Peripherals - Page 5

The world's first HD Haptics Gaming Cushion, that's how the company introduced the Razer Freyja at its annual RazerCon 2024 event. The cushion is designed to sit on top of a gaming chair, where the company's Razer Sensa HD Haptics technology aims to make you feel the game you're currently playing - in your body. Razer has a long history of producing head-turning products, and this is one of them.

Force-feedback is something that hardware makers and game companies have been playing around with for decades. In the 1990s, Sega created a bit of hardware that you strapped to your chest so you could feel each hit or movement when playing 16-bit Genesis games. Later that decade, Nintendo released the Rumble Pak for the N64, which helped make controller vibration and haptics a new standard.

This is a roundabout way of saying that even though it might seem silly to put a vibrating cushion on a chair for gaming, there's a definite benefit. Putting this on a racing rig so you can feel your car's engine would be fantastic, likewise for flight simulators.

It's generally known that connecting via Bluetooth increases the overall input latency for gaming controllers or any wireless peripheral like a mouse or keyboard. Bluetooth is more power efficient and doesn't require a dedicated receiver as it's a universal wireless standard. However, for competitive gaming, it's a crutch compared to low-latency wireless or a dedicated wired connection.

At the recent LG webOS Summit 2024, LG partnered with Razer and MediaTek to showcase the brand-new Bluetooth Ultra-Low Latency (BT ULL) technology - a world first. With an LG TV, a Razer Bluetooth gaming controller, and the new BT ULL tech, LG demonstrated a game-changing 1ms input latency or lag with Street Fighter 6.

The input latency for Bluetooth controllers varies, but modern Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation controllers supporting Bluetooth wireless usually feature input latency in the region of 10ms to 20ms. So yeah, the 1ms input latency of Bluetooth Ultra-Low Latency is a game changer.

Logitech has launched the new MX Creative Console for digital creators and those who spend a lot of time inside Adobe apps. Designed to streamline workflows with instant access to essential controls, it looks like the Elgato Stream Deck. However, this isn't primarily aimed at PC gamers and streamers.

It comes equipped with tailored plugins for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition, and Adobe Illustrator, which makes it a highly sought-after tool for digital creators. OF course, it supports full customization to support a broader range of apps.

The MX Creative Console comprises two units: a keypad with dynamic display keys or buttons and a large dial-pad optimized for navigation. Video editors will immediately see how the MX Creative Console's design could streamline productivity just by looking at it.

SteelSeries has announced and launched its new Apex Pro Gen 3 keyboards for PC gamers. These keyboards are packed with cutting-edge features, including an industry-first. Described as the "World's Fastest Keyboard," the new OmniPoint 3.0 switches include the industry's first Hall Effect Gen 3 sensor.

For those who have heard about the 'Hall Effect,' these new switches include the technology to deliver a fast and more accurate response. As the latest version of the company's magnetic switch technology with 40 levels of adjustable actuation from 0.1mm up to 4.0mm, adding the 'Hall Effect' delivers "20x faster actuation and 11x quicker response time," according to SteelSeries.

This is compared to standard mechanical switches, which deliver a response time of just 0.54 ms. The competitive advantage extends to the company's GG software, which fully uses the new switches to offer gamers a suite of options and keyboard profiles.

With a height of just 23mm, the new Logitech G915X Gaming Keyboard is the company's thinnest low-profile gaming keyboard to date - and a successor to the original and popular G915. Logitech describes the new G915X as a flagship, built from premium components and materials, including a "completely redesigned galvanic switch."

This is an improvement and change from the original G915 from 2019. Yes, it has been five years since the G195 first appeared. It introduces a new POM, cross-style stem switch design that improves key stability and supports replacement while offering more customization options. Also, it is quieter typing.

The flagship G915 X LIGHTSPEED offers up to 800 hours of battery life, a twenty percent improvement over the original. However, with 100 percent RGB brightness, this drops to 36 hours.

ASUS ROG has just announced the Falchion Ace HFX, a new 65% analog wired gaming keyboard that has been engineered for gamers who demand precision, speed, and customization. Check it out:

The new ASUS ROG Falchion Ace HFX features ROG HFX Magnetic Switches with an 8000Hz polling rate, seeing the ultra-compact keyboard set a new standard in gaming peripherals. The Falchion Ace HFX packs in arrow and navigation keys into a 65% keyboard layout, which measures just 315mm in length, it's almost the same physical size as a 60% keyboard, with all of the functions of a regular keyboard while saving on desktop space.

ASUS ROG's new Falchion Ace HFX comes with pre-lubed magnetic switches that are designed for a solid feel and lightning-fast, ultra-precise performance. ASUS says there's a lifespan of 100 million keypresses, with the switches using high-quality POM plastic for the stem and bottom housing and PC for the top housing, ensuring ultra-smooth keystrokes.

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.