Peripherals News - Page 1

If it falls under the PC gaming umbrella, then there are at least a dozen or more examples to see at Computex 2023, including gaming keyboards. If I had to choose one that impressed me regarding build quality, style, and feel, it must be Ducky's ProjectD Outlaw 65.

Ducky's ProjectD Outlaw 65.

It's not only built like a tank (with the weight to match, seriously, it's probably the heaviest keyboard we've ever picked up) but could even launch with a price point upwards of USD 599 (or somewhere in the region of USD 499). Pricing comes down to its 'spare no expense' construction and full customization. This isn't an off-the-shelf keyboard; it's a DIY kit you'll need to assemble.

DIY mechanical keyboard kits are always more expensive, like buying a car's parts and trying to assemble them. Okay, it's not that drastic. But, the luxury car world has partly inspired Ducky's ProjectD Outlaw 65, and at Computex 2023, we saw all 11 layers of the impressive keyboard on display. Let's break them down.

At Computex 2023, ASUS lifted the lid on its latest wireless gaming keyboard to drool over (or try not to) with the ROG Strix Scope II 96. After a brief hands-on with the keyboard at ASUS's HQ in Taipei, this is on track to be just as impressive as the ASUS ROG Azoth Mechanical Keyboard we recently reviewed.

The new ROG Strix Scope II 96 wireless gaming keyboard is coming soon.

The 96 in the naming refers to its compact 96% form factor, meaning it retains all function keys and the numerical keypad without taking up too much desk space.

Under the hood sits ASUS's new pre-lubed hot-swappable ROG NX Snow switches with fast actuation and a linear keystroke feel. The top housings are polycarbonate (PC), with the bottom housings made of polyoxymethylene (POM) composite and POM. Interestingly ASUS will offer two styles of keycaps, the always impressive PBT double shot or new UV-coated ABS keycaps.

HDMI 2.1 is well and truly here in the gaming space, with PC graphics cards supporting the latest spec since the arrival of the GeForce RTX 30 Series alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. HDMI 2.1 is about increased bandwidth to support a smooth 8K60 and 4K120 signal with HDR for consoles and up to 4K 144Hz with HDR and VRR on PC.

The new Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 (GC553G2) and the Live Gamer 4K 2.1 (GC575), image credit: AVerMedia.

And with that, it makes sense that AVerMedia's new HDMI 2.1 Game Capture Card range at Computex 2023 turned a few heads because they are the first of their kind - and on track for launch around August of 2023.

The new Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 (GC553G2) and the Live Gamer 4K 2.1 (GC575) both support 4K 144Hz HDR and VRR passthrough, with capture of up to 1080p at 240fps and 4K at 60fps. We might have to wait a little longer before seeing a 4K 144Hz HDR capture card.

G.Skill has decided it wants to compete with Elgato's immensely popular Stream Deck with its own version called the WigiDash PC Command Panel.

G.Skill had the WigiDash on display at Computex 2023, and officials from the company ran me through all of its specifications, use cases, and what the company plans on achieving with its release. The WigiDash is a simple, yet diverse product as it sports a customizable 7-inch touch-display at a resolution of 1024 x 500 pixels, and with G.Skill's software, which is still in development, users will be able to change the size of each of its on-screen widgets.

Essentially, the WigiDash is meant to act as a gamer assistant, displaying all of the necessary system specifications, such as component clock speeds, temperatures, etc. G.Skill explained to me that buyers will be able to add a multitude of widgets to the WigiDash, depending on the widget support. Notably, the WigiDash comes with a USB 2.0 connection and requires at least Windows 10, preferably Windows 11 (64-bit).

SteelSeries has partnered with Blizzard to release a new collection of limited-edition gaming gear inspired by the Diablo universe to celebrate the release of Diablo IV. The gear sees award-winning SteelSeries products given the Diablo treatment, from the Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Headset to an Aerox gaming mouse, mousepad, and even a very cool Artisan Keycap.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Headset Diablo IV Edition, image credit - SteelSeries.

With only 2,160 of the Diablo-inspired keycaps being produced, those will likely be snapped up quickly.

And those that purchase the Diablo IV-themed Arctis Nova 7 Wireless, Aerox 5 Wireless, or Thumbsticks Collector's Edition will get access to an exclusive in-game item - a Mount Trophy - explicitly created for this Blizzard and SteelSeries collaboration.

Gaming chairs can be an expression of style in addition to offering the sort of ergonomic support required for those long sessions, and it's that idea that sits at the heart of Vertagear's new PL1000 gaming chair - which arrives in a stylish pink and white finish.

Vertagear's new PL1000 ergonomic gaming chair.

It's a striking look, and right off the bat, you'll know if it's something for you by simply taking a quick look at the images provided by Vertagear. The form factor follows the standard gaming chair ergonomics across the industry but is backed up by an impressive build with a high backrest and industrial-grade metal base.

The Vertagear PL1000 pink and white gaming chair also has an adjustable memory foam neck pillow for added comfort and support. It features a wide-seat design with ultra-premium Dual Layer Hybrid Foam that will contour and shape according to how you sit.

A 3D printer that outputs chocolate creations? Sounds decadent and delicious. And the complete opposite of using plastics and resin to create 3D prints. The Cocoa Press 3D chocolate printer has been in the works for quite some time, with creator Ellie Rose Weinstein working on iterations, improvements, and refinements since 2014.

The Cocoa Press 3D chocolate printer, image credit: Cocoa Press/MandicReally

And the Cocoa Press 3D is available for pre-order now with a deposit of USD 100 - with DIY kit shipments shipping in Fall 2023. The complete chocolate 3D printer costs USD 1,499 and, as per above, will arrive in a DIY kit for assembly. There are also "Professional Packages" starting from USD 3,995, shipping in early 2024.

The official site notes that the Cocoa Press DIY kit is "intended for users with prior 3D printing experience" and features an assembly time of around 10 hours.

There's a certain level of nostalgia when it comes to classic tech, especially gaming hardware, from before the era of digital downloads. Xreart presents classic and discarded tech as hangable wall art, with examples including the classic Nintendo Game Boy from 1989 and the 1st generation Apple iPhone from 2007.

Xreart Nintendo Game Boy disassembled art.

It's an excellent idea, and the results are pretty impressive, with the classic hardware disassembled and arranged with annotations to let you know what a bit of silicon is.

I got my hands-on the Game Boy from Xreart recently, and although I'm no connoisseur of the finer things in life, like fancy artwork, there's no doubt this is the coolest thing I've had the chance to hang on a wall since that time I got a degree for learning the ins and outs of computing. So I thought I'd share it.

Looking for a dock for your Steam Deck that does it all and then some? Well, the new 6-in-1 USB-C Docking Station for Steam Deck from Syntech might be the answer, as it's packed with features and is currently available with a nice 10% discount over at Amazon, which goes up to 50% with a coupon (link at the end of the article).

Syntech's Docking Station for the Steam Deck, image credit: Syntech.

Syntech's Docking Station for the Steam Deck offers 4K@60Hz output over HDMI 2.0, a Gigabit Ethernet input for fast transfer, three USB-A 3.0 outputs, and USB-C 3.0 for full-speed charging. So yeah, it's stacked.

The dock also sports a minimal curved look that looks stylish and sleek in the product shots provided by Syntech, making it one of the best-looking Steam Deck docks currently available. The USB-C charging also means that it can double as a nice little charging stand for the Nintendo Switch or a smartphone.

The KEBOHUB EE01 is born from a collaboration between Whatgeek and affordable Apple peripheral specialists 3inus. The goal is to combine a mechanical keyboard's precision and tactile feel with the versatility of a device hub. Designed primarily for MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMacs from 2021 onward, the KEBOHUB is also compatible with Windows devices.

KEBOHUB EE01, a mechanical keyboard and hub combo.

For that, 3inus packs in replaceable Windows-specific keycaps to integrate correctly. Sporting a funky two-tone look with full support for dynamic RGB lighting, I had the chance to test the KEBOHUB EE01 before its Kickstarter crowdfunding debut this week. And even though my platform of choice has always been PC, it was fun to dip into the world of Apple with the KEBOHUB.

Of course, the main draw here is the hub, powered by the KEBOHUB EE01's dual USB-C cable, which connects to your Apple device. The hub features multiple USB 3 ports and USB-C for charging and connecting things like storage devices directly to the keyboard and an HDMI port capable of outputting a 4K 60 Hz signal for a secondary display.