Author: Mark DiMattei

The PC hardware market has been ever-evolving due to increased demand for PC gaming and consumer support. The same five companies can’t just make the same recycled product and keep a buyer’s interest. The internet has fostered opportunities for many small businesses and personal brands to compete in any market, and Luminkey is ready to tackle the PC gaming and keyboard category. Luminkey, a brand-new PC hardware company, provides a decent selection of stylish, more personal, simple, and small-form-factor keyboards for all users who want more than your typical black-on-black presentation. In this case, we look at their gaming magnetic…

Ahead of Gamescom, HyperX and HP Omen have some notable new products that update their brands’ presence. These new items will be the Omen 35L, HyperX QuadCast 2 & 2S, and the HyperX Alloy Rise 75 Wireless, which will be released and showcased at Gamescom. More notably, in my opinion, the announcements also branch to the release of Omen-branded PC components and product lines, such as liquid cooler AIOs and internal fans. The new hardware is a testament to the Omen and HyperX brands’ stance on customizability, standing out, and gaming your way. HyperX Alloy Rise 75 Wireless If you…

The Cooler Master Masterhub is basically a modular surface and array of Magsafe seats used to lay out customizable modules that can be rearranged and rotated to your liking. Each module has a different purpose, such as the main hub of buttons to control your stream transitions or sound effects, or to manage the volume of multiple audio sources with the fader knobs. As of right now, the available modules consist of an LCD dial, 2xRollers, a button hub, a triple RGB knob, and the fader platform. Although Cooler Master does have plans to expand their modular offerings, these current…

Yet another breezy and timely release by Cooler Master hits the PC hardware market, the Masterliquid 360 ION AIO. To match the concurrent trends found amongst these cooling products, Cooler Master decided it was their turn to drop an LCD AIO device, and for $250, I would be nervous, too. However, this product has a ton of charm hidden beneath those shocking first impressions that might be worth your consideration. Style / Feel / Build / Hardware Like always, the Cooler Master Masterliquid product line continues to deliver high-quality metal-based hardware, and the 360 ION follows this trend. The 360…

If you have not heard, Indie developer PlayFusion will soon drop a fresh arena shooter. Ascendant, set in a biopunk world, provides the player with a multi-3-on-3-team capture-the-flag first-person experience focused on fair matches, fun, and gimmicks. When I heard about the opportunity to preview Ascendant, I will be honest and admit I was skeptical, given their competition. Putting this aside, I love a good shooter and was eager to try Ascendant’s new take on gunplay and strategy. Background, Lore, and the Aesthetics of Ascendant In Ascendant, the story and lore take a backseat as it is heavily focused on…

Yes, you understand how many wireless earbud options exist, but we tend to lean towards brands we know. Here comes Poly, a brand you probably have never heard of before, a branch of HP’s high-end business and office technology. Little did you know, but across Poly’s vast array of office tech, such as webcams, keyboards, and desk peripherals, you can also find audio, and in this case, you will find the Poly Voyager Free 20 Earbuds are fresh to the market. I’d be skeptical too, but they are better than what I would imagine for today’s price of $149.99 USD.…

I didn’t realize how competitive the wireless keypad market is until I stumbled upon a review opportunity for the HP 430 Wireless Keypad. Personally, I like full-sized keyboards with a number pad built in. I don’t need all of the extra macros or anything, but I like my keypad. Anyway, long behold, the 430 Wireless features nine programmable keys, making this pad more than just numbers. I couldn’t find a keypad with that amount of accessibility for $49.99, so let’s see if it lives up to all of the rage. Style / Feel / Build / Hardware Although the HP…

Elden Ring, to put it lightly, took the world by storm with its engaging combat, exploration, and general difficulty. souls-like games have been on the rise in popularity in the most recent decade thanks to the originality of FromSoftware. Shadow Of The Erdtree, Elden Ring’s first and seemingly only DLC package, launches June 21, 2024, and I’ll do my best to graze over as many details as I can without spoilers. I wouldn’t call myself a fanboy of From Software, Elden Ring, or souls-like games. Still, I have thoroughly enjoyed every experience I’ve had since Dark Souls 2 and was…

As a 27” monitor “kinda” guy, jumping into the waters of 32” displays was a bit of a shell shock. The Omen 32q Gaming Monitor steps out of the extremely large packaging, living up to its title, because this thing is quite large. At a price of $399, but often on sale for $279, you may wonder, how much bang is in these bucks? It seems like a lot of display for a little price, especially since the 32q offers 165hz at 1440p, with the ability to even go vertical and/or mounted. Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of the Omen…

The Cooler Master Masterhub, which is always a mouth full, brings a new chapter to the streaming culture by providing a multi-faceted way to customize controls, overlays, transitions, and more. Using removable mag-safe modules, the base platform provided can adapt multiple different features, knobs, or switch devices adding a layer of intent behind each stream. Luckily, I had the opportunity to try out the early stages of the Masterhub prior to public release. In the box, Cooler Master provided 5 modules and a base platform consisting of an array of mag-safe positions for various set-ups. The 5 modules consisted of…

At around $1500, but sometimes on sale, the Omen 40L Gaming Desktop is fully loaded with a Ryzen 7 7700, RTX 4060 Ti, 16GB of DDR5, and more goodies. This sleek computer gives a great gaming experience while maintaining a simple and practical style. Pre-built computers are often a slippery slope, in my opinion, and although not perfect, the Omen 40L gives room for most gamers to be okay with scooping up a one-and-done purchase. External & Internal Hardware, User Experience, Aesthetic When it comes to pre-builds, we all know it is hard to find something tasteful given the price…

HyperX recently added to its small yet growing selection of gaming keyboards. The HyperX Alloy Rise Mechanical Gaming Keyboard brings new talking points to customizable products, with the ability to interchange the faceplate cover on the fly, swap personalized badges, and more. At $199.99, the customization options aren’t as standout as I would like, but this set of keys has other prominent benefits worth your attention. Ergonomic Elegance: Design That Plays to Comfort If I can sum up the way the look and feel presents itself on the HyperX Alloy Rise, it would be comfortable. The design isn’t too in…

The market direction of bright-colored, trendy controllers persists with the release of PB Tails’ Crush Controller. Surprisingly enough, the controller is based on cars like the Porsche 550 Spyder. This is a first for sure, and it was somewhat cool to see such outspoken subculture influence in the spotlight. Anyway, the PB Tails Crush Controller retails for $64.99 and has universal support for PC, Switch, iOS, and Android, but not PlayStation or Xbox. Style / Feel / Build / Hardware / Features The PB Tails Crush Controller has an eye-catching front face plate that contrasts with the matte, smooth white…

I haven’t heard of it before, but now you have. The Melgeek Cyber01 keyboard is brand new to the brand’s lineup of gaming hardware. If you are unfamiliar, this device specializes specifically in excelling in gaming performance particularly in actuation speeds through its magnetic key switches. Magnetic keyboards allow the user to customize actuation points to tailor their experience and reaction times. Although the magnetic feature works well worth the price of this device at $159.99, with sales seen at $139.99, the keyboard seems to have made trade offs in other areas. Performance and User Experience With Melgeek’s Magnetic…

Cooler Master continues to push for ingenuity in the PC customization space by, first and foremost, releasing their brand new patented desktop case, the TD500 Max. We all know the nuisance of putting together foreign parts is a big deterrent for new PC builders, but Cooler Master intends to capitalize on those looking for ways to clear the gap. Particularly, there are certain features that make the TD500 Max stand out from the rest, starting with the patented pre-wired, “two stage” power connectors. Instead of wiring your internal hardware directly to the PSU, the TD500 Max provides ports close to…

At PAX East 2024, behind the scenes, we were granted an exclusive sneak peek at Dune: Awakening, the highly anticipated game set on the harsh desert planet of Arrakis. This early showcase revealed a world teeming with danger, strategy, and the relentless struggle for survival. From the agility and depth of ornithopter flight—demonstrating swift dives and evasive maneuvers—to the tense and tactical spice mining operations amid PvP skirmishes, the demo provided a vivid snapshot of the game’s dynamic environment and the multifaceted gameplay that awaits players. We took the time to speak with Funcom’s Senior PR Manager, Natasha, to get…

The Cooler Master V850SFX Power Supply is a small but powerful option for modern computer setups offering Cooler Master’s own take on small form PSU’s. Many desktops are built smaller nowadays, rather than the older times where bigger cases stole the show. Now, it’s all about minimalism and style, so it’s important to have a PSU that can handle all your components, at any size. If you are a Cooler Master junkie, or power hungry, you might have to buy this PSU, but it might be more than what you need. Style / Feel / Build / Hardware The V850SFX…

With Geforce Now Thursdays here again, we can welcome updates around GDC, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and more. First and foremost, when Star Wars Outlaws releases at the end of the year, the game will be ready with GFN support. Not to mention full support for DLSS 3 and ray-traced effects, keeping a trendy edge in the cloud gaming arena. This trend of DLSS 3 and ray-traced effects support doesn’t stop at Star Wars, as many developers are pushing for the best quality they can. Some of these games with these updates include NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, Portal, Diablo IV, and Sengoku Dynasty.…

As the world around us changes, so does gaming hardware and the public’s opinion on what is cool. Just think about the times before mobile gaming or Nintendo Switches. We are spoiled with new and exciting tech these days, and now, you really have to dazzle the consumer to stand out. This brings me to the new release of the wired version of the MM712 Mouse, which is currently only offered in the EU and APAC regions. The thing is, this mouse doesn’t seem new at all and doesn’t offer a fresh take on what already exists- maybe I am…

Stepping next to the release of Dune: Part 2, we were able to catch a glimpse into Dune: Awakening by spending time with Funcom, the development team, firsthand. Believe it or not, Dune: Awakening was supposed to be released with or before the first Dune movie, but such is game development. After attending the Dune: Awakening Direct with Funcom, we were able to write down some notable talking points delivered about the game’s features, gameplay, and more that have not been released, other than what you may see in the trailers or videos. I want to mention that we couldn’t…