Storage Performance

We tested storage using CrystalDiskMark at default NVMe Settings.


The Micron 2500 is more than a decent performer. While not as speedy as the Kioxia BG6 found in the original Claw 8, it managed to achieve a very solid result despite packing QLC NAND. If these were normal times, we'd have issues with a device as expensive as the Claw 8 EX featuring a DRAM-less QLC SSD, but considering the situation in the storage market, the included SSD is fine.

SD Card Slot Performance

As we've already said, the MSI Claw 8 EX packs a microSD Express card slot that's compatible with regular microSD cards. We would love to have a microSD Express card on hand to test the card slot's full potential, but with current storage prices and microSD Express cards being among the products most heavily affected by the memory and storage shortages (or, better yet, the AI industry's rapacious appetite for storage and memory), we couldn't procure one for this review.

That said, our Samsung Pro Plus has finally found a card reader that can unlock its full potential, with read and write speeds that greatly exceed those of all other handhelds we've tested so far.