Attendance at CES 2022 was down on pre-pandemic levels, with fewer exhibitors too. But the event still revealed several exciting developments and products.
There's a lot to look forward to, with plenty of new tech from established PC makers on the way. Here's a list of the top five items announced at CES 2022 that had gamers most excited.
1. New Discrete Desktop Graphics Cards From Nvidia
Nvidia currently has a robust line-up of desktop graphics cards, from the entry-level RTX 3060 to the top-end RTX 3090. Despite that, there's still a shortage of available chips, making even the lowest model, the 3060, out of reach for most consumers.
For this reason, the company decided to launch a more affordable substitute: the RTX 3050. Although it was only available for laptops at first, having the GPU as an option for desktop gamers allows them to get a more affordable 2nd-generation RTX video card. It's expected to be available at $249—that is if scalpers and miners don't get to them first.
On the other end of the spectrum, the new 3090 Ti will delight users who demand more power from the RTX 3090. Although this higher-specced version still has 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM, it also has:
- two more GPU cores
- two more RT cores
- eight more Tensor cores
- 256 more CUDA cores
The Ti has higher base and boost clock speeds and 100 more watts TDP. This means you can push this card to the limit, and these specifications make it arguably the most powerful available in the consumer sector.
Reviewers are keen to get hold of these cards to test their real-world capabilities and compare them to existing RTX 3000-series chips.
2. More Powerful and Efficient Laptop Graphics Cards From Nvidia
Nvidia announced two more items during their CES 2022 presentation—the RTX 3070 Ti and RTX 3080 Ti for laptops. These graphics cards offer high-end and upper mid-range GPU power to laptops and portable devices. They also reintroduced the MaxQ technology, allowing for more efficient GPUs and longer battery life.
The 3080 Ti features 16GB GDDR6 memory, allowing it to run at greater than 120 FPS at 1440p and Ultra settings. The Alienware X15 features this GPU and should retail at $2,499.
Those who don't want to drop that kind of money on a laptop but still want a high-performing GPU can opt for the 3070 Ti. This card will apparently drive at 100FPS at both 1440p and Ultra settings. It should retail at $1,499 with the MSI GS77.
The company also released several Studio laptops designed for creators and 3D design. Nvidia claims these run up to seven times faster than the most powerful M1 MacBook Pros when rendering 3D spaces.
3. New Ryzen and Radeon Chips From AMD
AMD is releasing new technologies in both the CPU and GPU spaces. The company announced it's releasing the latest Ryzen 6000-series chip for laptops. Based on TSMC's 6nm technology, these new chips will go head-to-head against Intel's 12th-gen 7nm Alder Lake chips.
They also released eight laptop and two desktop GPUs under the Radeon RX 6000 series. These new laptop graphics cards should deliver more power for less energy. And they're lighter than their predecessors too.
AMD also made the two new desktop GPUs to help address the graphics card shortage and affordability. The two desktop GPUs are the Radeon RX 6500 XT, a mid-range GPU with a $199 price point, and the Radeon RX 6400, an entry-level card available in prebuilt systems only.
4. Intel Releases a Ton of Processors
Intel made one of the most significant announcements of CES 2022. It released 28 mobile chips and 22 desktop chips during the event, basically the complete 12th-gen Alder Lake line. The launch equates to over 300 unique laptop designs, ensuring that it's offering something for every kind of consumer.
The company is offering three different lines for the laptop segment. There's the H-series, with a minimum 45-watt TDP for enthusiasts. You also get the P-series, designed for performance, with a 28-watt capacity. Finally, the U-series, for modern thin & light devices with either a 15-watt or 9-watt TDP.
Desktop users also receive more affordable variants of the 12th-gen Alder Lake chips. They come in at 65 and 35 watts but still deliver better power, performance, and efficiency than the previous generation processor.
With the entire Alder Lake series now released, users now have the option to choose between i9, i7, i5, i3, Pentium, and Celeron processors from Intel.
5. The Biggest Curved Gaming Monitor Ever
Samsung just introduced the 55-inch 1000R curved gaming monitor called the Odyssey Ark. This is even larger than the already humongous G9, and it features a 4K resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio. Its Quantum Mini LED screen offers excellent brightness and picture quality. It also delivers a 165Hz refresh rate, ideal for gamers who want a gigantic screen real estate.
But the best new feature this monitor offers is the ability to rotate it 90 degrees. This movement doesn't just put the display on its side. Instead, it adjusts the monitor's angle, so that side near your desk stands almost upright while the upper part of the display curves over your head. The immersive design is equal to approximately three 32-inch monitors stacked together.
It also has a wireless remote to manage its light settings and access the monitor interface. This wireless controller is helpful, so you don't have to reach up high to change its settings.
Gamers Are the Biggest Winners
Whether you're going all out on the most expensive gaming rig money can buy, or saving up every penny for a basic gaming PC, there's something for you from CES 2022.
This year is bringing plenty of hardware options to every gamer. Let's just hope that the chip shortage fixes itself soon. Nobody wants scalpers jacking prices up at the expense of the everyday consumer.