For basically the entire modern history of esports, 1080p has been the sweet spot for competitive gaming. The wisdom goes that a 1920 x 1080 pixel grid gives enough clarity to follow all of the gameplay, while also being light enough that the GPU can process hundreds of frames per second, giving a competitive advantage (or, at least, leveling the playing field).

GPUs today have outgrown 1080p in a big way, though, with flagship cards being able to pump out framerates way above the peak of monitor refresh rates in certain titles. Valorant, for example, can be played at High settings well in excess of 500 fps on NVIDIA’s latest and greatest, while older titles like CS:GO hit over 700 fps.

NVIDIA says that an RTX 3080 paired with an Intel i9-12900K can play Valorant, CS:GO, Overwatch and Rainbow Six Seige in excess of 360 fps at 1440p. With that in mind, the company thinks the time is right for the leap beyond 1080p.

Obviously NVIDIA is motivated by the need to convince gamers to buy expensive GPUs, but apparently there’s a competitive benefit to playing at higher resolution. NVIDIA's own researchers found that a 27-inch 1440p display can improve aiming “by up to 3 percent” over the 24-inch 1080p sets used by current pros.

This new “1440p esports category” begins with four NVIDIA-certified displays: the ASUS ROG Swift 360Hz PG27AQN, the AOC AG274QGM - AGON PRO Mini LED, the MSI MEG 271Q Mini LED and the ViewSonic XG272G-2K Mini LED. The ASUS set is a 360Hz monitor, while the others feature Mini LED backlights but cap out at 300Hz.

All four monitors support G-Sync adaptive refresh rates, an “Esports Vibrance” color mode and, more importantly for the target audience, support NVIDIA’s Reflex latency analyzer. Intriguingly, the new monitors also come with a “1080p mode,” which blanks out the outer edges of the screen to provide a 25-inch 1080p “display” for gaming. There must be some clever scaling going on here, as a 1:1 1080p rendering on a 27-inch 1440p monitor would be a 21-ish inch image. Either way, this mode would be vital for some games – newer esports titles can be more graphically intense than the stalwarts, and playing at 1440p could sacrifice the sort of refresh rates esports pros want for competitive play.

There’s no word on pricing yet, although don’t expect them to be remotely affordable for the average gamer. As for when they’ll be available, NVIDIA has only given out the vague “soon.”

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

CES might look a little different this year, but that hasn't stopped Lenovo from doing what it does best: using the industry to event to launch many, many new products. In addition to the usual laptops, the company is showing off a new smart clock, the Smart Clock Essential with Alexa. Aside from a minimalist cloth design that clearly borrows from last year's Smart Clock 2, the new Essential improves on the old by adding a pogo docking pin at the bottom and, well, support for Amazon Alexa. The original Essential clock only worked with Google Assistant, and while I was hoping this new device could handle both, the new Essential with Alexa truly is Alexa-only, while the original remains available as a Google smart clock.

As an object that's meant to sit on your bedside table, there really isn't much to the new Essential. The fabric comes in either a muted "Clay Red" or pale "Misty Blue," with the entire front face given over to the 4-inch LED display. The interface is just white text on a deep black background; in addition to the time, you'll see the day and real-time decibel levels (an interesting touch). If you expected a display for streaming video, a la the Amazon Echo Show 5, you'd be mistaken. There's also a mic switch and no built-in camera, a design choice that many people will surely find welcome.

On the top edge there are just four buttons: volume buttons, a button for activating the assistant, and another for setting an alarm. There's also a USB port for charging.

Although optional, those docking accessories are actually an important part of the story. In addition to a basic pad with room for both the clock and another wireless-charging like a phone, the company is selling what it calls the Ambient Light Dock, which doubles as a nightlight. Available in two whimsical designs — a sea lion and a squid — it has eight different lighting modes and a rainbow of colors, plus the clock's screen shows a cute anthropomorphic face when you press the assistant button. Now, why a sea lion and squid, specifically? Why not, we say. (And a canny choice if this low-tech, low-cost product is largely meant to occupy kids' rooms anyway.)

The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential goes on sale this month for $60, with the docks available at the same time for $30 apiece. Though Lenovo ultimately decided to pull its in-person exhibit at CES, we still got to see the company's new products at a socially distant briefing in New York this month. Check out our hands-on video (coming soon) for a first look.

AMD is starting 2022 by bringing its RX 6000-series graphics to a wider range of laptops. The brand has unveiled an Radeon RX 6000S range of GPUs built specifically for thin-and-light laptops (under 0.78in and 4.5lbs). They tout power and performance-per-watt optimizations that theoretically allow for 20 percent thinner designs without steep hits to performance.

The mainstream RX 6600S reportedly delivers 80 frames per second or more at high detail settings across a range of recent games, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Deathloop. Bump up to the RX 6700S and you'll get 100FPS or higher, while the RX 6800S musters 100FPS and beyond at maximum settings. Your real-world experience will almost certainly vary, but AMD clearly believes all of the new GPUs can handle common games without a struggle.

There are more options if you value performance above portability. The new Radeon RX 6850M is only 7 percent faster than the 6800M, but the mid-range RX 6650M and 6650M XT are up to 20 percent faster than the 6600M. You'll also find starter RX 6300M and 6500M chips that are billed as 200 percent faster than NVIDIA's GeForce MX450, although we'd expect that gap to narrow with the new MX550 and MX570.

You can expect a wave of laptops using these chips to be announced throughout CES 2022. Prices are bound to vary widely, but they should appear in the first quarter.

AMD

And yes, there's plenty for desktop gamers — including a long-awaited software feature. The Radeon RX 6500 XT rivals NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1650 with a claimed 20 to 60 percent higher performance in 1080p games. And importantly, there's a new Radeon Super Resolution feature that better counters NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling. Enable it in "thousands" of games and you can use a lower internal resolution (like 1440p) to boost frame rates at 4K. The Adrenalin Edition software needed to enable RSR won't be available until later in the first quarter, but it will come with perks like an enhanced AMD Link (up to four friends can connect to your desktop) and an eye-tracking Privacy View.

The RX 6500 XT arrives January 19th for $199. That's a solid value if the performance claims hold up, although we'd note that chronic GPU shortages could easily send that price skyward.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Sony thinks it knows how to counter the latest OLED and mini-LED TVs from its rivals: add a dash of intelligence. Its 2022 A-series 4K OLED TVs, plus its Z- (8K) and X-series (4K) mini-LED and basic LCD models, can use a new Bravia Cam (the 'bump' shown at top) for video chat, gesture control and even optimizing the picture and sound quality. They can tweak the brightness, voice emphasis and sound balance based on your viewing distance and direction. You can also have the picture dim when you leave the room, or display a warning when your kids get too close to the screen.

The camera is bundled with the flagship A95K and Z9K models, and is optional for Sony's other 2022 sets. You'll need a firmware update to unlock more than video chat, but the company hasn't said when that might arrive. And yes, Sony is aware of privacy concerns. There's a hardware switch to disable the camera, and neither the camera nor the TV will store private data. You can delete any positional data through the TV menu.

Sony

The new TVs improve image and sound quality whether or not the camera is present. The A95K uses a new Quantum Dot OLED panel to reproduce a larger color range at wider viewing angles, while the Z9K and X95K have smarter backlighting that reduces mini-LED's characteristic light blooming without lowering brightness. A Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode adjusts output based on ambient light, while Bravia Core Calibrated Mode alters quality to match a director's "original vision." And yes, there's tight integration with other Sony products — they can harmonize with higher-end soundbars and speakers (the built-in speakers are also richer), while PlayStation 5 owners can take advantage of both automatic picture mode switching as well as auto HDR tone mapping.

Other improvements include a switch to the unified, media-centric Google TV interface and smaller, simpler remotes that add backlighting and a find-my-remote feature. A95K uses also have a stand that can sit at the front or back to suit your viewing environment.

Sony won't provide pricing and ship dates until the spring, but it's using a familiar size strategy. The Z9K is unsurprisingly limited to 8K-friendly 75- and 85-inch sizes, while the A95K sits in the sweet spot with 55- and 65-inch variants. The A90K is built for gamers' desks and dorm rooms with 42- and 48-inch sizes (and an optional high position stand), while the 'entry' A80K courts the mainstream with 55-, 65- and 77-inch panels. The X95K comes in 65-, 75- and 85-inch flavors, while the full array LED-lit X90K comes in 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch versions. The X80K and X85K have 'just' direct LED backlighting, but are available in a wide range of sizes from 43 inches through to 85 inches.

When Sony debuted its premium home theater gear for 2021, the company's pricey HT-A9 speaker set had a key feature that its soundbars didn't. It's called 360 Spatial Sound Mapping and it creates "phantom speakers" to help the actual speakers produce room-filling sound. Today at CES, Sony announced that it will offer an upgrade to both the HT-A7000 (7.1.2) and HT-A5000 (5.1.2) soundbars that adds the 360-degree audio mapping later this spring. 

360 Spatial Sound Mapping first uses a combination of Sound Field Optimization tech and built-in microphones to measure the height and position of both a soundbar and rear speakers. Once that's done, the setup creates virtual speakers by positioning sound waves based on the collected location information. Sony says the result is a "wide spatial sound field" capable of filling a room and it promises that everyone will get "the same sound experience" no matter where they're sitting. The company also reminded us that an Acoustic Center Sync feature on Bravia XR TVs will work with the sound mapping to become a center speaker that enhances dialogue. Both the A7000 and A5000 already support Sony's 360 Reality Audio for more immersive music listening. 

Sony

To help you make the most out of the soundbars' new ability, Sony is debuting a new set of wireless rear speakers. Unlike most rear satellites that connect wirelessly but rely on a cord for power, the new SA-RS5 speakers are totally wireless and can be charged out of sight. The company says you can expect up to 10 hours of use when they're fully charged and 10 minutes will give you 90 minutes of play time if you forget to replenish the batteries. They also feature up-firing speakers, wide directional woofers, dome tweeters and dual passive radiators for a more robust soundstage and better clarity. The SA-RS5 can run Sony's Sound Field Optimization with the press of a button so they're easily calibrated with your soundbar each time you reposition them. Lastly, the cylindrical speakers have a flat back side so they'll sit nicely against a wall. 

You'll need a set of rear speakers to employ the forthcoming 360 Spatial Sound Mapping upgrade on the aforementioned soundbars — hence the new model. If you can live without all the bells and whistles of the SA-RS5, the SA-RS3S is also compatible. They're a plain ol' set of two-way rear satellite speakers in comparison, but they'll save you some money over the upcoming model at $350. And based on my experience, they should get the job done just fine. 

The new SA-RS5 wireless rear speakers will be available this spring for $600. That's $250 more than the SA-RS3S that debuted alongside the HT-A7000 last year. 

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Not so long ago, the internet was debating what the folks at Apple were thinking charging $549 for the AirPods Max. At CES 2022, luxury audio brand Mark Levinson would like a word. The Harman-owned company (which also owns AKG, JBL and Harman Kardon, and is itself a Samsung subsidiary) mostly known for its high-end home and car audio systems has announced its first wireless headphones: the No. 5909. While they offer everything you'd expect from a premium set, they have a nearly $1,000 price tag that only a select few might commit to. 

The over-ear No. 5909 packs 40mm Beryllium drivers "expertly tuned to the Harman curve." The company explains that "the Harman curve" is acoustic response that it says has taken decades of research to construct. The result here is "incredible acoustic performance" in a set of "reference class" wireless headphones. Mark Levinson says that audio performance meets the guidelines for Hi-Res Audio certification thanks to 24-bit/96kHz signal processing and 40kHz acoustic response. The No. 5909 supports LDAC, AAC and aptX Adaptive wireless codecs via Bluetooth 5.1.

Mark Levinson promises you'll hear details you haven't before, like "the slightest breath an artist takes" or "a hidden harmony." The company explains that the same "world-class sound engineers" that built the luxury brand's amps, turntables and streaming players are behind the tuning of the ultra pricey No. 5909.

Mark Levinson/Harman

Sound quality isn't the only consideration though. The No. 5909 has adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) with three modes "for premium sound isolation" and an Ambient Aware feature that lets you tune into your surroundings as needed. The company also packed in four microphones for calls that are equipped with a so-called Smart Wind Adaption feature. The materials used to make the headphones are also better than the mostly plastic sets we typically see. The No. 5909 is built with an aluminum frame, painted metallic earcups, leather headband and replaceable leather ear cushions. An included hard shell travel case comes stocked with a USB-C charging cable, USB-C to USB-A adaptor, two USB-C to 3.5mm cables, 3.5mm to 6.3mm adaptor, airplane adaptor and a polishing cloth. Basically, it's everything you'd need to use the headphones on any setup — wired, wireless or while traveling. 

Mark Levinson says you can expect up to 30 hours of use with adaptive ANC active and up to 34 hours with the feature disabled. A quick-charge feature will give you up to six hours of play time in 15 minutes. Via an app for Android and iOS, you'll get some control over the headphones, but the company didn't go into specifics there. 

The No. 5909 will be available in black, pewter and red color options starting today for $999.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

It wouldn't be CES without a barrage of audio devices from JBL. Part of that annual deluge is a collection of true wireless earbuds, and this year is no different. Today, the company is debuting three new models with active noise cancellation (ANC) and at least seven hours of battery life. Each one is also at least IPX5 rated for water and sweat resistance, so all three can stand up to your workouts in the new year. 

First, the JBL Live Pro 2 offers an AirPod-like stickbud design and adaptive ANC. This model also has a "smart ambient" mode that allows you to adjust the amount of background noise the earbuds let in. JBL says you can enable hands-free voice control through its headphones app for either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant while on-board touch controls are available for core functions. Six microphones "deliver superior call quality," according to JBL, by isolating noise (and wind) and focusing on your voice. The company says you can expect up to 10 hours of use on the earbuds themselves with another 30 hours in the case. That case supports wireless charging via Qi-compatible accessories and 15 minutes will give you four hours of playback. 

JBL

For those who prefer a more "traditional" true wireless earbud design, the tiny JBL Live Free 2 might be more your speed. Like the Live Pro 2, they feature adaptive noise cancelling, smart ambient mode, hands-free voice control, a six-mic setup for calls and on-board touch controls. The main difference, aside from the design, is that the Live Free 2 only lasts seven hours on a charge with an additional 28 hours in the case. There's no quick charge mode and wireless charging isn't on the spec sheet here. However, the Live Free 2 is the most compact of the three new models when it comes to overall earbud size.

Lastly, The JBL Reflect Aero is built specifically for workouts, complete with an adjustable ear fin to hold them in place. They're IP68 rated, so they offer protection from dust in addition to improved water proofing over the other two models. Adaptive ANC, smart ambient mode, hands-free voice control, on-board touch controls and six microphones to handle calls are all part of the features list. JBL says you can expect up to eight hours of battery life on the earbuds with two full charges in the case (16 hours). There's no mention of quick charging or compatibility with Qi accessories here, so if that's a dealbreaker, you'll have to live with the stickbud Live Pro 2 out of the company's trio of new devices. 

JBL

The Live Pro 2, Live Free 2 and Reflect Aero are all priced at $149.95 and are scheduled to arrive sometime this spring. 

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Apple's Find My tech is making its way into more products, including a backpack from Targus. The Cypress Hero Backpack has a built-in location tracker that could help its rightful owner find it through the Find My network if it goes missing. Conversely, if you misplace your iPhone, you can press a button on the backpack to ping your phone, as long as you've set things up in the Targus app.

Targus says the tracker is "highly integrated" into the backpack, which should offer some additional anti-theft protection. You can set up geofencing alerts, so if the backpack moves out of a certain area, you'll receive an alert. The tracker also has a built-in sound alert (which will likely be around as loud as an AirTag) that you can trigger remotely.

The tracker has a replaceable battery that you can top up via USB, though Targus says it will run for around a year before you need to recharge it. Targus crafted the backpack with sustainability in mind, as it's made with 26 recycled water bottles. The Cypress Hero Backpack, which has an IPX3 water resistance rating, should be available sometime in the spring or summer. It costs $150.

Targus

On top of that, Targus announced the DOCK720, a docking station that supports a single 8K monitor or up to four 4K monitors. The company says it's the "first biometric device and docking solution in one" — in other words, it has a fingerprint reader. You can expect an array of ports too, including USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, HDMI and a combo audio jack. The dock will be available this month for $443.

The Targus Docking Display, meanwhile, is a 24-inch 1080p LCD monitor with a built-in 2MP webcam, microphone, speakers and USB-C docking station. You can daisy chain it to a second monitor and power both displays from your computer. The Docking Display will ship in February. The primary monitor costs $400 and the secondary monitor (which doesn't have a webcam) is $180.

In addition, Targus is expanding its lineup of antimicrobial products, which now includes backpacks, shoulder bags and protective sleeves for laptops. The company claims its DefenseGuard Antimicrobial Protection effectively prevents the growth of 99.9% of germ-causing microorganisms.

It will also release the UV-C LED Disinfection Light next month after debuting it at CES 2021. For five minutes every hour, the $300 device will bathe a surface (or, more likely, a keyboard and mouse) in ultraviolet light to effectively kill 99 percent of pathogens.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

If you're looking for a more engaging way to work out in the new year, Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure could do the trick. The game forces you to do things like squat, jog in place and more to move your character through a fantasy world, making it a more interesting way to work out at home, especially during the winter months. Amazon has the pack for $55, or $25 off its usual price, and it's currently in stock as of writing this, so you can get your hands on it fairly quickly. The price only appears on the product page if you're a Prime subscriber, but it's available for all and it will show up once you have the game in your cart.

Designed to work with the Nintendo Switch, Ring Fit Adventure tracks motion using the console's Joy-Cons. One straps to the provided ring while the other attaches to a leg strap so it can keep track of both upper- and lower-body movements. Like regular games that don't have a sneaky exercise component, you'll design your character when you first boot up the title and they'll immediately be plopped into a new world that's ready to be explored. Only here, you'll do so by running in place and completing exercises like leg lifts and crunches to defeat enemies.

The Ring Fit Adventure won't replicate a treadmill run or even a strength-training workout video you can follow along, but that's ultimately the point of an exercise-based game like this. It's designed to provide a unique workout that doesn't feel like a regular fitness routine. We also appreciate that the game targets all part of the body with the moves it asks you to do, and you can customize it a bit by choosing the exercises you want to run through. There's also a handy "quiet mode" that removes actions like jumping up and down and instead focuses on lower-impact moves.

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Welcome to the new year. How are those resolutions coming along? (Don't worry, we can help.)

Contrary to my expectations, CES 2022 is still happening. However, the organizers have announced that the tech show will be cut short by a day, as COVID-19 cases continue to surge. It’s also kind of started early, with some big announcements from Samsung already, including putting NFTs into its TVs, and an upgraded eco TV remote that sips on your WiFi waves for energy.

Expect a week of hardware announcements, even if chances to play with and assess these new devices are a little limited without attendance in person.

-Mat Smith

Alienware's Concept Nyx is like a Plex server for your PC games

But will it appeal to anyone beyond PC gaming fanatics?

Alienware’s newest concept can be boiled down to a gaming server that runs on your home network. You could conceivably run two games at once on your television, as Engadget saw during a recent demo in NYC. Since all of the rendering and network processing is happening in your home, Nyx would also be a lower latency experience than traditional cloud gaming.

Continue reading.

This is a shiatsu hand massager for gamers

A hand warmer setting may help you get good.

Bauhutte

To help soothe their weary mitts, Japanese company Bauhutte has created a hand massager for gamers. The device works on either hand and has a 15-layer airbag for each finger and a shiatsu plate for the palm. There are two main options: a Shiatsu mode for the entire hand, and one that focuses on stretching fingers.

Continue reading.

The next AirPods Pro might support lossless audio

You might have an easier time finding your case, too.

Now that the third-generation AirPods offer some of the same features as the AirPods Pro, how will Apple’s higher-end wireless earbuds stand out? Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple is launching its second-generation Pro earbuds in the fall with support for Apple Lossless (ALAC) audio. Kuo expects the updated headphones will offer a "new form factor design" and that the new buds will supposedly include a charging case that can make sounds, much like AirTags, to help find it behind your couch cushions.

Continue reading.

Samsung’s latest remote turns router radio waves into energy

The 2022 Eco Remote has a white option to match Samsung's lifestyle TVs.

Samsung

Samsung has revamped the solar-charging remote it debuted at last year’s CES. Along with using light to top up the battery, Samsung says the latest Eco Remote can convert routers' radio waves into energy to stay fully charged. There's still a solar panel on the rear of the remote, which is also made with recycled materials. 

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Twitter bans Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal account

Due to repeatedly spreading COVID-19 misinformation.

Twitter has banned Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal account after a fifth "strike" for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. A fifth strike means it’s a permanent ban.

In the past year, she claimed in July that COVID-19 wasn't dangerous unless you were over 65 or obese, and in August said vaccines were "failing" against the new coronavirus' Delta variant. Both statements were untrue. The posts respectively led to 12-hour and one-week suspensions. Her official account is still active as of this writing because it hasn't run afoul of Twitter's rules. Beyond that, she may have to wait around for TRUTH Social to finally launch.

Continue reading.

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