We check out some of 2024’s hottest gaming gear and gadgets so far, including SteelSeries’ Arena 7, Star Wars Unlimited and the Ember Cup.
We’re not even halfway through 2024 and there’s already a number of gaming gear and gadgets vying for your attention. So to help you keep up with the Jones’, we round some of the biggest hitters so far, starting with the SteelSeries Arena 7…
SteelSeries Arena 7
Price: $399 via Mwave
Setting up the perfect gaming space is a delicate balance between aesthetic and functionality, so I love it when one product can confidently tackle multiple jobs. That’s precisely why I’m a big fan of the SteelSeries Arena 7 and can easily recommend the speakers for any desk setup.
SteelSeries’ middle range unit (versus the more budget-friendly Arena 3 and pricier Arena 9), the Arena 7 offers a 2.1 gaming speaker system with two wired front-facing speakers and a 6.5-inch down-firing subwoofer. While that means there’s a few cables to manage, it’s hardly insurmountable and worth the effort considering the quality of sound the combo is able to produce. Whether it was the chaotic firefights of Call of Duty or orchestral epics of God of War, our sound was crisp, detailed and packing just the right amount of bass (although you can tinker with the levels on the back of the sub). You can use SteelSeries’ own software to play around with your specific audio desires, allowing you to tailor the profile to whatever genre you gravitate towards.
What’s even better is that both front speakers also have 4 Zone Reactive RGB lighting at the back. While RGB lighting isn’t for everybody, I thoroughly enjoyed how bright and customisable they were and was impressed with how much light they give off, especially in a dark room. It also means you don’t have to worry about investing in additional light strips for simple setups – reducing both cost and extra cable management, which is a win in my books.
Likewise adjustable stands let you steer the sound to exactly where you want it and audio/power controls at the base of the unit was an absolute godsend. That might sound like a ridiculous praise, but for somebody like me who has their monitors quite low to the desk, still being able to reach underneath and easily access the controls is incredibly helpful.
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Considering you can currently nab the Arena 7 for just under 500 bucks, that’s incredible bang for your buck. You’ll score an impressive feature set for an even more impressive set of speakers. Recommended.
Ember Cup
Price: $170 via Ember store
Just because you’re locked into a tight game of Call of Duty or FIFA, or particularly invested in the narrative storytelling of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, that shouldn’t mean you can’t enjoy a nice toasty drink. So just in time for the cold months ahead, Ember has you covered with its Ember Cup, a device that effortlessly blends style and functionality.
Said functionality is all thanks to the tech hiding inside of the cup – namely the dual-band microprocessor-controlled heating system. Simply put, it means that with your phone connected to the Ember app, you can set a temperature range between 50°C – 62.5 °C and your Ember Cup will keep it there. During my testing I found it incredibly east to all set up, and once things were up and running I loved that my coffee was always piping hot no matter how distracted I managed to get. The cup itself never got too hot to handle and being able to casually sip my warm beverage after 30 minutes with no regrets was an absolute dream.
Speaking of battery, Ember touts around 90-minutes of battery life (which tended to be accurate during my time) depending on your particular conditions, but the company has smartly turned the humble coaster into a recharging station so things never look out of place while you ensure you’re never close to draining the unit.
I tried out the Copper variant of the Ember Cup and it’s an absolutely stunning bit of kit, easily blending into its new home on my Omnidesk. Of course there’s a more traditional black variant if you need to fit a particular aesthetic and if you want a larger drink capacity (the Ember Cup has a capacity of 178 ml made for cappuccinos flat whites) you can always grab yourself an Ember Mug 2 as well.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 Wireless Earbuds
Price: $369 via Audo-Technica store
If you’re after a new set of earbuds, allow me to steer your gaze Audio-Technica’s latest offering, the ATH-TWX7 Wireless Earbuds. While Audio Technica is incredibly well-known in the over ear market, their buds have been steadily gaining steam and these might be the most well-rounded pair yet.
No matter whether you go with the black or white-ish grey colourway, the ATH-TWX7 are certainly a uniquely designed bud, but it never feels as though that’s at the expense of Audio-Technica’s classic style. That means the company’s logo is still emblazed on the side of each bud and they look good in the ear for those who are particularly fashion conscious.
What’s more important is that they’re comfortable in the ear as well. Despite the unconventional shape, the ATH-TWX7 is hands-down one of the comfiest inner-ear buds I’ve tested and never created an uncomfortable suction. In case that’s not the case for you, there’s also a number of different sized ear tips to help get the right fit.
The ATH-TWX7 are also pretty feature rich. One of the more surprising of the bunch is the inclusion of both touch and physical buttons, which allow for plenty of flexibility depending on your preference.
But what about the actual sound? Thankfully that’s no slouch either, with a great amount of balance at play here. While some might lament the lack of a punch bass, what these buds offer is a soundstage that’s consistent across every track and genre we played. There were no blowouts and distortion, but some may consider that a little safe. If that’s the case, there’s a bit of tweaking you can do in Audio Technica’s Connect app.
And even though the case has a more curved design, it’s still compact enough to pick in the pocket without causing a huge drama but will add a bit more bulge when compared to some of the unit’s slimmer competitors.
The ATH-TWX7’s biggest downside is its battery life, which clocks in at around 6.5 hours, but you will still get another 13.5 hours with the charging case, which is plenty for those doing a daily commute.
Accept that and the ATH-TWX7 is still a very respectable set of earbuds.
Star Wars Unlimited
Price: $74.95 (Starter Set) via Gameology
For those looking to expand their gaming gear in 2024 while still having plenty of fun with friends, this is the card game you’ve been looking for.
To best get started with Star Wars Rebellion you’ll need to pick up the Spark of Rebellion two-player starter set. Doing so will give you access to two pre-built decks (led by Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader respectively) that are designed to teach you the fundamentals of play.
In a quick nutshell, that involves depleting your enemies base (comprised of 30 hit points) before they destroy yours. How you choose to do that though is entirely flexible, as you fight battles both on the ground and in space. Depending on how you build your deck you may choose to go for a quick offence, but that may backfire if your enemy starts playing beefier combatants that can take out your grunts.
Having to use some of your deck as resources (which are spent in order to play cards on the battlefield) adds even more strategy to the game, as does the involvement of leaders – big-name players that can heavily sway the tide of battle. Some of these leaders can feel a little too powerful at times, but trying to save up for their involvement does allow for some tense risk-reward gameplay moments.
Personally, I’m a fan of the more cartoon-style aesthetic. Yes, it lacks the pure artistic flair that something like Magic: The Gathering has, but that also means it has a vibe and style that is entirely its own. It’s also likely to appeal to more younger audiences, which seems ot be the idea here.
Overall, whether you’re a hardcore Warsie or not, Star Wars Unlimited is a hell of a lot of fun to play and pretty affordable to get up and running.
Sonos Era 300
Price: $749 via JB Hi-Fi
When it comes to home audio, Sonos produces some of the best units around, and after spending a few weeks with the Sonos Era 300, that belief has only been further cemented.
For such a compact unit (it measures in at 160 x 260 x 185 mm) the Era 300 packs a seriously beefy sound that makes the most of its Dolby Atmos functionality. Thanks to six drivers carefully placed around the front, sides, and top of the speaker, the Era 300 is able to smartly blast music from your wall to the ceiling with the goal of making completely immersive sound. But that’s not just marketing speak – Sonos have nailed it.
Obviously you’ll need to be booting up Dolby Atmos-enhanced tracks (for example, I used Apple Music) to actually score that immersive effect, but if you have that option it’s a whole new way to listen to music, and really shined when I booted up the likes of Hans Zimmer’s Dune 2 soundtrack. Listen closely enough and you’ll hear the intentional placement of each instrument to the point where it feels like you’re in the room.
For those who really want to get the most out of the Era 300 there’s Sonos’ own app which allows you tune the speaker by firing sounds while you wave your phone around to get a better indication of how to best project for your room, or you can get really nitty gritty and provide the proper dimensions. You can also mess around with EQ settings if you really want to find your perfect audio profile.
The only thing you’ll need to stomach for the Era 300 is the price. At $749 retail, it’s certainly not a cheap bit of tech, but for the real audiophiles wanting to get the most out of their music, it’s a long-term investment that likely won’t be regretted.
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