The LTX Event has returned in its annual two-day form in beautiful Vancouver after the COVID break. With blistering temperatures outside, it was great to see the turnout and having it come out of the four-year pause that the pandemic demanded. Compared to 2019, where there was a handful of brands, and the 2023 location has moved slightly, from the older Canada Place convention center, to its newer, adjacent building. At roughly USD $40 for a visitor's day pass, one could argue that it isn't even that cheap, but even so upon arriving there on Saturday, there was a line running along the entire length of the building for visitors to enter with a pre-purchased pass in hand.Just like in 2019, the event is propped up around several core pillars. There are interactive events like a case toss competition, live stage shows with various topics, a LAN party section, as well as an ever greater mix of brands to allow excited end-users to get an up close look at featured products and even try them out. The entire event also provides brands the ability to sponsor various sections, while others have focused on booth space for exposure and interactivity.

ASUS, one of the biggest presences at this year's LTX, took the opportunity to show off their whole Evangelion branded line to the public. It was great to see the GPU, PSU, AIO, peripherals, motherboard and case all at the same time, which shows the level of detail ASUS has gone to, to provide fans of the IP all the components needed to build a perfect, themed build.Fractal Design had another larger space, right by the entrance where they were demonstrating overclocking using LN2 alongside showcasing their latest cases in a living room environment. We talked to them and they explained, that the objective was to demonstrate that their designs are suited both for gamers while also blending nicely into a living room space. While we have covered their ITX case release at Computex already, it was also one one of the products present here for end-users to take a look at.EKWB was also present, not only to show their liquid cooling setup, but also their new racing simulator. While it may not look that massive in press shots, it certainly is. Even so, EKWB has designed it, so that it should fit nicely into a modern space and provides clean, integrated looks for the chair, control, monitor and system.While amaran does not ring a bell, they do provide some unique ARGB enabled products that could really add that special touch to a streamer's setup or even those working with still images. This ranges from USB-C powered ARGB lights in three sizes, which have a smart component so you may control them via an app, or the larger studio lights—their amaran 300c coupled with the LightDome mini SE.Framework was also present showing off their Framework Laptop 16, which is currently in the pre-order stage. Seeing it in person was great, especially as there are some unique modules which can be attached. Additionally, Framework demonstrated a partnership with Cooler Master, resulting in the creation of a custom enclosure for their motherboard. This enclosure allows for a compact and portable unit powered by USB-C, equipped with the capability to connect a monitor and various peripherals, among other features.There were numerous brands taking advantage of the large target audience to show their current line-up. HYTE was one of these brands, with their signature yellow look, allowing end-users to get a closer look at the product and connect with the people behind the brand as well.Last but certainly not least, we also found brands like InWin with a selection of cases, MSI & Intel partnered to present the latest mobile solutions, NVIDIA and Sony each with hands-on gaming setups. Spectre was showing off their gaming monitors, Star Base displayed their fully branded gaming system and Nexigo brought their 4K UST Aurora Pro and had it up and running in a home theater setup. The main takeaway was, that they all took the opportunity to interact with the crowd in their own spaces. Regardless of brand, all of these locations where well visited and offered some sort of interactivity to engage with the visitors of LTX.

After visiting for just day, it looks like LTX is shaping up to become a large and influential North American event, if it keeps its current trajectory of growth. Not only has it increased noticeably in size since compared to the last 2019 iteration, but the general production quality has increased as well. Regardless, it has something to offer for day-time visitors or LAN party participants, and there is plenty to explore and experience. With other events like E3 struggling to make a comeback after the pandemic, LTX has the benefit of a beautiful and central location within Vancouver, as well as the reach needed to grow beyond the core enthusiast market. In the future, the show could go beyond hardware and include game publishers, both growing in size and broadening its target audience.