A lot has changed for PC gaming in 2024. A lot of new players have entered the space, along with a number of companies giving their take on a portable gaming PC. This has created renewed interest in the platform, one that is a fantastic option to surprise that special someone in your life.
Last year players were enthralled by the latest Final Fantasy experience. It told a gripping story that was accented with amazing visuals, and epic battles. About a year later Square Enix ported it to PC, which has allowed a new group of players to experience what it has to offer. And in addition to having a great base experience, a number of DLC expansions were released to round out the experience.
Balatro is perhaps one of the biggest surprises of 2024. The intriguing card game quickly became a smash hit, and received an incredible amount of praise. So much so it’s actually in the running for 2024 Game of the Year at The Game Awards. That alone speaks volumes, and at the $15 entry point it’s an easy choice.
This highly anticipated sequel might not have lived up to the original’s hype, but it still delivered a fun experience that can be played with others. Add in the ability to play through the whole experience, and side missions, with your team, and it’s clear why some players continue to talk about it. And for those with the base game it’s a great opportunity to give the season pass and continue the good times well into 2025.
On a basic level Crypt Custodian looks like a cute Zelda clone. It features a top down view, simple combat, and puzzles centered around using later upgrades to overcome new challenges. Where it starts to stand out is the charming narrative, and accessible gameplay. It’s a good challenge that never pushes the limits, plus has a fair amount of secrets for those who really want to overcome everything it has to offer.
Suggesting PC accessories can be something of a nightmare. Most players like to stick to a set ecosystem, or look for a specific experience that matches their needs. While this remains true, what makes GravaStar stand out is their approach to, well, everything.
Instead of focusing solely on performance, GravaStar makes a number or products a statement piece. This is something that makes their speaker, charger, and even earbud lines really stand out. It takes the practical, and makes it fun, something that many people would find charming, and delightful.
One of the most universal gaming accessories is headphones, and Audeze Maxwell is among the best in regard to wireless options. This is largely due to their amazing planar magnetic drivers, which delivers a crisp and clear sound experience. In addition to great sound, this unit boasts 80 hours of battery life, and quick charge capabilities, ensuring it’s always ready to go when players are. Best of all, both the PlayStation, and Xbox versions work with PC. We personally suggest Xbox, as it supports a few extra features, and rumors suggest it works on PlayStation as well. Plus, the Xbox version comes in a number of delightful limited edition designs that really stand out.
Gaming chairs are a rather divisive subject. Comfort aside, there are a large number of options that are simply not worth the money. Either their build is bad, support terrible, or something else entirely. Where AndaSeat stands out is their overall approach.
Along with a wide range of colors, I love some of their design choices. Perhaps my favorite are the magnetic arm rests. This is one of the most common things to break, and even if the warranty covers it, the whole arm needs to be removed. With these you simply lift up, grab another, and you’re good to go.
Another welcome choice is the magnetic head pillow. The ability to alter the heightwithout worrying about an elastic band, or clasp system, makes it far more usable for taller individuals. I can place the pillow at the top of the chair and it will hold just as well as somewhere a couple inches lower. Plus, there are no concerns if multiple people use the chair. Just adjust as needed without worrying about parts wearing out.
2024 marked a massive shift for Gunnar Optiks. Instead of being blue light blocking glasses company that largely catered to gamers; they’ve expanded to offer a wide variety of fashionable designs. These range from notable designers like Tokidoki, to simply taking their vision to new, and unique places.
Even if there is some debate on whether blue light blocking is even worth it, the nice thing is these designs cater to players of any age. Be it kids, complete with fun Marvel options, to adults that want to take their love of Fallout to another level. Given they come in prescription it’s well worth checking out, especially with the massive holiday deals.
One of the most important things in any gaming set up is the monitor. This allows players to ultimately experience things with better clarity, color, contrast, and even motion. While a number of options are out there, INNOCN has pushed for OLED, and microLED in more affordable form factors. This makes them well worth considering, as the jump to OLED is massive.
The nice thing about Steam Deck is it makes PC gaming on the go simple. There is no question of what game works on it, how to access other platforms, or dealing with other nonsense that is typically found with PC gaming.
This year we’ve also seen the line up expand in a number of welcome ways. These include OLED, 1TB of storage, better Wi-Fi, and even better battery life. Plus, Valve recently released a limited edition white version that is sure to make a number of players happy.
Plus, all of this can be expanded through their official dock, or a third party option like Unitek, to enable additional ports/TV functionality. And a number of companies make exciting cases, bags to ensure your device is safe on the go. It can even be paired with a INNOCN portable monitor to get the most when you’re on the go.
For most hardcore players a traditional tower with powerful GPU is going to be the best way to game. However, in recent years Mini PCs have made massive advances. More powerful chips, better optimization, and amazing designs have resulted in fully functional computers that can be fit in the palm of your hand.
These are great options to consider, as they allow for more options down the road. Either through upgrading, being able to invest in an OLED portable monitor, or clean up a work space. They’re not for everyone, but absolutely worth considering, especially with Black Friday pricing bringing them down a considerable amount.
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