Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show is where brands big and small launch some of the most impressive ideas, software and devices, and CES 2024 was no exception. Las Vegas convention halls, hotel suites, and coffee shops are taken over by like-minded individuals who want to showcase the latest and greatest in consumer technology.
By the end of CES, press and guests often rave about some of their favourites from the show floor, and we wanted to round them all up in one place. Best of CES 2024 can mean a few different things. Whether it is something people have never seen before, a fresh take on a previous design, or a product that really stands out among its competitors, there is a reason it is on the list. Without further ado, here are the products we loved at CES 2024.
CGMagazine’s Best of CES 2024
MSI 491CQP QD-OLED Gaming Monitor
MSI blew us away with its new 49-inch QD-OLED curved gaming monitor (MSI MPG 491CQP QD-OLED), which was truly a sight to behold at this year’s CES. Featuring a next-generation quantum dot panel for exceptional colour and contrast, as well as a graphene film and custom heatsink design that enables fanless operation, the MSI MPG 491CQP QD-OLED is a true showstopper of modern display technology. We were also impressed by enhancements such as OLED Care 2.0 to reduce the risk of burn-in and AI gaming features to optimize performance.
With a response time of 0.03ms, a 144Hz refresh rate and VESA True Black 400 certification, this monitor seems poised to deliver an incredibly immersive, smooth gaming experience that will be the envy of all your friends. But the MPG 491CQP isn’t just about stunning visuals. With AI gaming features such as KVM, Night Vision AI and Smart Crosshair, this monitor takes gaming to the next level and gives you the features to stand out from the competition, especially if you want to play at a professional level. The cutting-edge technology and clever engineering earn this gaming beast a spot on our Best of CES 2024 list, and we can’t wait to review it when it hits shelves in Canada in March.
Lenovo ThinkVision 27 3D Monitor
Movie theatres have been trying out 3D for years, making a trip to see one of these films a novelty. For a while, 3D televisions with their own glasses have been sold in stores, still not quite finding their footing. At CES 2024, Lenovo announced the ThinkVision 27 3D Monitor, which is a 27-inch display that boasts a glasses-free 2D and 3D experience. The ThinkVision 27 3D features a built-in 3D engine capable of 3D processing that reduces the computing power necessary in your main device, increasing compatibility.
What puts this 2D/3D monitor on our Best of CES 2024 list is that Lenovo truly put effort into their display. Yes, 3D is still very much new territory that will be fun to play with, but it isn’t a 24/7 experience. Thankfully, the Lenovo ThinkVision 27 3D Monitor includes UHD (3840 x 2160) 4K resolution in 2D mode, so you don’t have to swap to a better quality monitor when you want to get down to regular gaming or work. Truly the best of both worlds.
UGREEN Network Attached Storage DXP480T
The UGREEN Network Attached Storage DXP480T may look like a standard hard drive, but there is so much more than meets the eye. At our CGM offices, we employ a NAS storage system so we can access any of our photos or files from anywhere. However, sometimes, while travelling, accessing our NAS is a slow process, especially over hotel Wi-Fi. This is where the UGREEN DXP480T comes in.
It’s a NAS system that’s size sits at 7×5 inches, meaning you can take it with you on the go. This makes accessing your whole office simple on the go, and it even has AI organization capabilities to Smart Organize your system to top it off. All of this, paired with its SSD storage—compared to most NAS systems with HDD—the ability to add up to four M.2 Solid-State Drives and dual lightning thunderbolt interface, means that you can access your files efficiently and fast from anywhere.
MSI Versa Pro Zero
Pro gamers know that they are only as good as their peripherals. MSI knows that, too. With the new MSI Versa Pro Zero Gaming Mouse, you’re greeted by all the usual “gaming” features, like slick curves, RGBs and ergonomic anti-slip grips. The device allows for wired, Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz connectivity and wireless charging via the MSI Snap Charging base. All pretty standard in a pro gaming mouse.
What really blew us away is that the MSI Versa Pro Zero Gaming Mouse features the world’s first true polling rate of 8000Hz in wired and wireless modes, making it the most accurate MSI mouse to date. This means that the mouse is sending data to your PC or laptop 8000 times every second, so if you ever miss a shot, you know it’s not because of your mouse. A polling rate this huge is big news and lands the MSI Versa Pro Zero Gaming Mouse on our Best of CES 2024 list.
HyperX Alloy Rise Gaming Keyboards
If we are talking peripherals, everyone—gamer or not—needs a good keyboard. What makes a good keyboard really depends on what you’re doing with it. HyperX has put the best into its new Alloy Rise Gaming Keyboards, providing a series of features great for pro and casual users, like HyperX Linear Switches, hot-swap switches, and the ability to save up to 10 profiles to the keyboard.
One of the features that really set the HyperX Alloy Rise Gaming Keyboards apart for us was the Smart Ambient Light Sensor that detects the lighting in the environment and adjusts the RGBs according to your preferences in their NGENUITY software. But the cherry on top is the customization options available for both the Alloy Rise and Alloy Rise 75, which include toolless swappable top plates, badgets and rotary knobs. Allowing gamers to express their style while still delivering a quality device lands the HyperX Alloy Rise Gaming Keyboards on our Best of CES 2024 list.
Yooatom Origin 800
We have had our eyes on the Yooatom Origin 800 for a long time. It is a smart modular power system that showed up on Indigogo and features swappable, stackable power, which is great for so many use cases. The device consists of a Power Hub, Power Stacks and a Power Dock, allowing you to customize your power needs. Pull off a stack to charge your phone, and add it back to the stack to charge it back up when needed. Altogether, the Yooatom Origin 800 provides 800W of power, capable of powering even a PlayStation 5.
The reason the Yooatom Origin 800 modular power system is so interesting to us is its versatility. It can be stacked together for ultimate power. It has swappable pieces that include a lamp, Power Stacks and even a Smart Cup Cooler, which can heat or cool your beverage to your liking. The most common use case would be camping, but at CGM, we believe the Yooatom Origin 800 will be perfect for gaming and content creation, too!
Nanoleaf Skylight
Every gamer is a sucker for RGBs, but Nanoleaf is consistently going above and beyond flashy lights to make Smart Lighting something for everyone. This year, Nanoleaf is on our Best of CES 2024 list for their Skylight modular ceiling light. The starter kit comes with the main panel and expansion panels, and you can purchase as many additional ones as you like, providing ample customization.
What we loved the most about the Nanoleaf Skylight is the ability to switch between a classy light fixture and wild RGBS in a second. One module needs to be hardwired, and the rest can be attached as needed, bringing more than 16M RGB colours to your living room, bedroom or gaming space. With perks like Scenes allowing you to wake up naturally to mimicked sunlight and the Rhythm Music Visualizer bringing your audio to life, Nanoleaf is making your Smart Lights a part of your day.
Thermaltake The Tower 300
We all know that PC builders love to put on a show with their premium builds. It is impressive to see what kind of original ideas can be placed into a standard rectangular case. However, Thermaltake has decided to turn the PC world upside down—almost literally—with their new The Tower 300 PC case. Resembling what I consider a spaceship or even a fish tank, The Tower 300 brings a new design to the PC world, and we love it.
This is a micro-ATX version of their original The Tower series, with a uniquely octagon shape and glass panels providing a gorgeous view inside the case itself. It also delivers two CT14D fans pre-installed and can handle another 8 140mm fans plus up to a 420 AIO radiator. Available in six colours, The Tower 300 can also be set up horizontally for a truly stunning PC build.
JLab JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones
It is hard for headphones to truly impress in 2024. Many features have become standard in audio devices, but what JLab does differently is bring them to us at an incredible price. The JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones boast some great features like Smart Active Noise Cancelling with three modes, a fully customizable EQ via JLab, and 70 hours of playtime with ANC off (40 with ANC on), and they’re doing it all for $79.99.
The Lux headphones also have spatial audio support, Bluetooth Multipoint and Bluetooth LE capabilities. What I loved the most about the JBuds Lux were how incredibly comfortable the Cloud Foam earcups were to wear and the colours available for purchase. With fast charging and a premium feel, the JLab JBuds Lux are a premium product you can pick on a budget.
ViewSonic VG1656N Portable Monitor
Turning CGM into a workplace we can take on the go has been a priority lately. The problem lies in having more than a single monitor workspace while travelling. While we have looked at many portable monitors on the market, they are rarely the ideal dual monitor setup. ViewSonic has solved one of the many issues with these setups: multiple cords.
The ViewSonic VG1656N Portable Monitor can be charged and run without the need for a power cable. That means all you need is a cable to hook it up to your device, and you can take it on the go. The VG1656N is also embedded with Wi-Fi, two USB-C ports and two-way power delivery. This 16-inch monitor has a 1920×1200 resolution and will be available in Q3. We can’t wait to test it out thoroughly and see what kind of battery life to expect from this display.
XREAL Air 2 Ultra AR Glasses
Until my experience with the XREAL Air 2 Ultra, I’d considered the entire AR market a bit of a gimmick and not quite ready for the mainstream. After my appointment, however, I was blown away by the capabilities. Though I can’t quite put my finger on every use case yet, I can say that the technology behind XREAL’s new AR glasses aims to impress.
The Air 2 Ultra glasses allowed me to interact on screen and in my real surroundings. Simple cardboard switches I interacted with on my table would switch me from my calendar to movies. I could bring up what looked like real-life objects on my desk, and I could even scan in my hands to interact with virtual objects, like a light switch, which controlled the lights in the actual room. The images I could see were crisp and clear, and for the first time, I found myself wanting to try something like this at home.
