Best of CES 2022
The most important gaming gear from CES 2022
From AMD and Nvidia GPUs to 12th Gen Intel chips to ridiculously cool monitors, CES 2022 put an impressive show for gamers.
CES 2022 technically isn't a video game show, but there were plenty of announcements from the big tech event that gamers should care about, from new GPUs to fancy new devices that nobody needs. (Except maybe you, right?)
While there were many “concepts” and “projects” and teases of hardware yet to come, there were actually some major developments unveiled that will be hitting store shelves as soon as the supply chain allows.
Nvidia unveils the new top-of-the-line RTX 3090 Ti…
It wouldn't be a consumer electronics show without Nvidia showing off the next sublime GPU that you know you can't afford, and the RTX 3090 Ti fits this year's bill. (And even if you can fork out the cash for it, good luck getting your hands on one before the botnets do.) Helpfully described by presenter Jeff Fisher as a "monster," it's almost certain that the 3090 Ti will be able to crush any bit or byte-based challenge you put in front of it. We still don't know how much it costs, but given that the RTX 3090 retails for $1,499, you should probably expect to part with $2,000 or more for the privilege of owning one. We still don't know when it's coming out, either.
… as well as the budget RTX 3050 for you peasants out there.
The majesty of RTX gaming simply isn't financially feasible for a large number of PC owners, but the RTX 3050 might help push things in the right direction. Nvidia showed off some numbers that emphasize just how much the RTX 3050 eats the lunch of current budget offerings like the aging GTX 1650. It's unclear how effective this card's ray tracing will be compared to its big brothers, but if you need a new GPU at a pretty competitive price point, the 3050 will serve you well. You might need to do some Discord strategizing to get one, though. It's coming in late January.
AMD shows off new Ryzen 6000 mobile processors…
For those of you out there who just have to play Doom 2016 on the subway — curious onlookers be damned — red team AMD revealed some hot new processors that will soon come to its gaming laptops. According to the announcement, the Ryzen 6000 chips can deliver double the performance of the company's 5000 chips, and they also support hardware ray-tracing in the form of RDNA 2. Not sure you'll want to put your laptop through that sort of heat test, but it's an option. Those gaming laptops will roll out in February if you're so inclined.
… and a cheaper 1080p-friendly GPU than Nvidia, the RX 6500 XT.
The demand for graphics cards has outstripped the supply for several years now, and AMD's new budget-friendly RX 6500 XT GPU will hopefully help alleviate that somewhat. As with Nvidia's comparable 3050 RTX, it delivers significantly better performance than the aging GTX 1650, but it's still very much a 1080p-oriented card. (4Kers need not apply.) The 6500 XT will be somewhat cheaper than Nvidia's card at $199, but don't be surprised if manufacturers start selling them for a little more. Look for these in late January.
Samsung unveiled a 4K 240Hz curved gaming monitor that'll break the bank…
It wouldn't be CES without some truly impressive (and/or goofy) device reveals, and Samsung's Odyssey Neo G8 is one that might actually be worth the hype. Samsung claims that the 32-inch curved monitor is the first 4K 240Hz monitor with a 1ms response time, which would be a mean feat indeed. Unfortunately, the screen is likely to cost at least $2,000, proving once again that if your friend has a curved screen of any kind, they're probably a class traitor.
… and a 55-inch vertical monitor straight out of science fiction.
While your rich buddy might be able to afford the Neo G8, only the truly eccentric will want the Odyssey Ark. It's a curved 55-inch 16:9 monitor that can be turned vertically for maximum productivity (and swag). Described by Samsung as a "cockpit-style display," I'm not sure who exactly will shell out the tremendous amount of money that this monitor will cost, but it'll definitely make an impression on your coworkers. We're not sure when it'll go on sale, either.
Intel's 1th Gen Core chips make waves
As usual, Intel's new generation of graphics chips is hugely important to the immediate future of PC gaming, and its new 12th Gen Core (codenamed Alder Lake) architecture applies to both desktop and mobile processors. You're likely to see these chips in any gaming laptop you buy in the coming months (see best laptops from CES 2022, many with 12th Gen Intel chips), and the desktop processors are already available in small quantities. Intel also showed off the Core i9 12900KS, which can push a single core to 5.5GHz, which is crazy fast, scientifically speaking. Given that most processors have 8 or 16 cores these days, it's probably not that much of a jump, but it is interesting.
And Razer's got a gaming chair that'll make you feel the action.
Gaming chairs are usually more flash than substance, but Razer's new Enki Pro Hypersense at least brings some interesting innovations to the table. According to the announcement, it'll include haptics from D-Box, the company that makes those "4D" experiences you last experienced at your local Six Flags. The chair will apparently support more than 2,200 "games, movies, and music titles" with 65,000 possible haptic motions. It's an interesting idea, but we'll have to see if you really want to pay a lot of money to feel the big guy hit you with his two-handed maul in Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
