CES 2024: All the Coolest (and Weirdest) Gaming Hardware We’ve Seen
When you start gaming, you likely won’t just buy the necessary hardware like graphics cards and mice with extra buttons. Before you know it, you’ll be Googling gaming chairs, headsets, and backlit keyboards. CES 2024 took things to the next level, introducing a wide range of innovative gaming technologies, some of which are really cool and some of which are a little… quirky.
Haptic feedback cushions for your gaming chair
The coolest product concept from Razer CES is a haptic feedback cushion for your gaming chair. Dubbed Project Esther , this bulky rear body pillow features 16 haptic sensors that perfectly fit your back, butt, and thighs. When you play games, you get vibrations in different regions depending on what’s happening in the game. On the one hand, this makes sense: haptic feedback through handheld controllers can greatly improve the gaming experience, but when that feedback is directed at the back of the body, it’s a bit of an odd twist.
A PDA that runs old Sega cartridges.
If you’re a collector with Sega Mega Drive and Genesis cartridges lying around, you can play these games on Hyperkin’s new portable called the Mega 95. It has a 5-inch display that can easily be switched between 4:3 and 16 aspect ratios: 9 aspect ratio. There is no information on pricing or availability at this time.
Competitor to MSI’s Steam Deck.
The release of the Steam Deck started a wave of handheld gaming consoles for PC gaming. We’ve already seen the Asus ROG Ally and now the MSI Claw , the first gaming laptop to feature an Intel Core Ultra chip. Like the ROG Ally, the MSI Claw also runs on Windows 11. The Claw has a pair of macro keys that will allow you to trigger multiple pre-programmed actions with the press of a button. According to MSI, the console will cost between $699 and $799 and will go on sale in the first half of 2024.
Powerful gaming computer in a small size
When you think of gaming PCs, you probably imagine a tall case with a clear glass panel and enough RGB lighting to brighten up the room. ASUS wants you to get back to that vision with the ROG NUC , which is tiny. The machine weighs just 1.76 lbs (800 g) and when upright is only 1.6 inches wide and 5.6 inches tall.
It doesn’t sacrifice power either, as you can choose between Intel Core Ultra 7 or Core Ultra 9 processors, all the way up to Nvidia RTX 4070 GPUs and 64GB of RAM. The machine also has four PCIe SSD slots. There’s no word on pricing or availability at this time, but it will be interesting to see what’s in the final build of this machine. NUCs are notorious for not coming with storage, and airflow is also an issue with tiny cases, but they mostly get the job done. I’ve used the NUC exclusively to play Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition , and so far it hasn’t disappointed.
Stylish keyboard with RGB backlighting.
Hyte Keeb TKL is an RGB backlit keyboard with dedicated multimedia keys. It looks cool and has padded keys that should feel better to press than a typical clicky keyboard. It has a couple of cool magnetic rollers above the media keys that you can program and use during gameplay – to switch inventory items, switch weapons, etc. The Keeb TKL is priced at $179.99 and starts shipping February 15, 2024 .
A throwback to old-school Xbox controllers
The original Duke controller for Xbox is legendary. It was massive and unergonomic, but it still has fans. Eventually, the Duke was replaced by the Xbox Controller S, and now Hyperkin has recreated the controller for your modern gaming devices. This new controller is called Hyperkin DuchesS. This product is currently in development, so the final version may change significantly, but we know it will work with Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows 10 or 11 gaming PCs.
Similar Rubik’s cube for games.
WowCube looks and functions like a Rubik’s Cube, but has four screens on each side. You can rotate these screens, tilt your device, and touch the screens to play games. With access to an app store to download games and on-screen widgets, it can be a fun little gadget. However, in practice this is not suitable for everyone. Lifehacker senior technology editor Jake Peterson tried out the WowCube at CES and wasn’t impressed. The device will cost $699 and will go on sale in the first quarter of 2024.