cheap, easy and gives you desktop-class speed. The two rules that matter are to buy the right length and the bare, no-heatsink version. Our picks are the drives that nail both: the WD_BLACK SN850X (best overall), the Samsung 990 Pro (best alternative) and the Crucial T500 (best value).
Two things to get right before you buy. First, length: the new Claw 8 EX AI+ uses the 80mm 2280 size, a change from the older Claw 8 AI+, which used the shorter 30mm 2230 — so if you actually have the previous model, see our best M.2 2230 SSDs for handhelds guide instead. Second, no heatsink: buy the bare version of each drive, not the one with a tall gaming heatsink, which won't clear the handheld's chassis. Get those two right and any drive below fits.
Who this comparison is for#
- Claw 8 EX AI+ owners who've run out of room and want to swap the internal SSD for something bigger and fast.
- Upgraders who want desktop-class Gen4 speed now that the Claw takes a full 2280 drive.
- Anyone who's unsure whether they need the 2280 or the older 2230 size, or which "with/without heatsink" version to buy.
How we picked#
- 2280, bare, PCIe 4.0. Every pick is a full-size M.2 2280 Gen4 drive in its no-heatsink form, which is what fits the Claw 8 EX AI+. The handheld's own cooling handles the drive; a tall aftermarket heatsink just gets in the way.
- Proven, high-endurance drives. These are the same top-tier drives we recommend for a gaming PC — mature controllers, strong sustained write and long warranties — so your game library is on storage you can trust.
- Speed you'll actually feel. All three post 7,000+ MB/s reads, which cuts install times and load screens versus the stock drive. For the deep head-to-head, see our SN850X vs 990 Pro vs T500 comparison.
- Right capacities. We focused on 2TB, the sweet spot for a handheld game library, with 1TB and 4TB available if you want to spend less or never think about space again.
Product 1 — WD_BLACK SN850X (Best Overall)#
The SN850X is our default pick for the Claw 8 EX AI+ because it's the drive that does everything right: PCIe 4.0 speeds up to about 7,300 MB/s, excellent sustained performance for big installs, and WD_BLACK's proven reliability with a five-year warranty. Buy the bare (no-heatsink) version — it drops straight into the Claw's 2280 slot and lets the handheld's own cooling do its job.
It comes in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB, so you can size it to your library; 2TB is the sweet spot for most people. This is the same drive we recommend as the top pick for a gaming PC and for the Steam Machine, and it's just as good here — a no-drama, buy-it-and-forget-it upgrade that makes the stock storage feel small.
Key specs#
Interface : M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0 x4 (buy the no-heatsink version)
Rated read : Up to ~7,300 MB/s
Capacities : 1TB / 2TB / 4TB
Warranty : 5-year limited
Best for : The proven best all-round upgrade
Bottom line. Fast, reliable, well-warrantied and available up to 4TB. The default best-overall SSD for the Claw 8 EX AI+ — just get the bare, no-heatsink version.
Product 2 — Samsung 990 Pro (Best Alternative)#
If you'd rather go Samsung, the 990 Pro is every bit the SN850X's equal and often the fastest of the three on paper, with reads up to around 7,450 MB/s and Samsung's excellent controller and flash. It's a benchmark favourite for good reason, and it's a superb fit for the Claw once you pick the version without the heatsink so it clears the chassis.
The trade-off is usually price — the 990 Pro often costs a little more than the SN850X for similar real-world results in a handheld, where you won't always saturate the drive anyway. If you prefer Samsung's ecosystem and software (Magician for health and firmware), it's an easy, excellent choice; otherwise the SN850X gets you the same experience for a touch less.
Key specs#
Interface : M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0 x4 (buy the non-heatsink version)
Rated read : Up to ~7,450 MB/s
Capacities : 1TB / 2TB / 4TB
Warranty : 5-year limited
Best for : Samsung fans who want top-tier speed
Bottom line. As fast as it gets in Gen4, with Samsung's polish and software. A little pricier than our top pick for much the same result — pick it if you prefer Samsung.
Product 3 — Crucial T500 (Best Value)#
The T500 is the value play, and it gives up very little to do it. It's a PCIe 4.0 drive with reads around 7,400 MB/s — right there with the other two — usually at a lower price, which makes it the smart pick if you want maximum capacity for your money. As with the others, choose the bare version for the Claw's 2280 slot.
In a handheld, where sequential speed is rarely the bottleneck, the T500 delivers effectively the same day-to-day experience as the premium drives for less cash. If your goal is the most storage per dollar without dropping to a no-name drive, this is the one to buy.
Key specs#
Interface : M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0 x4 (buy the no-heatsink version)
Rated read : Up to ~7,400 MB/s
Capacities : 1TB / 2TB
Warranty : 5-year limited
Best for : The most capacity per dollar
Bottom line. Nearly the same speed as the premium picks for less money. The value choice when you want a big, fast drive without paying the flagship premium.
Which one should you buy?#
For most people the WD_BLACK SN850X is the right call — it's fast, proven, warrantied for five years, and comes in up to 4TB. Choose the Samsung 990 Pro if you prefer Samsung and want the highest paper speed, and the Crucial T500 if you want the best price for near-identical real-world performance. All three are the same drives we'd put in a desktop; the Claw 8 EX AI+ taking full 2280 storage is what makes that possible.
Whatever you pick, remember the two rules: it must be 2280 (the Claw 8 EX AI+ size — not the 2230 the older Claw 8 AI+ used), and buy the bare, no-heatsink version so it fits. Same drive family as our Steam Machine SSD guide, just make sure you're getting the length and heatsink right for a handheld.
FAQ#
What size SSD does the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ take? : A full-size M.2 2280 (80mm) NVMe drive. This is a change from the older Claw 8 AI+, which used the shorter M.2 2230 — so if you have the previous model, you need a 2230 drive instead. Always buy the bare, no-heatsink version for the handheld.
Why buy the version without a heatsink? : A handheld has very little internal clearance, and the tall gaming heatsinks on some SSDs won't fit. The Claw's own cooling manages the drive fine, so the bare (no-heatsink) version is the correct choice — the heatsink model is for desktops.
Will these drives work in a desktop or Steam Machine too? : Yes. These are standard M.2 2280 Gen4 drives — the same ones we recommend for a gaming PC and the Steam Machine. The only handheld-specific advice is to buy the no-heatsink version.
How much speed will I actually gain over the stock drive? : All three read at 7,000+ MB/s, so installs and load screens are quicker than the stock storage. In a handheld you won't always hit peak sequential speed, but you'll still notice faster installs and more responsive loading — plus a lot more room.
Do I need to reinstall Windows after swapping the SSD? : Yes — the new drive is blank, so you'll reinstall Windows (or clone your existing drive first). Back up your saves and game settings, and expect the fresh install to take under an hour before you're re-downloading your library.