Technology and Hardware roundup: What should gamers be prepared for in 2024?

2024 promises new processors, graphic cards, handhelds, and a lot more

2024 has arrived swiftly, hasn’t it? The first week has already flown by, and soon we’ll be welcoming the promise of spring. As we eagerly anticipate the games lined up for this year, it’s equally crucial to keep an eye on the new hardware and equipment that will support these gaming experiences.

The tech industry whispers of exciting prospects—new laptops designed for Intel’s Core Ultra processors, potential mid-gen refreshes for Nvidia’s RTX 40 series, ongoing speculations about an updated Switch (a perennial rumor at this point), talks about a potential PS5 Pro, an upcoming iPad Pro featuring the M3 chip, and even the creation of a new virtual universe with Ready Player One’s author as a stakeholder.

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So, let’s dive right in and explore these developments before the year truly gets underway.

Intel’s Core Ultra chips aka Meteor Lake

The Core Ultra chips are Intel’s long-awaited answer to Apple’s proprietary M series silicon and as the year unfold expect experts to run the various offerings in the meteor lake lineup to be pitted against both Apple’s silicon and AMD’s.

Intel’s new processors, set to feature in laptops this year, use hybrid architecture to promise significantly better battery life, better performance, a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for AI, and in-built Intel Arc graphics. The hybrid architecture and the in-built Arc graphics should appeal to gamers although I believe Apple’s M chips remain unmatched at present.

Nevertheless, these developments are welcome initial strides. Additionally, AMD is expected to unveil its own 8000 series chips at CES today – it seems like it could be an exciting year for gaming enthusiasts.

A revamped iPad Pro

I rarely discuss iPads as gaming devices, although I’ve personally used mine to play games like COD Mobile, Asphalt, and Genshin Impact in the past without committing much to it. However, it seems like things might be changing.

Apple is showing an increased interest in gaming, as evident from its announcement during last year’s iPhone 15 series launch. Its promise that the A17 Pro could deliver top-notch gaming experiences on mobile devices is intriguing. Since then, I have tried Resident Evil Village on the iPad Pro and while it takes some getting used to, the experience has been smooth and unfettered. I wonder what could happen when the M3 chip enters the mix?

A successor to the Switch

This ongoing rumor seems persistent, refusing to fade away. Despite Tegra X1’s longevity, newer offerings like the revamped Steam Deck, the ROG Ally, and the Lenovo Legion Go are pushing the boundaries of handheld gaming.

Steam’s new deck has set a high bar and as Windows-based handheld devices work on overcoming their limitations (could a potential 2024 launch of Windows 12 be the solution?), Nintendo might surprise us with a new device. Considering the Switch will turn seven years old in March 2024 and is reaching the end of its presumed life cycle, something new might be on the horizon.

Ready for the Readyverse?

The Metaverse returns, this time on the shoulders of Ernst Cline, the author of Ready Player One, and the Readyverse. The Readyverse will be developed by Futureverse, partnered by Warner Bros., and is expected to champion an open metaverse that focuses on decentralization and interoperability.

As they attempt to recreate the world of Cline’s books and Steven Spielberg’s film digitally, I can’t help but imagine the nightmares that rights acquisition will entail when you consider that Cline’s vision is as rooted in ’80s and ’90s nostalgia as it is in the promise of tech.

Whatever be the outcome, we do have box seattch how this unfolds.s to wa