Corsair Unloads Fresh Gaming Gear Including Silent STRAFE Keyboards And Scimitar Mouse
Love the tactile nature and accuracy of mechanical keyboards for PC gaming, but prefer to ditch the noise associated with them? Need an MMO mouse that accommodates your fat thumbs? Perhaps a new headset that thoughtfully uses LEDs on its microphone to indicate the status of various sound settings? If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, Corsair just unleashed some new weapons in their gaming arsenal that might fit the bill, including the STRAFE RGB Silent -- the world's first keyboard to incorporate Cherry MX Silent gaming switches.
Into the VOID
"One of the biggest complaints we hear from gamers is that they have to stop their game to change their audio settings," explains Joshua LaTendresse, Corsair's Global Product Manager. With the VOID headsets, the company has done something I've been personally craving. They've incorporated a digital display into the end of the microphone to visually verify the changes they've made in the soundscape. Is the mic muted? Do you have Dolby enabled? What EQ setting is active? Using two LEDs, the VOID will indicate all that stuff.
The VOID will ship in 3 configurations beginning this month, ranging from a classic stereo analog setup to USB 7.1 and Wireless 7.1 models. The $79.99 unit might be an ideal entry-level choice, especially with its inclusion of a Y-adapter that guarantees cross-platform compatibility across consoles, PCs, and mobile devices.
But I've got my eyes on the VOID Wireless Dolby 7.1, specifically because of its fair $129.99 pricepoint. Consider that the price includes a 40ft wireless range and up to 16 hours of continuous gaming, customizable RGB lighting, 50mm drivers, and memory foam ear pads among other key features. If those battery and range claims ring true, Corsair has a winner on their hands.
STRAFE Keyboard Get RGB, Get Quiet
Corsair is following up the launch of their STRAFE mechanical keyboard with two additional models, the highlight of which is the STRAFE RGB Silent. The keyboard, which retails for $159.99 in October, the first to utilize Cherry MX Silent switches. Corsair says these deliver the same speed and precision you'd expect from Cherry MX Red switches, but deliver 30% quieter operation compared to other mechanical keyboards.
You can also save $10 bucks and opt for the STRAFE in Cherry MX Red or Brown variants. Whichever you go for, both models are now boasting an RGB light show with 16.8 million colors, and every single key can be programmed with automated macros.
SCIMITAR MMO/MOBA Mouse Slides To Fit
Rounding out Corsair's new launch family is the SCIMITAR RGB gaming mouse, a peripheral focusing on the MMO/MOBA crowd. Having 12 mechanical keys so densely packed into a small space can lead to some game-ending mistakes (believe me, I know!), so Corsair has created a system called "Key Slider" which gives each key 8mm of adjustment. It's not the crazy modular monster that Roccat just released in their transforming Nyth mouse (seriously, you can 3D-print your own buttons and side parts) but it's also considerably cheaper.
The SCIMITAR also packs 1ms response time, up to 12000 DPI, customizable multicolor backlighting, and a 2-year warranty. It hits mousepads this September for $79.99
Obviously we can't speak to the quality of any of these products just yet, but it's nice to see Corsair innovating on features and competing at what I consider to be pretty aggressive price points -- especially for their VOID headsets.
