Famed case modder Brian Carter created one insane and awesome customized PC to take part in the competition run by Ruptr. Carter had to choose between crating a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3 themed case. He chose to base it off of Battlefield 3 as depicted by an airbrushed Battlefield image on one side of the case and a massive crosshair intake fan on the other.

But it also features a spinning mini chain gun positioned on the front of the case that can be turned on and off via its huge military toggle switches and it also functions as a drinks fridge that’s hidden in a first aid pack. It’s one hell of an amazing gaming case that any diehard gamer would die for!

The Razer Blade is the talk of the town among gamers. It’s got a similar look and feel to the MacBook Pro 17″ from Apple, plus the guts any game can love. But the recently updated MacBook Pros are no laughing matter; just put Windows on it and you have a formidable gaming machine, one that’s slick and offers some of the best battery life you can get on a laptop. So how do the two compare?

Design

Comparing any laptop to the MacBook has been trouble when discussing design. The aluminum unibody design, simple logo, light power brick…it’s simplicity at it’s finest. Razer takes a lot of those same elements and implements them into the Blade. It’s black instead of white, but otherwise could be mistaken for a MacBook closed except for the Razer logo. The Blade really is the darker, more devious brother to the MacBook Pro. In a strange twist of irony, the Blade is actually larger but thinner. Here are the dimensions of both:

MacBook Pro 17″ – 15.47″ x 10.51″ x 0.98″, 6.6lbs (2.99kg)
Razer Blade – 16.81″ x 10.9″ x 0.88″, 6.6lbs (3kg)

Based on size alone, the Blade is longer and taller, and has a bigger display, but is 0.1″ thinner and almost exactly the same weight.

Open both up and the main design difference is abundantly clear: the trackpad on the Blade is not below the keyboard. Instead, it’s based on the Razer Switchblade, a device with only LCD-backlit and completely adjustable buttons. On the Blade, users can pre-assign different functions to all ten buttons above the 3″ LCD display. That display also acts as the trackpad, so there is no chance of accidentally palming it with your other hand. And because it’s an LCD display, it can double as almost anything, from a secondary screen to watch YouTube videos to a number pad. Apple uses the extra space on the MacBook for speakers, which is nice. But for gaming, no laptop is going to be good enough.

It may seem like a tough call, because on the one hand people who like using their left hands to mouse just won’t like the Blade’s trackpad. It’ll be impossible to use. On the other hand, Razer matches the excellence in design from Apple and takes it a step further with something no one has ever done before.

Winner: Razer Blade

Ports

Ports may not seem so important, especially on a laptop, but if you’re buying a 17″ model for over $2500, you’re looking for a desktop replacement. Docks are a pain and expensive, so everything needs to be built directly into the machine.

The MacBook Pro features 3 USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire 800 port, Ethernet, audio in and out, and the new Thunderbolt port. The Blade has 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 USB 3.0 port, an HDMI 1.4 port (which supports 3D, 4K resolutions, 7.1 surround out, etc.), and a single audio in/out combo port. Deciding which is better appears tough, but based on today’s technology landscape, it’s a fairly simple choice. There simply aren’t Thunderbolt devices, but USB 3.0 is the up and coming standard. Video out is also hugely important, and right now Apple owners have to buy a mini-DV adapter plugged into the Thunderbolt port.

Winner: Razer Blade

Parts (components)

Here’s a look at the spec sheet:

The two machines are very similar in components, which isn’t surprising considering the pricing on both. There are three notable differences: the GPU, battery capacity and price (we’ll get to the latter two in a bit). AMD’s 6770M is a great card, and can definitely handle any and all of your gaming needs (though  OS X can’t). However, the GT555M is, while not the top-of-the-line mobile GPU (that would be the GT 580M), it’s damn fast. However, it’s not so much about the GPU speed in this case, but the GPU RAM. The Blade’s GT 555M comes with 2GB, compared to the 6770M’s 1GB. That will make the biggest difference in gaming (and application) use. Then again, with 8GB of RAM, most users won’t actually notice that except in heavier games. Other applications won’t take advantage of it, for the most part.

Update: As many astute readers pointed out, there are two major differences between both machines that were not originally discussed. The first is the CPU. The MBP has a quad-core processor, while the Blade uses a Dual-core processor. Both are i7, though the MBP will perform better with applications that utilize more than two cores.

However, the vast majority of today’s applications, including high-end apps, do not utilize more than two cores. Most only use one core. Most people who use two cores are running multiple applications simultaneously. The question here, frankly, is whether faster performance is more important than more cores (more simultaneous processes).

For someone purchasing either computer for gaming, the Blade is the clear winner. Faster is better, and there are only a handful and a small one at that, that use even two cores. Most use just one. However, the L3 cache is the big differentiator, and the base MBP CPU has 6MB of L3 cache, compared to the upgraded 2.5GHz with 8MB. Ultimately, I’d need to test both machines out, but what is clear is that the upgraded CPU will have better overall performance (perhaps not with today’s games and applications, but definitely over time) than the Blade’s i7. The base model CPU, however, likely will not be as powerful.

The second is using 3rd party hardware. The fact is most of us don’t do that, and likely never will. There is certainly the option to upgrade the RAM or from a HDD to SSD, but once again those are expensive steps to take. They’re not Apple expensive, but it’ll cost you no matter what. The same options will be available with the Blade as well, so they weren’t even discussed.

Finally, price. For the most comparable machine, Apple fans need to put down $750 more and still get a slower processor and a lesser GPU. If the SSD is scratched on the MacBook and replaced with a 750GB 7200RPM hard disk, then it’s roughly the same price, but as we’ve found with today’s applications and operating systems there is a pretty stark difference in speed and quality between HDD and SSD. But, again, for a desktop replacement more space may be the more important thing.

Winner: Razer Blade

Battery Life

The MacBook Pro has a denser battery, one that promises to last for 7 hours per charge. Razer isn’t advertising battery life on the Blade because it isn’t that great, but at CES I was told 1.5-2 hours of heavy gaming per charge. We’ll have to wait and see how it performs for daily use, because lord knows getting a laptop like this doesn’t mean we’ll be playing games on it every second of use.

Winner: Apple MacBook Pro 17

Features

Based on the specs, Razer wins thanks to a few minor upgrades over what Apple currently offers, such as Bluetooth 3.0 (over 2.1), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (a/b/g/n can cripple networks for users if one person is connected through the “a”, so eliminating it altogether is better for everyone). Apple does include the DVD-R drive (does anyone use those anymore?) which for some gamers who don’t download all their games will be a major loss with the Blade. Then again, who buys a $2,800 gaming machine and uses discs? Apple also has a denser 1200p display, compared to Razer’s 1080p. Apple also has an option for glossy or antiglare displays, while Razer ships only with glossy screens.

The big feature, of course, is Switchblade. We’ll have to wait and see how good it is in actual use, but even if you don’t use it to it’s every capability the mouse all the way to the right may prove to be an excellent design choice, so long as you aren’t left handed.

Winner: Razer Blade

Price

Pricing is tough in this case. The MacBook Pro 17″ can be purchased anywhere from $2,500-$4,100, and there are a lot of options to change. A jump between 2.4 and 2.5GHz may not seem like much, but the L3 Cache is 2MB bigger, which is a big deal. 4GB to 8GB is a big deal. The dealbreaker is Apple’s ridiculously expensive SSD drives. The 128GB SSD is only $50 more than the 750GB 7200RPM HDD, but the 256GB SSD is $450 more expensive. Add on $1K for the 512GB. SSD pricing has always been crazy, but as always Apple raises the bar.

Then again, for a gaming machine with 8GB of RAM and at least 1GB of VRAM, an SSD will help, but not all that much. Unless gamers plan on playing while in a car (which is going to be hard on a 17″ laptop), a standard HDD would be fine. The problem is even sticking with the faster HDD keeps the MBP at $3,050. You may say, “at these prices what’s a couple hundred dollars”, except that in this case you are paying more for slower parts.

Normally we award the winner in price to the product with the most choice, but in this case the Blade is more affordable. Even though it comes in only one size, compared to the customization of the MBP, the Blade is simply more bang for your buck.

Winner: Razer Blade

Of course, if you’re looking for a gaming laptop, the Blade my not be your best bet. After all, the RAM and GPU, and even the SSD, are all fairly limited when compared to what you can get on larger machines like the Alienware M17x or Maingear’s Titan-17. On the M17x alone, for the same price I can double the RAM, get a much better GPU and a hybrid HDD/SSD, and a 3D display for 3D gaming.

However, today there is nothing that offers the build and design of a MacBook and makes it game-worthy. The Razer Blade offers to do just that, and for the gaming industry and hardcore gamers, that’s exciting. It means we don’t have to lug around giant heavy laptops to play, or be ashamed of how big and bulky they are. There is a bright future, and perhaps it’s in the Razer Blade. We’ll see when it comes out, in February.

At CES HP revealed the Envy 14, a full size laptop that takes on advanced style changes far beyond what we’ve seen for laptops in the past, while including all of the hardware that laptop users today want. At first glance the Envy 14 is stunning, a stark contrast from anything with an HP logo on it.

The first thing users will notice is the complete glass cover. It looks great, but it’s also a fingerprint magnet. The HP representatives were constantly running between the laptops and wiping them down with cleaning cloth, especially for photography. Germophobes need not apply. A light-up HP logo sits on the top and is similar to the Apple logo on MacBooks, but because of the glass and glossy surface, it looks very crisp and clear. There may be no greater advertisement for HP than Joe consumer sitting in a coffee shop just using the Envy 14. It looks simply stunning.

If you’re afraid of breaking the glass, chances are that you’ll dislodge some of the connectors far before the glass even cracks. The Envy comes with a giant pane of Gorilla Glass, which as you’ll recall is really hard to break. That same glass isn’t only protecting the backside of the screen, it’s built into the palm rest to ensure there’s no wear, like what’s found on the traditional plastic. I asked about that, and was told that indeed after a few years the plastic starts conforming to the palms of users, and that the glass won’t. We’ll have to wait and see if that holds true, but it’s an interesting idea nonetheless.

Along with the everyday components, HP includes the Beats Audio equalizer. This will allow users to get the same audio quality from, say, the HTC Rezound as they do from the laptop. I asked HP representatives whether, like the Rezound, Beats audio only functions in specific applications, and they assured me that it works across the entire OS, acting more as a true equalizer rather than an app-based audio enhancer.

I’m very impressed with the Envy 14, both because it shows that the industry is finally starting to compete in the laptop space on a higher level in both design and functionality. HP is clearly going in the right direction, at least from a design standpoint, an the major departure from the prototypical laptop configuration is a huge step forward. I look forward to seeing how it performs in real life, as well as the public reaction to such a machine. I regularly take my products out for field testing, and often get comments and questions about them. The Envy 14 would be a good one to experiment with.

Still itching for a gaming console for your home, but can’t bite the bullet on a 36o or PS3 since all of your buds have gone the way of PC gaming?  Good news.  Dell has the answer that takes on the form factor of an Xbox 360, yet boasts the guts of a well endowed computer rig.

It’s called the Alienware X51.  It starts at $699, and for that kind of cash you’ll score an Intel Core i3 processor clocked at 3.3Ghz, Windows 7 Home Edition 64-bit, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 1TB hard drive spinning at 7200rpms, a Super Drive, built-in WiFi and a 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 video card.  For $200 more you can upgrade your processor to a 3Ghz Core i5 and 8GB of DDR3 RAM.  Throw down another $50 and you’ll negate 2GB of that added RAM, but boost your graphic performance thanks to a 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 555 video card.  And if you’re feeling exceptionally rich, you can spend $1149, which scores you a Core i7 processor burning at 3.4Ghz, 8GB of DDR3 RAM and a 1GB GDDR5 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 555…along with all the other aforementioned fixings.

All models include your usual array of USB 2.0 ports (2 on the front, 4 on the back), 2 USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI 1.4 port and support for full surround sound.  Dell’s Alienware X51 is available now.

When you sit down and you’re ready to work, the last thing you probably want to discover is that your wireless mouse has kicked the bucket.  And by kicked the bucket we mean the rechargeable batteries inside are dead and need juicing up. But who has time for that when you need to get to your next TPS report, or for some of you RedTube.

Genius’ DX-ECO Mouse ditches the hefty, NOT landfill friendly battery in favor of a gold capicitor. What does that mean to you?  In just 3-minutes time this mouse can be charged to full and last for what the company says is a complete work day – we’re not sure what that means in terms of hours, but we’re assuming 8.    That said, it can be recharged up to 100,000 times, which means that this mouse will be well outdated before its capacitor fizzles out.

And just because it doesn’t sport a traditional rechargeable battery, or at the very least a slot for one, that doesn’t mean Genius has forgone any of the standard features you’ve come to expect from your wireless mouse.  It can work at up to a distance of 15 meters, includes a tiny micro receiver,  4-way scrolling, adjustable dpi (800/1600 dpi), next/previous page hot keys and a blue optical mouse that is said to work on dusted glass and marble.

Razer may have shown off what many consider a game-changer in the world of tablets, but I think equally important is the Razer Blade, a full-fledged 17″ gaming laptop. It’s not revolutionary in any way but one: it looks as slick as can be. It has the same design finesse of an Apple MacBook Pro, but with the parts and specs of a high-end gaming machine. Put it next to a 17″ MacBook Pro and you’d think that Apple now has an evil twin brother, with snakes growing out the top of its head.

You wouldn’t be too far from the truth for thinking that. Razer, who has over the past year broken out of the standard mold of gaming peripherals into actual computers (starting with the Blade) is making waves with the Blade and with what they call Project Fiona. The Blade, however, is stacked, and isn’t for the mass market. It’s for hardcore gamers who want the finest gaming experience you can get when on the go, or at least on a portable machine. While some laptops can compare to the specs that Razer is showing off, nothing can compete with the build quality or design, at least with what I’ve seen of the Blade thus far.

There are two things that really stand out about the Blade besides for the whole “gaming laptop” aspect. First is that the touchpad is completely gone, replaced by what Razer showed off at CES 2011, the Switchblade. That includes ten buttons, each with an LCD display so it can be programmed to show anything (this is intended to work for hotkeys to open applications like Calculator, YouTube, an Internet browser, etc.), and a 3″ LCD display that act as a touchscreen. The main function of this touchscreen is as a mouse, so users can keep one hand on the keyboard and the other hovering over the opposite side of the keyboard. While it seems like an interesting idea, and will keep users from moving their hand back and forth between the mouse and keyboard, I’ll have to try it out long-term to see how it actually plays out. This, of course, means that the rest of the space is open, so there’s no accidentally resting the left hand on the trackpad and messing up your mouse use.

Stock photos used because my CES shots of the Blade are MIA

The second is the rest of those Switchblade features. The LCD panel works both as a mouse and as a secondary screen, utilizing a proprietary system (I think it may be a separate chip powering it, as similar functions have been available in the past, though not on laptops; Razer declined to comment on how exactly it works or where it gets resources from) to allow completely seamless use of the secondary display without interfering with the main computer. So you can play a game while also streaming YouTube video of, say, a walkthrough to get past a tough area in a game. Or switch the LCD to a number pad for when handling taxes (or even use the 10 buttons as a sideways numpad). There’s no limit to what the panel can do, theoretically. It’s unclear if the SDK will limit what can be done. All Razer shared thus far was that any application can be used for the Switchblade system, but that apps require an icon to appear on the buttons. Otherwise it won’t work.

The specs are as high-end as you can image for a gaming laptop. 1080p display, 2.8GHz dual-core i7, 8GB of DDR3 RAM (1333MHz), Nvidia GT 555 (2GB), and a 256GB SSD. It’s less than an inch thick, has one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI out, and of course the Switchblade system.

A few additional neat features: the keyboard is completely anti-ghosting; I don’t know if that means it connects via PS/2, but it can read all of the keys simultaneously. It’s also completely backlit, and has a similar chiclet design to Apple laptops. The Blade has a 2MP webcam and supports 7.1 audio out.

What’s clear to me is that the Blade isn’t intended to be an on-the-road gaming laptop. The battery is not extremely high dense or extremely powerful; Razer estimates between 1-2 hours of heavy gaming use on a single charge, which is on-par with today’s gaming laptops. So for a flight from LA to San Francisco, it’ll certainly make the trip and then some, but gamers will be carrying around the charging cable. No, the Blade is intended to be more of a desktop replacement that also provides on-the-go gaming, an HD screen, and excellent build so that users can enjoy their computing experience as much as possible.

The Razer Blade is expected to release in February for approximately $3,000.

It’s time to upgrade that archaic printer of yours and Amazon’s Deal of the Day has you covered. Save big on an Epson Stylus NX530 Wireless Color All-In-One Printer and Scanner that’s marked down to $59.99 from the listed price of $79. You’re saving $19.01 (24%) for a new color printer and the item ships for free with Super Saver Shipping.

The Epson Stylus NX530 is the world’s fastest all-in-one printer and offers powerful performance for all your print jobs. With its unprecedented print speeds, you’ll be able to save time on all your printing projects instead of having to wait for them to print out one by one as you would with other models. It has automatic two-sided printing so that you can easily save on your paper supply.

Since it’s WiFi-enabled, your whole family can print from their various computers without having to be plugged in to the machine. Setting up WiFi is easy and takes only seconds. Epson Connect also lets you print from your iPhone or other mobile device, without the need of a computer. It holds 150 pages in its paper tray so you don’t have to constantly keep changing the paper and you’ll save money on ink with its extra high-capacity ink cartridges.

Printing projects is easy and you don’t have to worry about them getting smudged, faded and more with its instant-dry ink, while its built-in card slots allows you to print photos and more from mircroSD cards. You can also easily scan documents up to 2400dpi.

Included in the box is the Epson Stylus NX530 Printer, instruction manual, CD-ROM with drivers and bonus software, power cord, four DURABrite Ultra Ink Cartridges, one 125 Black ink cartridge and three 125 color ink cartridges in Cyan, Magenta and Yellow.

The tablet computer has all but replaced the laptop for many, many people.  Solidifying this notion is iHome with the unveiling of the idM5 at this year’s CES.  What is it?  In short order, a full sized Bluetooth keyboard and speaker system in one.  If you take a closer look you’ll see there are a set of media controls for the iPad (or iPhone or iPod Touch) and a keyboard cover that doubles as a stand to hold your tablet at a comfortable viewing angle.  And last but not least is a USB port for charging up your device, though it won’t support connectivity, just powering up.

We had a chance to get a short hands on with the device.  The keyboard is comfortable and the speakers, which are built into the left and right side of the keyboard, are surprisingly loud.

iHome hasn’t given us a price or launch date, but we expect it to arrive after the start of Q3.

Vizio has officially entered the computer market and will be releasing their all-in-one PCs and laptops this spring. Their all-in-one PCs will come in two sizes—24-and 27-inch versions—and feature a very sleek design (that’s sharp and elegant at the same time) with an ultra-thin keyboard, touchpad and a base unit.  The screen is said to be thinner than the iMac, only because the computer’s guts are sandwiched on the aluminum base. It also features stereo speakers that are located on each side of the base and a subwoofer in the power supply. There’s also an HDMI input, which allows users to use the display as a TV, but Vizio isn’t including a TV tuner with this device. Vizio also hasn’t released info on what Intel processor it’ll use in its new all-in-one PCs, but more info will probably drop closer to its ship date (around May or June).

3D monitors are still a rarity in the world of PC gaming, even though as of October 2011 over 500,000 pairs of Nvidia’s 3D Vision glasses have been sold, and with each at least one 3D display. Though the likes of Viewsonic, Acer, ASUS and Dell have all taken their go at it – some more successfully than others – this third wave of high-end 3D gaming monitors is looking very well. We’ll have a full review of ASUS’ latest display soon after CES, but at the show BenQ revealed not one, but two 3D-ready displays.

To say that they are two different monitors is almost a lie. The two are identical in all ways but one: the XL2420TX and XL2420T share all of the same specs but one: the TX model has 3D Vision built directly into the display. Both have the same 2ms grey-to-grey response time, the same 120Hz refresh rate, the same 24″ displays, the same specs entirely except for built-in Vision. If you’re confused, I was too, until I looked at the price: the TX model, with Vision, will retail for $500, while the non-Vision model currently retails for $400.

Now that may seem like a big difference for a display, but having tested and used Nvidia’s 3D Vision glasses for possibly longer than anyone outside of the company, I can state as a fact that using 3D Vision with an external IR reader to work with the glasses is a hassle. It’s far more convenient to have it built directly into the monitor for two reasons: first, the IR transmitter is near eye-level (and can be adjusted to point higher or lower), and second, because it doesn’t take up an extra USB port and contribute to your current table clutter.

Of course, anyone who already owns a 3D Vision set with the external IR transmitter can save some money for themselves and buy the display without the built in emitter. The only loss is convenience, though the BenQ representative told me that their current customers in Europe, who have had both displays available, requested a display without 3D Vision built in. And that both models have sold well.

Convenience is a surprisingly important factor, one I always say is perhaps the most important piece to the product puzzle, because it gets right into the users feelings on said product. They create an emotional attachment because hey, it feels like the phone or computer monitor was made with them in mind. The same holds true with the XL2420T models, both of which come with two (yes, everything comes in pairs) unique features available solely for the purpose of convenience. First is a glasses holder attached to the back of the display, as you can see in the image above.

Second is a mouse-like controller that magnetically attaches to the base of the display, on either side, and can be pre-programmed with three different display settings. Three numbered buttons can automatically change the display settings. It may seem silly, especially since the buttons on both XL2420T models are all touch sensitive, similar to the Dell Alienware OptX display, but even with very fluid controls and an intuitive and simply menu system having the ability to automatically change the display settings is huge. Most gaming displays today have a dedicated button to scroll through presets, which are generally defaults made by the manufacturer (and usually prior to someone actively calibrating the display altogether), but even that’s not as convenient as you can get. The button to do so is still attached to the display wherever the buttons are located. With the XL2420T, those preset buttons can be literally wherever you want. They can be magnetically attached to the base on the left or right side, or above your keyboard, by the mouse, or wherever the hell the cable will reach.

Simply put, it’s ingenious. I know for myself that I always change the presets on my display. I have a preset for standard computing (ie typing up articles like this), watching video, playing games, and for editing pictures. Being able to swap between even three of these presets at anytime with a simple extendable control that can at anytime be docked is…it solves a longtime problem that most people didn’t even know existed.

I’ll need some more face time with the XL2420T and XL2420TX to know how good they actually are and the video quality reproduction, but there was one impressive note I made during my hands-on. For 3D gameplay, the image doesn’t move. That means that if you weave and bob your head, in any way, the image won’t move with you. This typically happens on 3D displays (and most people see something similar occur when watching 3D movies), and it’s annoying. I walked around with my 3D glasses on and didn’t see any change, even at weird and extreme angles. I’ll need to test it more in the field, but thus far I haven’t found anywhere that the image moves with the glasses.

The XL2420T is currently available now in the US, for purchase directly from BenQ and some retailers, for $399. The XL2420TX will be available shortly in the US for $499, and is available for pre-order now from BenQ directly.

LG has provided details on its Z330 and Z430 Super Ultrabooks even though the Ultrabooks are still pretty new. The Z330 model features a  13.3-inch 1366 x 768 LED-backit display, the choice of Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, 4GB of DDR3 memory and HD 3000 graphics, either a 120GB or 256GB SSD, 10/100 ethernet, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0+HS. The LG Z430 is a bit larger than the Z330 and comes with a 14-inch display, 8GB of RAM, and 500GB HDD paired with optional 16GB or 128GB of SSD storage. Both models include: a multi-format memory card reader, single USB 3.0, two USB 2.0 and HDMI, 1.3-megapixel webcam and a 4-cell battery. There’s still no word on pricing yet, but info will probably be released after CES.

ROCCAT ain’t messing around when it comes to gaming.  The company is set to introduce the Isku Gaming Keyboard and Kone+ Gaming Mouse at CES 2012.

So what makes them special? They can communicate wirelessly to one and other, allowing gamers to hit a key on the keyboard and change the settings of the mouse instantly mid gameplay.  But that’s not all these gaming peripherals have to offer.

The Isku keyboard is built for the true gamer. It has a a whopping 36 macro keys – 8 dedicated – 3 of which are located just below the space bar for ultra quick access during heated gameplay. Furthermore, they can all be double programmed in up to 5 profiles, providing up to 180 macros on a single keyboard.  And to make sure you know what profile you’ve selected, they’ve outfitted the keyboard with a set of LED lights along with extreme Ice Blue back lighting in 6 adjustable brightness levels.

ROCCAT’s Kone[+] mouse is one of the wired ilk, as it should be, and includes a 6000dpi Pro-Aim laser sensor that achieves a 10.5 megapixel resolution and 1000Hz polling rate – that means it won’t lag or lose connection even during the most furious of frag sessions.  The outside of the mouse is outfitted with a Soft-Touch Surface, though keep in mind it’s built for right handers only.  And like the Isku, this mouse can be programmed with up to 22 functions that can be changed at the press of a button and are affirmed by voice feedback.

Expect ROCCAT’s latest mouse and keyboard to launch sometime early next year.

When I first received the BTS11 in for review, it was a little while ago; normally I don’t take this long to post things, but there were a number of extenuating circumstances behind this delay.  However I’ve gotten all of my notes in order, and I’m more than ready to give my thoughts, opinions, and findings on this true beast of a system.  Designed for gamers in school without an unlimited budget at their disposal, iBUYPOWER has come through to show that you don’t need to sacrifice power and performance by getting a system that only runs a grand.

Now to be honest, I have not used a pre-built PC since I was a kid.  I’ve always felt that I could build a PC that was just as good as one from a big box store, for half the price because I wasn’t paying for a brand name – and while I still do feel that way about major brand name towers from companies like Dell or HP, the iBUYPOWER rig has made me think twice about other manufacturers.  When it first came in its giant box, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I mean I had seen the pictures – seen the specs; but I wasn’t really ready for the joy that awaited in the box.

The first thing that my wife said was that the case reminded her of a Stormtrooper (a thought then echoed by all three kids), and I have to agree to that as well.  Just the sleek arctic white appearance with the finely defined black highlights make the appearance what it is.  When powered on, there is a cool blue glow that comes from the LEDs showing the fan controls on the top of the case – I really think the case would benefit from a piece of lexan on one side and some cold cathodes – but I digress.  I’ve always liked to throw in cold cathodes for the light factor, but the NZXT Phantom case that they use has solid outer walls.

Another thing with the case, is that it’s freakin’ HUGE!  There’s plenty of space for adding drives and such while still maintaining proper airflow.  Ecerything on the inside looks clean (not like the Frankenstein monster jobs I normally do) because all of the cables are mounted perfectly.  On the top of the case are two USB 2.0 ports, and an eSATA plus your standard headphone and mic jacks.  On the rear, there’s a boatload more, showing a whopping four more USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, analog audio AND S/PDIF digital audio jacks, plus a handy HDMI connector (for people like me who hook rigs up to TVs).  There’s also a standard Ethernet port (which is important because for some reason there’s no built in WiFi), a serial port, and a parallel port.  Quite enough to make sure everything you have can be plugged in somewhere.

Inside the case are two PCI Express x1 slots, two standard PCI slots, and another PCI Express x16 (wired as x4) slot.  There’s four RAM slots, but only two are free – the other two hold 4GB of RAM each.  There’s a 700-watt power supply running the whole thing too – which is more than ample for the stock components (though you may need to upgrade later on if you add a lot).  One thing that really confused me, is that they stick an NVIDIA GTX 550 TI 1GB card in it for graphics, but the Gigabyte motherboard (GA – P6 – 7A – D3 – B3) that is in it supports CrossFireX – not SLI.  It’s not that big of a deal because the video card runs quite well, but if you ever want to run a dual card system, you’ll have to get two new cards and not just one.

Another component that is glaringly nonexistent in this configuration, is a card reader.  Luckily I had an EyeFi reader to plug in for myself, but others might not be so lucky, or realize that one’s not there.  While they’re fairly inexpensive on their own, it’s something that probably should have been standard; especially considering this is supposed to be for students.  There’s no Blu-Ray drive either, which again seems odd considering all the other high tech goodness crammed into this package.  The BTS 11 also comes standard with a 750 GB hard drive, which is more than enough to get someone started.  Lastly, this system DOES come with a keyboard and mouse – but they’re as basic as you can get.  However you can add better ones while configuring the system at an additional cost.

So hardware out of the way, one question remains – how does it run?

Well for starters, I loaded up the Witcher 2, and tried running it on what the game recommended – the maximum settings.  This ran incredibly smooth (especially since I had been used to playing games on my garbage laptop), and I instantly wanted to see how far I could push it.  Borderlands ran like a dream on maximum – as did Battlefield 2, which even though it’s an older game it still can be taxing in big modded servers.  I had to go down one setting off of max when playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and Bad Company 2 (and Starcraft 2) had to be set to only “High” settings in order to play without any tearing or artifacts.  For me – that’s a really decent system, because you’ll at least be able to run future games for a while before having to upgrade.  As an example, two days before the BTS 11 was taken away from me I got a Beta code for Diable 3, and it looked (and played) better than I could have expected.

You can no longer get this system direct from their website, but you can still from TigerDirect, which is great.  On a side note though, I had multiple friends come and play with this computer while I had it, and I know at least three of them who either are ordering, or have now ordered from iBUYPOWER because of how impressed they were with this system.  I too plan on spending part of my tax return on a rig from these guys – the first “bought” PC I’ll have owned in close to 18 years.  If that doesn’t show my faith in these guys, nothing will.

Editor’s Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

The Bottom Line:  If you’re a kid somewhat strapped for cash, and doesn’t mind a few things missing in order to get the most gaming performance for your buck, then iBUYPOWER definitely has you covered – not just with this system, but with many others as well.

Pros:

• Extremely powerful system for the money – even trying to build this yourself, you’d save so little it wouldn’t be worth it
• There’s more room inside the case than most people will know what to do with, and it still stays cool
• iBUYPOWER has been making a lot of waves lately for sick systems, and this one is no exception

Cons:

• No Blu-Ray drive means you’re still using your PS3 for those movies
• The distinct lack of WiFi will leave you scratching your head as to “why?”
• Having to get two new cards if you want a dual system just seems like a poor choice

You can get the BTS 11 from TigerDirect for $979.99

Whether you just prefer to do your web browsing from the bed or if you want some inputs to get used to no matter where you are, the Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse is a nice, compact solution that is incredibly easy to set up, comfortable to use, and effective for just about any purpose shy of gaming. With a roughly laptop-sized keyboard and a small mouse that also houses the wireless receiver when not in use, this set comes with pretty much everything you could need from a wireless keyboard and mouse.

The keyboard itself is fairly standard, complete with function keys and even selectable number pad keys and volume controls. The keyboard runs off of 2 AAA batteries and just stays on, waiting for inputs. The keys are push in comfortably, and it’s very easy to adapt to for anybody who spends any amount of time using a laptop. The letter keys are spaced more like a traditional desktop computer, which is great for typing, though the other keys tend to be more bunched up and in different places, which means looking around a bit if you’re trying to insert or delete.

In order to save on battery life, the mouse features an on/off switch on the bottom. More responsive than other optical mice I’ve tried, the Verbatim Mini Wireless Mouse is a comfortable yet small size, works great on almost every surface I tried (including my white desk), and the scroll wheel is smooth but responsive. The fact that the mouse can be used anywhere is a serious perk to consider when you imagine that you might be taking these out to use on a conference room table or a couch arm or anywhere you can think of, really. Knowing that the mouse is going to be responsive on a wide array of surfaces increases the potential uses for a wireless combo like this.

As nice as the Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse are, however, there is still room for improvement. The lack of a power button on the keyboard means that battery life is always draining, albeit slowly, though if you’re carrying the keyboard with you, every time a key is pressed it’s pecking away at the battery. The tiny wireless USB receiver, while convenient in its size, is pretty easy to lose track of if you don’t want to keep removing and replacing the mouse’s battery case to store it. While I’m sure they would make the battery life drop a little faster, some lights on the keyboard to let you know if Num Lock or Caps Lock are activated would go a long way. I also would like to see some kind of USB compatibility so that if your batteries run out and you don’t have a spare set on you, you could still use the keyboard at least.

With a solid wireless distance and decent battery life, the Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse make for a very good temporary solution for presentations or the odd situation where you don’t want to stretch cables. However, because of the reliance strictly on AAA batteries that do wear down after about 15-20 hours, I don’t recommend getting these for use in making your home a bit more mobile or wireless. The products themselves work to specifications and the fact that all it typically takes to get going is plugging them in and putting batteries in goes a long way in my opinion of any wireless device. Finding a regular use for them that makes sense in terms of not constantly buying batteries, on the other hand, is a little harder to do.

Editor’s Rating

3.5 out of 5 stars

Very Good

Bottom Line: The Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse isn’t perfect, but has enough going for it that it should be considered for anybody looking to add some wireless functionality to any computer around. The compatibility across multiple operating systems means that no matter where you are or what you’re doing, getting started is often just as easy as plugging in the wireless USB receiver to the system and going. For a product designed for portability and ease of use, something as pivotal as that simply can not be overlooked. Anyone looking for a replacement for their current keyboard and mouse aren’t going to like shelling out battery money frequently, however.

Pros:

• Full number pad via a function key is a rarity for portable keyboards
• Works with a variety of operating systems simply by plug and play
• Mouse works great on virtually every surface and has a full, clickable scroll wheel

Cons:

• 2 AAA batteries for the keyboard, another 2 for the mouse, if you use these devices with any degree of long-term frequency, you’ll need to keep a lot of batteries stocked
• Lack of LEDs for Num Lock, Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock means relying on the installable toolbar that comes with the keyboard on a CD to know if you have any enabled
• With no shutoff switch for the keyboard, batteries need to be removed to make sure life isn’t being drained while it stows in your bag or briefcase

The Verbatim Mini Wireless Slim Keyboard and Mouse is available from Amazon for $29.24.

At this point everyone knows the best way to sell an accessory of any type is to position it against an Apple product.  Or in the case of Xtrememac, all of your products play complement to Apple’s line of products.

Announced yesterday, the  Tango Bar speaker is designed to fit perfectly under an iMac or Apple’s Cinema Display.  Packed inside is a six speaker configuration with dual dome tweeters, midrange/bass drivers and passive radiators that Xtrememac says delivers a “best in class audio” experience and twice the output (10 watts) of most if not all USB powered computer speakers.

What makes this setup particularly nice, aside from the fact that is sits neatly underneath your iMac’s screen, is that it’s powered purely off your computer’s USB port, which should deliver the audio as well.  That means you’re two less cords away from a rat’s nest.  And it doesn’t hurt that the volume knob is backlit in Xtrememac’s branded colors and includes a headphone jack, a sub-woofer out for those seeking more oomph in their tunes and a line in jack.

The Xtrememac Tango bar is retailing for $99.99, though a 3rd party is already selling it on Amazon for about $70.

The future isn’t now. Companies regularly build radically new products because they have data that shows it’ll market well, or to test the waters. Google’s Chrome operating system combined with netbooks is one such product. Netbooks, underpowered and small laptops made for simple computing and web browsing, don’t require the processing power of regular laptops, nor the functions of a Windows-based machine.

The Samsung Chromebook is the full realization of that, a netbook body with Chrome-OS. There is no hard drive, no applications, nothing except for the Chrome browser screen outside of a login screen.

Inside the Chromebook is a 1.66GHz Atom processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 16GB SSD. These power the 12” 1280×800 non-gloss 300-nit display. Atom processors in my experience are good only because they are low-power CPUs, and I have never found an Atom-based machine worth recommending. The RAM is marketed as high-speed DDR3, but it’s barely faster than DDR2 RAM. As far as netbooks go, the Chromebook is less powerful than machines from last year. The processor is slow, there isn’t much RAM, the SSD is small and the overall size is much larger than what’s found on netbooks.

The Chromebook, right, beside a 13″ MacBook Air

Specs alone, the Chromebook doesn’t compete well against competitors. As Apple might say, the software is just as important, if not more important, than the hardware.

Chrome OS is not different from the Chrome browser. Not to say it’s similar…it’s identical. If you’re one of the millions of Chrome users, there are only a few differences, all of which revolve around basic laptop functions, such as screen brightness, restarting the computer, file management, etc. Even these features are well hidden in the single navigation menu.

The browser, which is every screen except for the login screen, is just as fast as Chrome in Windows and OS X. There is no difference except for hardware, because of the slow processor and less than stellar amount of RAM. So let’s discuss the hardware.

Hardware

The Chromebook is a large netbook. The 12” screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio instead of the traditional 16:9 widescreen, so video content will not fit the screen entirely. It has a full size QWERTY keyboard, one that is heavily modified for use with Chrome OS. The caps lock, for instance, is replaced with a search key. Like on MacBooks and various laptops, all function keys have OS functions such as brightness adjustment, volume, and media playback. There are no secondary functions, no Windows or Command keys; just the bare keyboard.

Chiclet keys are large, square and very similar to a MacBook’s keyboard. Typing is excellent on the Chromebook’s keyboard, with a few reservations. No caps lock key is an incredible nuisance, one that has been laughed about since the Chromebook’s release. In practice it is a constant annoyance. Along with OS function keys are a back and forward button for the browser, a full-screen button, new tab button, and the media and brightness keys. Besides for this the keyboard is a standard QWERTY, with search instead of caps lock.

The Chromebook’s cover is simple, clean and well designed. Even the popping-out Chrome logo

The touchpad is mid-sized, but not as comfortable as it could be. Neither the keyboard nor touchpad are comfortable to use for long periods of time. The touchpad functions like a MacBook’s touchpad, where no physical buttons are visible but users can click on the touchpad or use multitouch to right click. Unlike the MacBook’s trackpad, which is depressed and has hard edges so users know where the ends of the trackpad are, the Chromebook’s sits higher up than the surrounding plastic frame, so it’s very easy to scroll off the trackpad. And because the frame and trackpad feel nearly identical, this happens quite often, and is a constant annoyance.

The display is average. Colors don’t pop, though it’s certainly bright enough, even in direct sunlight. This is thanks to the bright display and the matte cover, which doesn’t reflect light except from a direct source shining directly on the screen. Colors are fairly accurate, good enough by netbook standards but by no means exceptional. Viewing angles are, however, extremely good. Only at extreme angles does the brightness overtake what’s actually displayed on the screen. There is no distortion or color inversion, so viewing media on the Chromebook, while not vibrant or colorful, can be watched by a small crowd.

From top to bottom: 13″ MBA, Samsung Chromebook, Toshiba Portege R835. The Chromebook is nearly twice the thickness of the MBA, but still much smaller than a traditional laptop

I am impressed with the Wi-Fi range, which is one area where netbooks have often suffered in the sake of battery conservation. The Chromebook can send and receive to any Wi-Fi network just as well as any of today’s full-fledged laptops.

Battery life on the Chromebook is nothing to snuff at, though considering how few stressful tasks the machine can actually accomplish, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. With just web surfing and general computing (all online, of course), the Chromebook manages a whopping 8 hours 37 minutes. With video playback that number drops significantly, especially if you’re streaming that video, it’s HD, and if the screen brightness is all the way up. It’s good enough for a two-three movies on a flight.

Software

As mentioned earlier, users familiar with the Chrome browser will instantly know Chrome OS. It’s mostly identical. The few differences include a number of OS-related settings in the tools drop-down menu, and the option to sign-out for alternate users. Because the Chromebook is tied almost directly to your Gmail account, users log in using the same account. This means once you log into the computer, you don’t have to log in again to Gmail or other Google services specific to that account.

One function of Chrome OS worth mentioning is the ease in updating. Like the browser, all Chrome OS needs to do to update is to press the update button and reset the browser, or in this case the OS. That does mean rebooting the machine, but unlike Windows or Mac OS, doing so generally takes 15-20 seconds, and the Chromebook will immediately open up all previous tabs after a quick login.

My concern with the Chromebook, and Chrome OS in general when it comes to software, is the web-only interface. Because there are few applications that actually run on the computer, all productivity software is in the cloud. My attempts to use Google Docs to type up this review and several others were regularly spurred by slow processing, slow online navigation, and a generally less than adequate experience. Typing, the base function of any computer, should be the easiest application, yet it isn’t in Google’s own included productivity software. Other web apps, like WordPress and Blogger, don’t always have the same problems, but the slow processor and menial RAM help stall the computer regularly, even when typing.

Thanks to Chrome’s ability to view most standard filetypes in the browser, there’s rarely any need to download documents to view or print, which is a serious boon for Chrome OS because that feature is standard. On Windows and Mac OS, most users still download files and open them in native applications, and then print, a two-step process that clogs users hard drives and takes more time. Not all filetypes are supported, though frankly any that aren’t can’t be viewed on the Chromebook in either case. RAW image files, for instance, and obscure filetypes just don’t work.

Media playback is assumed by a built-in media player, as opposed to plugins like Quicktime. Swap in an SD card in the 4-in-1 media card reader and a new tab opens with a typical file organizer. Videos and music start playing in that tab, with a small pop-up window for videos that can expand to full screen or any size. However, like everyone I receive videos and audio to listen to via email, and the Chromebook isn’t always able to play the media.

Because all available applications for the Chromebook are available only in the Chrome Web Store (which can be viewed from any Chrome browser), there is only a limited selection of applications available for download. However, the number of apps is growing daily thanks to the popularity of the Chrome browser, so in effect as more people use the Chrome browser, the more apps will be made for it and the more apps will be available for the Chromebook. The store is well organized, much better than what’s available on tablets with Android. It competes with the Apple App store, but as just a browser the store is surprisingly well made. Why can’t Android be this good?

Chrome OS is very good. It’s clean, easy to use, and simple enough for even non-computer users. For that reason alone I can imagine the Chromebook as a great first computer, more appropriate than a Mac or all-in-one desktop. The combination of online-only, a convenient app store and open access to the internet, it’s an impressive first step for anyone taking that leap.

Conclusion

For everyone else, all current computer users who aren’t stuck with cheap netbooks or very old desktops or laptops, the Samsung Chromebook is going to feel like a step back. Just like an iPhone user buying a Blackberry feels like a downgrade, the Chromebook isn’t designed to replace a full-fledged laptop. It’s meant to replace a netbook, or perhaps fill the gap tablets can fill. For that purpose, and that purpose alone, the Chromebook is a decent machine.

However, the low-grade internal hardware puts a serious damper on even light applications, such as Google Docs. It almost defeats the purpose of the Chromebook, which may have exceptional battery life but doesn’t process data fast enough to even type well regularly. As more updates the OS will be refined, better equipped to handle the current hardware. However, at just $429 for the Wi-Fi only model, that’s comparable to today’s equally weak but Windows-based netbooks that can run applications natively.

Is it worth it to buy a Chromebook over a netbook? If you need a device for web browsing and plan on using only web apps, the Chromebook may be the better option. For native apps however, it’s not that the Chromebook doesn’t compete with netbooks, it actually doesn’t compete. It can only run whatever native applications are available on the Chrome Web Store. Should more and better apps come to that store, and should the marketplace grow a true, large-scale economy, then laptops like the Samsung Chromebook will absolutely be worth buying. But it’s still too early to tell, and Chrome OS is still too new to give a definitive answer. Google’s idea of a future of computers running entirely off of web services may someday come to fruition. It’s just a matter of when.

The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is available from Amazon for $429

Hand a ZINK printer to one of your parents and they’ll probably look at you dumbfounded.  Hand a Polaroid camera to them, though, and they’ll know instantly what to do with it.  Polaroid, a company that killed off one of their core product offerings to make way for the digital revolution, is finally back with a device that mimics the original form factor of the Polaroid camera yet marries the printer tech of today.

The Polaroid Z340 Instant Digital Camera works like a standard 14 megapixel digital point and shoot camera, allowing you to view photos instantly on the 2.7-inch screen as well as make small edits.  Photos can be downloaded to a computer from its SD card or you can print them instantly using the device’s built-in printer.  The size of the prints, 3×4″, are the same exact size as the first Polaroid camera, which means those with a taste for nostalgia, or perhaps even an aversion to new tech, will instantly understand the offering of this digital camera.

The printer, unlike Polaroid’s original camera, uses a tech called ZINK – it stands for Zero Ink.  In other words, no ink is used to process the image, and instead depends on an advanced composite material with cyan, yellow, and magenta dye crystals embedded inside.   Heat those crystals and an image appears that will last for time to come thanks to a smudge proof tech and a water resistant coating.

While the Polaroid Z340′s form factor is anything but that of today’s traditional point and shoot digital cameras, it weighs about 1.5 lbs and can capture up to 75 photos and print 25 images on a single battery charge.

It’s goes on sale today for $299.99 at Polaroid’s website and other major retailers such as Amazon.  Also, keep in mind 30 sheets of ZINK paper costs $20.

There ain’t nothing like a white board to get the creative juices flowing.  But more often than not, those moments of genius arrive when we’re sitting in coffee shops waxing about the latest YouTube sensation.  So next time you’re faced with this quandary, remember that we told you about the DrawTop.

It’s an adhesive vinyl whiteboard designed to fix to the face of your laptop’s screen (or the back of your iPad).  So just like the classroom whiteboard, you can take notes with an included dry-erase marker, erase and then take more notes.  Or better yet, you can finally rope in that local coffee shop hottee you’ve been scoping for a few months, by drawing a provocative picture depicting yourself in a compromising situation.  That always works.

The original DrawTop starts at $12 and includes one marker and one vinyl adhesive.

In the mechanical line of the Tt eSPORTS branding, there is the standard Meka, the Meka G1, and the king of the hill – the Meka G-Unit.  This beauty has a ton of features to set it apart from the crowd, like the sweet cherry black mechanical keys.  While my experiences with mechanical keyboards is somewhat limited (I’ve only ever used two others), the buttons here have a much nicer feel to them.  It’s a world of difference between using a standard keyboard and the “squishy” feel of the keys, and a mechanical keyboard with their “stiff” feel.  However when you’re playing certain games (FPS especially) that stiffness is extremely nice to have.  Another thing about these cherry black switches is the life expectancy – Thermaltake claims they’ll work for 50 million keystrokes, and I’m inclined to believe them (sorry – I’m not testing that myself).

The Meka G-Unit also has a polling rate of a whopping 1000HZ – that’s pretty much eight times faster than most other gaming keyboards out there.  It also sports a really great anti ghosting feature that works for up to 46 keys on the keyboard at any one time.  It’s extremely advanced, and if you’re playing something that uses a lot of keys (MMOs for one), you won’t have to worry about ghosting of any kind when you’re in “Game Mode”.  Game mode is turned on and off easily, by one simple button push though – it kills your Windows key so you don’t inadvertently hit it, and turns on the advanced ghosting protection.

While the entire Meka G-Unit isn’t backlit – something I noticed right away after coming from the full spectrum backlighting of the Challenger – it DOES light up in very distinct places.  The W / A / S / D keys, the arrow keys, the number pad 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 keys, and the left Ctrl / Left Shift / Space Bar all have a bright white illumination feature.  While it is nice to have full on illumination of every key, the illumination here is designed specifically to pull your eyes to the gaming related buttons, and when playing in the dark it’s actually more welcome than having everything lit up.  Each of the “zones” of light can be independently set to one of three brightness levels as well, or you can enable a “pulse” like effect for show.

Like the Challenger model, the Meka G-Unit has two USB ports, and audio jacks located in the rear section of the unit, making it easy to hook up your mouse and headset straight to it, and minimize cable clutter.  Also like the Challenger, the Meka G-Unit has a detachable USB cord for easy transport and storage.  That USB cord – supplied by Thermaltake – has gold plated ends, for maximum signal transmission.  While the Challenger has an attached ergonomic rest however, the Meka G-Unit features a detachable one – and it’s one of the features I’ve grown to hate.  It’s probably because of how my keyboard sits (my keyboard sits in a hidey-hole on my desk that looks like a drawer, but the front folds down and then the keyboard slides out), but the damn thing just would not stay attacked.  I seriously contemplated super glue, but then it would be too much of a pain to transport, so I just took it off and stuck a gel pad in front.  A simple solution to an irritating problem.

Just like all of the other Tt eSPORTS products I’ve worked on, the Meka G-Unit comes with a very robust UI program.  Through it, you can set up the aforementioned brightness levels, you can set up your profiles and instant switched, and you can set up macros.  The Meka G-Unit has 64KB of on board memory, so you can have your macros and profiles with you even when switching from one computer to the next.  You have twelve fixed macro keys, eight unfixed, and they can all be changed depending on the profile you have on, making a total of 60 available macros.

I have to say that using this keyboard was an experience.  I never had any kind of keyboard lag, and even though I tried to make it ghost, it just would not do it.  It had a level of responsiveness that I wasn’t used to at all, and I found myself playing a lot better in certain games because of it.  This has definitely taken the place of my other gaming keyboards – the only thing I really wish is that it had a little fan like the Challenger does, because I never noticed how much that helped before I used this without it.

Editor’s Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

The Bottom Line:  The Meka G-Unit is an amazing keyboard that will surely be a welcome addition to any gamers repertoire and when compared to some of the other high end mechanical keyboards out there, it just blows them out of the water.

Pros:

• The advanced anti ghosting features really do work as promised
• The keyboard has a very sleek and refined look
• The cherry black switches are simply a dream to work with

Cons:

• The detachable wrist rest could use some design improvement
• No hand cooling fan is noticeable if you’ve used one for a while
• Illumination is only white, and only in specific areas

The Tt eSPORTS Meka G-Unit has a MSRP for $129.99

Charging the iPad and laptop at the same time isn’t exactly a quandary faced by most people. Sure, it requires two plugs or simply plugging the iPad into your computer. But for those that travel and don’t want to carry around two chargers, the PlugBug makes a ton-o sense.

The genius of the device is that it’s made to work exclusively with all Macbook Pro adapters. You know that removable plug? You simply slide that off, and instead of replacing it with the extended Mac power cord you slip on the PlugBug. The red portion, which denotes the PlugBug, can deliver 10 watts of power, so charging your iPad up happens as fast as possible and you won’t have to occupy one of your precious USB ports on your Macbook Pro.

To ensure your iPad or iPhone doesn’t feel left out, the PlugBug also includes it’s very own outlets, so it can serve as a standalone charger for any USB device. This also means PC users, or those that aren’t smart enough to switch to a Macbook can still use the device.

However, if you travel internationally, the PlugBug won’t have a place in your arsenal of road warrior tools since it negates the ability to swap in a foreign plug and thus eliminates its convenience.

The PlugBug is available now for $34.99.

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