All a wireless headset needs is near-infinite battery life. With 3M's solar-powered communication headset, just announced at CES this week, we are one step closer to that goal.

While we PC gamers tend to view CES as a place to check out the latest advances in gaming hardware, we should remember that CES is a general consumer electronics show: during CES, where will our hardware go next? During CES, there will be demonstrations of a variety of technologies that may give us a hint as to where our hardware is headed next.

As one example, 3M has announced that it will unveil a solar-charging "protective communication headset" at the show that incorporates its new patented solar technology. [3M has partnered with Exeger, a Swedish high-tech company, to develop a communications headset that uses 3M's solar film technology to optimize what the company calls its "Powerfoyle" solar cell, which converts all types of light into solar energy. This energy is used to continuously charge the built-in lithium-ion battery. However, it is not mentioned whether the headset requires charging or whether this technology is efficient enough to operate without the need for charging from a socket.

In any case, solar technology seems to be advancing at a fairly rapid rate, and several currently available PC peripherals have already implemented the technology. Logitech has had a solar-powered keyboard on the market since 2010, and the portability and power efficiency of solar panels and devices continues to advance.

Ultimately, looking at the spec sheet, there are no significant differences between the gaming headset and the communication model announced here; 3M's device features Bluetooth connectivity, a noise-canceling microphone, and push-to-listen technology.

It is a bit on the chunky side in terms of form factor, but if the sound quality and volume levels are reasonable, there is nothing that prevents it from being used as a gaming headset right now.

While there are still questions about whether this headset can truly be used without being plugged into a wall, the fact that this technology is viable today suggests that a future will come when wireless headsets will only need a suitable light source to keep them in use all day long. Sets like the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless can already provide 300 hours of battery life on a single charge, but with the addition of a highly efficient solar panel, it seems likely that future peripherals will emerge that do not need to worry about charging.

Anything that reduces the number of cables blocking my desk is good news to me. We seem to be moving toward a truly wireless future, and those little cables that plug into the wall may be the next outdated technology to be discarded in the trash. I look forward to the day when future generations will point and laugh at our current cans with a thinly veiled look of disgust:

"Did you have to plug it in?" And. He will say. 'It's like a baby toy.'"

_____________________________________ PC Gamer's CES 2024 coverage is courtesy of Asus Republic of Gamers.