Intel is expected to debut its next-generation Arc "Battlemage" discrete GPU in December 2024, or ahead of the 2025 CES, HotHardware reports, citing Golden Pig Upgrade, a reliable source with GPU leaks. The source says that they expect "wonderful performance" for the GPU. Intel has a lot invested in its PC graphics division, across not just its two-year-old Arc "Alchemist" discrete GPUs, but also the integrated graphics solutions it's been launching with its Core Ultra processor generations. It debuted the DirectX 12 Ultimate-capable Xe-LPG graphics architecture with Core Ultra "Meteor Lake" and Arc Graphics branding, which it carried forward to the Core Ultra Series 200 "Arrow Lake" on the desktop platform. Meanwhile, "Battlemage" got debuted as the iGPU of the Core Ultra 200V series "Lunar Lake" mobile processor, which posted gaming performance beating that of the Ryzen 8000 "Hawk Point" processor, but falling short of the Ryzen AI 300 series "Strix Point."

Intel is expected to tap into a fairly new foundry node for the Arc "Battlemage" discrete GPU series. Its chips could strike a performance/Watt and performance/price inflection point in the performance segment, that drives the most volumes for NVIDIA and AMD. It is this exact segment that AMD has withdrawn from the enthusiast segment to focus on, with its next-generation Radeon RDNA 4 generation. With "Alchemist," Intel already laid a strong foundation for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI, and the company is only expected to advance on these fronts further. Could "Battlemage" and "Granite Rapids" go down as the most exciting products from Intel in 2024? We should find out next month.

The first quarter of 2025 (January thru March) will see back-to-back launches of next-generation GeForce RTX 50-series "Blackwell" graphics card, according to the latest rumors. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang is confirmed to take center stage for the 2025 International CES keynote address, where he is widely expected to kick off the GeForce "Blackwell" gaming GPU generation. CES is expected to see NVIDIA launch its flagship GeForce RTX 5090 (RTX 4090-successor SKU), and its next-best part, the GeForce RTX 5080 (RTX 4080 successor).

February 2025 is expected to see the company debut the RTX 5070, and possibly the RTX 5070 Ti, if there is such a SKU. The RTX 5070 succeeds a long line of extremely successful SKUs that tended to sell in large volumes. Perhaps the most important launches of the generation will come in March 2025, when the company is expected to debut the RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti, which succeed the current RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti, respectively. The xx60 tier tends to be the bestselling class of gaming GPUs in any generation. In all, it's expected that NVIDIA will release six new SKUs within Q1, and you can expect over a hundred graphics card reviews from TechPowerUp in Q1.

NVIDIA is gearing up for an exciting showcase at CES 2025, where its CEO, Jensen Huang, will take the stage and talk about, hopefully, future "Blackwell" products. According to Wccftech's sources, the anticipated GeForce RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 graphics cards should arrive at CES 2025 in January. The flagship RTX 5090 is rumored to come equipped with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory running at 28 Gbps. Meanwhile, the RTX 5080 looks very interesting with reports of its impressive 16 GB of GDDR7 memory running at 32 Gbps. This advancement comes after we previously believed that the RTX 5080 model is going to feature 28 Gbps GDDR7 memory. However, the newest rumors suggest that we are in for a surprise, as the massive gap between RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 compute cores will be filled... with a faster memory.

The more budget-friendly RTX 5070 is also set for a CES debut, featuring 12 GB of memory. This card aims to deliver solid performance for gamers who want high-quality graphics without breaking the bank, targeting the mid-range segment. We are very curious about pricing of these models and how they would fit in the current market. As anticipation builds for CES 2025, we are eager to see how these innovations will impact gaming experiences and creative workflows in the coming year. Stay tuned for more updates as the event approaches!

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang will be leading the keynote address at the coveted 2025 International CES in Las Vegas, which opens on January 7. The keynote address is slated for January 6, 6:30 am PT. There is of course no word from NVIDIA on what to expect, but we have some fairly easy guesswork. NVIDIA's refresh of the GeForce RTX product stack is due, and the company is expected to either debut or expand its next-generation GeForce RTX 50-series "Blackwell" gaming GPU stack, bringing in generational improvements in performance and performance-per-Watt, besides new technology.

The company could also make more announcements related to its "Blackwell" AI GPU lineup, which is expected to ramp through 2025, succeeding the current "Hopper" H100 and H200 series. The company could also tease "Rubin," which it referenced recently at GTC in May, "Rubin" succeeds "Blackwell," and will debut as an AI GPU toward the end of 2025, with a 2026 ramp toward customers. It's unclear if NVIDIA will make gaming GPUs on "Rubin," since GeForce RTX generations tend to have a 2-year cadence, and there was no gaming GPU based on "Hopper."

NVIDIA is on the brink of finalizing its next-generation "Blackwell" graphics cards, the GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080. Sources close to BenchLife indicate that NVIDIA is targeting September for the official design specification finalization of both models. This timeline hints at a possible unveiling at CES 2025, with a market release shortly after. The RTX 5090 is rumored to boast a staggering 550 W TGP, a significant 22% increase from its predecessor, the RTX 4090. Meanwhile, the RTX 5080 is expected to draw 350 W, a more modest 9.3% bump from the current RTX 4080. Interestingly, NVIDIA appears to be developing "D" variants for both cards, which are likely tailored for the Chinese market to comply with export regulations.

Regarding raw power, the RTX 5090 is speculated to feature 24,576 CUDA cores paired with 512-bit GDDR7 memory. The RTX 5080, while less mighty, is still expected to pack a punch with 10,752 CUDA cores and 256-bit GDDR7 memory. As NVIDIA prepares to launch these powerhouses, rumors suggest the RTX 4090D may be discontinued by December 2024, paving the way for its successor. We are curious to see how the power consumption is handled and if these cards are packed efficiently within the higher power envelope. Some rumors indicate that the RTX 5090 could reach 600 watts at its peak, while RTX 5080 reaches 400 watts. However, that is just a rumor for now. As always, until NVIDIA makes an official announcement, these details should be taken with a grain of salt.

AMD's upcoming Ryzen 9000X3D series of processors with 3D V-Cache have been reportedly scheduled to arrive in January 2025 and should make a debut at the CES event, a few months later than initially expected. While disappointing for eager enthusiasts, the delay could signify that AMD is taking extra precautions to ensure a smooth launch and deliver a product that meets the high-performance standards set by its previous 3D V-Cache offerings. Delaying the new product launch could also be a strategic move by AMD to avoid potential supply chain issues or to align the launch with other product announcements.

We previously reported that the series will maintain the same cache size configurations as the last generation with 3D V-Cache, and it will just be an upgrade to up the performance of the new Zen 5 design. The launch of the 9000X3D series follows a smaller six-month gap from the regular Ryzen 9000 series, where the previous Ryzen 7000X3D and 5000X3D followed seven and seventeen months after the launch of their regular SKUs, respectively.

RTX Video HDR—first announced at CES—is now available for download through the January Studio Driver. It uses AI to transform standard dynamic range video playing in internet browsers into stunning high dynamic range (HDR) on HDR10 displays. PC game modders now have a powerful new set of tools to use with the release of the NVIDIA RTX Remix open beta. It features full ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex, modern physically based rendering assets and generative AI texture tools so modders can remaster games more efficiently than ever. Pick up the new GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER available from custom board partners in stock-clocked and factory-overclocked configurations to enhance creating, gaming and AI tasks.

Part of the RTX 40 SUPER Series announced at CES, it's equipped with more CUDA cores than the RTX 4070, a frame buffer increased to 16 GB, and a 256-bit bus—perfect for video editing and rendering large 3D scenes. It runs up to 1.6x faster than the RTX 3070 Ti and 2.5x faster with DLSS 3 in the most graphics-intensive games. And this week's featured In the NVIDIA Studio technical artist Vishal Ranga shares his vivid 3D scene Disowned—powered by NVIDIA RTX and Unreal Engine with DLSS.

Content creators often find themselves not just needing a static positioned camera to show their faces, but something to show on a bench or a table from an overhead viewpoint, and which can be easily repositioned. Perhaps the best example would be game streamers wanting a viewport showing their user inputs in real time; or an engineering content creator wanting to show something on their bench from top. For these applications and more, Logitech launched the new Logitech Reach, a 2-in-1 Full HD webcam and overhead camera. The star attraction here isn't the camera itself, but its armature, which has been meticulously engineered by Logitech to provide a near-spherical freedom of movement for the camera. Reposition it in real time, and it will hold its position—no need to turn any fasteners to hold it in place, but a simple locking mechanism.

The armature of the Logitech Reach allows full 360° freedom of motion for the camera along a radius. The second axis of movement is vertical, letting you raise of lower the distance between the camera and the object, so you could optically zoom. Besides horizontal and vertical movements, the camera itself is suspended along an pivot, for an added dimension. Moving the camera around is single handed, and practically effortless. The Reach allows content creators to easily and quickly change viewpoints, from themselves, to an object that they're trying to show their audience. The camera additionally features an up to 4.3x lossless zoom, autofocus, and intrinsic image stabilization from the armature.

In a surprising turn of events, SK Hynix has hinted at the possibility of the Compression Attached Memory Module (CAMM) standard, initially designed for laptops, being introduced to desktop PCs. This revelation came from a comment made by an SK Hynix representative at the CES 2024 in Las Vegas for the Korean tech media ITSubIssub. According to the SK Hynix representative, the first implementation is underway, but there are no specific details. CAMM, an innovative memory standard developed by Dell in 2022, was certified to replace SO-DIMM as the official standard for laptop memory. However, the transition to desktop PCs could significantly disrupt the desktop memory market. The CAMM modules, unlike the vertical DRAM sticks currently in use, are horizontal and are screwed into a socket. This design change would necessitate a complete overhaul of the desktop motherboard layout.

The thin, flat design of the CAMM modules could also limit the number that can be installed on an ATX board. However, the desktop version of the standard CAMM2 was announced by JEDEC just a month ago. It is designed for DDR5 memory, but it is expected to become mainstream with the introduction of DDR6 around 2025. While CAMM allows for higher speeds and densities for mobile memory, its advantages for desktops over traditional memory sticks are yet to be fully understood. Although low-power CAMM modules could offer energy savings, this is typically more relevant for mobile devices than desktops. As we move towards DDR6 and DDR7, more information about CAMM for desktops will be needed to understand its potential benefits. JEDEC's official words on the new standard indicate that "DDR5 CAMM2s are intended for performance notebooks and mainstream desktops, while LPDDR5/5X CAMM2s target a broader range of notebooks and certain server market segments." So, we can expect to see CAMM2 in both desktops and some server applications.

Other World Computing (OWC)—the leading end-to-end ecosystem solution provider of computer hardware, accessories, and software for both consumers and professionals - demonstrated three new cutting-edge Thunderbolt 5 devices at CES and Pepcom - two state-of-the-art multiport docks and a bus-powered portable storage solution - all powered by the latest Thunderbolt technology from Intel. For over a decade, OWC has led the way in creating innovative Thunderbolt solutions and that tradition continues with solutions designed to harness the lightning-fast data transfer rates and high-resolution display support of Thunderbolt 5. The new docking and storage solutions will quickly become the focal point for user's computer setups and workflows.

"We've been at the forefront, embracing new Thunderbolt technologies early on, and take pride in providing the most extensive range of Thunderbolt solutions globally," said Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO of OWC. "Introducing Thunderbolt 5 to our customers is an exciting venture, enabling us to create even more innovative products."

TCL CSOT, a renowned industry player developing advanced, innovative display technologies, recently showcased its extensive range of products spanning automobiles, laptops, tablets, smartphones, TVs, VR, and more at CES 2024. Among its showcased offering, the company's cutting-edge OLED and MLED technologies, notably its Inkjet Printing OLED (IJP OLED) and Fine Metal Mask-OLED (FMM-OLED) display technologies, drew major attention from the public.

Industry Breakthroughs in IJP OLED Technology
Over the years, TCL CSOT has been actively laying the groundwork for adopting inkjet-printing technology to manufacture OLED displays. This IJP OLED technology brings advantages including a wider color gamut, higher resolution, greater material utilization efficiency, lower power consumption, and reduced operating costs. TCL CSOT is currently focusing on medium and large-sized products for Inkjet Printing OLED, such as TVs, and aims to accelerate the industrialization by also including medium-sized screens, such as laptops and vehicles. In addition to focusing on medium and large-sized products, TCL CSOT aims to achieve mass production of IJP OLED in a small scale, particularly in the medical and IT fields, in 2024.

ASUS today announced the full 2024 ExpertCenter series lineup at CES 2024. These desktops feature chassis updates for a sleeker look and a small-form-factor (SFF) design that's about 10% more compact than its predecessor, so they're ideal for small workspaces. The redesigned tool-free release mechanism makes it easier than ever to reconfigure or update components. Plus, the chassis are sustainably built and stringently tested to ensure military-grade toughness and durability.

Powered by the latest Intel Core i9 14th Gen CPUs and up to 128 GB of DDR5 memory, ExpertCenter desktops offer exceptional performance to cater to any organization, ranging from small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to Fortune 500 companies. Each model includes an exclusive suite of ASUS software to ensure enterprise-grade security and manageability to protect vital business data and information.

Xming at the 2024 International CES showcased their latest smart projectors. The Episode One and Page One are aimed at mid-segment short-throw projection in a domestic environment, where you take advantage of its smart features to cut out the need for a HT receiver, and directly pair it with a Bluetooth speaker set. Episode One is at the entry level, with 250 CVIA Lumens brightness, Full HD (1080p) resolution, 1000:1 contrast ratio, and Google TV with Netflix. Page One is a step up from Episode One, and is claimed to be the world's first Google TV with Netflix certified projector. The Page One features a brighter 500 CVIA Lumens light source, superior photosensitive glass lenses, and is meant for screens as large as 120-inch. The resolution is still Full HD (1080p), but with 2000:1 contrast ratio. The projector encloses a pair of high-grade speakers by Boston Acoustics.

The Xming V1 is the company's flagship compact home projector series, powered by an S60 LCD engine, with the same Full 1080p resolution as the others, but with an 800 CVIA Lumens brightness, 2000:1 contrast ratio, the ability to throw onto 120-inch screens, and motion enhancement technologies. It encloses a more capable Boston Acoustics internal speaker set than the one with the Page One. The V1 Ultra is a premium version claimed to be the world's first single-panel LCD-based 4K Ultra HD projector.

NVIDIA has recently revised its specification sheet for the upcoming GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER GPU—a small mistake was included in their review guide and marketing material. Team Green workers were likely in a rush to get everything ready for RTX 40xx SUPER range's official unveiling at CES 2024, so a typo here and there is not unexpected. The RTX 4070 SUPER's AD104 GPU configuration was advertised as offering a 20% core count upgrade over the vanilla RTX 4070 (non-SUPER), but detail sensitive sleuths were somewhat puzzled with the SUPER's L2 cache designation of 36 MB. Various 2023 leaks suggested that 48 MB was the correct value; representing a 33% jump up from the standard 4070's L2 pool. We must note that TPU's GPU database had the correct spec entry since day one.

Transparent LEDs are poised to redefine viewing experiences, making the line between content and reality virtually indistinguishable. Leveraging this groundbreaking technology, Samsung Electronics has upleveled its leading MICRO LED display to expand how users enjoy visual content. The company's Transparent MICRO LED display was unveiled for the first time at Samsung First Look 2024 on January 7 (local time)—ahead of this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024, the world's largest consumer electronics and information technology exhibition held in Las Vegas from January 9 to 12.

Combining superior craftsmanship with six years of tireless research and development, this new modular MICRO LED wowed attendees with its futuristic design. The Transparent MICRO LED's crystal-clear, glass-like display has revolutionized the viewing experience and attracted the attention of global consumers.

Sennheiser introduced its fourth generation Momentum True Wireless flagship earbuds at CES 2024, next to ACCENTUM Plus headphones and the heart rate sensor-equipped MOMENTUM Sport model. The German audio equipment specialist has implemented over a dozen enhancements and further enhanced sound properties with the addition of the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 to their portable product line. They reckon that the most picky of audio snobs will be pleasantly surprised by a larger-than-life sound profile, improved ANC abilities, as well as an impressive roster of connectivity built on Qualcomm's S5 Sound Gen 2 platform, and Snapdragon Sound Technology for aptX lossless sound quality and ultra-low latency.

Pre-orders are scheduled to open up internationally on February 15th—priced at $329.95 / £259.99 / €299.99 according to official press material. The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 earbuds offer Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, and support for Auracast. Upgraded battery tech provides up to "7.5 hours of continuous audiophile-inspired listening," coupled with a Qi quick charging case. Three color schemes will be rolled out at launch: black copper, metallic silver, and graphite. Please refer to TPU's photo set below, and note the many packs of alcohol prep pad wipes in the background! Checking out the latest audio tech at trade shows can be a dirty job.

TPU turned up for a second visit at Dangbei's demo room as things were wrapping at this week's Las Vegas trade show—where Vahid checked out the Chinese brand's flagship projectors. Their Mars Pro 2 model represents the "next dimension in 4K laser home cinema"—it offers 2450 lumens of performance, two 12 W DTS:X-enhanced speakers, and marks the debut of HDR10+ in a Dangbei home cinema projector. The Mars Pro 2 is also capable of producing three 3D modes.

The Dangbei X5 Ultra is another high-end 4K Ultra HD in the company's stable—it also is their first model to be fitted with a full-color LED hybrid light source system. The latest upgrade—ALPD 5.0 technology—assists in covering 110% of the BT.2020 color gamut with great accuracy, and to hit a maximum brightness of 2500 lumens. Integrated sound is produced by a pair of 12 W DTS:X-enhanced speakers. Dangbei is targeting an international launch this year, but buyers in their native market have already spent time with the X5 Ultra triple-laser projector.

Nexigo at the 2024 International CES showed off the Tri Vision Ultra, a portable projector with triple-color LED laser light sources; a projection technology usually reserved for larger projector form-factors, including the workhorse cinema DLPs you find in theaters. The Tri Vision Ultra meets ALPD 5.0 spec. It uses three independent LED light sources and projections for the RGB channels; the resulting output is comfortable for extended viewing. The Nexigo Tri Vision Ultra supports 4K Ultra HD, with 4 ms response time, and 60 Hz refresh rate; with 110% coverage of the BT.2020 color gamut. with ΔE being <1. HDR10 and Dolby Vision are supported. The projector has a maximum brightness of 2,500 ANSI Lumens, and is suitable for screens as large as 200-inch. Not that its target userbase needs it, but it also integrates 26 W RMS speakers. The Nexigo Tri-Vision Ultra just picked a CES Innovation Award, we can see why.

Formovie Technology, Chinese maker of laser TV and smart projectors, unveiled its latest innovations at CES 2024 this week. The company showcased several new projectors leveraging cutting-edge laser technology to deliver new visual experiences. The star of the Formovie lineup was the new Formovie Theatre 4K Triple-Laser UST Projector. As the world's first 4K ultra-short throw projector with triple laser technology, it produces a staggeringly bright 2800 ANSI lumens image with 3000:1 contrast ration at a spectacular 150-inch scale. Viewers can expect true-to-life colors and infinite contrast thanks to Formovie's advanced laser light source. The company touts the product as the world's 1st Dolby Vision & Atmos UST projector, which also features ALLM and MEMC for smoother gaming. The sound system is a bespoke work by Bowers & Wilkins. A few booth demos were available to paint the picture of the technology.

In addition, Formovie introduced the slim and portable Formovie S5 projector. Weighing only 6.5 pounds, it's an ultra-compact model ideal for on-the-go use. The S5 still outputs a bright 1100 ANSI lumens image with smooth 4K quality enabled by ALPD laser technology. Rounding out the product showcase, Formovie displayed the award-winning Formovie V10 home theater projector. Recently honored with a CES 2023 Innovation Award, the V10 stands out for its 240 Hz refresh rate, 12 ms low latency, and 2500 ANSI lumens brightness—making it a top choice for gaming and movies.

OSIM, the Singapore-based maker of massage chairs and wellness products, unveiled two innovative new massage chairs at CES 2024—the uLove 3 Yellow and the uThrone V Yellow. The uLove 3 Yellow builds upon OSIM's popular uLove series, featuring 18 patented massage technologies for a customized and therapeutic experience. Key highlights include the V-Hand Plus system, which mimics a masseuse's techniques to target knots and tension, air pressure massage to relax the body, and foot reflexology rollers. With multiple auto and manual programs, uLove 3 provides a spa-like massage tailored to one's needs. Coming in bright yellow for the CES special edition, the uLove 3 chair is also available in black, brown, and red.

However, OSIM has entered the arena of massage chairs for gamers and esports enthusiasts. The company presented the uThrone V Yellow massage gaming chair. Designed to promote healthy gameplay, it incorporates OSIM's intelligent V-Hand massage technology to relieve neck, shoulder, and back pain. Gamers can continue playing while the chair's rollers work along the neck and shoulders to relax muscles. With lumbar heat therapy, leg rest and an ergonomic seat, uThrone V aims to prevent strains from long hours of sitting, allowing gamers to relive a lot of sitting pain from long sessions. Besides the CES Yellow special edition, the uThrone V comes in black, orange, and purple accents. The CES attendees were able to experience OSIM's massaging chairs first-hand.

Bitspower brought a large bag of new toys at the 2024 International CES. The first thing that caught our attention was a familiar-looking case with infinity reflection lighting. On a closer look, it turned out to be a Lian Li PC-O11D Evo XL that's been given a neat aesthetic uplift thanks to the new Enigma Light Panel kit by Bitspower. You arrange these along the edges of your side- and front panels, and the provide an impressive, infinity reflection effect. It works with standard 3-pin ARGB, so you can mix it with your regular lighting setup. Next up, are a slew of CR Slim series reservoirs that are designed in the distribution plate format, which they line up with one of your glass panels, providing a better view of your coolant. There are various sizes, ranging from 120 mm x 120 mm, going all the way up to 803 mm. x 140 mm, with fitting ports at strategic locations to align with your CPU and VGA blocks, and radiators. The reservoirs come with preparation for a standard D5 pump, and feature a side cover that has the ARGB LED lighting, the diodes aren't studded into the acrylic as such. Bitspower released a mounting brackets of various sizes to help you correctly mount the reservoirs and accessories in place.

INNOCN brought its latest gaming monitors to the 2024 International CES; it didn't waste out time with monitors based on 15 year old tech; but rolled out the very latest—IPS with miniLED backlighting, and OLED. The Titan Army P27A6V is a 27-inch planar display with 4K Ultra HD resolution and a blistering 144 Hz refresh rate (which is high, considering this is 4K). This display uses an IPS panel with miniLED backlighting, and meets DisplayHDR 1000 spec. Display connectivity include HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4, both of which provide enough bandwidth of 4K HDR @ 144 Hz. Brilliant stuff, but this is "only" a 27-inch display, which will incur Hi-DPI scaling. Need something bigger? Check out the Titan Army P32A6V, which has identical specs to the P27A6V, but in a larger 32-inch planar format. Both these displays come in gunmetal gray and matte-white body color variants.

Switching up gears is the INNOCN M27E6V, a 27-inch planar display with a Fast IPS panel paired with miniLED backlighting. This one provides 4K Ultra HD with even faster 160 Hz refresh rate, and support for HDR 1400, and 99% coverage of DCI-P3. Inputs include DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, and USB type-C (DisplayPort passthrough). You can use the monitor in single cable mode if the USB-C connection is capable of delivering 90 W. The next premium display is the Titan Army G27E8S, a 26.5-inch planar display that uses an OLED panel, and meant for performance gaming. You get a lower WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution than the other three displays we mentioned so far; but at higher 240 Hz refresh rate, and under 0.5 ms GTG response time, thanks to the OLED panel. Inputs include DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1. The display meets HDR10 spec.

Monokei is not a well-known name on the keyboard market, but its latest Monokei Systems certainly caught our attention at the CES 2024 show in Las Vegas. In addition to the new Monokei Systems, which is a modular low-profile mechanical keyboard, the company had its previous Monokei Standard keyboard on display as well, in both standard and Yuji and Megumi Edition designed by Jujutsu Kaisen.

As said, the star of the show is the Monokei Systems, a low-profile, modular, mechanical and wireless 75% keyboard with a choice between Kailh Choc v2 Silent or Choc v2 Tactile switches. The modular part is quite interesting as you can change pretty much everything, including switches, keycaps, gasket socks, top and bottom case and faceplate, all aluminium, can be easily replaced as these are held magnetically. You can even replace a PCB, which means endless possibilities and future upgrades. Monokei also offers new Series 2 keycaps as an optional purchase. The standard options are Cupertino Silver and Stockholm Night colors. As it is a 75% design there are no special keys other than a dial up knob.

Cooler Master's research and design team seems to be up to all sorts of shenanigans lately—company representatives at CES 2024 had the joyful experience of hyping up a curiosity/prototype bearing the moniker "Project VGA Cooler." It certainly is a tough sell to explain to punters how an aftermarket part can usurp the performance offered by a manufacturer's standard fitting of triple-fan arrays on already pricey custom high-end GeForce RTX 40xx cards. The plucky Project VGA Cooler was showcased in white or dark silver forms, accompanied by twin Mobius 120 mm fans. The spec sheet states that these utilize special loop dynamic bearings, although we are not certain whether the special Mobius fans are customized for this project specifically.

TPU staff witnessed an ASUS GeForce RTX 4090 TUF graphics card getting the refit treatment—its original triple-fan array was removed, and the experimental aftermarket part was attached to the TUF's remaining heatsink and shroud. Cooler Master's demonstration proceeded smoothly, but this publication questions whether these prototype GPU cooling units are truly prepared for a universal fit across a wide variety of expensive current generation GeForce RTX models, or Radeon RX equivalents. Cooler Master's design team likely has to be careful in choosing specific or popular GPU models, once "Project VGA Cooler" exits the conceptual phase of development and approaches final retail form.

Sony PlayStation has surprised attendees at CES 2024 with the unveiling of custom color slim console covers—the molten metallic finishes on display at their booth are Volcanic Red, Cobalt Blue, and Sterling Silver. The presence of matching DualSense controllers confirms that Sony is likely rolling out another batch of its Deep Earth Collection, fashioned specifically for its youthful PS5 Slim refresh (launched back in November 2023). Owners of the standard PlayStation 5 were granted access to the shiny and colorful cover and controller range last Autumn.

The Verge reckons that the Deep Earth Slim covers will go on sale for $54.99 MSRP—which is the same price point given for the standard PS5 customization option. They also note some aesthetical differences: "Unlike the standard white PS5 slim, these don't have the glossy / matte split between the top and bottom plates. I prefer matte all the way, so I'm happy to see that...There's no avoiding dust on that black center section of the PS5, unfortunately." It is encouraging to see Sony rolling out these optional extras so soon after the release of their PS5 Slim model, although they are probably eager to make a bit of profit on accessory sales (margins are tighter when selling core hardware).