CyberPower Syber Vapor PC Gaming Console Review
Software and Peripherals
Is the Syber Vapor a Windows 8.1 PC or is it a Steam gaming box? The answer is both! CyberPower has it configured to boot into Steam's Big Picture mode for living room gaming, though it makes a quick pit stop to the Windows 8.1 desktop for several seconds before it initializes.
Ahhhhhh, it's Window's 8.1's Modern UI! Hide the kids and take shelter! Actually, no need to panic if you're not a fan of the Metro-turned-Modern interface that Microsoft force-fed on Windows users, you needn't ever see this screen if you don't want to. The Syber Vapor boots to the Desktop for a few seconds, and then loads up Steam's Big Picture mode. Should you choose to exit Steam, you'll be returned to the desktop.
What's really notable here, however, is the lack of bloat. About the only piece of extraneous software you'll find is the 30-day trial for Microsoft Office 365. That said, it'd be nice of CyberPower or Syber included some custom wallpaper for the desktop, but they don't.
What's really notable here, however, is the lack of bloat. About the only piece of extraneous software you'll find is the 30-day trial for Microsoft Office 365. That said, it'd be nice of CyberPower or Syber included some custom wallpaper for the desktop, but they don't.
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Now that's more like it! Steam's Big Picture mode is the heart and soul of the Syber Vapor. It's the front-end that was designed specifically for the living room, because why should traditional game consoles get to hog the big screen TV?
Everything is bigger and tuned for easy navigation from your couch, whether it's sorting through your library of games that you bought on sale and never got a chance to play, or posting to Facebook how you just took over the living room, with your PC!
Everything is bigger and tuned for easy navigation from your couch, whether it's sorting through your library of games that you bought on sale and never got a chance to play, or posting to Facebook how you just took over the living room, with your PC!
The Syber Vapor comes with Logitech's F710 gamepad. It's basically a PC's version of a PlayStation 4 controller, complete with rumble, dual analog sticks, and a mess of buttons. We especially like the rubberized backing, which adds a level of comfort.
It took a bit of finagling to get the controller to work. That's because we assumed it would connect to the same nano receiver that comes with the Logitech K400 keyboard. And maybe it's supposed to, but it didn't work for us. However, what did work was plugging in the nano receiver that's stored beneath the battery compartment of the controller. A quick software install later and we were in business.
It took a bit of finagling to get the controller to work. That's because we assumed it would connect to the same nano receiver that comes with the Logitech K400 keyboard. And maybe it's supposed to, but it didn't work for us. However, what did work was plugging in the nano receiver that's stored beneath the battery compartment of the controller. A quick software install later and we were in business.
We're not so found of the Logitech K400 keyboard. In theory, a QWERTY keyboard with a built-in trackpad is a nice idea for a living room system, but in practice, it offers a sub-par typing experience. This is especially true if you're used to the delight of typing on a mechanical keyboard, but even compared to standard membrane planks, the low profile keys all scrunched together doesn't do it for us.The tiny right-shift button is particularly annoying -- we found ourselves hitting the up arrow instead.
