Innovation is so important to the tech world. Whether its a fresh take on an old product, or an exciting new technology that will shape the tech landscape of the coming years, innovation is the reason the best stuff gets made. These are our nominees for the Best Tech Innovation of 2019.

Best Tech Innovation 2019 Nominees 6 IMAGES

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Oculus Link

Nvidia G-Sync Compatible Monitors

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Google Stadia

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Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure

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Valve Index Controllers

Oculus got a lot right with the standalone Quest headset, but the real breakthrough VR innovation is the Oculus Link. You can now plug the Quest into a gaming PC via USB-C, giving the standalone headset access to high-end PC-only VR experiences. That'll be critical when Half-Life Alyx launches early next year.For years, if you wanted to access variable refresh rates while using an Nvidia graphics card, you needed a G-Sync monitor. But this year Nvidia started certifying some monitors as "G-Sync Compatible." These monitors are cheaper than their G-Sync counterparts – previously G-Sync required a special module that added a few hundred dollars to the price. Even better, G-Sync compatibility is starting to show up on some TVs, like LG's B9 and C9 OLEDs. That's great news for PC gamers who want to play on TV in their living room.Google Stadia finally delivered on the long-awaited promise of cloud game streaming. 4K graphics, 60 fps, minimal latency. The service has has a rocky launch and isn't really ready for prime time yet, but from an innovation standpoint it's incredible that it works at all. Just open a browser, log in, and you're playing Red Dead Redemption 2. It feels like the future.Nintendo is no stranger to fitness games, but 2019's answer to Wii Fit really upped the ante. With an innovative resistance band-type controller and a surprisingly robust RPG component, Ring Fit Adventure is actually fun to play, not just trick you into working out.Valve's Index pushed the high-end VR envelope not just for its impressive headset specs, but the finger tracking of its Index Controllers. As VR becomes more and more advanced – and widespread – we'll need more advanced ways to interact with the virtual world. The Index Controllers are an impressive step in that direction.

These are our nominees for the best tech innovation of 2019 – what are yours? Vote in our Player's Choice awards below to name your choice! Be sure to check out all of our other Game of the Year award nominees as well as our picks for the best movies, TV shows, comics, and anime of 2019 Art for IGN’s Best of 2019 is by Julia Rago Angela Nguyen , and Nicole Cagampan