Peripherals - Page 11

Elgato has announced five new products as part of its new Neo range of peripherals designed for "high-end performance with plug-and-play simplicity." It's making its popular and award-winning gear for content creators and streamers more accessible with new user-friendly software support for various devices, including laptops and iPads.

Elgato notes that the Neo range is all about offering great value (prices range from $89.99 to $119.99 USD) while maintaining the company's high-quality standard. The five new Elgato Neo products sport a fresh, modern, white color scheme. And in an excellent move, each Neo product is made from 60% or more recycled plastic.

The Wave Neo ($89.99) is a new USB microphone compatible with laptops, iPads, and PlayStation consoles. It features a built-in foam pop filter and headphone jack, with hardware optimized for clear vocals that can be fine-tuned with Elgato's Wave Link app.

Adding RGB to anything and everything related or adjacent to PC gaming is something we've all been observing for years. The idea of adding lights to a mouse mat isn't new, and there are several options out there. That said, they all do the same thing: putting an LED light strip around the edge of the mousepad.

The new Razer Firefly V2 Pro does things a little differently. Razer describes it as "the world's first LED backlit gaming mouse mat." The Razer Firefly V2 Pro (available in Black and White) features a frosted surface to catch the light, and it has a 15-zone LED backlight system similar to a traditional LED LCD monitor, amplifying the lighting to spread it around the mouse mat.

Now, you're probably wondering why. You're probably wondering how distracting it could be to have a fully lit mouse mat with a bright neon glow. As with anything RGB, the best thing is to embrace it - and join the party.

With the release of the Fallout TV series on Prime Video, a Fallout 4 remaster coming later this month, and everything post-apocalyptic still as popular as ever, Elgato has just launched a new limited-edition line-up of Fallout gear created in collaboration with Bethesda. The line-up includes a Fallout Edition Stream Deck, Wave DX, Wave XLR, and Wave Mic Arm LP.

This is the first time Elgato has developed a custom dynamic microphone, audio interface, or boom arm, so it's also offering Vault Overseer Kits that bundle the new Fallout gear. But it doesn't stop there, as Elgato and Bethesda are offering some very cool bonus digital goodies for fans that draw on the franchise's long history of mods and customization.

Available separately and free for all Elgato users (via the Elgato Marketplace), you can now download Pip-Boy-inspired icons for the Stream Deck, Vault-Tec Stream Deck screensavers, and a voice modifier that includes several presets and settings to make you sound like another wastelander wandering the wastes.

The new Logitech G PRO X 60 LIGHTSPEED Gaming Keyboard is the company's latest flagship keyboard for competitive gaming. The overall design and features were tailored with insight and input from over 70 pro players. According to Logitech, developing the new PRO X involved eight rounds of research and testing and the creation of 30 or more prototypes.

The Logitech G PRO X 60 LIGHTSPEED Gaming Keyboard falls into the 60-percent form factor range, the preferred size for portability and compact performance. Pro gamers gravitate toward this form factor because it also leaves ample room for mouse movement.

As a 60-percent keyboard, it's missing several keys, but all those features and more can still be accessed via Logitech's new remapping and secondary functionality KEYCONTROL system.

ASUS announced the ROG Keris II Ace ultralight gaming mouse at CES 2024. This mouse follows up on the excellent ASUS ROG Keris Wireless AimPoint we reviewed in 2022. The Keris II includes several upgrades, notably the reduced ultralight build, which is now just 54 - 20 grams lighter than the original.

In addition, the optical sensor has been upgraded to the new ROG AimPoint Pro, which features 42,000 DPI sensitivity with less than 1% deviation and can accurately track on glass. With ROG Polling Rate Booster and ROG SpeedNova wireless technology, you can get up to 4,000 Hz polling rate over wireless and 8,000 Hz in wired mode.

Interestingly, ASUS has made significant changes to the shape. The new esports professional-tested ergonomic shape includes a higher bump on the body compared to the original and most gaming mice with

The Sabrent 7-Port Hub with Switches (HB-3A4C) is a straightforward device. It's a USB-C hub with three 5Gbps USB-A ports and four 5Gbps USB-C ports, one of which can deliver an impressive 20W of power. If you're in the market for a hub, then this is definitely one to consider, as each port also comes with its own switch and LED indicator to make managing multiple connected devices a breeze.

With charging and hosting, this powered hub arrives with a dedicated power adapter to ensure reliability when connecting multiple accessories and devices. One of the key features of the hub is the per-port switches that let you enable and disable devices without having to plug or unplug them. This is an excellent feature for external devices like an Xbox controller or headset - allowing you to turn them on and off with a button.

And some good news: there's no need for additional software. Simply plug in the single USB Type-C interface to your PC, laptop, smartphone, or portable gaming handheld like the ROG Ally or Steam Deck, and you're ready.

MSI has announced a new affordable gear range, the FORGE Series. This range will comprise FORCE G for gamers and FORGE (non-G), which is "ideal for office use and professional environments." The first products to carry the new FORGE branding are the FORGE GK100 keyboard and FORGE GM100 mouse, available as part of the FORGE GK100 COMBO.

The first thing that stands out here is the FORGE GK100 keyboard's physical design and look. It looks like a PC gaming peripheral from the early 2000s-the complete opposite of the more minimal keyboard designs of recent years. MSI made a bold choice, and it will be interesting to see if it catches on. If you're a fan of angles and sci-fi flourishes with plenty of RGB, you're sorted.

Based on the specs, at least with this first offering, the FORGE series should be affordable for budget-conscious gamers. MSI describes the switches as "durable" but provides no other information, so they're likely not mechanical. The FORGE GM100 mouse also sports a modest 6,400 DPI optical sensor.

The Cooler Master MK770 Hybrid Wireless Keyboard is described as a 'state-of-the-art mechanical gaming keyboard' with 'unparalleled customization' and 'outstanding gaming performance.'

And sure, companies love to talk up new releases. Still, with Cooler Master's mechanical keyboard track record and the fact that the new Cooler Master MK770 also comes in a stylish (and not for everyone) pastel color option, like me, you probably want to know more.

This is a premium feature-packed mechanical keyboard with a reasonable price point of $129 USD. With this, you get hot-swappable switches for that extra layer of customization, a gasket structure, pre-installed KailhBox V2 switches, silicon dampers to keep noise levels down, per-key customizable RGB lighting, double-shot PBT keycaps, stabilizers, and more.

The new CSTM65 Keyboard from Drop is a compact 65% mechanical keyboard that aims to take customization to new heights thanks to its interchangeable magnetic case (available in polycarbonate or aluminum) that can easily slip on or off the keyboard while covering the entirety of the board.

It's an excellent addition to a customization-focused keyboard, with various keycap options, switches (Gateron Brown Pro 3.0 Switches or Gateron Yellow KS3 Switches), weights, and even cables. This mix-and-match design lets users personalize theDrop CSTM65 Keyboard to suit their style. Polycarbonate cases are sold separately, in a range of colors, for $25 each, with aluminum cases available in silver or black for $59 each.

The specs here are impressive, with a gasket-mounted design, ABS keycaps, PCBA-mounted stabilizers, and 5-pin switch support. The Drop CSTM65 Keyboard is available in a barebone (MSRP $79) and fully assembled (MSRP $129). Fully assembled includes the keyboard, keycaps, switches, stabilizers, and black polycarbonate case.

Corsair has launched a brand-new wireless keyboard for enthusiasts and gamers with the new K65 PLUS WIRELESS, and it looks beautiful thanks to the 75%-layout and stylish two-tone keycaps. Compact, powerful, and wireless, it ticks and checks many of the most sought-after boxes and features for a high-end keyboard.

With two layers of sound-dampening foam and silicon, screw-in stabilizers, and PBT dye-sublimated keycaps (in midnight gray and silver), the K65 PLUS WIRELESS comes pre-installed (and pre-lubed) with Corsair's impressive MLX Red switches that we recently saw in the award-winning Corsair K70 CORE SE - which are hot-swappable so you can swap them out for full customization.

On that front, to coincide with the launch of the K65 PLUS WIRELESS, DROP Holy Panda X tactile switches are currently 50% off (via DROP.com). The K65 PLUS is a wireless keyboard with low-latency 2.4GHz for gamers, Bluetooth for mobile devices and tablets, and the ability to connect and switch between multiple devices. It's also compatible with PC and Mac.

ASUS announced the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile 65% compact (and wireless) gaming keyboard at CES 2024, and it immediately grabbed our attention based on its sleek and stylish design. Also, it's not every day that you see a low-profile keyboard designed for gaming - with the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile using ASUS's new pre-lubed RX Low-Profile switches.

The Red Linear version features a 1.0 mm actuation point for fast input, with a feel and rebound designed to provide the feedback you're after in a keystroke and paired with two layers of dampening foam, a touch panel, and tri-mode connectivity (wired, Bluetooth, and ROG SpeedNova wireless), the hardware here sounds impressive. Of course, a big part of the appeal here is the look.

With a white, grey, and reflective surface appearance, the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile looks futuristic, sleek, and stunning. Somehow, ASUS managed to fit the 65% form factor and key layout in a 60% frame, so there's not a millimeter of wasted space.

The new BOOG75 from BOOM+GAME is a new enthusiast gaming keyboard for those looking to bring cutting-edge design and tech to their PC gaming. It certainly ticks many of the right boxes with fully adjustable magnetic switches with rapid trigger functionality, gasket mounting, sound-dampening foam, and low-power LED lighting.

The BOOG75, per the name, is a 75% keyboard, one of the most popular form factors for gaming keyboards. Although compact compared to a full-sized board, the 323.6 x 145.78 x 34.73 mm dimensions, 5-degree typing angle, and around 3kg weight make it a robust and solid unit.

The design here is premium through and through, with an aluminum case with an anodized finish (that extends to the backplate) and Gateron KS37B switches with a magnetic hall sensor. Magnetic switches work because actuation points are determined by distance that you can adjust - and here, you can do so on a per-key basis ranging from 0.1mm to 4.0mm.

Ever wondered if you could use your mouse as a webcam? Of course you haven't - probably not, anyway - but someone did, and went ahead to complete a project that made this a reality (to an extent, we should add as a caveat).

As depicted on YouTube, Doctor Volt took an optical mouse and turned its sensor into a camera with a bit of high-tech tinkering (as flagged up by Hackaday, via Tom's Hardware).

The sensor was augmented with a wide-angle lens (made for a Raspberry Pi camera), and Doctor Volt used a third-party microcontroller (ESP32-S3 chip) in conjunction with the mouse sensor. Some 3D printing was required to make parts to hold the lens in place, too.

AVerMedia has launched two new capture cards aimed at PC games, streamers, and content creators with the arrival of the Live Gamer 4K 2.1 and Live Streamer ULTRA HD. The Live Game 4K 2.1 is the PCIe version of the excellent Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 (GC553G2) capture card we reviewed late last year.

The Live Gamer 4K 2.1 (GC575) is a premium HDMI 2.1 PCIe capture card created to take full advantage of HDMI 2.1 - including 4K144 passthrough with HDR and VRR support. This allows for high-quality 4K 60fps capture while enjoying the full benefits of HDMI 2.1 on a modern display. And it looks slick with added RGB lighting that can sync with your setup. For those with PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X consoles of a new GeForce RTX or Radeon RX GPU - HDMI 2.1 on a capture card like this is a game changer for not compromising visuals while streaming or capturing footage.

The Live Gamer 4K 2.1 is joined by the new Live Streamer ULTRA HD (GC571), it is aimed at those looking for high-quality streaming and capture with entry-level pricing. It offers 4K60 passthrough with VRR support and can capture 1080p120 or up to 4K30.

Last year, I reviewed the 'Elvish' version of the DROP + The Lord of the Rings mechanical keyboard collaboration. As far as keyboards go, they were a little limited without software support or much customization, but that's not what I wanted to check it out for - the attention to detail and little touches make it an awesome piece to put on display. As a Lord of the Rings fan who adores the books and films, I'll cherish it for years.

This is a roundabout way of saying that I'm now keen to pick up the latest DROP + The Lord of the Rings Rohan keyboard - which is inspired by the Rohirrim, the 'kingdom of horsemasters.' Like previous Lord of the Rings keyboards from DROP, this new collab is chock full of awesome little details from OSHETART, including galloping horses, authentic helms, and beacons of Minas Tirith.

This time, the keycap fonts are in English, too, so it'll be more usable, with a design inspired by Ye Olde English. Performance-wise, you've got Holy Panda X Switches, DCD-profile keycaps, and silent Phantom Stabilizers. Plus, it's available in green or brown.

The Corsair K70 CORE RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is a great keyboard with switches that have a great feel - and the special edition model with retro grey and yellow keycaps we reviewed looks fantastic, too.

Over the holiday break, our friends at Corsair sent a White Cherry Blossom keycap and MM350 PRO mouse pad set (currently on sale for $79.99 USD) as a nice little gift - so I thought I'd see what sort of transformation it would bring to the Corsair K70 SE CORE RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. As you can see, it looks completely different.

Replacing keycaps is becoming common in mechanical keyboards, as is having the ability to hot-swap switches. The Corsair K70 CORE doesn't have hot-swappable switches (Corsair's higher-end boards have this feature), but you can easily swap out the keycaps. It's not that I'd want to swap the switches; the pre-lubed Corsair MLX Red Linear switches are the star of the show.

MSI was showing quite a bit off at CES 2024 here in Las Vegas. The image above shows a wired gaming mouse, Xbox controller, and wireless headset. The star of the show was the Xbox controller, which, by normal appearance, looked just like any other Xbox controller, but this one was a little different. There is a plate between the joysticks; once removed, the sticks can be easily removed just by lifting them up. Just imagine if you have stick drift and swapped in a new stick in seconds.

Next up, we have three wireless mice, dubbed Versa Pro Wireless 8K, Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless, and the Clutch GM41 Lightweight Wireless. The Vera Pro Wireless 8K states it has a top-notch PixArt PAW-3395 Optical sensor with optical switches. The 8K part comes with a true 8,000 polling rate, 8 times more data per second for smoother sensor tracking. The Clutch GM51 Lightweight Wireless follows the trend with lightweight mice, weighing only 85 grams.

The Clutch GM51 has the same PAW-3395 optical sensor found in the 8K. The Clutch GM41 Lightweight wireless has the PixArt PAW3370 Optical sensor and just weighs just 74 grams. Lastly, the Clutch GM31 Lightweight Wireless is a 73-gram gaming mouse with the PixArt PAW33 optical sensor. Every MSI mouse also has Tri-Mode connectivity, which will connect up to 3 devices.

Ducky keyboards are some of the most sought-after in the world, sporting excellent features, high-end components, and a type feel that is next level. Ducky's latest creation sees the keyboard maker collaborating with Bethesda to create a custom DOOM-themed keyboard based on the 60% form-factor One 3 SF design.

The Ducky One 3 SF DOOM Edition is a Limited Edition keyboard with only 666 ANSI layout and 666 ISO layout being produced. The perfect amount for anything limited edition DOOM-related. As for the physical design and look, it opts for something we rarely see in the keyboard-space artwork, in this case, the iconic key art for DOOM Eternal, stretched across all of the PBT keycaps.

This means all keycap lettering is printed on the sides (facing the user). Functionality-wise, there might be a more user-friendly design, but it looks special as a limited edition collectible.

HYTE makes some pretty funk PC cases and components, and with CES 2024 underway, it's releasing two new firsts - a keyboard and an AIO liquid cooler. Now, you might think that you've seen it all when it comes to mechanical keyboards and coolers, especially when it comes to RGB lighting, but HYTE is here to prove you wrong.

The HYTE Keeb TKL is the company's first mechanical keyboard, and if you think per-key lighting is impressive, the entire Keeb TKL lights up. With double-shot PBT keycaps, gasket-mounted hardware, and an aluminum plate on the bottom, the polycarbonate case is a full RGB array.

It even sports modern features like hot-swappable switches, with the Keeb TKL packed with HYTE's in-house pre-lubed Fluffy Lavender switches designed for fast linear performance. Sporting an actuation distance of 1.5mm and force of 40 grams, they sound tailor-made for PC gaming.

ASUS Republic of Gamers, better known as ROG, is the company's premium gaming brand. At CES 2024, ASUS announced a new range of ROG gaming peripherals covering keyboards, mice, wireless earbuds, a professional-grade USB microphone, and a mobile controller.

Plus, the ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack which includes an "innovative airflow tunnel back-rest design." It's a cool-looking laptop bag and backpack, but what immediately grabbed my attention was the new ROG Falchion RX Low Profile keyboard. A compact 65% keyboard that features all-new pre-lubed ROG RX Low-Profile optical switches that the company claims offer near-zero debounce delay and less wobble than any other low-profile switch on the market.

It looks awesome, too, with a minimal, futuristic design. The new ROG Keris II Ace ultralight gaming mouse sits next to the keyboard, with wired and wireless support and an overall weight of just 54 grams.