From Home & Audio category, we are now in the Desktop & Gaming Peripherals – which is definitely one of the most popular categories we have here at Craving Tech.
An avid gamer? Cool, we have lots of gaming peripheral reviews from many reputable brands like CORSAIR, Razer, SteelSeries, and Logitech G. Not a gamer? Not a problem too, as there are lots of products that you can get to improve your productivity and gaming experience.
Gaming Mouse
I personally think a mouse is the most important tool as a gamer. Have a good mouse and mousepad to win the game (well, those, and also git gud). I’ve reviewed a vast range of both wired and wireless mouse from different brands and can definitely recommend you some today.
If going wireless is all you care about while still winning games, definitely check the CORSAIR SABRE RGB PRO (which is my primary mouse at the moment). It has an ergonomic shape with just 79 grams of weight, and always offers consistent performance.
If you have bigger hands (the SABRE RGB PRO is rather small), SteelSeries Prime Wireless also offers that ergonomic grip but with more satisfying, crispy mouse clicks. And of course, a mouse sensor that an esport professional would want to use.
If you swear that a wired gaming mouse is still better for competitive plays, definitely have a look at Razer Viper 8K gaming mouse. If your PC and games support it, turning the 8,000Hz polling rate feels very sweet and smooth. Surprisingly, the mouse only weighs 71 grams too. Combined with that insane 8K HyperPolling technology, you’ll have the fastest and smoothest mouse in your arsenal.
While checking the reviews, don’t forget to watch a few minutes of my gameplay clips in Overwatch using these mice!
Gaming Keyboard
Still the same question: Wireless or Wired? Yup. We’ve seen a couple of awesome, wireless gaming keyboards last year like the Logitech G195 and Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro. However, if you have a tight desk space, you definitely should have a look at the mini-me version of Razer’s most popular keyboard: Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini. It’s cute, compact, and durable.
CORSAIR K100 RGB (with OPX Optical-Mechanical Switches) was released early this year but surprisingly, still is one of the best gaming keyboards I’ve used for the year. With 4,000Hz polling rate and OPX Optical-Mechanical switches that use a beam of infrared light to register an actuation, you’ll get insane response rate from the moment your fingers press a key to the signal being passed to your PC. No more “But I’ve already pressed it” excuse when you die.
Gaming Headset
To be honest, there were tons of headsets being released this year from different brands and they could be quite overwhelming to pick one. But fret not, because we’ve tried lots of them and can make recommendations so you don’t have to pick a random one out of the hat.
If you are looking for the best value wireless gaming headset, look no other than the Logitech G435. For just A$199 RRP, you get yourself a versatile, lightweight, wireless gaming headset that can be used in many platforms. It sounds good too, though you’ll have to spend more if getting the best quality sound is important to you.
For that, we highly recommend the CORSAIR Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT, thanks to its high-fidelity audio both in wireless and wired mode (which gives an amazing 24bit/96KHz sound upgrade). It’s not the lightest headset out there, but you do get great audio quality for music listening and movie watching – and of course, when gaming.
For a great, all-rounder, wired gaming headset that supports multi-platform, make sure to check out the EPOS H6PRO – available in Open or Closed Acoustic model. They are both comfortable to wear and have a good price point.
Microphone
Looking to upgrade the quality of your voice? Whether you are speaking to your teammates or perhaps making audio contents, you definitely need to ditch using a headset microphone. No matter how good it is (like this Blue Icepop), nothing can beat a dedicated microphone standing on the desk or better, hanging on a boom arm closer to your mouth.
The newest RØDE PSA1+, a professional studio arm, goes great with their NT-USB Mini microphone. RØDE NT-USB Mini is a compact, USB microphone but don’t let the size fool you. It records high quality audio with built-in pop filter, cardioid polar pattern, and headphone monitoring. In fact, a friend complimented me because I sounded really good during a large group, Zoom video call.
Combined with the PSA1+, which allows plenty of flexibilities and precise placement, I’ve got myself the perfect setup for creating audio/video contents.
But you don’t have to use a RØDE microphone if you don’t want to on the PSA1+. My HyperX QuadCast S works perfectly on the PSA1+ and it’s on a different level compared to the RØDE NT-USB Mini. It’s bigger, bulkier, and more striking with its stunning RGB lighting (well, and pricier). It has four polar patterns, built-in pop filter, anti vibration shock mount, an instant mute button, and a Gain control dial.
If you are a streamer, YouTuber, or require a complete package, the HyperX QuadCast S is definitely the one you should get. The RGB lighting definitely makes a statement but not only that, your voice will sound so much better in different situations and it also has more accessible buttons on the unit like the convenient tap-to-mute functionality. Simply put, it’s a beast microphone!
Storage
Looking to have more storage on your gaming device (PC, Console) or perhaps to speed up your game loading times? If you are still using a SATA SSD or worse, HDD inside your PC, it’s time for an upgrade now. Seagate FireCuda 530 is the fastest NVMe SSD you can get at the moment with its 7,300MB/s read and 6,900MB/s write speed. Plug this inside your PC or PS5, and you’ll love the speed boost!
Coming in close is the WD Black SN850 with 7,000MB/s read and 5,300MB/s write speed. It’s still fast and supports PS5 too. For playing games, that slightly less write speed doesn’t matter much so pick whichever is on sale or cheaper in your nearby stores. You won’t be disappointed.
If you are not ready to pay for these serious speed increase however, Kingston NV1 is a nice, entry-level NVMe SSD offering 2,100 read and 1,700MB write speed. It still is a serious upgrade if you are still using a SATA SSD or worse, HDD. And of course, it’s very friendly on your budget so you can get something else for your build!
But if you are looking for a simple, external storage as a gift, make sure to check out the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. It features a fast NVMe drive inside a portable package that you can bring around with you at all times. It’s also IP5 rated and supports 256-bit AES hardware encryption for data protection.
