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CES 2024 is drawing to a close, and with AI dominating everything from appliances to go karts this year's show has brought us new tech across all walks of life. We're only interested in the gadgets that are going to change your gaming setup this year, though, and with 4K QD-OLED monitors, super streamlined laptop designs, and even a new handheld to pore over there's plenty on the showfloor for gamers right now.
We're highlighting the absolute best of the best here, the tech we can see making a real difference for everyday gamers. Between MSI, HP, Razer, Alienware, and Asus, the top gaming brands have brought their A-game to Vegas in 2024 - but we're also looking to the worlds of projectors, TVs and even fitness for our CES 2024 digest this year.
MSI Claw
MSI threw a curveball at us at CES this year, a Meteor Lake run gaming handheld. While it may look like the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally (and even shares a startlingly similar screen to the latter), the MSI Claw ditches the AMD internals others have adopted in favor of Intel's Core Ultra 5 or Core Ultra 7 155H and Arc graphics. To keep all these components running smoothly, the Claw also reportedly has a higher max power draw compared to the ROG Ally at 40W. A 53WHr battery is being touted as lasting 50% longer than the market average (translating to two hours in full power mode compared to the Ally and Steam Deck's hour).
The brand debuted their handheld device on the CES showfloor this year, after leaked images hit the web the week before. It still managed to pack a punch, though, and Intel's place in the handheld market could be decided by this 2024 entry. Launch is expected in the first half of the year, but those crucial price numbers haven't yet been announced.
HP Omen Transcend 32 QD-OLED gaming monitor
Some of the best gaming monitors on the market use a QD-OLED panel to help their games shine, and CES 2024 brought a whole new crop of new devices to the showfloor. The headline this year is 4K. With Samsung and Alienware both showing off 4K 240Hz QD-OLED panels this year, it looks like the display tech has hit its ceiling for the moment - but our favorite entry was HP's Omen Transcend 32.
The Omen Transcend 32 packs a serious visual punch with those specs, but the brand also claims it's the first gaming monitor with switchable inputs. That KVM switch functionality means you'll be able to hook up two PCs (or, more likely, a PC and a laptop) and interact with both at the same time.
Not only that, but it's the first OLED gaming monitor with a 140W USB-C power delivery for charging and docking to boot. Throw in an independent cooling solution, two HDMI 2.1 connections, and of course plenty of RGB and HP has come out on top this year.
Razer Blade 16 laptop
We're sticking with display tech for a little while to talk about the Razer Blade 16. Razer brought Samsung into the mix for its 16-inch model this year, in efforts to debut the world's first 240Hz OLED panel on a gaming laptop at CES. The 0.2ms response time, VESA certified DisplayHDR True Black, and Calman certified 100% DCI-P3 make this an impressive display. These were all go-to specs for OLED screens just last year, but with the speed and resolution to keep up with tomorrow's games, this is the first time we're seeing an OLED panel sitting well on a high-end gaming laptop.
The Blade 16 also features Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs all the way up to an RTX 4090 at full 175W power, with Intel's overclockable i9-14900HX at the helm as well. Aside from that screen, then, the Blade 16 has a good shot at being one of the year's best gaming laptops all by itself. And, of course, it all comes in that classic CNC milled unibody chassis.
Asus ROG NUC PC
CES 2024 wasn't a massive year for the gaming PC, as evidenced by the fact that our favorite desktop from the event measures in at just 144 x 112 x 41mm. The Asus ROG NUC is a mini PC that manages to pack big components. There's an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU and Intel Core Ultra i9 processor crammed into this tiny chassis, aiming to offer desktop-level power wherever you choose to place your setup.
There are cheaper configurations available, with either Intel's Arc GPUs or an RTX 4060 on the shelves instead, but even these cheaper models still pack Intel's Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and 32GB DDR5 RAM. Should you wish to take it apart further down the line, Asus has also stated that it's a completely tool-less chassis for easy access when upgrade time comes.
XGIMI Aladdin projector
While they aim to make a big impact on your living room entertainment, the best projectors are the ones that can fade into the background when not in use. That's where the XGIMI Aladdin excels. The projector is cleverly disguised as a ceiling lamp (and also doubles as both lighting and a Bluetooth speaker), designed to sit atop your room.
With a 1080p resolution and short throw 100-inch screen capability, as well as those Harman Kardon speakers, this is a particularly well-rounded affair. On top of that you've got got a few non-traditional uses here. The Aladdin can default to displaying a series of dynamic wallpapers when not in home entertainment use, while also playing interactive children's stories or ambient sounds. The entire operation is voice activated without a remote.
The XGIMI Aladdin is set for release in Japan first of all, hitting the shelves in June this year. Unfortunately there's no information surrounding a worldwide release at the moment.
LG OLED M4 TV
LG debuted its Zero Connect Box on the OLED M3 last year, and CES brought the tech back to the showfloor with the LG OLED M4. The separate box keeps all your consoles and streaming devices plugged in, but wirelessly transmits all their signals to your TV completely removing the need for any ugly cables ruining a clean setup. That's a gift for those wall mounting their screens.
LG pairs its industry leading OLED panel with micro lens array tech here, for a supremely crisp final picture and the full force of a new Alpha 11 processor for additional AI enhancements. The key here, though, is the bump from 120Hz to 144Hz refresh rates.
That, in theory, opens the LG OLED M4 up to PC play (hello Asus ROG NUC). While latencies and response times are going to factor into this experience (and won't keep up with a similarly priced gaming monitor), anyone with a stacked living room setup is going to want to see this. If everything goes to plan, this could be one of the best gaming TVs money can buy by the end of the year.
Alienware M16 R2
Dell has redesigned its Alienware M16 machine this year and the R2 features are much longed for change. There are very few Alienware laptops that can truly be considered portable, and even the cheaper M16 range was far too bulky to realistically throw in a backpack before this year. That was largely due to a particularly wide shelf at the rear of the machine which, while providing additional cooling, extended the footprint of the whole device. That's completely gone for 2024's Alienware M16, leaving us with an almost svelt design that prioritizes quality of life over high-end performance.
That means the M16 R2 has had a 15% reduction in size while still offering some significant power boosts under the hood. That comes from Intel's Ultra H Series processors as well as the boosted 8TB SSD configuration option. Of course, there's a sacrifice to be made here.
In shrinking the M16, Dell has done away with both RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 options for its more affordable model. Instead, you've got the choice between an RTX 4050, 4060 or 4070 GPU. That's not as cut throat as it might seem, though. It opens the M16 up to a more affordable shelf slot, where players are more concerned with buying an all in one machine they can take on the go while also being able to enjoy the latest games.
Wild Card - FitXR Slam Studio
CES wild cards can get wild. But FitXR's Slam Studio feels like it was made for the Vegas showfloor. The mixed reality system uses the Meta Quest 3 to create an interactive fitness experience was showcased for the first time at this year's event. FitXR is well established in the VR workout game, but its latest studio is the first to offer its gamified exercises in mixed reality. It's a sneaky way to meet your fitness goals while reveling in all the dopamine a high score can provide.
In Association with ROG Ally
