Rise of the Ronin on MSI Claw A8: Official Settings Explained
A practical explanation of MSI's official Claw A8 profile for Rise of the Ronin, including its FHD target, FSR Performance, Low preset, disabled frame generation, and the evidence still missing for a tested Atlas preset.
Published October 7, 2026Updated October 7, 2026
Category
Performance
Difficulty
Beginner
Reading time
4 min
Published
October 7, 2026
HandheldAtlas guide
Complete walkthrough
MSI publishes a device-specific starting profile for Rise of the Ronin on the Claw A8 BZ2EM. It is useful for getting the PC version running without guessing which major features to disable, but it is not a complete HandheldAtlas tested preset or benchmark.
This guide explains exactly what MSI documents, why each choice helps on a handheld, and what must still be measured before the result can be treated as verified performance data.
The official MSI starting point
For the Claw A8 BZ2EM, MSI lists:
graphics setting: Low;
resolution: FHD;
upscaling: AMD FSR in Performance mode;
display mode: Full Screen;
V-Sync: Off;
frame-rate cap: Off / Uncapped;
frame generation: Off.
MSI labels this configuration “Over 50 FPS.” That phrase is a performance target or observed range, not a traceable average-FPS measurement. The page does not document a benchmark route, run length, number of passes, capture tool, 1% low, or 0.1% low.
1. Update before changing the game
Connect the Claw A8 to power, open MSI Center M, and install updates offered for the exact BZ2EM model. Also update Rise of the Ronin through Steam.
Record the installed graphics driver, BIOS, MSI Center M version, and game version when you test. A result collected before a driver or game update may no longer describe current performance.
2. Apply MSI's major settings first
Open the game's display and graphics menus and reproduce the documented profile:
1choose Full Screen;
2select the mode MSI labels FHD;
3set the overall graphics preset to Low;
4enable AMD FSR and select Performance;
5disable V-Sync;
6disable the frame-rate cap;
7keep frame generation Off.
Do not silently substitute Balanced or Quality upscaling. FSR Performance renders fewer internal pixels than those modes, so changing it materially changes both image quality and GPU load.
MSI does not state the exact pixel dimensions behind “FHD” on this page. The Claw A8 panel is 1920 × 1200, while conventional FHD is 1920 × 1080. Record the actual output resolution shown by the game rather than assuming the label proves one or the other.
3. Understand the frame-generation choice
Frame generation is explicitly Off in MSI's profile. That makes displayed frame rate easier to interpret because generated output frames are not being mixed with rendered frames.
Do not enable frame generation and compare the resulting counter directly with MSI's “Over 50 FPS” label. If you test it separately, record both the rendered rate and frame-generated output, together with latency and image-quality observations.
4. Use uncapped mode only for diagnosis
MSI disables both V-Sync and the frame-rate cap. That is useful for observing the device's performance ceiling and identifying demanding scenes, but it is not automatically the best way to play.
After establishing a baseline, you may test a cap for steadier frame delivery or lower power use. A selected 30, 40, 50, 60, or 120 FPS cap is a target, not evidence that the game sustains that average.
5. Check image quality before raising settings
FSR Performance and the Low preset reduce GPU load, but fine foliage, distant geometry, hair, and motion detail can look softer or less stable. Test a repeatable scene with vegetation, combat, and camera movement.
If the baseline is stable, raise one item at a time. Start with the setting that most improves the visual problem you actually notice. Retest the same scene after each change; changing the entire preset makes it impossible to identify the cost of one option.
6. Record the missing power condition
MSI's game-specific page does not state the Claw A8 power mode or TDP used for its “Over 50 FPS” label. Do not borrow the 17/28/33 W values from MSI's separate product comparison and present one of them as this game's test condition.
A publishable result needs the actual MSI Center M mode or documented TDP used during the Rise of the Ronin run, along with whether the charger was connected.
What is still needed for an Atlas preset or benchmark
Before this configuration becomes a tested preset, capture:
exact Claw A8 BZ2EM variant;
output and internal render resolution;
MSI Center M mode or exact documented TDP;
AC or battery power state;
full list of individual graphics options and overrides;
FSR version and Performance mode;
V-Sync, cap, and frame-generation state;
repeatable test route and run duration;
measured average FPS and preferably 1% low;
matching screenshot, chart, frametime capture, or video evidence.
Until those items exist, this page remains a source-backed setup guide. HandheldAtlas does not convert MSI's “Over 50 FPS” wording into an average, and it does not assign an estimated TDP.
Sources
MSI, “Rise of the Ronin” recommended settings for Claw A8 BZ2EM and Claw 8 EX AI+; checked October 7, 2026:
https://www.msi.com/Handheld/Recommended-For-Claw/game-settings/Rise-of-the-Ronin-A8
KOEI TECMO, PC release announcement and supported PC graphics technologies; published January 27, 2025 and checked October 7, 2026:
https://www.koeitecmoeurope.com/news/koei-tecmos-open-world-action-rpg-rise-of-the-ronin-is-set-to-be-released-on-steam-on-11th-march-2025/
Cover: official Rise of the Ronin image served by MSI from the same settings page, visually checked at 960 × 540. It identifies the correct game and is not benchmark evidence.
