Looking back over the past year, it’s easy to say that 2019 hasn't been another good year for gaming, but while major releases like Resident Evil 2 Remake, Death Stranding, and Pokemon Sword & Shield came out, it was actually the technology space that really stood for many. From fancy new controllers like the Xbox Elite Series 2 to a new VR Headset from Valve, cloud gaming through Google Stadia, and the handheld- only Nintendo Switch Lite with far better battery life, there’s a lot to be excited about. Here are the 10 best pieces of video game-related tech that was released in 2019.
Oculus Quest
Virtual Reality is a growing market in the video game landscape, but it is a niche one. And one of the biggest reasons that it hasn’t quite taken off in the way the industry expected it to comes down to low accessibility. Most VR headsets, PSVR included, have a high buy-in and a lot of external cables and gadgets. That is until the Oculus Quest - a standalone and wireless VR headset with a much cheaper asking price. On top of that, it can be connected to a gaming PC with the Oculus Link, giving players instant access to the Oculus Rift game library and other PC-exclusive VR games.
Xbox Elite Controller: Series 2
Microsoft released one of the best-designed video game controllers in history with the Xbox 360 and since then, has only built on what made the controller great with the Xbox Elite Controller. Compatible with Xbox One, PC, and even the upcoming Xbox Series X, Series 2 of the Elite Controller adds rubberized grips, adjustable-tension thumbsticks, and shorter hair-trigger locks to the already great bells and whistles of the original including four additional buttons, range of paddles and D-Pads, and USB-C charging. The Xbox Elite Controller is all about letting players customize their controller and game experience to their playstyle.
Sega Genesis Mini
Just when it looked like the miniaturized console craze was coming to an end, Sega released the Sega Genesis Mini packaged with 40 16-bit era classics. Widely considered as one of the best mini consoles available, the Sega Genesis Mini comes with the adorable console itself, two controllers, a HDMI cable, and a ton of classic games including Tetris, Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2, Castlevania: Bloodlines, and Street Fighter 2. Remastered consoles aren't going to be for everyone but for anyone even slightly interested or nostalgic for Sega, the Genesis Mini is the best one yet.
Logitech G915 Keyboard
Logitech's G915 wireless keyboard is its latest flagship gaming keyboard and while its high price point is certainly going to draw the line for casual gamers, there's a lot of offer here. First off, it's incredibly thin for a mechanical keyboard, coming in at a height of only 22mm. When it comes to specs, the G915 uses lightspeed wireless technology, has advanced LIGHTSYNC RGB allowing for customization on a key by key basis, has new low-profile mechanical switches, and 30-hour battery life with a 3-hour charge. What Logitech has done with the G915 keyboard is impressive, to say the least, and it's a must-have for hardcore gamers.
Astro PlayStation C40 TR Controller
One decision that Marvel has made when it comes to video games is to license out its properties to have high-profile and talented developers rather than attempt making all the games itself. Sony took a similar approach when looking for an answer to the Xbox Elite Controller, handing the reigns to Astro Gaming to come up with the PS4 C40 TR Controller. Straight from the horse's mouth, the C40 TR is "fully customizable for any playstyle and any genre." Remappable buttons, swappable modules, and the ability to change where the thumbsticks sit. Like the Xbox Elite Controller, the C40 TR isn't here to replace the standard Dualshock 4; instead, it's a step-up for hardcore gamers that want to play like a pro or integrate customization into how they play.
Alienware Area-51m Laptop
Alienware's latest gaming laptop behemoth, the Area-51m, is a huge step forward in many ways offering fantastic features for hardcore gamers in exchange for some pretty big trade-offs. The Area-51m is one of, if not the, most powerful gaming laptop on the market right now, sporting an upgradable and overclockable 9th Gen Intel Core processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX, a full-size keyboard, and the ability to upgrade components in the future. It's got the capability of a desktop but it the form on a laptop, meaning it's very bulky and very expensive, in exchange for a long lifespan and portability.
Valve Index VR Headset
Where the Oculus Quest gave consumers a new budget option for VR headsets, the Valve Index released at the other end of the spectrum, with a premium price and top of the line specs. Duel 1440x1600 120Hz LCD displays, a higher FOV than the HTV Vive, off-ear speakers, and controllers with individual finger tracking, not to mention the two base stations, and the inclusion of the upcoming VR game, Half-Life: Alyx. Valve has entered the VR market in a big way, offering the best VR experience available so far.
Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ 4K HDR Monitor
If the name of the new Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ 4K HDR Monitor isn't already a mouthful, the specifications of this thing will be. Originally announced back in 2017, the Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ is a 4K HDR ultra-wide monitor with an impressive 3440 x 1440 curved display capable of running up to 200Hz, 1000 nits of peak brightness, 512 local dimming zones,90% DCI-P3, G-Sync Ultimate support, and DisplayPort 1.4. Plus the usual HDMI, USB 3.0, and 3.5mm audio output ports. It doesn't get more top of the line than this.
HyperX Cloud Orbit S Headset
The HyperX Cloud Orbit S headset is one of the best options around for those looking for a great gaming experience with a price tag that's a little easier to swallow. Unfortunately, the Orbit S is a wired headset meaning no Bluetooth, but it's compatible with almost any device from PC to PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile straight out of the box.
Nintendo Switch Lite
It's impossible to talk about great video game tech in 2019 without looking at the Nintendo Switch Lite. Nintendo Switch's answer to portable-only gaming, if the era of the Nintendo 3DS wasn't over yet, it is now. The Nintendo Switch Lite is lighter, cheaper, and comes in three unique colors, offering a longer battery life, a compact exterior, and the complete Nintendo Switch experience. While there are a couple of games that aren't compatible with the Nintendo Switch Lite due to its non-removable Joy-Cons and the fact that it can't connect to a TV, the Switch Lite is a great option for a secondary console, for someone who prefers portable play, or for young children.
Technology is continuously moving forward and in this day and age, it’s progressing at a faster rate than most can keep with. While a lot of this year's best pieces of video game tech were updated versions of existing items like the Xbox Elite Controller or the Nintendo Switch, 2019 was a big year for the industry and a great cap off to a huge decade of technological advancements. And to think that after all of this, this time next year gamers will already have next-generation consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X in their homes.