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.

In just under a month’s time COD: Modern Warfare 3 will hit store shelves.  No doubt we’ll see productivity drop across the globe as fans of the game call in sick to work so they can prolong their weekend frag session.  Here to celebrate the arrival of this disgustingly captivating game is Logitech, who earlier this week introduced a Modern Warfare 3 inspired keyboard and mouse for those that will take to the battlefield on a PC.

Now, don’t get too excited, since they’re pretty much just rebranded versions of their G105 gaming keyboard and G9X gaming mouse.  But that’s not all.  They’ve outfitted both peripherals with green lighting to complement the MW3′s logo.  So the keyboard has green backlighting while the mouse sports a set of green LED lights.

In terms of the actual hardware, the G105 keyboard sports 6 keys which can each be programmed with 3 different macros.  They’re customizable to however you see fit, provided you’ve downloaded Logitech’s software.  It also rocks anti-ghosting tech which lets players mash up to 5 keys simultaneously without any interruption in game play and some media shortcut keys.

The mouse on the other hand (pun intended), can keep pace at up to 165-inches per second.  So suffice to say, the G9X is fast.  Its sensitivity can can be adjusted anywhere from 200dpi to 5700dpi depending on your gaming tastes.  There is also a dual-mode scroll wheel that Logitech says is ideal for selecting weapons, thanks to the precise click-to-click function or if you’re not digging that you can switch to frictionless hyper-fast scrolling to fly through web pages.  Five profiles allow you to effortlessly switch between settings and you can even customize the weight of the device with up to 28 grams of extra mass.

Both the MW3 Keyboard and MW3 Mouse should be available now for $79.99 and $99.99, respectively.  We’re not saying replace your current gaming keyboard and mouse, but if you’re in the market, here’s a way to pledge your undieing devotion to COD.

4 out of 5 stars

It seems like everyone has been throwing their hats into the gaming industry by making things like “gaming headsets”, “gaming keyboards”, and of course “gaming mice”. What makes a mouse be considered a “gaming mouse” is a point of contention for quite a bit of people. Most agree that the DPI has to run high – higher than something a non-gamer would care about at least. another thing gaming mice are supposed to have are programmable buttons – things that you can set to not have to move your fingers on the keyboard (such as setting one to a reload button, or setting another to a common macro). Well, the Fierce has both of these requirements, so let’s see how “fierce” it really is – shall we?

The Fierce is pretty straightforward in its design, but it’s also extremely comfortable to hold.  The black matte finish on the rubberized parts leaves it fairly “grippy”, so you really don’t have to worry about it easily slipping out of your hand while playing.  There are seven buttons – two right about the thumb rest, two right next to the traditional left button, the normal left and right mouse buttons, and the wheel (click it down for the button of course).  Each of these buttons – yes, each and every one – can be customized to do a different thing.  If you want your right mouse button to not be a right mouse button anymore, then you can finally make that happen.

The only problem with changing what a button does, is that you need to use the included software for it.  Let me explain:  the software comes on a mini CD.  On my desktop it ran fine, but my Acer laptop just wouldn’t read it for anything.  You can download it, but that’s not the point here.  I’m not sure why the heck they just didn’t use a full sized CD-Rom, but it is what it is.  At any rate, the software actually works quite nicely (once you get it installed).  You can save different profiles that are stored on the mouse itself, which is great in case you’re switching to different computers – you won’t have to set the whole thing up again.  Through the GUI, you can change your double click speed, change the aforementioned button functions, change the scroll wheel speed, change acceleration options, and change the DPI settings.

Speaking about the DPI, I’ve used gaming mice with speeds from 2500, all the way to a “too fast to really use” 5000 setting.  The Fierce comes in a little over the low end at (I bet you guessed this by the name) 3500 DPI.  While it’s not the fastest kid on the block, it’s good enough to run circles around an average mouse.  To put it simply, it’s more than fast enough to play most FPS games and keep you ahead of the competition.

I have been used to using a Tt eSPORTS mouse lately, and I’ve gotten spoiled by being able to add and subtract weights to change the feel of the mouse – while the V2 of the Fierce apparently has this feature, it was noticeably absent on the one I was sent.  One of the best features about the Fierce however, is the fact that it is wireless.  Being a reviewer, my desk is typically cluttered to all hell and back.  I have more wires laying around than I know what to do with (from cameras and what not), so just being able to plug in a small dongle and not have to worry about setting it up is great for not adding any stress.

If you’re someone that just uses your mouse to do some spreadsheets, or business memos – then you can probably look elsewhere for a mouse, as you won’t appreciate how this one works.  If however you’re a serious gamer looking for a good mouse at under $75, this could very well be one of your best options.  It’s solid performance and decent DPI speed is enough to give it a final score of four out of five stars.

Pros:

• GUI is nice and easy to use for saving multiple profiles
• Being able to customize each of the buttons to do something is great
• The wireless works quite well, and it even works from far away (I got it to work from about fifty feet away)

Cons:

• Why the hell didn’t they use a normal CD-Rom disc?
• No way to change up the weight and feel of the mouse
• 3500 DPI is fast if you’re not used to it, but there are plenty faster (albeit most are more expensive)

You can grab a 3500 Fierce Gaming Mouse by Rude GameWare from Amazon for the low price of $66.47

Newegg is offering a super slick deal on this Logitech G700 Wireless Gaming Mouse!

Take your gaming and general computer productivity to the next level with the right mouse at the right price! This Logitech G700 Gaming mouse combines the best features available to super charge your mousing experience! With hot-swappable DPI you can easily switch from low sensitivity (Down to 200dpi)  precision to high sensitivity (Up to 5700 DPI) whiplash motions immediately! It includes 13 programmable buttons that provide you with quick macros of your choosing to speed up all of your gaming and multimedia by appending any control you want to the mouse. It also has a dual-mode scrolling wheel so you can switch between tight precision scrolling and super fast scrolling to quickly make your way through the longest documents and web pages. With wireless functionality you will never snag on a wire again, but you can choose to control it via data over cable and charge your battery at the same time so you never lose your connection.

The price comes to $74.99 – $20 MIR + Free Shipping = $54.99!

Get it quick, deal ends 4/4/2011!

Chameleon X-1 from Shogun Bros is an interesting gadget. Not content with simply being a wireless mouse with seven buttons and a red finish that would make Ferrari blush, it’s also the first (to my knowledge) transformer mouse, able to go from desktop accessory to handheld gaming controller to wireless remote control presenter, and in the process revolutionizing what we all thought was a humble and boring device that had seen the end of its evolutionary road.

Sure, it probably won’t be beating dedicated console controllers in the playability and ergonomics categories, but then again – why not. Just because we’re not used to holding a certain shape in our hands doesn’t mean it’s bound to fail.

On the underside of the mouse are fourteen gaming buttons, and a five-way 1,600 dpi laser sensor that communicates with its host computer using 2.4GHz frequency. That’s also how it does its jobs as a remote control presenter – multitude of buttons and good wireless communication.

The first quarter of 2011 will see the Chameleon X-1 up for sale, with a reasonable price tag of $55.

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Pros:

• improved design
• excellent tracking
• smoothest mouse to date

Cons:

• ambidextrous design not for everyone.

Ambidextrous mice have a bad habit of being equally uncomfortable for both right- and left-handed people. It’s a trait they all suffer from, one which shows unrelenting equality towards the population. But they don’t have to. Instead of being equally uncomfortable, they can be better made and fit anyone, regardless of hand preference.

The Razer Lachesis is the first to accomplish this.

The updated Lachesis is not a daring mouse by any means. The original first arrived nearly three years ago, and when I tested it then, I found it to be a formidable mouse. Thereafter, I rarely used it, opting for non-ambidextrous mice. As mentioned above, my hand desired a sense of personalization that the Lachesis lacked. Thanks to the Lachesis’ political correctness, I found myself more inclined towards side-oriented mice.

Other ambidextrous mice came and went, receiving similar treatment. But this updated version is a real treat. It’s contoured shape and design doesn’t leave my hand feeling alien to the mouse. The fit isn’t perfect, and that won’t change until shape-shifting mice come about, but it still seats the hand well, especially for claw-gripped gamers.

The Lachesis, next to Alienware’s TactX and Logitech’s G700

Did something change? Yes, slight adjustments, tweaks that provide minor improvements to the original design. It may just as well be me getting older. One or two fingers rest off the mouse, which can be a killer for some gamers, who fling their mice across giant mousepads at top speed. The thick body and lowered top make for a surprisingly comfortable design, easy to rest on without keeping wrists at an awkward position. The design works well for an ambidextrous mouse, and as a right-handed person, I was equally comfortable using the Lachesis with both hands. Not that I do so regularly.

With a glowing tri-headed serpent and scroll wheel, the Lachesis is similar to other Razer mice in design and precision. When moving the mouse, it feels on the screen very precise, and deliberately so. Other mice I’ve tested feel normal – they track at the same speeds, and flutter about at times, but are consistent in doing so. The Lachesis, on the other hand, feels more akin to watching a movie on a 240Hz display. It’s super smooth. But unlike Transformers at 240 frames per second, the Lachesis doesn’t feel slow or odd. It feels great, a step above the competition.

For most users, this won’t make a difference. Tracking, so long as it’s precise 99% of the time, is good enough. I can’t attest to the Lachesis being more precise than competing mice, though it certainly feels that way. But there is a difference when just moving the mouse across a screen, and seeing it jitter between pixels as mice normally do, versus gliding smoothly and elegantly as the Lachesis does. Games feel better, general computing feels better… it’s a smoother experience.

With up to 5600Dpi, which is a crazy setting to do anything at (actually, anything above 3000Dpi is ridiculous except on multiple 24+” screens), the Lachesis nearly reaches the current max (which is 5700Dpi…big difference). It doesn’t include any special bells or whistles, just the standard five button design plus two alternate-side buttons (for lefties, of course, and all four thumb buttons are programmable). The scroll wheel is tight, and feels rubbery, a Razer design choice, compared to a more mechanical, clicky feel that mice from Logitech and others have. I personally love the frictionless scroll wheels found on many Logitech mice, as well as Alienware’s TactX, and always miss it when testing mice without it. The Lachesis is no different in this regard, so it would be great to see such an addition to Razer’s line.

Professional gamers will be more than tickled by the updated Lachesis, especially lefties. At $80, the Lachesis comes at a relatively steep price, though not compared to similar mice. For an ambidextrous design with a top-notch laser and the best tracking on the planet, this is a great deal. Of course, the dealbreaker comes when you ask whether the dual-handed design is right for you or not. Still, it’s safe to say that until the competition can track this good, the Lachesis is king.

It’s that time again. GadgetReview has teamed up with NZXT to give away one of their Avatar gaming mice. This bad boy rocks a 2600 dpi optical sensor, wired connectivity, 7 programmable keys and an ambidextrous design.

We’re giving away one of these. To enter you must be a US resident and submit a comment below with an email address (so we can contact you). Don’t put your email address in the comment, just register it with the comment in the appropriate field. We’ll choose one winner at random.

The comments are moderated so please be patient and enter only one. If you want a double entry follow us on Twitter and tweet “@gadgetreview #NZXT”.

Contest ends 10/22/2010

Newegg has it for $59.99 – $28 Instant Savings + Free Shipping = $31.99!

Available soon for preorder at Amazon, the Microsoft SideWinder X3 gaming mouse will ship sometime in May.  Gauging specs between gaming mice seems a bit tedious but for extreme PC gamers they must be essential.  Features include:

• 2,000-dpi laser-tracking engine
• five programmable buttons
• macro recording
• Windows XP and Vista compatible
• Corded
• Full-speed USB reporting at 500 Hz
• Maximum speed of 45 inches per second
• Up to 20 Gs of acceleration

PC requirements include:  100mb’s of available disk space, CD ROM drive for installation and an internet connection (to finish up the installation).  The left and right buttons are rated up to 10 million clicks each so watch yourself.  Street price will be at $40

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Features:

• Wired optical mouse with 1600 dpi for super accuracy
• 8-button + up to 15 g of acceleration and 5 custom level sensitivity

Buy it: Logitech MX518 Gaming-Grade Optical Mouse – $35