CES 2019 is wrapping up, and the Shacknews away team is about ready to call it a week, but before we pack our bags and bet it all on black we wanted to highlight the very best products and innovations we saw at the show. Please take a look at Shacknews' best products and innovation of CES 2019. Not all of these products are available, as they are proof-of-concept prototypes with no price points. Feel free to salivate over them until then.
Samsung's The Wall
Samsung dubbed their CES 2019 booth "Samsung City" as the company offered a view of the future of consumer electronics. While there is another wall dominating the news cycle in the United States these days, this Samsung product provided CES attendees with a much more optimistic view on what the future of walls looks like. The company showed off a 146-inch modular MicroLED wall display that is truly cutting edge, but certainly left some people wondering what happens when one module goes bad. Either way, this jaw-dropping display has earned Samsung the honor of being one of the best innovations Shacknews saw at CES 2019.
Check out the official Samsung website to find out more about all of the products they showcased at CES 2019.
iBUYPOWER Project Snowblind x4
Alright, maybe this isn't so much "Best of" in terms of practicality. This thing doesn't know the meaning of the word, because lord knows if this goes to market in its current state, it would cost thousands of dollars and still prove less powerful than some other higher-end PCs. But for what iBUYPOWER has accomplished with its Project Snowblind x4 prototype, it's hard not to be impressed with the bombastic visual.
The folks at iBUYPOWER wanted to go farther with the idea of a transparent LCD case panel. So instead of utilizing one, the company built a prototype that uses four of them. And to show off every side properly, the entire thing is placed atop a rotating chassis that rotates with wind turbines.
Alas, there's a reason this is just a prototype. Beyond the ghastly cost, the wind turbines and the copper-ringed center column means that this thing can only utilize an HDMI 1.2 and USB 2.0 connector. Using more modern connectors would shoot the price tag up even more. Thus Snowblind x4 appears to be doomed to remain as just a protoype.
But this thing sure looks cool, doesn't it?
For more information, head over to iBUYPOWER's official website.
Alienware's 55-inch 4K OLED gaming monitor
Gamers like superlatives and Dell didn't disappoint at CES 2019. Their Alienware division showcased a massive gaming monitor that had many of the Shacknews staff drooling. The 55-inch OLED display boast an Ultra-HD (3840×2160) panel with vivid colors, solid blacks, fast response time, wide horizontal viewing angles, all while running at 120 Hz. This certainly sets it apart from TVs of similar sizes, and we will have to keep an eye on Alienware as this display was just a protoype. It was still great to see Dell and Alienware push innovation when it comes to the size and quality of gaming displays.
Head over to Dell's official Alienware website to find out more.
Arcade1Up CES 2019 lineup
For the nostalgic crowd, Arcade1Up proved to be a fun novelty, providing old-school arcade cabinets in a comparitively affordable package. So it was a pleasure to see the company pop up again at CES 2019 with a whole new lineup for the upcoming year.
The classic Mortal Kombat trilogy (MKII, MK3, Ultimate MK3) was one of the big highlights. There were a few instances where some of the joystick movements for those distinct MK-style special moves didn't feel like they were registering, but there's plenty of time for Arcade1Up to refine this design, given that the MK trilogy isn't set to hit until September. Outside of joystick issues, this looked to be a faithful re-creation of the original arcade classics, bringing players back to a different era of fighting games.
Arcade1Up also looks to be branching out to different genres, with Final Fight, Space Invaders, and Golden Tee also on the horizon. The company promises that they aren't done just yet and plans to roll out even more games in the future, while making sure to stop at various conventions along the way.
Check out the official Arcade1Up website for more information.
Buddyphones
Children are becoming increasingly dependent on technology for entertainment as well as education. Buddyphones were designed with those two goals in mind. One of the best parts of the product's design is that it prevents hearing loss by capping audio playback at 85 db. The team at ONANOFF also have developed their StudyMode audio setting which focuses students by optimizing vocal clarity while playing back audio. This involves some dynamic EQ features, but has never been used in a children's product. Buddyphones start at $39 and are something all the ShackDads and ShackMoms should check out for their little ones.
Find out more on the official Buddyphones website.
Blue Ember XLR microphone
Podcasting and live-streaming has been serious business for years and only continues to get more serious by the day. That means there's no room for error when it comes to using quality microphones. Blue is among the top makers of PC microphones and it's now establishing a nice middle ground between the bulkier, higher-priced Yeti and the budget Snowball mics.
The Ember XLR mic is aimed specifically at the podcaster/streamer, utilizing a slimmer design and using its built-in specs to isolate the speaker's voice. The CES floor might not have been the ideal place to try this thing out, but it did a phenomenal job of drowning out a good chunk of the background noise. Given how loud the CES show floor can be, this is no small feat.
Those looking to rely on USB solutions might want to stick with the Snowball or the Yeti, but the Ember is as good as entry-level XLR microphones get. Those on a budget will want to keep eye on this after it launches in February.
The Blue Ember XLR mic costs $99.99. Find out more on the official Blue Designs website.
Population: One VR Battle Royale
We caught up with BigBox VR at HTC Vive's CES 2019 experience to try out Population: One. The game takes elements from the very successful battle royale mode found in PUBG and Fortnite, but makes it accessible and fun for virtual reality players. The FreeMotion locomotion engine allows for super-immersive gameplay while also factoring in simulator sickness. The team at BigBox VR includes former Valve and Playdom devs. The game allows players to climb any structure, loot to their hearts content, and fly through the air while trying to win the VR equivalent of a delicious chicken dinner.
Find out more on the official Population: One VR website.
GAEMS Guardian Pro XP
Shacknews was thrilled to check out the GAEMS Guardian Pro XP. We went more in-depth with this earlier in the week. Be sure to check out our recent first look.
For more information check out the official GAEMS website.
HyperX Quadcast microphone
One of the biggest HyperX announcements at CES 2019 was their introuction of the brand new Quadcast microphone. This product is targetting streamers, podcasters, and all sorts of gamers who need a solid mic. The product boasts an internal pop filter, as well as an anti-vibration shock mount. It is also has a tap-to-mute feature that is signified by a Red LED. The HyperX Quadcast features many of the things that Blue Yeti fans are used to with a more compact design and cool colors.
The HyperX Quadcast is priced at $139 and will launch later this year. Find out more at the official HyperX website.
Razer Hypersense
One of the biggest highlights of CES 2019 for Shacknews, Razer Hypersense aims to add a greater sense of immersion to PC gaming by adding haptic feedback into multiple everyday peripherals. We went more in-depth with Hypersense on the show floor, so be sure to check out our recent first look.
For more information check out the official Razer website.
Technics SL-1200MK7 Turntable
CES 2019 featured the revenge of the turntables, and Technics surprised and delighted analog audiophiles with the return of their signature SL-1200 turntables. The SL-1200MK7 is a product that many Shackers have been waiting for, and we look forward to hearing more news from Technics. Vinyl isn't dead! The analog resistance carries on!
For more information check out the official Technics website.
MyArcade Retro Champ Portable Console
It was love at first site when the Shack Staff set their eyes on MyArcade's Retro Champ portable console. The prototype device can play both NES and Famicom games and will be a great addition to any video game collectors' arsenal. There are few details about the product as what was shown at CES 2019 was a prototype, but MyArcade is listening to feedback from the show floor and will provide more updates later this year. We are hopeful that a proper D-Pad will be one of the improvements whenever this product does ship and look forward to more details about which games will be supported.
For more information, head over to the official MyArcade website.
Alienware Area 51m Gaming Laptop
17-inch laptops made a serious comeback at CES 2019, and the Alienware Area 51m gaming laptop turned heads with some insane specs. The laptop boasts the most powerful desktop CPU and a 1080 GTX GPU. The laptop also allows for up to 32 GB of RAM and features that signature Alienware aesthetic. The Alienware Area 51m gaming laptop starts at around $2500, so it might not be the most affordable laptop of CES 2019, but it is an impressively designed new product from Dell.
Head over to Dell's official Alienware website to find out more.
NVIDIA RTX 2060 GPU
One of the biggest announcements at CES 2019 was the NVIDIA RTX 2060 and its $349 pricepoint. This was very much a "sweep the leg" moment for NVIDIA as AMD found itself unable to compete on price at CES 2019. The performance differences between AMD's latest GPUs caused some hubub between the two companies' CEOs, but PC gamers should be delighted to have some afforable choices for raytracing and DLSS technology. Maybe there will be more games that support NVIDIA's cutting edge technology now that the barrier to entry is lower than ever before.
To find out more about leather jackets and GPUs, head over to the official NVIDIA website.
ORIGIN PC EVO16-S, EVO17-S, and Standing Desk Prototype
One of the best things the Shack Staff got our hands on at CES 2019 was a desk. That's right, ORIGIN PC is working on a standing desk that supports a 100 pound right and up to three monitor mounts. This beast is still a prototype, but it features that ORIGIN PC attention to detail that CEO Kevin Wasielewski is known for.
We also want to highlight ORIGIN PC's new EVO16-S and EVO17-S gaming laptops. These bad boys support up to 64 GB of RAM and feature the latest and greatest RTX chipsets from NVIDIA. ORIGIN PCs are definitely pricy, but the quality in unparalleled in the high-end PC gaming space.
To find out more, head over to the official ORIGIN PC website.
That's all from CES 2019. What products do you think were the best of CES 2019? Let us know in the comments section.
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