Articles about Gaming

Gaming mice are pretty common nowadays -- there are many makes and models available. Some are rather basic, while some have advanced features, such as adjustable weights and DPI. Many of them light up for aesthetic purposes too. It can be almost impossible to stand out from the crowd.

Today, however, SteelSeries begins selling a gaming mouse that raises the bar. The wired Rival 700 gaming mouse is modular, and has some unique features -- an OLED display and tactile feedback. Believe it or not, the price is quite affordable too.

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For those that are into gaming, you know that it’s not a hobby -- it’s a lifestyle. Even before the advent of the computer, gaming was a way of life. From its very early stages to modern day, gaming is a world unto itself. But like any refined art form, gaming has come a long way to evolve into the tour de force that it is today.

Stemming from humble beginnings, gaming has really experienced a revolution. Gaming is something that is now easily accessible and some sort of console exists in most houses and who knows what the future beyond VR gaming will hold. Here is the process of the birthing of modern day gaming tech:

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Gaming has come a long way since the first arcade games were invented in the early 1900s. From the original pinball machine, to today’s gaming world of Virtual Reality, the gaming industry has advanced rapidly. We can look back on the gaming evolution over the decades but seeing into the future isn’t so easy.

However, based on current trends we can take some educated guesses into the future of gaming.

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Many customers of Microsoft's Xbox gaming platform utilize the company's Live service so that they can play against others from the comfort of their own home. And, like any service, when you set up an account you choose a user ID, in this case, it’s a gamertag, which is what you become known by when online.

Many of these handles have been used up over the years, and some of those early ones have since become inactive for a variety of reasons. Now Microsoft is going to be opening those monikers up again to allow other customers to grab them.

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Out of the blue, Microsoft has announced that Project Spark is closing down. The Xbox One experiment which made it possible for just about anyone to create and publish games is to be killed off "after much consideration".

The service will be completely offline by 12 August meaning that after this date it will no longer be possible to upload or download content. Microsoft stopped development of Project Spark last year, but users had hoped that it would just be left to its own devices; this sunset announcement means that this is no longer the case.

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Gamers can be a demanding bunch, and in many regards Windows 10 has been something of a disappointment as a gaming platform. While Microsoft has used Windows 10 to merge the worlds of PC and Xbox One gaming, Universal Windows Platform (UWP) games have been somewhat crippled by crappy frame rates.

Today this changes. Microsoft is pushing out an update that allows developers to take advantage of unlocked frame rates in UWP titles just as they can with Win32 games. In addition to ramping up frame rates, the update means that developers will also be able to take advantage of AMD's FreeSync and NVIDIA's G-Sync technologies.

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When buying a computer monitor nowadays, there are many things to consider. While you might think the bigger the better, you would sort of be wrong. For a monstrous display, you also want a high resolution to go with it. A 43-inch monitor with 1080p, for example, would have blurry text and provide a poor overall experience.

Today, Philips releases its all-new Brilliance 43-inch Ultra HD LCD display to the USA market. This 4K monitor should prove wonderful for many things, such as gaming, photography, CAD, and general-use too. Best of all, the price tag is rather reasonable.

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Many gamers on a budget choose AMD FX processors for their builds. Not only are they affordable, but very capable too. With up to eight cores, and easy overclocking, you can squeeze a lot of performance out of them without breaking the bank.

When using an FX processor, it is not uncommon for builders to choose an aftermarket cooler for better cooling or reduced noise. Of course this will add to the overall cost. Today, however, consumers selecting the FX 8350 and FX 6350 may want to forgo the additional cooler purchase. Why? AMD is now bundling its already-legendary Wraith cooler with them. Yes, the formidable silent cooler is being included in the box!

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While a talented gamer can get by with any mouse, a gaming device is often preferred. These game-focused mice sometimes feature additional buttons, adjustable weights, and variable DPI. Plus, of course, they often look futuristic and have LED lights, because, you know, all gamers must have such things (sarcasm).

Today, ASUS announces its newest gaming mouse -- the ROG (Republic of Gamers) Spatha. While it looks really cool and is chock full of features, there is one such feature that I really love -- it can be both wired and wireless. If the battery gets low, or depletes entirely, you can connect a cable and continue to game. When you do need to add some juice, the magnetic charger has you covered. That's really cool.

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If you are happy with your current keyboard, but it isn't a mechanical variant, you probably could be happier. In other words, you probably don't know what you are missing. Mechanical keyboards offer a very satisfying typing experience, plus potentially better performance when gaming.

Mechanical keyboards are often an expensive affair, however. They are totally worth the investment, but sometimes they have extra features you don't really need or want, which inflates the price. Today, SteelSeries announces the APEX M500 mechanical keyboard with a very reasonable price. It has Cherry MX Red switches, which are ideal for gaming. The eSports-focused keyboard is fairly basic by design, which makes it affordable for many.

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Illegal street racing is totally dangerous. Quite frankly, not only can you injure or kill yourself, but even worse, you can impact innocent pedestrians. Luckily, if you have the need for speed, video games can give you your racing fix in a safe environment.

Today, Thrustmaster announces the TMX Force Feedback racing wheel for Xbox One and Windows 10 (plus Vista, 7, and 8x). For under $200, you can take your games to the next level with a feedback-focused racing wheel.

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If you are a PC builder, you know that we are in the middle of a shift to DDR4. While DDR3 is perfectly fine for now -- and the only option for current AMD builds -- DDR4 is certainly the future. Believe it or not, prices for this newer RAM can sometimes be lower than DDR3 at the same capacity.

If you are planning to do a new Intel build, G.SKILL -- a very well-respected manufacturer -- has a new RAM kit that will certainly interest you. This 16GB DDR4 CL15 kit runs at an insane 3600MHz, making it perfect for things like gaming.

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Virtual reality is definitely a legit thing now. For a while, it felt a bit like a gimmick the tech industry was trying to jam down consumers' throats. While not a new concept, it is finally affordable and offers what should be a satisfying experience. Sure, it is not yet perfect, but devices like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are certainly ushering in a new era.

All of this awesome new VR technology requires a powerful Windows PC. Sorry folks, that Chromebook or MacBook you covet is useless here. Heck, even most computers running Microsoft's ubiquitous desktop OS can't handle it. Today, MSI unveils a Quadro M5500-powered laptop that can handle both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The unimaginatively named WT72 mobile workstation is VR-focused and can be configured with top specs. It can even be configured with a Xeon processor! Of course, it is also very expensive.

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Gaming headsets are a strange thing. On the one hand, they can provide a more immersive experience, allowing you to better hear in-game audio and communicate with other respectful players. On the other, it can cause you to communicate with disrespectful gamers too. Racist, sexist and threatening voices can really ruin what should be a fun game.

Ultimately, the pros outweigh the cons, as there should be -- hopefully -- more nice people participating in in-game chat than the evil and angry ones. HyperX is already known for its quality hardware -- including its well-respected headsets -- and now it introduces a new one, called Cloud Revolver. This gaming headset should work brilliantly for movies and music too. Not to mention, it looks totally bad-ass!

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Many PC enthusiasts spend a lot of time researching two things -- games and hardware. While playing the actual games is the ultimate goal, sometimes it can be even more fun building computers and reading about all the cool new hardware. Even after your machine is built, you still can spend time finding the right mouse, keyboard, and monitor to name a few.

What if you didn't connect your tower to a monitor though? Am I talking about headless gaming? No, that would be silly. Obviously you need to see what you are doing! What I mean to say is, what about a gaming projector? Today, Acer's Predator Z850 projector -- which was announced at CES 2016 -- becomes available for purchase. It allows you to project a monstrous 120-inch screen!

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