Thin laptops are nothing new, but when you demand gaming excellence from your system, well, like Fat Joe at Thanksgiving, it remains tough to stay svelte. Maingear says it has found way though with its new Pulse 17 (starts at $2,099). Promising to be the world’s thinnest gaming laptop, the specs — Haswell Core i7 4700HQ processor, GeForce GTX 765M graphics card with 2GB RAM, 17.3-inch 1,920 x 1,080 widescreen display — make that claim even more impressive.
Can you imagine being a professional gamer? The fame, the money, the groupies… OK, so maybe the groupies wouldn’t be so hot, but still, that job would roundly slay every other possible profession. And all you’d need to bring to work would be a controller and a headset. Perhaps this one? The Level_10 M Headset is equipped with a 40mm driver unit and embedded with Tt eSPORTS’ most advanced acoustic engineering; the result gives you the ability to detect sounds at 10K frequency – virtually undetectable by human ears , which is what we assume you have. Plus the air-Through Ventilation System means your ears won’t sweat as much, because sweaty ears will result in an ever lesser quality groupie. ::shudder::
Gaming headsets often tout their ability to let you hear enemy footsteps behind you, a key feature that can do wonders for your Kill/Death ratio. But Turtle Beach’s Seven series headsets take game audio so seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if you can hear the footsteps of the tens of thousands of insects on the ground beneath you. There are three models in the new line, and the XP Seven ($279) and Z Seven ($249) both come with Audio Control Units for adjusting even the most minute details of the audio. Pitter patter pitter patter pitter patter SQUASH! Yeah, OK, maybe you will wanna dial down the ISR (Insect Step Ratio).
So it seems like the big winner at CES 2013 was this little doohickey right here, the Razer Edge Pro. We’ll immediately address what’s likely your first question here: No, it does not come with this awesome Perfect Strangers game pre-installed. However, if you can get past that oversight, you might really enjoy this self-billed combination tablet/PC/portable console. The 10.1″ multi-touch display is powered by an Intel i7 core processor with NVIDIA GeForce Series graphics and a solid state drive. Use it as a laptop with the keyboard docking station or get your rocks off with the joystick and button controls. You can also pump the signal to your TV and enjoy many more inches of gaming glory.
Wanna reclaim that top spot on the Asteroids leaderboard? Consider the Razer Ouroboros ($130), an ambidextrous wireless gaming mouse with 11 programmable buttons and super-fast sensitivity. The adjustable arch in the palm rest lets you find that sweet spot of comfort so you can blast those craters deep into the night. This mouse probably also works well with Pong.
While the console fanboys leave their gaming fates up to Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, the PC gamer says “funk that noise!” or some other cheesy pseudo-swear. See, tomorrow’s console’s specs are available today with a beast like the Alienware X51 ($699). Popping with graphics power, this digital demon delivers crazy-crisp graphics on the monitor of your choice. With a 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 5552 graphics card and a speedy Intel Core i7-2600 processor, you’re assured of chewing through any game any developer can throw at you. And just like your randy ex-lady, the X51 works well on its side or standing upright. Game on.
At first glance, you will undoubtedly flash to that intense scene in Alien when Sigourney Weaver sees the head of the alien beast blended into the spaceship’s interior as she trembles with terror and tries desperately to get into her protective space suit. At least that’s what I saw when I first looked at the new Dell Alienware Aurora (priced at $2,200). But you’re talkin’ to a girl who’s obsessed with horror and gore. Don’t even ask me what I see in a Rorschach Test. Beneath the dark as night veneer finish and design lines that seem to form a devilish grin, you will find Intel’s six-core, 3000 series Core i7 CPU, an X79 Express chipset and quad-channel DDR3 memory. These features are protected by Dell’s advanced liquid cooling and venting technologies. With GDDR5 memory-laced graphics cards, this menacing gaming rig supports both multi-display and 3D configurations. Stay tuned for more details, if you dare.
Do you want to be free of your headphone cables, but unwilling to give up those expensive cans? Try out the Astro Mixamp 5.8 ($140) which turns your wired headset into wireless 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound. The Astro Mixamp 5.8 comes with a sleek, black transmitter and receiver. Hook the transmitter up to your console and connect your headset to the receiver. Voila! Signals are sent over 5.8GHz frequency, ensuring unobstructed sound from the 2.4GHz spectrum, such as phones, wireless routers and game controllers. Clear sound means an edge over your opponent. If you take gaming seriously, then look into the Astro Mixamp 5.8.
