CES2023 is in the books and as always there were a ton of fun things to see! One company in particular that I always have an eye on is Monoprice as they continue their expansion into the gaming space. I have covered a number of different Monoprice items in the past and I am always left amazed by the quality you get out of the price tier they inhabit. For CES 2023 Monoprice introduced more than a few things that should be enticing to any number of gamers!
Docks
If you have picked up a Steam Deck and want to use it on the TV, the official Valve dock can feel a bit lacking in features. Monoprice has announced 3 new docks that can add far more versatility to your Deck setup! Compatibility with laptops and MacBooks is also supported. With a variety of options coming, there are some interesting things to consider like VGA output to a nice CRT for emulation use!
Type-C 15-in-1 Triple Displays Docking Station: P/N 44465
Features:
Design for DP Alt mode supported Type-C andThunderbolt host (PC, laptop, mobile phone, etc.)DP1.4 Alt modeAmong all video ports supports max 4k/60Hz for one port, max 4k/30Hz + 2*1080P/60Hz under MSTDP and HDMI support RGD/YCbCr 4:4:4/YCbCr 4:2:2/YCbCr 4:2:0DP and HDMI support deep color 8/10/12 bitDP and HDMI support HDRDisplayPort supports DP++ which enables connecting a passive DP to an HDMI port to connect to an HDMI displayGiga EthernetUSB3.2 Gen2 with max 10Gps data transferSD supports SD4.0 with max 312MBps, TF supports SD3.0 with max 104MBps, and 2 card slots can work simultaneouslyDigital audio with max 96KHz/24bit sampling rateMax 150W power inSmart power allows the distribution of power according to the actual consumption of the connected devices, making full use of supplied power
12-in-1 Dual-HDMI + VGA MST Dock: P/N 44466
Features:
USB-C Power DeliveryHDMI Output AdapterVGA AdapterRJ45 Gigabit Ethernet AdapterUSB-A 3.0 Data TransferUSB-A 2.0 Data TransferSD/TF Card ReaderMic/AudioHDMI & VGA
13-in-1 Dual-HDMI + DP MST Dock: P/N 44467
Features:
3.5mm Audio/Microphone (CTIA Standard)USB-C Port: Power delivery (PD3.0) which supports 100W power AdapterHDMI 2: 4Kx2K 30Hz/3840x2160 maxHDMI 1: 4Kx2K 60Hz/ 3840x2160 (work separately while source is DP1.4): 4Kx2K 30Hz / 3840x2160 (work separately while source is DP1.2)DP:4Kx2K 60Hz / 3840x2160 (work separately while source is DP1.4): 4Kx2K 30Hz / 3840x2160 (work separately while source is DP1.2)USB 3.0 (3 Ports): Up to 5Gbps data speed & maximum power output 5V/0.9A, backwards compatible with USB 2.0/USB1.1USB 2.0 (2 Ports): Up to 480Mbps data speed, Able to connect to 24GHz wireless devicesRJ45 Gigabit Ethernet: Up to 1000Mbps, stable wired accessSD/TF Card Reader Read: 20-40MB/s, Write: 10-30MB/s
Keyboards
While this next item might not necessarily appeal to all gamers, an ergonomic keyboard has proven to be the option of choice for some. Though this model might also not be specifically geared towards gaming more than an office environment.
Workstream Wireless 110 Key Ergonomic Split Keyboard: P/N 44520
Specs
110 Key Split Ergonomic KeyboardThin Film SwitchWireless Frequency–BT 2.4GHzBattery 1 * AA 1.5V Dry BatteryDimensions (HxLxW)–1.8 in (45.7mm) x 18.9in (479.8mm) x 9.5in (242mm)Weight 2.2 lbs (1kg)
Monitors
Two new models in the Crystal Pro range of monitors have also been showcased. With how sick the 32-inch model was these new ones are sure to delight with true HDR implementations and an ultrawide variant.
27in CrystalPro 4K IPS 65W USB-C Monitor P/N 44522
Specs
Resolution 3840x2160Refresh Rate 60 HzBrightness (nits) 400(max)Response Time 7msContrast Ratio 1000:1sRGB CIE1976 100%DCI-P3 CIE1976 95%Speaker4Ω/3WHeight Adjust 3.2 in (82 +/- 5mm)Tilt -5/+15degreeSwivel -20/20degreePivot 90 degree clockwiseKensington LockVESA 100x100mm
40in Wide IPS CrystalPro Productivity Monitor
Specs
Resolution 3440x1440Refresh Rate 144HzHDR600Brightness 400 nits (typ)Response Time 8msNTSC color saturation 105%DCI-P3 color saturation 95%sRGB color saturation 99%Adobe RGB color saturation 89%Contrast Ratio 1200:1Dynamic Contrast Ration 1,000,00:1Height Adjust 3.8 in (95 +/- 5mm)Tilt -5/+15 degreeSwivel 15/-15 degreePivot NoVESA 75x75mm
In addition, a number of new 8K HDMI, Display Port, and switching equipment (under Monoprices Blackbird lineup) have also been unveiled.
Overall some interesting items to look forward to over the next few months for both serious gaming and productivity use. I am personally interested in checking out some of the newly announced docking stations for Steam Deck use especially for pairing it with a VGA monitor for emulation! but keep an eye out at Monoprice for more info as it arrives.