Technology that improves gamer’s experience is important to us here at Player2. So important in fact that we are risking our home PCs, consoles and sanity to bring you reviews of some great gadgets and save you the heartache and guesswork that goes with buying new gear. Welcome to the Player2 Tech Corner.
Tech Review – The Razer Double
For years I ignored the humble keyboard and mouse as an important part of my gaming setup. I was always of the opinion that as long as I was comfortable then that would do. Luckily after playing with a few different options over the last year or so I have seen the light and now swear by buying a quality gaming keyboard and mouse. Thanks to Razer I have been using their Mamba mouse and the Deathstalker keyboard for the last month or so and I must say that these are some of the best computer accessories I have ever had the pleasure to use.
The Mamba is a wireless/wired mouse combo. It is a very attractive mouse that fits into my giant hands comfortably, my wife however finds it just a touch large. I have always avoided wireless mice in the past but the Mamba has converted me. It feels wonderful to use for both desktop applications and for gaming purposes. I gave it a big workout with Act of Aggression and Far Cry 4 and never once did I feel like my inputs were lagging or I was being hindered in anyway. I found that I got about 2 days charge without having to plug the mouse in but if I did run out of charge I could simply remove the plug from the charging station and plug it into the mouse. Instant wired mouse. It really offers the best of both worlds. The mouse includes a few programmable buttons which is easy to setup with the Razer Synapse software.
The Deathstalker keyboard is the item that really impressed me though. The gaming keyboards I have used in the past have been great for gaming but for everyday work tasks they have felt cramped and they tend to be difficult to type on. Thankfully the Deathstalker is just as competent in Word as it is in Battlefront. I have never used a keyboard that feels so good to type on and as it isn’t mechanical it is nice and quiet. The keyboard has a host of built in media functions as well as multiple programmable keys making it adaptable to any situation. Most of all it feels comfortable to use. The angle and wrist rest are both well designed making long use a dream. I am seriously considering getting another one to use as my all day keyboard at my day job.
Both the Mamba and Deathstalker support Chroma, Razer’s fancy lighting system that allows users to set colours for the keyboard and mouse to cycle through. It is hardly an essential feature but I must admit I had fun playing with the feature and I finally settled on the green and blue of the Canberra Raiders to grace my desktop. This is all controlled using the Synapse software which unlike a lot of proprietary software solutions is both easy to use and powerful in its functionality.
Everything about these items screams quality. They are not a cheap option for your gaming needs but I firmly feel that in this case you will get what you are paying for. Both the keyboard and mouse are lacking the ridiculous amount of custom keys you might find on some gaming accessories but in their place is a high quality, comfortable, responsive keyboard and mouse that can handle anything that is thrown at it. These are the perfect keyboards and mice for both work and play and I cannot recommend them enough. If you are still looking for a Christmas present for a gaming friend (or yourself) I can guarantee that either of these items will be the perfect gift.
Matt Hewson
