I am not often one for all this New Yr malarkey—time ticks over on the identical price because it ever did, and I am no massive believer in astrology, so what does the calendar date matter? (And bah, humbug!) However even I can not assist getting just a little excited at what 2025 may supply us PC players.
The massive ones to look out for will clearly be new graphics playing cards from each Nvidia and AMD and handheld gaming PCs that includes the newest AMD and Intel cellular processors. We’re hoping to see lots of these items at CES in January, and on that entrance, I might advocate testing our Andy’s run via the whole lot we anticipate to see on the present.
However I am wanting past all that, throughout the distant horizon, into the land of what the extra sceptical may name pure fantasy. However truly, I feel most of the issues on this {hardware} wishlist are affordable expectations for 2025, and a few of them downright seemingly. So, here is what I am searching for in 2025:
- Low-cost and funky PCIe 5.0 SSDs
- AI-accelerated rendering
- An all-Nvidia laptop computer
- A strong AMD Strix Halo laptop computer processor
- Extra AMD X3D chips
- Steam Machines
- A Steam Controller 2
- A Valve Deckard VR headset
- Extra hidden connector motherboards
- Cheaper CUDIMM reminiscence
- Extra CAMM2 reminiscence
- Extra inexpensive OLED displays
- ARM desktop chips
1. Low-cost and funky PCIe 5.0 SSDs
They won’t be essentially the most glamorous piece of package, however SSDs preserve the info flowin’. And over the course of 2024 we already noticed huge enhancements in SSDs, to the extent that quick 2 TB drives are actually a reasonably commonplace affair, even when some system builders nonetheless should be given that specific memo. These enhancements, nonetheless, have been primarily of the PCIe 4.0 selection.
We’re nonetheless recommending Gen4 drives because the finest SSDs for gaming, and that is primarily as a result of Gen5 drives are too scorching and costly. The controllers they use get so toasty they often require gigantic coolers on prime simply to run, they usually typically price an inordinate quantity greater than the now-reasonably priced Gen 4 drives.
However no too way back we noticed promise of some extra power-efficient—and subsequently additionally extra thermally environment friendly—PCIe 5.0 SSDs, and if our Zak Storey’s Corsair MP700 Elite 2 TB evaluate is something to go by, this promise is well-founded.
So I am actually hoping 2025 is the 12 months low cost and funky PCIe 5.0 SSDs hit the mainstream market. There’s purpose to imagine this might occur as a result of we now have CPU generations and motherboards that may actually make use of them due to extra PCIe 5.0 lanes and slots, and there’ll absolutely be extra such motherboards to come back.
2. AI-accelerated rendering
It is no secret that Nvidia’s within the enterprise of AI, and it is no shock that this enterprise has—for good or for unwell—contaminated the PC gaming market. AI-accelerated DLSS upscaling and body era has grow to be one thing of a comfortable requirement for taking part in many trendy titles at something like an inexpensive body price.
However the place can we go subsequent? Properly, clearly we’re all hoping that DLSS 4 (and presumably FSR 4) will give us body era and upscaling enhancements, but it surely’ll be cool if it offers us one thing new, too.
It seems we have already got intimations of simply such a factor within the type of “neural rendering“, which an AIB producer lately talked about in seeming relation to next-gen Nvidia GPUs. If AI can do for rendering what it is accomplished for upscaling and body gen, we is likely to be in for a deal with.
And pay attention, I am fairly break up over AI-accelerated something. I wish to personal the body rate-producing energy that I pay for after I purchase a graphics card, not (primarily) lease it out from Nvidia’s neural community. However hey, frames are frames, and if such tech offers a major sufficient enchancment, perhaps I should not complain.
3. An all-Nvidia laptop computer
It was that Nvidia sat comfortably in GPU-land, Intel sat in CPU-land, and AMD straddled the boundary of each. However we have already seen Intel slide into the GPU market with its Arc graphics playing cards and Xe structure, and we have additionally heard hearsay of Nvidia becoming a member of the CPU scene for a few 12 months decade now.
Rumours on this entrance have began to ramp up of late, with Nvidia-Mediatek partnered chips rumoured to enter manufacturing in 2025 and the primary APU from the duo to characteristic RTX 4070 cellular and Strix Halo efficiency.
This may be an ARM chip, not an x86 one. The phrase on the road is that there are tons of enhancements to Home windows on ARM within the works—we have already seen that an Insider construct now helps AVX and AVX2 directions, which ought to assist get extra video games up and working—so there’s purpose to imagine that is true.
To not point out the sheer existence of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips, which reveals, to a restricted extent, what Home windows on Arm is likely to be able to. Now, in 2025, we simply have to see what the inexperienced staff (hopefully) has to supply on this entrance.
4. A strong AMD Strix Halo laptop computer processor
I by no means thought I might see the day after I was truly extra excited for brand new built-in graphics than discrete graphics, however with simply how good APUs are lately—I imply, simply have a look at handhelds—I feel I am over that threshold now. And topping that built-in graphics listing is a potential AMD Strix Halo chip.
“Strix Level” is the codename for AMD’s newest AI 300-series processors, which we’re anticipating to see in some handhelds and laptops come 2025 (and certainly, we already see Strix Level within the OneXPlayer OneXFly F1 Professional). Strix Halo refers to an as-yet unannounced top-of-the-line “halo” product utilizing this structure.
The newest rumours have us anticipating as much as 16 Zen 5 cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 CUs in Strix Halo. For reference, the AMD Radeon 880M—the cellular GPU discovered within the AI 9 HX 370—has 12 CUs, so you’ll be able to see why we’re longing for some Strix Halo Merchandise.
Strix Halo most likely will not maintain a candle to the sort of high-end discrete graphics accessible in a few of the finest gaming laptops, but it surely ought to supply efficiency that far surpasses present handhelds, all for a lot much less energy consumption than laptops with discrete GPUs. Which could imply gaming laptops that may play at the moment’s video games comparatively nicely with out draining the battery in below 2 hours (as appears to be the prerogative of gaming laptops at the moment).
5. Extra AMD X3D chips
The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which launched a few months in the past, is much and away the finest CPU for gaming. X3D chips are nice for gaming as a result of they vertically stack tons of cache, and video games are fairly hungry for this. The 9000-series X3D design improved on the 7000-series one by placing this cache beneath the chip quite than on prime, which permits for higher cooling and subsequently higher efficiency.
There have been rumours circulating for some time that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D will probably be adopted up in early 2025 by a extra highly effective Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 9950X3D. If these do launch, they’re going to most likely be for many who need stellar 3D-stacked gaming efficiency however higher productiveness efficiency than the 9800X3D.
The previous-gen Ryzen 9 7950X3D and 7900X3D stacked the identical 64 MB of additional L3 cache on a chiplet, however there have been extra cores within the processors (half of which did not use that stacked cache) for higher multi-core efficiency.
Within the case of the 7900X3D, a 12-core chip, this truly meant that solely six cores (one chiplet’s value) quite than the 7800X3D’s full eight cores, might use the stacked cache, which meant it was truly just a little worse for gaming than the Ryzen 7 chip.
If we get a 9900X3D, it’s going to be attention-grabbing to see whether or not the identical design alternative is made or whether or not each chiplets will get entry to the stacked cache. If each chiplets did get entry to the stacked cache, then we might anticipate that very same top-tier gaming efficiency with none software program required behind the scenes to repeatedly place workloads on the perfect cores.
6. Steam Machines
Bear in mind Steam Machines? Me neither—they have been considerably DOA after the circa 2015 launch. But when they’d labored out, what a factor they’d have been: Steam-based units like a Steam Deck, however desktopified.
Properly, in December, Valve’s “Powered by SteamOS” branding was unveiled, suggesting SteamOS will quickly “energy” extra than simply the Steam Deck and seemingly extra than simply Valve-made merchandise, too.
A Valve branding doc (PDF) acknowledged: “The Powered by SteamOS emblem signifies {that a} {hardware} system will run the SteamOS and boot into SteamOS upon powering on the system. Companions / producers will ship {hardware} with a Steam picture within the type offered by and / or developed in shut collaboration with Valve.”
We’re at present anticipating this to sign the existence of non-Valve-made however nonetheless SteamOS-powered handhelds, and a lately introduced January Lenovo occasion that includes Valve as a particular visitor suggests as a lot, albeit removed from definitively.
Along with handhelds, although, it is exhausting to think about “Powered by SteamOS” being one thing restricted to only handhelds, particularly provided that Valve’s lengthy been working in direction of a basic SteamOS launch. And if there is such a launch, nicely, that’ll open the doorways to every kind of third-party or DIY Steam Machines working Valve’s OS. Perhaps even an all Nvidia/ARM laptop computer. And heck, perhaps even an official Valve one.
And this final possibility may not appear so loopy when you think about my subsequent 2025 wishlist merchandise.
7. A Steam Controller 2
Sure, here is one other throwback to circa 2015, and once more to a different product that by no means actually caught on—though it did have a considerable following of ardent defenders. It featured back-paddles, gyro motion, and two trackpads in lieu of dual thumbsticks. The concept was that, through the use of correct customized configs, these unusual controls might assist you to simply play video games that lack nice conventional controller assist and provide you with some approximation of the accuracy of keyboard and mouse management in a pad.
Now, there’s hearsay that the Steam Controller 2 (codenamed “Ibex”) is already Sin mass manufacturing. That there will probably be a Steam Controller 2 is not a lot of a shock provided that Steam Deck designer Lawrence Yang mentioned in 2022, “yeah, we need to make it occur. It is only a query of how and when.” What’s stunning is that, if the mass manufacturing hearsay is true, this “when” might be very quickly.
We do not know precisely what a Steam Controller 2 will carry, both, which is thrilling. It might carry the identical design as the primary model, however Valve has additionally learnt quite a bit since then. The Steam Deck, as an illustration, has each trackpads and thumbsticks, so a Steam Controller 2 might decide for the same design to this. We’ll have to attend and see, hopefully someday within the coming 12 months.
8. A Valve Deckard VR headset
We have heard whispers and intimations of an upcoming Valve “Deckard” VR headset for years. For these unaware, it is a rumoured Valve Index successor that is likely to be utterly standalone, which means it is capable of be powered by its personal inside {hardware} quite than by your PC. So no cables. Or your PC for extra energy.
This is not all whispers, both. Valve even launched a patent together with plans for a brand new VR headset again in 2021, and though submitting a patent does not commit you to producing the product, this was on prime of tons of different affordable rumours surrounding the headset.
The identical supply that lately claimed the Steam Controller 2 is in mass manufacturing additionally claimed that Deckard controllers (codenamed “Roy”) are in mass manufacturing now, too. So, there’s at the very least some purpose to imagine we might see Deckard in 2025.
A part of the explanation that is thrilling is as a result of the Valve Index was severely gorgeous when it got here out, providing a really top-tier VR expertise. However tech has moved on since then, and now the Index appears just a little dated. In different phrases, Valve’s due a high-end VR refresh, in my eyes. And with all the corporate’s learnt about {hardware} manufacturing over the previous few years, I am hopeful.
9. Extra hidden connector motherboards
It may not be as thrilling as new VR headsets and handhelds, however one development that tickled my fancy in 2024 was the introduction of Again Join / Again-to-the-Future/Again-to-Entrance (BTF) hidden motherboard connector designs.
Folks first appeared to be aware of such designs with MSI’s Mission Zero in 2024, however we would already seen Gigabyte do it in 2022. The concept is fairly easy: take all these motherboard connectors (particularly the bigboi 24-pin energy connector) and shimmy them round to the again for higher airflow (ehh, no matter) and a cleaner look (now that is extra prefer it). It might probably even imply constructing the GPU energy slot into the motherboard itself to get rid of these garish 8-pins, as per Asus‘ ecosystem
In fact, you want room across the again for all these connections and cables, and cut-outs for them, too. Meaning customized design instances are required, which is one factor that has prevented these motherboards from turning into mainstream too quickly. Properly, that and the truth that there’s solely a small handful of them on the market.
However I am retaining my fingers crossed that 2025 has these motherboards at the very least dipping their toes outdoors of the “area of interest” market phase. They simply look so clear.
10. Cheaper CUDIMM reminiscence
It looks as if each couple of weeks there is a new “world report” CUDIMM reminiscence overclock. On the time of writing, the report stands at an eerie 12,666 MT/s, and such speeds can not help however whet my urge for food for the reminiscence commonplace.
CUDIMM RAM is reminiscence that makes use of “clocked, unbuffered” DIMMs, which means it has a clock driver that regenerates the clock sign for higher sign integrity, permitting for increased frequencies and extra transfers per second. This enables it to run so quick that it than makes up for slower timings and finally ends up being nicely value it. Solely downside is, it is costly.
It might be good if 2025 might give us extra CUDIMM reminiscence kits that may supply such speeds for an inexpensive worth. Then we would see important reminiscence enhancements with out even shifting up a DDR era.
11. Extra CAMM2 reminiscence
Okay, now this one’s extra of a “hopeful” than a “seemingly” improvement, but it surely’d be good if CAMM2 reminiscence began its path in direction of wider adoption in desktop gaming builds.
CAMM2 reminiscence is a reminiscence type issue that lies flat in opposition to the motherboard, and we obtained a first glimpse of it in a desktop at Computex early in 2024. We’re anticipating extra laptop computer producers to go for the flush type issue to avoid wasting area and permit for simpler cooling, however there’s much less incentive to slap them inside desktops.
However much less incentive is not no incentive. Having reminiscence mendacity flat might permit for SSD-style top-mounted cooling, which might permit clocks to be pushed additional. Extra importantly, although, for my part—and maybe most naively—it seems to be quite good, and will surely match a hidden connector motherboard. It is likely to be a idiot’s hope, but it surely’s a hope I am clinging to for 2025.
12. Extra inexpensive OLED displays
Within the land of displays, 2024 was undoubtedly the 12 months of the OLED panel. We witnessed a veritable onslaught of 32-inch 4K OLED displays, together with the finest high-end OLED gaming monitor, the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE.
I used to be just a little late to the sport however I ultimately mounted my goggles on an OLED panel within the Omen Transcend 14 laptop computer, and I battle to explain simply how fantastic these screens look. OLED panels are genuinely attractive.
However my God are they costly. We’re speaking costs that might bag you a completely new gaming PC, and never a foul one at that.
I am hoping that 2025 is the 12 months when OLED monitor costs drop, even when just a bit. Maybe this could imply the introduction of latest Samsung or LG 1440p OLED panels with a reasonable refresh price, quite than 32-inch 4K ones.
I do know such manufacturing adjustments cannot be embarked upon on a whim, however I reckon there’d be sufficient demand there for them for it to be worthwhile. And given 2024 noticed a determined push into the standalone OLED monitor market (versus the OLED laptop computer market), 2025 is likely to be the time for this to happen. I certain hope so.
13. ARM desktop chips
The principle ARM-based chips already out within the wild are Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X processors, which run Home windows on ARM surprisingly nicely and supply stellar battery life. These are all laptop computer chips, for now, although—sadly, the desktop dev package we preferred the look of was cancelled.
Given the seeming upward trajectory of Home windows on ARM, the prospect of ARM-based desktop chips is sort of thrilling. And it is not a pipe dream, both, given Qualcomm has already teased such CPUs and mentioned that we “ought to anticipate to see Qualcomm in each PC type issue”.
It isn’t so simple as simply porting issues straight over to desktop, although. For one, ARM chips do not at present have PCIe lane capabilities, which is an enormous requirement for, you realize, connecting all of your PC’s ins and outs collectively. And to pair an ARM chip with discrete graphics would require driver assist, too, which at present does not exist.
However these issues aren’t insurmountable, thus Qualcomm’s seeming confidence that desktop chips will arrive. And if Qualcomm’s appropriate in its evaluation, Arm itself is likely to be contemplating making its personal chips. Heck, as mentioned above, even Nvidia’s mentioned to be constructing off of an ARM structure for its rumoured in-house CPUs.
It isn’t a given, however 2025 might be the 12 months when all these items come into fruition and we begin to see the stirrings of ARM-based desktop processor competitors. With ARM’s potential for nice energy effectivity and battery life, such processors might definitely make for some attention-grabbing gaming PCs.
