Peripherals News - Page 1

There was a time, during the era when all desktop PCs were beige colored, that if you went into a store to buy a peripheral like a keyboard or mouse, you only had two options- Logitech or Microsoft. It's been a few years since Microsoft designed and developed PC hardware, but the company released several iconic and beloved products over the years. The Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard and the Intellimouse come to mind.

Well, there's good news for fans of the classic Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard (sorry, Intellimouse fans, we might have to wait a bit longer for that classic to return): the company has partnered with Incase to release a line of 'Incase Designed by Microsoft' PC peripherals, which are on track for release later this year.

This new Incase Designed by Microsoft line-up will be pretty big, with 23 products, including 12 keyboards, five mice, three Teams Certified headsets, two Bluetooth speakers and dock combos, and a webcam.

The new Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is being described as the "ultimate wireless esports controller for Xbox and PC," which is what you'd expect for a gaming peripheral that costs $199.99 USD. Of course, the wireless controller is packed with customization options and additional features not present on a standard Xbox controller. Plus, ergonomic features like rubberized grips for extra comfort.

You'll find paddles on the back of the controller, which is typical for this type of pad; however, Razer makes a special note to call them "mouse-click back paddles" here, as they offer the same fast actuation as Razer's high-end gaming mice. The company has also added two more programmable bumpers on the top of the controller for gamers that use a "claw grip."

In addition, the Hall Effect analog thumbsticks are more accurate and durable and feature interchangeable thumbstick caps - the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro ships with two variants, one taller and one shorter.

Corsair has just released a pair of new affordable gaming mice: the wired M55 Lightweight Gaming Mouse for $29.99 USD and the M55 WIRELESS Gaming Mouse for $49.99 USD. In either form, the M55 sports a symmetrical shape, with textured side grips and a compact form factor that supports various grip styles.

The wired M55 Lightweight Gaming Mouse weighs 55 grams and is optimized for competitive gaming, where quick, precise movements can be the difference between a victory or a loss. The M55 WIRELESS Gaming Mouse weighs 85 grams in bulk because it's powered by a single AA battery, which adds weight.

On the plus side, the M55 Wireless Gaming Mouse can last up to 185 hours on a single AA battery with low-latency SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS. Both feature tracking specs of 35G acceleration and 300 IPS speed; however, the M55 Wireless's optical sensor is rated up to 24,000 DPI, while the wired version tops at 16,000 DPI.

ASUS's Republic of Gamers, or ROG, has a reputation for being one of the most sought-after 'premium' gaming hardware brands. At Gamescom this year, the company unveiled a new range of peripherals coming soon, including a pair of great-looking keyboards, a portable mini gaming mouse, and a new wireless headset with a familiar design.

First up is the ROG Falchion Ace HFX gaming keyboard, which, at a glance, looks like a wired (and black) version of the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile Keyboard we reviewed a few months ago. However, this isn't a low-profile keyboard; the adjustable ROG HFX Magnetic Switches (with an 8000 Hz polling rate) and Rapid Trigger feature make it a similarly compact keyboard - with a 65% layout in a 60% keyboard frame - for PC gaming.

The following keyboard will interest those who might not be fans of the TKL or 'tenkeyless' trend in recent years. The ROG Strix Scope II 96 RX Wireless includes the company's ROG RX optical switches with near-zero debounce delay and a numpad in a slightly more compact 96% layout.

The AVerMedia X'TRA GO is an impressive and potentially game-changing little unit (our full review is coming soon). It is a portable capture device and charging dock for a range of gaming handhelds that presents a simple one-button solution for recording up to 4K30 or 1080p 120FPS high-quality footage.

With support for the ASUS ROG Ally, Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, MSI Claw, Lenovo Legion Go, and iPhones and iPads, it's a dream come true for content creators, streamers, and gamers who are looking for an easy, painless, and tidy capture solution.

With a dedicated USB-C port with Type-C DP Alt mode compatibility and 64W charging, you can connect all these devices and stream direct-feed gameplay to a PC via an additional USB-C Port. The physical design looks excellent, too, but the port setup makes it the perfect-sounding capture device for portable and handheld gaming.

At TweakTown, when we look at keyboard and mouse combos, it's usually the pairing of some high-end gear, a mechanical keyboard with high-quality keycaps, and an enthusiast mouse with the sort of sensor tailor-made for playing Counter-Strike at the professional level. However, for those who are straight-up professionals working in an office, the new Dell Silent Keyboard and Mouse (KM555) could be of interest.

And that comes down to them being silent, creating no or inaudible sound. This is ideal for the modern office or even remote home work environment, as no one in a meeting will be able to hear you clack away on your keyboard or click through a presentation on a Zoom call with your mouse.

The Dell Silent Keyboard and Mouse (KM555) combo is also wireless, supporting Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz. Dual-mode features allow both to run simultaneously and 'Smart Connect' can detect which connection to use. You'll never need to worry about power, as both the keyboard and mouse offer up to 36 months of battery life.

Logitech is known for creating some of the highest-quality peripherals on the market and innovating in ways that have enabled it to capture large segments of consumers.

Its no surprise that Logitech Research and Development laboratories would be constantly producing new and interesting designs of established products, with the goal of inventing a fresh take that attracts more customers. Logitech's CEO Hanneke Faber gave a glimpse behind the curtain at Logitech's "innovation center" in Ireland in a recent interview with The Verge. Faber said they were shown a "forever mouse" that was designed to capture similar longevity as a watch.

Faber was asked what made the "forever mouse" a "forever mouse," to which Faber responded it was heavier, came with great software that users would constantly be updating and was "beautiful." Faber was further pressed about how Logitech would make money from selling a mouse to consumers that they would never have to replace. Faber said that such a product would need to offer value in the form of a service in the form of software updates.

Logitech is no stranger to the peripheral market, making some of the highest-quality peripherals for gamers and creatives alike.

But have you ever considered paying a monthly subscription for one of your peripherals? Logitech has, and the company's CEO Hanneke Faber recently revealed in an interview with The Verge they were shown a "forever mouse" at Logitech's "innovation center" in Ireland. This "forever mouse" was directly compared to the longevity of a watch in the way that people, more often than not, choose not to throw away their old watch. Logitech is aiming to create a product that captures that some longevity.

Faber was asked follow-up questions about this mysterious "forever mouse," such as "What made the mouse a forever mouse?" Faber described it as a "little heavier," having "great software and services you'd constantly update," and "it was beautiful." Faber added, "I don't think we're necessarily super far away from that."

The new ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme premium wireless gaming keyboard is here; however, it's hard not to look past the price - $499 USD. So then, what does a 75% gaming keyboard that costs as much as a GeForce RTX 4070 include? Quite a lot of premium features: a full-color OLED touchscreen, a carbon fiber positioning plate, and an adjustable gasket mount.

The latter allows gamers to toggle between two different type-feels, a first for a gaming keyboard. We first saw the ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme at Computex 2024, where ASUS explained that no expense was spared; every square inch of this thing has been designed to deliver the company's most premium keyboard experience to date. After a brief hands-on, we awarded it a Best of Computex 2024 award.

You'll have to wait a bit for our full review (it's due to arrive any minute), so let's go through what makes this custom 75% gaming keyboard a true enthusiast-level piece of hardware.

Logitech has unveiled its latest lightweight and portable wireless gaming mouse, the Logitech G309 LIGHTSPEED. With dual-wireless connectivity and the company's power-efficient (and powerful) HERO 25K sensor, the Logitech G309 can deliver over 300 hours of low-latency 1ms LIGHTSPEED gameplay on a single AA battery.

Switch to Bluetooth, and the battery life jumps to an even more impressive 600 hours. Weighing in at 86 grams with the battery, the Logitech G309 is compact, versatile, and lightweight enough to double as an on-the-go productivity tool and a weapon of choice for those late-night gaming sessions. It also sports a new form factor and ergonomic shape, designed for comfort and multiple grip styles.

When paired with Logitech's POWERPLAY Wireless Charging System, the Logitech G309 can also be used without a battery, making it even lighter - 68 grams. As a LIGHTSPEED device, all you'll need is a single receiver or dongle to use the Logitech G309 LIGHTSPEED with a compatible keyboard like the recently announced Logitech G515 TKL LIGHTSPEED Gaming Keyboard.