As the year gallops to an end, we count down the top gaming gear launched this year. Here are our top picks.
Alienware Graphics Amp
Let’s kick off with something only a gaming enthusiast would understand, the Alienware Graphics Amplifier. The Graphics Amplifier is basically a PCIe x4 slot integrated with a 460W power supply in a box. You can basically plug in any desktop GPU and connect it to your Alienware 13 laptop and you will get desktop like gaming performance. Finally, you can now upgrade your laptop's graphics performance!
MSI and Gigabyte GTX 980m based ultrabooks
Laptop gaming just got better with Nvidia releasing the Nvidia GTX 980M and GTX 970M for laptops. The 8GB vRAM version of the GTX 980M supports 4K gaming and is already available in the MSI GT72 Dominator and the Gigabyte P35X v3.
Nvidia Shield tablet
Nvidia is known for its gaming products across different platforms and the Nvidia Shield tablet just takes that further. The latest tablet from Nvidia has gaming as its highlight and can handle PC games like Trine 2 with ease. It uses a Nvidia Tegra k1 chip, same as the one used in the new Nexus 9.
Nexus Player
Google has been trying hard to establish Android as a serious gaming platform and the Nexus Player just might make it happen. Google Introduced a fully functional controller, in collaboration with Asus, with its Nexus Player. And as games on the Android platform get better, products like these will surely help the tide.
Steam Box/Machine
Valve has been persistent in surprising its audience, and this year was about the Steam machines. Steam has come out with the ingenious plan to take over your living room as well with pre-built Steam Machines that you can make on your own or buy from various OEMs. This year we also saw Dell’s Alienware Alpha Steam Machine and like every other Alienware product it is worth craving.
Aorus X7
If you haven’t heard of the Aorus X7, we'd advise you to sit down. The i7-4870HQ powered laptop comes with two Nvidia GTX 970M GPUs. The 0.9 inch thin laptop has 3 SSD slots and a RAM capacity of 32GB. There's also a 17.3 1080p LCD displayand backlit Scissor-type key switches.
Corsair K70 RGB keyboard
The Corsair K70 RGB is one of the best backlit mechanical keyboards out there today. Each and every key of the keyboard is backlit and it uses Cherry MX Red switches.
AMD R9 295 X2
The AMD R9 295 X2 is the best graphic you can buy for your desktop, period. The GPU has 2 x 4GB R9 295s with a boost clock of 1018Mhz. This is the only GPU that comes with a water cooling kit equipped as standard. Badass!
Nvidia Titan Z
The Nvidia Titan Z was one of the most popular cards we saw this year. Though it stands below the AMD R9 295 X2, the card has good potential and is a powerhouse. This 12GB behemoth is a dual-GPU card that drives games at 4K without breaking a sweat.
Razer Project Christine
Razer showcased Project Christine early this year and this gives us a taste of how PC gaming could evolve in the coming years. In Christine, Razer allows every PC component to become 'plug and play'.