When playing video games online, a headset can really enhance the experience. True, a lot of it is unfortunately having trolls insult you while using foul language, but overall, voice communication is a positive experience that can make online gaming more fun. Not to mention, the headset allows you to hear in-game audio without annoying other members of your home. Hell, wearing headphones can arguably give you an edge over speakers, as you should be able to better hear enemy movements, for instance.

Today, HyperX announces a pair of new premium headsets -- the Cloud Orbit and the Cloud Orbit S. Both are quite similar, except the latter utilizes Waves Nx technology, which tracks the gamer's head movements for a more immersive audio experience. With that exception, the hardware and specs are identical.

Continue reading →

When you are an online gamer, your network connection matters -- the lower the latency the better. Nothing is more heartbreaking than losing a match due to a flaky Wi-Fi connection. True, gamers should try to use a hardwired connection when they can, but for many, this simply isn't possible. Renters, for instance, may not be able to run cable through walls. Instead, these gamers must choose their Wi-Fi gear wisely to get the most of their connection.

Unfortunately, choosing a gaming router can be quite the daunting task. There are so many of them on the market these days -- it is hard to tell what will truly help your gaming sessions versus what is mostly style over performance. In other words, manufacturers may try to entice shoppers with a "gaming" product that is nothing more than a design that is inspired by gaming culture. NVIDIA wants to make this experience easier, especially as its GeForce NOW game-streaming service will live and die by the stability and speed of users' internet connections. That's why today, NVIDIA launches the "GeForce NOW Recommended Routers" program.

Continue reading →

When shopping for a gaming monitor, it is easy to get attracted to high-resolution models, such as 2K or 4K. And yeah, the higher the resolution the better is true for normal computing use, but for gaming, that means you need a more powerful gaming card to push that resolution. If you are on a budget and your video card isn’t top of the line, a 1080p model is still a great choice.

Today, MSI unveils a new model that is beautiful in design. The Oculux NXG251R, as it is called, is a FHD display that supports NVIDIA G-Sync technology. It is 24.5-inches, which is what I consider the "sweet spot" for 1080p. Best of all, it offers an insane 240Hz refresh rate!

Continue reading →

Gaming is a big business these days, and some companies offer special branding for such products. For instance, Kingston's gaming offerings are typically sold under the HyperX brand. It is sort of similar to car companies that have luxury brands, like Ford to Lincoln, or Honda to Acura. It's the same company, but it signals that the product is a cut above its "normal" vehicles.

ADATA is yet another tech company that has a special brand for its gaming and enthusiast-grade products -- "XPG." This week, there are two new gaming accessories to fall under that umbrella -- the XPG INFAREX K10 keyboard and M20 mouse. Both products look well made and full of great features. And of course, they both have RGB lighting, because... gaming!

Continue reading →

If you are a fan of mechanical keyboards, you are probably in heaven these days. After all, there are many manufacturers producing quality products. Unfortunately, many of these models are designed for gaming, meaning they are ostentatious, with RGB lighting and funky teen-friendly style. They often have noisy keys, too -- great for the user, but annoying to those around them. If you want a more conservative mechanical keyboard, your options are a bit limited.

Today, Razer launches a very beautiful mechanical gaming keyboard that looks very sophisticated rather than childish. The "BlackWidow Lite," as it is called, has regular white back-lighting and forgoes a number pad, making it very compact. Best of all, Razer's own orange switches are silent, meaning you won't bother family or coworkers when gaming or typing. It is reasonably priced too.

Continue reading →

At Xbox Fanfest this weekend, Microsoft announced that it has acquired two more gaming studios.

InXile Entertainment and Obsidian Entertainment join the company's ever-expanding portfolio, and what's interesting about these two latest acquisitions is that both studios have a focus on RPGs. It is not currently known how much money has changed hands as part of the deals.

Continue reading →

We've known for a while that support for keyboards and mice was coming to the Xbox One, but there has been the question of "when?" hanging in the air. Now we have a date.

At its X018 event, Microsoft revealed that the date support will be added is November 14 -- so there are just a few days to wait. It is down to game developers to add the keyboard and mouse control option to their titles, and Fortnite will be among the first to push out an update that adds this support.

Continue reading →

If you can afford it, 4K monitors are great. If you are on a budget, however, 1080p is still totally passable. They work perfectly with all operating sytems -- Windows, macOS, and Linux-based -- without any scaling issues. In other words, it is generally a headache-free experience.

Today, AOC launches a new affordable "V2 Series" line of 1080p monitors, and they look incredible. How affordable are they? Pricing starts at a mere $99.99! There are three sizes from which to choose -- 22-inch, 24-inch, and 27-inch. The bezels are insanely slim -- great for those that want to use two side-by-side. Despite being inexpensive, these monitors are not no-frills. Believe it or not, they have AMD FreeSync technology and a respectable 75Hz refresh.

Continue reading →

We've heard of problems with specially-crafted messages being used to lock up iPhones, and now a similar problem has been found with the PlayStation 4. Anyone who receives one of these messages will find that their console completely locks up -- and the only way out of it is to perform a factory reset.

The problem lies in messages that include unrecognized characters, and it is being exploited by some gamers to boot people offline in the middle of games -- Rainbow Six in particular. While there is no fix available at the moment, there are steps you can take to prevent the issue affecting you.

Continue reading →

Gaming is a huge business these days, and no, I am not just talking about PC and consoles. Believe it or not, many people are playing legit games -- such as Fortnite -- on mobile devices too. Regardless of platform, there is one common theme -- online gaming. Yes, these days, gaming online is probably more popular than playing with one's self offline. And so, having a quality Wi-Fi router is a must.

Today, popular company Razer announces its own router (designed with Design Labs, maker of the "Portal Mesh Wi-Fi Router") and it is sexy as hell. Called "Sila," it leverages an impressive nine internal antennas. The design is basic -- a rectangle, more or less -- but there is beauty and elegance in its simplicity. It will look great in a teen's bedroom next to an Xbox, for instance, but also, it will fit perfectly in a family living room.

Continue reading →

Google is well known for hiding Easter eggs in its software and tools, and a new little treat has just been discovered. Hidden in Google Chrome's developer console is a text adventure game.

While this is not exactly The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and it's unlikely to draw you away from Fortnite or Assassin's Creed, the game is a simple delight like Chrome's jumping dinosaur. Here's how to access it.

Continue reading →

Today is the day -- the new season of Fortnite has arrived! With the arrival of Fortnite Season 6: Darkness Rises and the V6.00 patch, Epic Games put its servers into maintenance mode in preparation.

There's a lot to look forward to in Battle Royale and in the new Battle Pass -- new locations, pets, the power of invisibility and more. 950 V-Bucks gives you access to 100 levels and over 100 new rewards, new Shadows Stones consumables and an updated map.

Continue reading →

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive -- better known as CS:GO -- is one of the most popular multiplayer first-person shooters of all time. What makes the game so great is its meager system requirements -- it can run on many computers. In other words, it isn't very taxing, meaning you don't need super-expensive hardware to enjoy it. Are the graphics dated? Slightly, but lets be honest -- fun is the truly important thing.

Today, popular gaming accessory-maker SteelSeries launches a special CS:GO mouse and mousepad, both of which feature a design based on the M4A4 Howl gun skin. The "Howl Edition" Rival 310 gaming mouse and QcK+ mousepad are sure to be wildly popular with CS:GO gamers.

Continue reading →

Sony's original PlayStation is an iconic console, right up there with Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Sega Genesis. The CD-based gaming system was wildly popular, thanks to a fantastic game library and impressive graphics (for the time). Tragically, I never owned one, as I instead opted for the Sega Saturn. Thankfully, I was able to play Sony's console when visiting friends and family, but I digress.

Following the success of Nintendo's mini NES and SNES consoles, Sony is looking to capitalize on the trend with the all-new PlayStation Classic. Just as with Nintendo's offerings, Sony has shrunken the PlayStation to a diminutive state and embedded several games -- you are limited to the included titles.

Continue reading →

Mechanical keyboards are a dime a dozen these days. In fact, Amazon is littered with countless inexpensive models from no-name companies. You know what, though? They are not created equally. Quite often, the build quality on these cheap offerings is downright terrible. When it comes to typing, a defective or non-functioning key can be absolutely maddening. That's why I always suggest sticking with a reputable brand, such as Logitech or HyperX -- you'll be glad you did.

Speaking of the latter, the company has a new mechanical gaming keyboard that looks quite intriguing. The "Alloy FPS RGB," as it is called, features Kailh Silver switches. Don't be scared off by the switches being made by a company other than Cherry -- Kailh is a respected brand. The silver switches found here are short and designed for speed. And yes, as the product name implies, this HyperX keyboard features RGB lighting!

Continue reading →