MSI Claw handhelds get the Windows 11 'Full Screen Experience' for Xbox and PC gaming

MSI Claw gaming handhelds now have access to the Xbox and gaming-friendly 'Full Screen Experience' that debuted with the ROG Xbox Ally devices.

MSI Claw handhelds get the Windows 11 'Full Screen Experience' for Xbox and PC gaming
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TL;DR: Windows 11's new Full Screen Experience, optimized for handheld gaming devices like the ROG Xbox Ally and now MSI Claw, offers a clean, distraction-free interface that improves performance by minimizing background tasks. It enhances navigation and game speed on portable PCs, though it lacks customization compared to SteamOS. More device support is expected soon.

With the recent release of the ROG Xbox Ally gaming handhelds, we got our first look at Windows 11's 'Full Screen Experience' for Xbox and PC gaming. Designed for controllers and PC gaming handhelds, it's designed to offer a "clean, distraction-free interface for handheld gaming." And now, as part of the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7051, the 'Full Screen Experience' is available for MSI Claw handhelds.

MSI Claw handhelds get the Windows 11 'Full Screen Experience' for Xbox and PC gaming 2
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The MSI Claw gaming handhelds are available in both Intel and AMD form, offering powerful portable gaming on par with the competition. As Windows 11 devices, access to the 'Full Screen Experience' should not only make it easier to navigate settings, apps, and games, but also improve performance as the mode minimizes and stops non-essential background tasks.

Enabling FSE is straightforward and can be found in Windows 11's 'Settings > Gaming' section, where you can select 'Xbox' from the 'Choose home app' drop-down menu. You can also set your handheld to boot straight into the 'Full Screen Experience' on startup. Although rolling out today on YouTube, the gaming handheld-focused creator ETA PRIME was able to test the full-screen Xbox experience on an Intel-powered MSI Claw 8 AI and found it to be a fantastic update.

As seen in the video below, the UI and interface are not only smooth and easy to navigate, but the Windows 11 FSE uses less RAM, and games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5 run faster. It's clearly a step up from standard Windows 11 desktop mode and is more gamer and handheld-friendly. That said, it's not as feature-packed, customizable, or versatile as SteamOS or even Steam's Big Picture Mode, so there's considerable room for improvement. Additionally, accessing hardware settings is dependent on third-party apps, such as MSI Dragon, being integrated into the Xbox Game Bar.

Microsoft notes that the 'Full Screen Experience' for Windows 11 will be coming to additional handhelds in the coming months.