Peripherals - Page 13

Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan has shared images of the most opulent and over-the-top PC gaming peripheral we've ever seen, a 24-karat gold Viper Signature Mini gaming mouse. Min-Liang Tan is aware of how crazy this is, calling it "insanely over the top and special," adding that this is a one-time commission and not something that will pop up in jewelry stores worldwide.

However, gold-plated and diamond-encrusted PC peripherals are a pretty cool idea for a jewelry store that caters to gamers with trust funds and black-colored credit cards. The Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition was announced earlier this year with a premium price tag of USD 279.99 due to its lightweight construction featuring an "ultra-durable magnesium alloy exoskeleton."

So yeah, this new one-of-a-kind shiny and over-the-top gaming mouse is that, plus a layer of 24-karat gold. At least, that's our assumption, as the post doesn't specify whether it's gold-plated or made from solid gold. We can only imagine what it would feel like to play a round of Apex Legends or CS:GO with this in the palm of your hand.

Corsair's Scimitar gaming mouse has been a go-to for MOBA and MMO players thanks to its many buttons, ergonomic feel, and excellent hardware. We reviewed the Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite back in 2020, where it earned our Editor's Choice award - so it's great to see Corsair bringing the mouse back with the new Corsair SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS MMO Gaming Mouse.

Per the naming, the big difference here is that Corsair has taken its popular MOBA and MMO gaming mouse and gotten rid of the wires for low-latency wireless connectivity. Feature-wise, you're looking at 16 programmable buttons in total, with the 12-button Key Slider side panel offering the bulk of the controls, ala the wired Scimitar - and textured side grips for added comfort.

Adjusting and moving the placement of the side buttons makes it a great choice for those MMO and MOBA players who need quick access to a massive hot bar filled with skills and abilities to trigger.

If you've ever gotten deep into a racing or flight simulator, you've undoubtedly considered putting together a dedicated rig to power your vehicular fantasies. That is a full chair with a steering wheel or physical flight controls attached to an ultrawide or multi-monitor display to deliver an immersive view of a race track or sky.

Cooler Master's new Dyn X combines a dynamic and customizable cockpit with an ergonomic and durable racing seat to accommodate 14 driving positions, according to the press release. And this extends to flight simulators like the visually stunning Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Racing sims on PC cover almost anything with four wheels, from major Formula 1, GT, and Rally car racing to driving various buses, trucks, and even tractors as part of a daily route or routine. Yep, driving a virtual truck to deliver cargo in faraway countries is more popular than you'd think - and Cooler Master's Dyn X will have you doing that in style.

At Gamescom, over the weekend, CORSAIR announced its first desk designed for gamers and content creators called the Platform:6. CORSAIR notes that it has taken the decades of experience it has in creating all of the PC, desktop, and content creation gear it has developed over the decades and used that as the basis to create a modular desk for all.

With a motorable adjustable height and plenty of space to properly manage and route cables, it's a feature-rich desk that will organize and properly showcase your gear, whether you're a gamer, streamer, or simply work from home using a PC. It's also customizable; the six-foot-wide surface area "can be expanded even further," and you can choose from different surface materials and other add-ons.

Even a Platform:6 Creator Edition is coming that features a back/wall mount called the Elgato Multi Frame expansion. It features its adjustable height and rubberwood surface for storing additional equipment and mounting things like lights and cameras.

A USB hub is a PC's best friend as it expands the PC's connection capabilities and, in most cases, makes connecting USB drives, SD cards, monitors, and everything much easier. Especially if your PC is located far away from where you are sitting and you have an extension cord paired with the hub, or if you are on the go with a laptop that doesn't have the inbuilt connectivity to achieve what you want to get done efficiently.

Introducing Dockcase's Smart USB-C hub Explorer Edition, a 10-in-1 USB-C hub that comes with a tonne of powerful connectivity and gorgeous aesthetics. Personally, I'm a massive fan of bare circuit boards, and Dockcase has designed a new USB-C hub based around that visual, as the Explorer Edition features two clear panels showcasing the dock's juicy internals.

If that doesn't tickle your fancy, and all you care about is performance, the Explorer Edition doesn't let you down there as Dockcase has packed this relatively small device with all the connectivity you will need for pulling video files from SD card, ripping images from a micro SD card, fast transfer speeds over USB-C and USB-A ports, display connectivity with 4K 120Hz and 8K 30Hz support through DisplayPort and HDMI. Perhaps you are after fast charging, Dockcase's Explorer Edition is outfitted with 100W PD charging and comes equipped with 3x USB-C ports.

The new Razer BlackWidow V4 75% is the company's most customizable keyboard, featuring hot-swappable switches to deliver "unparalleled customization" for a Razer mechanical keyboard. As the latest version of the popular BlackWidow keyboard, it arrives in the popular and very new 75% form factor that does away with the numpad while retaining the more critical arrow keys and system keys like PgUp and PgDn.

Arriving in black and white, the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% hot-swappable switch compatibility extends to all 3 or 5-pin switches. The socketed PCB design of the new keyboard allows for seamless swapping to alternative pre-loaded switches to give users complete control of each key's mechanical feel and responsiveness.

The new Razer BlackWidow V4 75% also ships with Razer's new Orange Tactile Mechanical Switches Gen-3, which the company describes as featuring "a higher bump point and a cleaner sound profile that resonates with every keystroke."

The Sabrent USB Type-C 6-Port Docking Station with M.2 Port (DS-SDNV) is the most impressive Steam Deck and ROG Ally compatible dock to date, thanks to the addition of an M.2 Port, which allows for installing an M.2 SSD with 5Gbps transfer speeds expand the storage capabilities of your PC gaming handheld of choice or USB-C device.

The new dock is stacked with ports, where you've also got a gigabit Ethernet port for fast network transfers (a great move thanks to Steam now allowing for game installs to transfer over a LAN), multiple USB ports, and an HDMI 2.0 port. The latter offers support for up to a 4K 60Hz signal, which is excellent for connecting the dock to a modern 4K TV.

The DS-SDNV supports Windows, Linux, and macOS, and according to Sabrent, it will work with USB-C devices that feature DisplayPort Alternate (DP Alt) Mode support. Plus, you've got plenty of charging power - up to 90W.

Mecpow is about to launch two new laser engravers that are designed to make creation easier, safer, and last longer.

The company behind the two products has announced the Mecpow X3 and the Mecpow X3 Pro laser engraver, a laser cutter designed for engraving wood and metal. The X3 Pro features a 10W output laser cutter and the X3 features 5W output laser cutter with an emergency stop feature, along with flame and gyro detection. Additionally, the working area for both the laser engravers is the same, measuring 16.0" x 15.7", with the main difference between the two new products being the wattage, as well as the inclusion of air assist with the Pro version.

Both of the laser engravers have four connection options; USB, TF card, Wi-Fi, or the App. According to Mecpow, each of these ways of connectivity enable users to seamlessly connect to the laser engravers and immediately begin their creations. In terms of safety, both of the engravers are equipped with a flame detector and position movement protection, which is triggered when the machine is either tilted or fire/smoke has been detected.

Inspired by the look of the classic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) from the 1980s, the new 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard comes in two visual flavors modeled after the US NES (N Edition) and Japanese Famicom (Fami Edition) colors. As a wireless mechanical keyboard with support for Bluetooth, wireless 2.4 GHz, and wired modes, the TKL form-factor keyboard features Kailh Box V2 White switches under the hood.

At this point, you're probably wondering why the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard comes attached with two big buttons - well, it's a nod to the classic NES controller and its A and B buttons with the option to customize and program them without the need for software. And there's an option to connect up to four sets, with the keyboard shipping with one.

Although the software isn't required, you can fully customize the keyboard using 8BitDo's Ultimate Software V2. The switches are hot-swappable, too, and you've also got PBT keycaps and n-key rollover support, so this is more than just a looker.

The Sony Project Q handheld is an interesting product currently in development, where at a glance, you've got a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller split in two with an LCD screen attached in the middle. For those dreaming about the Sony PSP days, back when the company released a dedicated PlayStation Portable gaming handheld, this device is very different.

Sony Project Q is being positioned as a pure streaming device to stream content directly from your PlayStation 5 console so you can play PS5 titles in handheld mode. So there's no native gaming action at all. A new leaked video over on Twitter (or X) posted by @Zuby_Tech shows the handheld in action, at least running a version of Android as its OS.

We see the user navigating the UI, which looks smooth albeit a little basic, though we see apps relating to testing, firmware, battery life, Wi-Fi, and even a video player. If this is real (and we'd wager that it wouldn't be that hard to create a fake Sony Project Q handheld), we should undoubtedly expect major revisions before the product is finalized and ready to ship.

It's not often that gaming hardware is scented; that's the sort of thing relegated to the candle industry. But, as part of a new partnership with Paramount to celebrate the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Xbox has gone and created pizza-scented Xbox Wireless Controllers that it's giving away on Twitter. Or on X or whatever it's being called today.

Simply follow the Xbox Game Pass account, retweet the sweepstakes tweet (or X), and you're in the running to win a pizza-scented Xbox Wireless Controller that can be used to play Xbox or PC games. Per the images supplied by Xbox, it does look like you apply the scent to the pizza slice attached to the controller, so it's not the actual shell (yep) that gives off that pizza time smell.

If you're in New York, you can head to the Microsoft Experience Center on Fifth Avenue from 4-7 pm ET on August 2, 2023, to eat pizza while playing games with the pizza-scented controllers. Though, with all the pizza in the room, we're not sure how you'll be able to tell whether the fragrance is coming from a classic New York slice.

You might be wondering what Hall Effect Sticks are, and if you've ever heard about or experienced the phenomenon known as 'stick drift,' then all you need to know is that Hall Effect sticks are anti-drift. 'Stick drift' is when an analog stick on a controller moves in a direction without any input, with the issue making headlines in recent years due to Nintendo Switch JoyCon controllers being prone to stick drift and even the official PS5 DualSense.

GameSir G7 SE Controller includes Hall Effect Sticks for its analog controls, which feature non-contact magnetic sensors to improve accuracy and fine movement. This is paired with Hall Effect Magnetic Sensors for the analog triggers to ensure the same level of performance when aiming and firing in an FPS.

The licensed Xbox controller sports a physical design and make-up similar to the official pad from Microsoft and is available in black or white - with the option to change the look with magnetic faceplates. The good news is that it's currently on sale (via Amazon) for USD 44.99 - link below - so it won't break the bank, and it's compatible with Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC.

Corsair has announced its acquired Drop in an effort to expand that company's horizons with what it can offer gamers when it comes to personalized peripherals.

The enthusiast gaming community can be broken into two different sectors. One of those sectors is the visual appearance of the PC, and the other is the hardware that runs inside it. Drop, which was formerly Massdrop, has cultivated a community of more than a million members that are visual enthusiasts, with most thoroughly enjoying the company's customizable mechanical keyboards and switches.

Corsair has announced in a press release that "Personalized Keyboards that can be modified by the consumer is one of the fastest growing trends in the gaming peripheral space," said Andy Paul, Founder and CEO of CORSAIR. Corsair added that Drop has proved itself time and time again with the success of its product launches that are voted upon by its community.

Corsair has launched a pair of new high-performance peripherals for PC games in the form of the new NIGHTSABRE WIRELESS RGB Gaming Mouse (USD 169.99) and K65 PRO MINI RGB 65% Optical-Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (USD 129.99). Designed for responsiveness and performance, both are available now through Corsair's online store.

Kicking things off with Corsair's latest wireless gaming mouse, the new NIGHTSABRE WIRELESS RGB, supports the company's sub-1ms Slipstream Wireless technology and Bluetooth. It also features 11 fully programmable buttons and six RGB lighting zones-enough buttons to suit any FPS, MOBA, or Battle Royale player.

Battery life is up there, too, with 100 hours available on a single charge - or 20 hours after a quick 15-minute charge. Sensor-wise, you've got the CORSAIR MARKSMAN 26,000 DPI optical sensor backed up by optical switches on the buttons to eliminate debounce delay. Plus, the ability to save up to five onboard profiles for easy access to different setups for gaming and general typing.

Razer has announced a brand-new gaming mouse line to join the likes of its Viper, DeathAdder, Basilisk, and other products, called Razer Cobra. With two models available, a budget-conscious wired Razer Cobra and the premium wireless Razer Cobra Pro, both feature a right-hand symmetrical design and ultra-lightweight builds with hardware designed for gamers.

Specs-wise, you're looking at Razer's high-end Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor on the Pro, an 8500 DPI Optical Sensor on the non-Pro, and Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3 rated at 90 million clicks for both. The 77-gram Razer Cobra Pro supports Razer HyperSpeed Wireless and also features 11 individually addressable Chroma RGB zones on the underside for a "kaleidoscopic gaming experience." As per the images supplied, we're inclined to agree.

The wired Razer Cobra price point sits at USD 39.99, while the Razer Cobra Pro price point of USD 129.99 is more affordable than the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro (USD 149.99) and Razer Basilisk V3 Pro (USD 159.99).

AVerMedia's new Live Streamer MIC 350 (AM350) is "the world's first USB condenser microphone custom-tuned by DIRAC," providing a professional recording experience in a simple package. If you've spent time dealing with recording and audio, you might know that DIRAC and its patented audio tuning solutions have been hailed for their quality. If not, then you do.

The new Live Streamer MIC 350 features DIRAC Audio Tuning Technology for quick access to various templates and audio setups, which is matched with inbuilt noise reduction and pop filter and dual microphone pickup patterns so you can switch between cardioid or omnidirectional modes. Plus, pristine recording with 24-bit 96 kHz audio. And you've got onboard controls to switch between the patterns, mute, adjust mic gain, and more.

An excellent choice for streaming, podcasting, and recording vocals for music without the need for additional equipment - the Live Streamer MIC 350 is now available with an MSRP of USD 199.99. The introductory price includes a shock mount, pop filter, and Live Streamer MIC 350. A package valued at USD 267.97.

A few months ago, we reported on Syntech's new 6-in-1 USB-C Docking Station for Steam Deck, which is packed with features and sports a compact and great look. As a 6-in-1 USB-C Docking Station, it features 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.

And now we can add ASUS ROG Ally support, alongside Valve's Steam Deck, with this docking station now being a great choice for ASUS's Windows-based portable gaming handheld. The high-end ROG Ally is powered by the impressive Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor capable of playing modern PC games on its 1080p display.

And with devices like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally being designed for portable PC gaming, something like the Syntech 6-in-1 USB-C Docking Station is great for those looking for an easy way to connect either handheld to a TV or gaming display for some big-screen action. Plus, you can benefit from not worrying about battery life and pushing the ROG Ally to its performance limit.

Corsair's latest gaming mouse is all about performance, with the new DARKSTAR WIRELESS featuring a tried and true ergonomic shape and the addition of a side button configuration that stands out.

With 15 programmable buttons, this one is aimed at MMO and MOBA players looking for deep customization and plenty of options for additional buttons on their go-to gaming mouse. The six buttons on the side of the mouse are arranged in a circular pattern that we haven't seen before, and based on images, look large enough to make knowing what to press and when a breeze.

Performance-wise, the DARKSTAR WIRELESS uses Cirsair's 2,000Hz hyper-polling sub-1ms SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS technology for high-end responsiveness with the addition of Bluetooth for versatility in the devices it can connect to. Closing out the top-line features is the impressive 80-hour battery life and play-and-charge functionality over USB.

The first thing you'll notice when looking at the new Razer Kitsune arcade controller designed for fighting games like the recently released Street Fighter 6 is that it doesn't have a traditional joystick. Instead, you get four buttons to represent up, down, left, and right - which Razer notes "eliminates joystick mishaps, heralding a new era of precise, unambiguous gameplay."

Designed alongside the competitive fighting game community, with input from Capcom, too, odds are it works as intended - though it's still a little word to see and an arcade stick controller without an arcade stick. Either way, this premium arcade controller with each button uses Razer's Low-profile Linear Optical Switches with shorter actuation heights and fast response times.

Razer notes that the design abides by all Capcom Pro Tour standards and rules for hardware, making the Kitsune a great choice for tournaments alongside those simply looking to rekindle some of that arcade magic in the living room.

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.

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.