It's official: the Secretlab Titan Evo is now the best gaming chair for guitar players. Secretlab has unveiled a new add-on for its iconic gaming chair, which will allow you to fold away its armrests so that they never get in the way of a jam session again. Whether you're a campfire guitarist or the next Slash, you've probably run into the issue of trying to play a guitar on a gaming or desk chair and armrests not leaving enough room for your instrument. Secretlab has heard your cries, and it's invented the perfect solution.

The Secretlab EasyFold Foldaway Armrest creates a very convenient solution for this specific problem, but it'll also allow you to tuck your chair under your desk and create a little more space in your room.

Vincent Sin, Head of Industrial Design at Secretlab, said, "Music is a hobby that many of us at Secretlab share. Our co-founder Ian plays the guitar, as do I and several others on my team.

"Being able to sit comfortably and play unobstructed makes all the difference when you’re jamming. There simply weren't any good folding armrest solutions available — so we decided to create one," he said.

Truth be told, Secretlab has stumbled on a bit of a gap in the market here. Although this has been designed to satiate guitar players, there are plenty of reasons for wanting a desk chair with more flexible armrests. I personally use them, and wouldn't want a chair without them, but a lot of competitive Esports players remove the armrests on their chairs entirely because they want freer movement of their elbows and shoulders.

"Most players angle their keyboard to the side to make more room for the mouse," says two-time Volarant Masters Champion, Tyson "TenZ" Ngo. "I’ve been running a hybrid setup with the Secretlab EasyFold™ Foldaway Armrest, keeping one side up to support my keyboard hand. Having the flexibility to adjust my setup exactly how I need it is what makes it comfortable for me."

A bit like the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-on, the new foldaway armrest is a modification bought separately from the chair, and is able to fit directly onto any existing Titan Evo or Classic Series Chair. Secretlab says assembly should take no more than 15 minutes. If you own a Titan Evo or a Titan Evo Nanogen Edition already, you don't need to spend big on an entirely new set of armrests; you can just buy the simple pivoting fixings and use them with your existing set.

I actually got a chance to test these out when I was on a tour of Secretlab's offices for an early look at the Secretlab Atlas. The new armrests don't unfortunately work on the latest Secretlab seat, but I was given early access to try folding them away while they were in a prototype phase. It's a surprisingly easy process too; first you unlock them with a switch lever beneath the seat base, then rotate the armrest module, and finally fold them away so they lie parallel to the floor.

The modification doesn't hamper the other adjustability features of the Titan Evo's armrests either, so you'll still benefit from their 4D adjustments and magnetic tops that allow you to change their cushions.

The fully new set of foldaway armrests will set you back $189 in the US and £149 in the UK, but if you're only buying the adjustment lever for an existing Titan Evo model, you can grab it for $89 / £69.

For more on gaming furniture, take a look at the best console gaming chair, the best gaming desks, and the best standing desks.

It's been four years since Razer last upgraded its multi-tool gaming mouse, the Naga. Today, the brand has unveiled the Razer Naga V3 Pro, bringing those same three control panels to a device packed with the latest Focus Pro sensor, Gen-4 optical switches, and Gen-2 Hyperspeed wireless. Essentially, it takes the swappable side-button approach that has earned the rodent a spot among the best gaming mouse models, and upgrades the internals to sit on the same competitive shelf as the Viper V4 Pro and DeathAdder V4 Pro.

That kind of tech comes at a price, though. While the average cost of a flagship pointer has risen to $150 / $160 in the last year, the Razer Naga V3 Pro is launching at $179.99. That makes it one of the most (potentially the most) expensive regular-release gaming mouse I've seen.

If you're unacquainted with the series, the Naga line is primarily pitched as a multi-genre jack of all trades. The three swappable side panels offer different control modes to suit everything from competitive FPS to macro-heavy strategy and MMO titles. They're toolless, simply snapping on and off the sides as required. We've still got the traditional array of buttons here: 12-button, six-button, and two-button side panels to swap between.

The main unit is slightly squatter than you'll typically find in a more FPS-oriented gaming mouse. That bulbous design can divide fans, but from my experience with the Razer Naga V2 Pro it retains its comfort in a claw or palm grip (provided you don't have particularly large hands for the latter). The V2 was always a little too heavy to be truly competitive, though, holding its two-button option back for FPS ranked players.

The previous generation weighed in at 134g, whereas the new model hits 117g. That's an improvement, but it's far from the 40-60g form factors of the fastest mice on the market.

So what's new here? Well, that Focus Pro sensor runs at 50K DPI with a 950 IPS tracking speed. It's the same model found in the new Viper V4 Pro, with numbers tracking higher than those of the Logitech G Pro X 2 Superstrike (the Viper's main competition). That's a blisteringly fast eye, but at this point you're getting diminishing returns from sensor specs. Most players won't move beyond 6,000 DPI, though that IPS ceiling gives you plenty of room for accurate and reliable tracking at high speeds.

The Razer Naga V3 Pro also uses Gen 4 optical switches, touted to be 12% lighter than the previous generation. The whole mouse now runs on the same high-speed wireless system as Razer's other flagships.

It's not all under the hood, though. The Naga V3 Pro brings back the ring finger button, now lockable, while also adding an extra button to the pinky rest on the right flank. When the MMO-inspired panel is attached, that gives up 23 programmable inputs to play with.

The Naga is also borrowing a feature from the Razer Basilisk line. The Basilisk V3 Pro introduced a slick smart scroll wheel, capable of automatically switching between a notched and free-spin response. That's all here, alongside two different notched 'Tactile' modes to choose from.

It looks like the Razer Naga V3 Pro is pickpocketing some of the best parts of the best Razer mice, but its value to you will entirely depend on whether you'll make the most of those swappable panels. Those who only stick to one genre can save some cash with individual Razer lines. Those investing in one gaming mouse to rule an eclectic Steam library, however, will find that $179.99 price tag easiest to swallow - though it might be worth keeping an eye on this similar rodent Duncan found at Computex.

• See all gaming mice at Amazon

I'm also testing more of the best wireless gaming mouse models, or check out the best gaming keyboards and best gaming headsets for more upgrade options.

Corsair acquired Elgato eight years ago, but it's chosen the past 12 months to throw the brand's Stream Deck technology on everything that leaves its factory. Some of the brand's best gaming mice feature plugin-friendly 12-button side panels, keyboards with a full deck built in, and as many 'virtual' Stream Deck buttons as I have fingers. The brand even dropped an entire touchscreen on its Command Series MC7, for some reason.

The Corsair Nightsword v2 Wireless might be the first to actually make me think twice about having to reach over to hit some physical buttons, though. Released today at a slightly-higher-than-mid-range $129.99 / £119.99 (Corsair), the Nighsword v2 includes a side button dedicated to pulling up your virtual Deck.

That means all the benefits of Corsair's bountiful plugin ecosystem without having to shell out on the hardware it was designed for (or having to move your mouse hand away from the action to make a change).

That could be a more impactful addition than some may realize. I wasn't quite as enamoured when I first heard of the feature. Surely you could assign a virtual Stream Deck launcher to a dedicated button on whatever gaming mouse you're running, it's just a program after all. Corsair's not just giving its software away, though.

Turns out, without the Nightsword in hand, you need to connect a physical Stream Deck to your PC once a month to keep virtual privileges. That puts that $129.99 price tag into perspective a little.

The cheapest Stream Deck, the Neo, starts life at $99.99 (currently on sale for $85.99 at Amazon). If you're after more than eight buttons, you're looking at $149.95 (Amazon) for a Stream Deck Mk. 2. If you've already got a perfectly fine gaming mouse, the Nightsword's Stream Deck capabilities might not be turning your head on their own. That Neo model is cheaper than the Nightsword, after all.

However, if you're a multi-control power user, I'll just say this. I'm writing this article with two Stream Decks in place on my desk, and I have to say having to take my hand off my mouse or keyboard when pressing a button does wear thin a little. It's one of the things that drew me to the Corsair Galleon 100 SD's Deck integration, even closing that distance a little helps. The value of being able to keep your hands on your main controls while navigating an extra layer of functionality will entirely depend on how much cash you're willing to drop.

Compared to the larger Stream Deck Mk. 2, and even fancier stream controllers in the range, though, the Nightsword could be pulling its weight in the value arena. You're getting a far more flexible panel of controls after all, without those hardware limitations, and lest we forget this is actually a gaming mouse in itself.

It's a must-consider for anyone looking to upgrade their rodent and has been eyeing up the extra controls of a Stream Deck.

The mouse itself comes with a very capable 33K Marksman S optical sensor, the same used in the brand's excellent Sabre Pro V2 Ultralight, with a 750 IPS tracking speed and 50g acceleration. This isn't as competitive a model as the Sabre, though, with an 89g weight that puts it more in the casual camp. Eight extra onboard buttons are fully programmable in Stream Deck's software as well.

• See all gaming mice at Amazon

I'm also rounding up the best wireless gaming mouse models on the market, or take a look at the best gaming keyboards and best streaming kit for more upgrades.

Razer's a little late to the party, but its first attempt at creating a multi-connection microphone is here. The Razer Seiren V3 Pro has capacity for both an XLR and a USB connection, and with a serious, studio, Shure-reminiscent design, it's clear that Team Sneki has not come to play around. This looks and sounds like a contender for the top spots on our best microphones for streaming and gaming list, but does it sound like one?

I, for one, am a little surprised to see some pro-level content creation gear coming from Razer in this day and age. Its Stream Controller X has been all but discontinued since Loupedeck was bought over by Logitech. Its presence in the capture card space is pretty much dead; its USB microphones are tiny, unicorn vomit devices that, although sound great, don't look like they want to be taken seriously. The Seiren V3 Pro has a professional, studio look to it that reinstates this brand as a name in content creation again. That said, I can't help but feel its XLR connection is without a friend because Razer's Razer Streaming Mixer is so out of date it should be in a museum.

But surprisingly, Razer has nailed it with this microphone. Its quality is excellent both in USB and XLR modes; it's easier to use than some of the other more premium XLR options on the shelves, and its price is only $249.99 / £249.99, which is actually on par with some of the other premium mics on the shelves today. Razer tax, where art thou?

Design

The Razer Seiren V3 Pro isn't subtle about the fact that it wants to go after the Shure SM7dB. Along with the BEACN Mic, the Maono PD200W, and Shure's MV6, it's joining the lineup of black, cylindrical microphones that want you to talk into them for your podcast, livestream, or YouTube video. This is an iconic look, and I like the way Razer has put its own spin on it.

Around its rim, there's an RGB ring which is fully customizable using Razer Chroma, and the capsule of the mic is covered by a familiar cylindrical pop filter/wind guard. There's some very subtle Razer branding which can be seen if it catches the light, but blends into the bodywork of the microphone so as not to overplay its hand and spoil the Shure lookalike contest.

What I really like about the design of the Seiren V3 Pro is that the mounting system complements the pickup pattern. A lot of XLR mics (and the Shure SM7dB specifically) require you to be pretty close and direct with them; hence why they opt for this black cylindrical design, and their mounting systems reflect that. The mounting arm here is more versatile in order to cater to a more generous polar pattern. I've attached mine to a boom arm and had it hanging down towards me, almost like it is actually a boom mic.

When in shot of my webcam, it does actually look like it's being held from somewhere out of view, and it gives my entire setup a premium podcast host feel. Its angular stand allows for that inverted type of mounting, but if you so please, you can leave it upright on its stand, or boom-mount it so it's facing up vertically. There's versatility here that I really like, and form complements function because the pickup pattern doesn't care about which direction you use it from.

The internals of the mic have had a lot of thought put into them too. The V3 Pro sports a 30mm Dynamic capsule with the below specs that I've compared directly to the Shure SM7dB for context.

The USB side of the microphone obviously demands a few more design bells and whistles than a standard XLR option. There's a manual gain control dial on the bottom of the mic, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack for live monitoring through a headset. Note that this is reliant on Synapse, or at least didn't work for me until I had Synapse installed, so it isn't on a mere hardware level. There's also a capacitive mute button.

Features

As with the other hybrid mics we've seen hitting the shelves already, the Seiren V3 Pro harnesses the power of both USB-C and XLR connections. I've plugged them both in with different machines, and they've both worked at the same time. It is missing the wireless connection of the Maono PD200W, but in terms of the dual-connectivity it has it matches up with the Rode PodMic USB, Shure MV7+, and SteelSeries Alias Pro. It is probably worth noting that while a USB to USB-C cable comes in the box, you'll need to supply your own XLR cable.

On the software side, a lot of the V3 Pro's best features are reserved for Synapse pairing, which, if you're anything like me, is a big let-down. The RGB, 3.5mm live monitoring, gain control, and mute button all require USB power, so don't go in expecting those if you're going to hook it up using XLR through one of the best streaming mixers.

Synapse is going to give you lots of access to EQ, bass boosting, exciters, noise gate controls, AI noise cancelling, and other settings of the V3 Pro. There's also support within Synapse for 32-bit float support, which barely any of the competition mics have unless you go wireless with something like the Rode Wireless GO Gen 3. Moreover, Synapse now has a full mixing suite within it if you are using USB connections and can't mix using a separate interface. While this is an impressive update to Synapse that gives the Razer mics some longer legs to run with, it's a real shame that you're reliant on the entire Synapse ecosystem to use these things.

There's a reason that Elgato has its own separate software for audio devices, camera devices, and capturing footage with its capture cards. If you're buying one device from a brand, you shouldn't have to download a very intrusive and performance-heavy application that tacks on everything else it makes. Just let me have the parts I do need, and stop making it so hard to install and uninstall this silly program that's insistent on becoming the main character of my PC.

Performance

The first thing I'll say is that I really, really like the way this mic sounds. It captures some excellent quality that's absolutely up there with the Shure and Rode options out there. It's also consistent across its USB and XLR connections, with minimal sound disparity between the two.

I did the majority of testing in XLR mode through the RodeCaster Duo, and I have to say, it's on par with the kind of quality I expect from the Shure SM7dB, although with a few caveats. It feels like because of that extra adjustable gain and lack of 32-bit float, AI noise cancellation, and noise gate through Synapse, it's a bit more unruly. That could be a good thing for you if you've used the SM7dB and you've not got on well with its fairly low gain levels. But it also means that in XLR mode you're going to struggle to keep ambient room noise out of the mix.

Moreover, the pop filter simply isn't as strong as Shure's. Its foam isn't very dense, so it isn't doing as good a job at blocking out those attacking plosives. In USB mode, this is kept under control a lot better, presumably thanks to Synapse, AI noise cancelling, and 32-bit float. The pop filter doesn't do quite as strong a job as I'd like it to in XLR mode, where I feel like it's really going to be needed more for those professional recording quality uses. Its foam doesn't hug the capsule quite as tightly as Shure's does either, so I'm not convinced by it.

What I do love about the Seiren V3 Pro is its pattern, how generous it is, and how that works alongside its mounting design. I mention it in the audio sample above, but there's a brilliant versatility to this mic so that you can attach it to a boom arm at pretty much any angle, and as long as you're in close proximity, you get excellent, consistent studio-quality recordings. With Shure's SM7dB, you need to be a bit more direct and position yourself more closely in front of it to get the best sound, and even though it has some leeway, Razer has nailed an even more accessible polar pattern.

There's definitely still best value in proximity here, but people buying Razer's mic over something like Shure or Rode are likely going to be a little less studied in their mic etiquette, and it feels like Razer is aware of that and is actively trying to make the V3 Pro more user-friendly.

USB connection is good, as you'll hear from the quality above. Besides the gain being a little more muted and more of the Synapse effects working their magic, I'd say it's all pretty consistent with the XLR sound.

It's not unusual for USB mics to be reliant on software for the best results, but I do think Razer has been a tad too reliant on Synapse to get the best results here. No, you don't need Synapse open and running for these to work, but Synapse, when installed, is pretty much always running in the background, so it's hard to tell when it's really in use and when it isn't.

For the V3 Pro's lack of a noise gate in XLR mode, its USB noise gate is very, very aggressive, even after a firmware update to try and remedy this issue. You can hear in the USB sample audio that some of my words, especially at the beginning of sentences or after a small break in speaking, that my speech is getting cut off by the sheer wroth of the noise gate. That's not ideal, and I personally feel like the way Razer's noise gate cuts off any and all noise when it doesn't detect your voice is a bit too obtuse for a professional sound. It ends up sounding a bit cheap, manufactured, and silly when there's a really obvious cut-off of all the audio. If I was listening to a video, podcast, or stream and that was happening, it'd be so distracting I'd end up listening out for the cut instead of whatever a person was saying.

Hopefully this side of things gets patched and fixed as time goes on, but it's a bit much for my liking.

Should you buy the Razer Seiren V3 Pro?

I think there's real value for money in the Razer Seiren V3 Pro. The kind of quality it gives you in either XLR or USB mode is superb and is definitely good enough to compete with the Shure and Rode options out there. If you're a fan of the design of the Shure SM7dB but don't want to pay that much for it, this is a strong alternative that gives you a more accessible and user-friendly method of using it. Its noise gate in XLR isn't ideal, and its noise gate in USB mode is far too aggressive for my liking. Moreover, you are going to miss out on some features if you only use it in XLR mode.

In fact, this mic does feel like it's out here making a stand all on its own. I'm not saying Razer needs to make a rival to the RodeCaster Duo with all its bells and whistles, but a microphone like this is screaming out for a Synapse-compatible companion mixer. If Razer wants people to buy into its ecosystem, what does it want people to pair its XLR microphone with? I think it's time for a revamped audio interface, please, Mr Razer man.

Unfortunately, the mic market is really competitive. For an XLR option on price, the V3 Pro is sort of on par with the Shure MV7+ and Rod PodMic USB when ages, prices, and discounts come into play. Equally, the mic market has a Maono problem right now because, for paying less money, newcomers with lesser budgets could get the PD200W for far less and get great quality and a wireless connection.

I really, really like Seiren V3 Pro, and would happily use it for my own content. I'm not such a big fan of its reliance on Synapse, and if that's a problem for you too, I'd maybe steer clear of it. As a Shure alternative with excellent sound and an okay price, it doesn't get much better than this.

How I tested the Razer Seiren V3 Pro

I've used the Razer Seiren V3 Pro as my main microphone for all gaming, content creation, and work meets for around two weeks now. I mounted it to my boom arm, plugged it into the RodeCaster Duo, and adopted it as part of my setup. I compared it closely to my daily driver, the Shure SM7dB, using it in the same ways and using it with the same settings through my audio interface.

I recorded plenty of audio samples and listened back to them, testing various ways in which the mic acts and reacts to different use styles. I also tested across different PCs, using a USB connection with a laptop to test out all of Razer Synapse's extras.

For more on testing methods, check out the full GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

For more streaming and podcasting gear, take a look at the best capture cards and the best ring lights for streaming and gaming.

The world of the best gaming keyboards has shifted slightly in the last few weeks, with the arrival of the Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60. It's been the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini on top of the 60% food chain for the last year, but with Sneki's rattly form factor, higher MSRP, and fewer switch features, Corsair's just managed to sneak into the lead once again.

I've just spent the last two weeks testing the 60% deck, running it across my current daily play roster as well as more dedicated tests in Apex Legends and CS2. It's been in pride of place on my desk, right next to the Huntsman it would ultimately replace on my top-rated list.

Is it perfect? No. The Clipper exhibits some spacebar scratches and its stabilizers are mounted too awkwardly for an easy fix. Its casing isn't quite as luxurious as you'll find elsewhere on the market either. For $99.99 (considering most gaming-branded HE decks start at around $140)? It's looking pretty solid in 2026.

The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro has held the position of best 60% gaming keyboard for just under a year now. I was originally impressed by its slick analog switches, the joystick-like movement they can provide on WASD, and its easy application of dual-step actuation to keep those arrow keys in play.

Yes, Corsair sacrifices that joystick experience in favor of more traditional Hall effect clackers, but it's also packing its own extra switch actuation features into the package. Smart Tap was the one I found myself using most often.

While the best Hall effect keyboards can regularly assign different functions depending on how far down the switch stem you've travelled, this feature allows for different inputs based on whether a key is tapped or held. It's measuring the duration of your keypress rather than distance you've pushed in a way that's far easier to control in the heat of battle. It's also how I used Corsair's magnetic switches (a newer version, the MGX Hyperdrive Cores) to keep those arrow buttons in action.

Having to rely on dual function controls for arrow keys always put me straight off 60% decks. Between productivity and gaming, it just seemed like too big a sacrifice when 65% options could sit just as neatly on a desk. With magnetic clackers at the helm, all is well in the world again.

If you weren't already in the market for a 60% gaming keyboard, that smaller form factor is going to make itself known. Losing access to your number pad could be a if you're used to having one (in which case I'd recommend the Keychron V6 Max for a similarly priced mechanical option or the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 to keep those magnetic clackers).

Those regularly throwing on Spotify while working or gaming might also run into trouble with the lack of dedicated playback and volume buttons. They're still on here, but you'll need to make use of the function key to get there. If you still want that compact form factor, the Asus ROG Falchion RX Low Profile is actually my go-to. This is a 65% model, so you're still maintaining a small footprint on the desk, but it comes with neatly built-in dedicated media controls along the top edge.

• See all gaming keyboard deals at Amazon

I'm also hunting down all the best wireless gaming keyboards as well as the best hot-swappable keyboards available.

Keychron doesn't like to make its product lines easy to understand, but its K-Series generally takes aim at the mass market with more affordable price points compared to the flagship Q-range and a larger focus on versatility. That means the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K is positioned as an everyday board with the flexibility to cater to both Windows and Mac users, across wired, 2.4GHz, and Bluetooth connections.

Like many of these chunkier boards, the Ultra wants to impress in its sheer heft, offering a sturdy CNC-machined aluminum casing and layer upon layer of sound and vibration dampening foam. It's no surprise, this deck comes from a long line of incredibly well padded boards with a chunky build, real attention to typing feel, and a deep, textured switch sound.

At $119.99 it's pitching its tent towards the top of the more casual market, while staying firmly underneath the best gaming keyboards I'm used to testing. Here, your cash gets you a 75% mechanical board with the brand's Keychron Apex Banana, Brown, or Red clackers, full wireless connectivity, an 8,000Hz polling rate, hot-swappable sockets, and a 760 hour battery life (with no Bluetooth or RGB).

So, who's the Keychron K2 Ultra up against?

The older Asus ROG Azoth still remains my go-to for a mechanical typing experience, but comes in a little more expensive, typically sitting at between $190 and $200 these days. The Asus ROG Strix Morph 96 offers a more competitive $139.99 MSRP, in a larger 96% form factor. The Turtle Beach Vulcan II TKL didn't review too well for us, but matches Keychron's $119.99 starting price.

The Keychron V6 Max drops some of your build quality while extending out into a full-sized mechanical option for $124.99. The Logitech G512 X is your mechanical-magnetic hybrid upgrade, coming in at a higher $179.99, but offering additional switch adjustment options.

Benefits of the Keychron K2 Ultra

Great build quality at this price

The K2 Ultra keeps the heavy-duty build style of the rest of the range, opting out of the V6 Max's cheaper plastic chassis for a metal case, steel switch plate, four layers of EVA, IXPE, EPDM, and PET foam, a silicone buffer pad, and ABS bottom case. That means enough weight to keep the board firmly in place on the desk, a complete lack of echoes and vibrations, and a pleasingly muted sound profile.

While these kinds of sound dampening options are making their way rapidly down to the cheaper seats (previously having been reserved only for more luxurious mechanical keyboards), it's rare to hear a rattle or twang in modern designs. Still, the Keychron K2 Ultra offers up a particularly clean sound profile, with a light, snappy affect to its keystrokes and a deep plunk to a full bottom-out.

Smooth switches

The version I was sent came with Keychron Apex Banana switches under the hood, the heaviest of the pack - and heavy they certainly are. While that actuation force is a little on the high side for my liking, actual movement is incredibly smooth all the way down the stem, with a nippy bounce back to boot. These are particularly steady in their housings, with a reinforced switch wall structure than maintains that stability and reduces wobble overall.

Combine that with the brand's softer, rounded doubleshot PBT keycaps and you've got a silky typing feel overall - even if I do wish there was just a little more texture on these caps.

Versatile connectivity

As an all-rounder the K2 Ultra caters to both Windows and Mac users in both its wireless connectivity and included caps. Straight out the box, this deck is configured with Apple's legends, but you'll find a spare set for Microsoft as well.

Perhaps more importantly, though, you're getting both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections in here. That's on par with the best wireless gaming keyboards on the market, including the Asus ROG Azoth and Asus ROG Strix Morph 96 in this competition pool, but it's not to be taken for granted.

Sure, wireless connectivity isn't all that necessary (and can add to the final cost), but in a cheaper all-rounder like this it's great to see Bluetooth in that roster. Not all gaming keyboards, or even Keychron models, can connect without the receiver.

ZMK firmware

Ok, this one could be a benefit or a drawback depending on how married you are to more traditional QMK firmware. Keychron allows for custom ZMK firmware to be flashed onto the deck, but the vast majority of users are going to be enjoying the wireless benefits of the system instead. That Bluetooth Low Energy compatibility and focus on power efficiency will go a long way to making sure that juice lasts as long as possible.

Of course, you don't need to flash all your custom keybindings using your own code. The Keychron Launcher web app is still kicking about, allowing for full control over your keys, implementing SOCD controls, and managing RGB lighting.

Drawbacks of the Keychron K2 Ultra

Can get a little cranky

Let me tell you this, the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K does not like to be plugged into an external hub. It also doesn't like running out of battery. I had real trouble keeping this keyboard reliable when either of the above were true during testing, with the deck chattering, missing inputs, and generally feeling sluggish. I often use these external ports with high-speed gaming keyboards and rarely run into the same problems. These issues grew worse as the keyboard ran out of battery.

Side-mounted charging port won't be for everyone

I can't remember ever reviewing a gaming keyboard that didn't have its USB-C charging port along the top, and yet the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K does things a little differently.

The main connector is positioned on the left edge of the keyboard, which could make sense for some setups but could equally prove more of an annoyance in others. It's something to watch out for if your cables are routed just so, but it rarely became an actual issue in my testing.

Difficult to see in the dark

What did quickly pose a problem was the lack of shinethrough on these keycaps. The K2 Ultra features a strong set of LEDs under its caps, but without those transparent legends they were all but useless with the lights out. Navigating the board in a darker room quickly becomes a muscle memory mission, without any real sense of placement. That's particularly frustrating when, unlike other 75%-ers, the K2 Ultra doesn't feature dedicated media controls. This is dual-function volume keys on hard mode.

Heavy actuation can be fatiguing

Perhaps the biggest drawback from my time with the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K was the particularly heavy actuation force required. Sure, the switches themselves feel smooth under hand, but I can only type in shorter bursts than I'm used to.

These are the brand's tactile switches with the heaviest required force of the pack, so the Red and Brown models could well be easier on the fingers, but unless you're a particularly heavy typist this is going to be a slog before long.

It didn't impact my speed or accuracy when typing, though, I still scored within my usual 95WPM at 95.5% accuracy average. In typing tests, I scored an average of 98WPM at 95.6% accuracy overall.

Should you buy the Keychron K2 Ultra?

If you like a heavier typing feel, need the versatility of a wireless connection, and still need the compact form factor of a 75% deck, there's little standing in the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K's way. I'd still point most typists towards either the Asus ROG Strix Morph 96 Wireless or Asus ROG Azoth for a particularly smooth, fast experience. That heavier actuation under the Bananas I've been using makes for a more cumbersome feel during longer sessions, one that's easily bested by the light, bouncy ROG NX clackers. You'll find more gaming-oriented control features in here as well.

Similarly, the Keychron V6 Max still offers an excellent choice for hot-swap fans who don't mind the upgrade to a full-sized numpad-toting deck. While the build quality doesn't quite match up, I did enjoy a noticeably lighter experience from the linear Reds in here.

There's a magnetic elephant in the room for gamers, though. The best Hall effect keyboards are quickly taking over lobbies, and dropping three figures on a new deck now requires additional consideration paid to these adjustable options. There are magnetic models coming in cheaper than the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K (most recently the Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60 for $99).

If you've got a slightly higher budget, though, I'd recommend the Logitech G512X instead. Again, you're not getting that chunky Keychron casing (and there's actually a little too much flex in some areas of Logitech's model), but the mechanical / magnetic hybrid structure welcomes newcomers without dropping more useful Hall effect features.

How I tested the Keychron K2 Ultra

I used the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K as my daily driver for two weeks, running the device across all my work and play. That meant plenty of Doom: The Dark Ages sessions, as well as Planet Coaster 2 and Halo Campaign Evolved. I also completed three typing tests on TypingTest.com, using an average of all results as my final score. For more information on how we test gaming keyboards, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I'm also rounding up plenty more of the best hot-swappable keyboards, or check out the best gaming mice and the best gaming headsets for more setup upgrades.

Secretlab is expanding its Pokémon collection with three new additions to its SKINS range. Building upon the existing collection of officially licensed Secretlab Titan Evo designs that pay homage to Pikachu, Eevee, and Gengar, any Titan Evo owner will now be able to adorn their gaming chair with classic Kanto region Pokémon.

The new skins ($99 at Secretlab) are in tribute to the final evolution of the starter Pokémon from FireRed and other Kanto region games. For me, I'd need to stay loyal to my boy Charizard, but you can also choose Blastoise or Venusaur. While the new SKINS are definitely celebrations of these Pokémon, they really give the vibe of Fire, Leaf, and Water thanks to some really well-made colors woven into the fabrics.

What's maybe more impressive is that Secretlab has managed to texture the new SKINS so they have the scratchy feel of classic Pokémon pixelated graphics. The colors are also super vibrant, which emphasises their texture really clearly from a distance.

The fire type looks like it's covered in simmering embers, whereas the blue tones of the Blastoise variant mimic the depths of water. The gradient of greens on the Venasaur version is oddly calming - Secretlab has clearly put a lot of effort into these designs because they contrast the fluffier texture of the original Pokémon collection really well.

As a reminder, Secretlab SKINS are exactly what they sound like. You won't actually be able to buy these designs on a dedicated version of the Secretlab Titan Evo, but you can buy them separately for $99 each and throw them on any model of that chair to give it a renewed look.

Just in case you want more Pokémon for your money with these designs, Secretlab has dotted the shoulder frames of the SKINS with other fire, leaf, and water-type characters. On the Green model, you can see Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Oddish, and Bellsprout. On the blue, you can see Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Poliwag, Slowpoke, Goldeen, Gyarados, Lapras, and Vaporeon. And finally, on the Charizard (GOAT) model, you can see Charmander, Charmeleon, Arcanine, Rapidash, Flareon, and more.

The perk of being able to pick a new detachable colorway is one of the many reasons I deem the Secretlab Titan Evo the best gaming chair for upgrading. The Secretlab Atlas recently stole our award for the best Secretlab chair, but the Titan Evo has been such a staple of the market for so long that its maker has produced all sorts of upgrades for it to help make it your own. Hardly any other chairs have that ability, so it's a big reason the Titan Evo still stands out.

Beyond cosmetics, you can also attach new armrest tops, recliner add-ons, lumbar cushions, and more. Is the Titan Evo the most affordable seat on the shelves? Definitely not, and its upgrades will be an even longer-term investment, but its build quality helps it feel like such. Thankfully, SKINS will mean that if you fancy a new, classier, or even more flashy look, you can keep it fresh as the years go on.

You can see more of Secretlab in our best gaming desk and best standing desk roundups.

Yoko Taro is currently cooking up a new Evangelion anime series, but it's likely going to be a good while until I get a glimpse of how the Nier: Automata creator handles my favorite mech pilots, Askua and Rei. At least in the interim, brands like MelGeek have found ways to satiate my Eva-needs, as pre-orders for their new Centauri60 Asuka Edition HE gaming keyboard have just dropped.

This board is available for a hefty $359 (MalGeek) price tag straight from the MalGeek website and is expected to ship starting August 15, later this month. It's definitely an expensive release, as its price tops even that of our best gaming keyboard pick. You could even pick up a massively detailed figure of Asuka for its MSRP, but when past Eva keyboards are reaching higher price points on the second-hand market, $249 for an officially licensed board is starting to look quite good.

Evangelion gaming keyboards are already a thing that exists. Asus ROG previously dropped the ROG Strix Scope RX EVA-02 Edition Gaming Keyboard, which included a stunning red board with an Alloy top cover and a range of perfectly on-brand keycaps sitting across the brand's RX Optical Mechanical Switches. It's a board I still covet to this day, but it's difficult to find in stock unless you're comfortable spending upwards of $400 on eBay right now.

That eye-watering second-hand price puts MalGeek's $359 version into perspective. This take on an official Asuka-inspired keyboard instead utilizes Hall-Effect magnetic switches like the best Hall effect keyboards onto a 66-key ANSI layout. It's a wired board, so there's no 2.4GHz wireless to take advantage of, however, you've got 8,000Hz USB polling, 8,000Hz scanning, 0.125ms listed latency, rapid Trigger, Snap Tap, adjustable actuation, and a precision knob which you can map to control the volume, media, macros, or lighting via the brand's HIVE Driver software.

The most important bit, at least for me anyway, is the design of this fantastic anime-inspired accessory. I can only imagine that using this keyboard must feel like piloting Asuka's EVA-02 mech, as it shares the same bright and vivid red, orange, and black color palette. My favorite aspect is the transparency of the keys, which feels reminiscent of the gaming tech of the late '90s and early '00s. I was watching Evangelion for the first time around then, so the callback feels entirely apt, even if MalGeek didn't have my nostalgia in mind in the design process.

If you're more of a Rei fan, MalGeek has you covered. You can also pre-order the Centauri80 Rei Edition HE Gaming Keyboard for $459 at MalGeek, and it's not a simple re-skin either. The Rei board, which is expected to start shipping on August 15, is based on the brand's larger Centauri80 layout with 83 keys in total. The keyboard also includes unique features like a 1.78-inch OLED touchscreen with 368 x 448 resolution and a 325 PPI display, which is missing from the Asuka release.

The biggest and most obvious difference comes down to its design, which the brand states feels "calmer and more controlled" with its blue, white, and silver transparent keys. Really, they resemble Rei's iconic cool blue hair and her white pilot suit, which is fitting as the Centauri60 Asuka Edition HE gaming keyboard is mimicking Asuka's suit too. (Which in turn match their EVA units.)

While both keyboards have prices attached that are bound to have many an Evangelion sit head in hands with despair like Shinji, there is another way. Razer announced an Evangelion collab of its own, which includes a Razer Blackwidow V4 TKL Hyperspeed EVA-02 Edition keyboard, which you can sign up to be notified about on the official Razer website. It bears a striking resemblance to all Asuka-themed accessories before it (there are only so many ways you can do an Asuka keyboard) and is likely to cost around a more reasonable $199.99 if past collaborations are anything to go by.

In the time it took me to yap on about this stunning keyboard, it's looking like the Centauri60 Asuka Edition He could be out of stock. I recommend jumping on the Rei release if you want to avoid any disappointment. Get the keyboard in your basket, Shinji!

• View all anime gaming accessories at Amazon

Our team has also rounded up the best gaming chairs, the best gaming laptops, and the best gaming mice, if you want to give your PC gaming setup a boost.

Razer kicked off its adjustable switch operations with analog clackers in its Huntsman keyboard line; now it's gone full Hall effect. The new Razer Huntsman V3 HE ditches the analog optical in favor of the trendier HE moniker, but while it's not quite at the TMR forefront, those prices are certainly a sight for sore eyes.

If you've been perusing the world of the best gaming keyboards over the last couple of years, you'll notice a rising cost associated with newer magnetic switches. As mainstream brands like Corsair, Logitech, and SteelSeries have jumped on the adjustable actuation bandwagon, costs have soared to the $400s in some cases (looking at you, Asus). While most Hall effect keyboards now land in the $150 to $250 range, though, the new Huntsman V3 HE line starts life at $119.99.

I know! Razer, of all brands, coming in cheaper than the rest of the industry? What in the 2026?

Well, Hall effect isn't the buzzword it used to be. The cool kids are all about TMR with its improved power efficiency and (this is a personal take) better feel overall. It's why Corsair managed to impress with the Clipper Pro Mini 60 at just $99.99 earlier this month. Contrary to the way most of the industry seems to be going, those HE clackers are getting cheaper surprisingly quickly, and new releases are proving it.

That's not to rain on Razer's parade. Corsair's cheaper option comes in a 60% form factor, whereas you're paying just $20 more for Sneki's 65%-er and $139.99 all in for the TKL. That's undercutting the mid-range market (populated by the Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid and, funnily enough, Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini) quite considerably.

So what do you get for your cash?

Barrie Ooi, Head of PC Gaming at Razer, states that "while our analog optical keyboards remain the benchmark for players seeking the absolute best in esports performance, the Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic 8KHz line is designed for competitive players looking for the best magnetic keyboard." If you can parse the difference between those two players there, be sure to let me know.

Regardless of who it's for, the latest Huntsman offers all the usual features you'd expect: 'Snap Flex' for assigning two inputs to a single key and "Dynamic Keystroke" for packing four actions based on the depth of your keypress. But we've also got "Instant Cancel Control" that allows you to halt that sequence of actions immediately.

Switches can be configured for actuation between the usual 0.1-4mm, with the usual suspects Rapid Trigger, adjustable actuation and Snap Tap (SOCD when it's at home) all invited to the party as well.

There are a few newbies here that I look forward to testing out, between that instant cancel and the Dual-Keypress system ensuring directional priority is assigned as quickly as possible. Perhaps more notably for most of us, though, Razer's boasting that its Huntsman V3 HE comes with thick foam dampening and individually lubricated switches. With the rattle and echo of the Huntsman V3 Pro Mini still ringing in my ears, Sneki's new sound profile better live up to its hype.

• See all gaming keyboards at Amazon

I'm also hunting down all the best hot-swappable keyboards and the best wireless gaming keyboards on the market.

There's a very particular niche of technology I really enjoy testing. When there's a popular, well-known, or even dominant device in a market, sometimes you see imitators pop up at a lesser price point to scoop up the budget end. That's exactly what the OneOdio Solocaster is trying to do, because it could very easily take the fall for any crime the RodeCaster Duo commits. It's about time the best streaming mixer had some budget competition, but I'm not sure OneOdio has stuck the landing.

Priced at just $59.99 / £49.99 compared to Rode's $499 powerhouse, it wouldn't need to do all that much to impress me. As it turns out, the Solocaster works, and when it's this cheap in comparison, I find it hard not to count the bare minimum as a win. The difficulty is saying objectively that it's not worth buying, because if you can't afford the best gear for streaming out there, you don't have many other options. Budget streaming mixers don't really exist, but that doesn't mean you should be okay with lacklustre gear.

There are some really bad bits about the OneOdio Solocaster, but there are also some pretty decent things here for the money you pay for it. Maybe part of the problem is that its natural comparison is one of my favorite bits of technology I've ever used. The RodeCaster Duo this is not, but it certainly deserves a closer look.

Design

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the Solocaster's aesthetic, design language, and SMART pad lookalikes are all the spitting image of the RodeCaster Duo. The OneOdio Solocaster's name is even a play on Rode's nomenclature.

The Solocaster is about one-third of the size of the RodeCaster Duo, dumbing things down to three physical faders but providing a total of nine square pad buttons, with additional mute and feature pads as well. For the most part, these pads feel pretty identical to the RodeCaster Duo I've had sat on my desk for years now. I wish I could say the same for the physical faders and dials, however. These work, but they don't glide half as smoothly as Rode's.

Overall, there's just a really cheap feeling to the Solocaster. It's thankfully got enough weight to it that routing cables into its rear won't hoist it up on one end (XLR cables can be pretty heavy, so this is a common problem), but it's hollow where the RodeCaster is solid. Thankfully, lighting all over it will fool you into thinking you got a more professional-grade device.

I think there's something to be said for OneOdio's attempts to make a premium audio interface's design language a bit more intelligible. Unlike the RodeCasters, there are some text labels on a lot of the function pads that try to show you what it is you're pressing. This is ideal for those buying budget tech as entry-level users. The RodeCaster Duo certainly has a steep learning curve to it.

Unfortunately, some of these labels aren't clear at all. In fact, they opt not to use terminology like "ducking", which forces you to consult the manual to find out what "Side Chain" means. Funnily enough, it'll straight up tell you that it means ducking - so why not just say that to begin with??

Elsewhere, "mute" and "voice changer" are a bit more self-explanatory, but I do feel like execution on labelling language overall could have been better.

For all its imitation, the design of the Solocaster misses the point a bit. It's dubbed as an audio interface for podcasting, and while that's certainly a strength of the RodeCaster Duo, it's just one piece of a very versatile puzzle. The Duo is so good because it can record natively, manage multiple audio sources with ease, add loads of effects, bend to your will with those customizable SMART pads, call your podcast hosts thanks to Rode CallMe, and filter all of your audio sources to streamline echoes and mixes. It can podcast, but it's a live streaming mixer too, and an audiophile's dream desk companion all in one.

The Solocaster might be keen to help you podcast, but it doesn't stay in that lane long enough to really be good at it. It's got native USB support for PC and consoles, which suggests it'd be a strong live streaming tool, but not enough thought has gone into live mixing audio for that to be true. There are a few ways to make it your own, but there's no dedicated software or onboard screen so you can customize fully.

There's a bit of connection power, but the faders and volume knobs are pre-assigned and can't be changed, and that feels like a total waste. One fader controls your mic gain, the second your USB audio, and the third, your headphone volume. There's then a separate dial for speaker audio, but that's not tied to your headphone volume for some reason? Your mic will also come through your speakers during live monitoring if you don't turn that down, so there's a lack of synergy going on.

The other two dials control an echo sound effect on your mic, which is a total waste of a physical control. Then the X-volume dial controls the volume of the customizable pads. Again, a total waste when these could have been custom dials for you to assign to different audio sources in something similar to BEACN's software, or even Windows 11's built-in mixer.

My favorite ability of the RodeCaster Duo is its dual-USB connection, which lets me split my USB PC audio into two halves. That lets me dim music from applications like Spotify or Pretzel when I'm streaming, and not lose game audio. The Solocaster feels like it should be able to do that, but it cares more about silly echo effects and sound pads.

Features

The Solocaster features a single XLR connection and 48V Phantom Power, so it's a solid budget pick if you're looking for something to connect with a premium microphone. The same isn't true of USB mics. There's a single USB-C port on the back of the Solocaster that helpfully powers and delivers latency-free audio. The downside of that is that if you want to plug in a USB mic, you're not going to be able to power the mixer.

There are four audio jack ports on the back: one for Line in, one for Line out, one for headphones, and one for a headset.

In theory, that would mean you can put audio into the Solocaster through Line in, but with no fader to control it, or software to set it to something, you're going to lose it in the mix of your other USB-C noise. The existence of a dedicated 3.5mm jack for headsets would, again, suggest that it could detect audio from a headset's microphone, but I couldn't get that to work, and from my testing, it does the exact same thing as the regular headphone port. Feels to me like you could take one of these out and throw another USB-C slot in. Why would you even need two 3.5mm jacks if you're only able to plug in one microphone?

There's also a Bluetooth connection, but again, that's really foiled by the lack of a physical control to fade it in and out with. I get that might be the way some podcasts are recorded, but it just feels like a waste of a connection when there's no dedicated control.

There are a couple of features that surprised me at this price point, which I really commend OneOdio for including. Sidechain is a Ducking feature that intuitively dips your game or music volume when input into the mic channel is detected. That's a really professional feature, and it isn't always the easiest to find, especially for streamers. Similarly, there's a loopback button that cancels all the audio from other sources for your listeners besides your microphone. Again, useful to have, especially if you're mid-stream and you need to block out some copyrighted sounds or your friends are being noisy in the Discord chat.

Additionally, there's a Direct Monitor button that lets you listen to your own mic input in real time, but it will come through your speakers if you don't turn them all the way down first, so that could cause some echoes or discomfort if you're not careful.

Perhaps the best features here are two that are completely useless as far as most gaming-centric content creators go, but work really well. There's a voice changer with multiple modes to it. This is so funny to mess around with, and I'm sure that more creative streamers than me, or even V-tubers, could make use of it, but it feels a bit silly when more basic broadcasting features are missing.

There's also a Denoise Karaoke button. This dims the vocal track of the music you're listening to so you essentially get a free karaoke backing track to sing along to. I super didn't expect it to work, but it actually does. Vocals won't be cut out completely; instead, they're dimmed and then echoed slightly, but the fact the Solocaster can detect vocals in the first place and apply this setting is actually pretty impressive. If nothing else, this could be a really nifty little audio interface for budding musical theatre performers who want to try and record higher-budget showreels to send to agents and casting teams.

Performance

If you come at the king, you best not miss. In this context, that means that if you're going to impersonate the best streaming mixer on the market in order to show that it's possible to sell the same features for much cheaper, you best back it up with doing the basics well.

The Solocaster is certainly capable of a fairly simplistic XLR streaming setup. It can take audio from a USB-C connection, capture it alongside an XLR microphone, and I suppose it could technically take line-in from a secondary PC as well, and what the audience hears is pretty darn good. I did plenty of test sample recordings to see what different configurations sounded like, and all of them were great.

The problems start to arise when you want to do anything more than that. I can't really do much with the few faders and dials that are present because of a very irritating feedback buzzing. I tried everything I could to ensure this wasn't human error. No cables were touching, no wires were crossed, no connections were loose or dodgy, and it didn't make a difference. There's feedback whatever I do, which I put down to cheaper connection ports or parts inside. Thankfully, this wasn't picked up in any recordings I did, and it disappeared entirely when I had either the headphone or background noise fader up at full volume.

But this is why I say anything more than basic content creation isn't going to be a strength with the Solocaster. The microphone gain was also pretty darn quiet when I didn't have it up at full blast, and that's generally not where you want to leave these mics because they're prone to damage from that kind of sensitivity level. To make matters worse, the Direct Monitor volume is really weak, and that makes it hard to tell if your audio is peaking or not. If you want to dim volumes like a radio host, you're going to struggle because the second things aren't at full, problems appear.

While you can certainly say that these aren't major issues if they aren't showing up on the audience side, I'd argue the opposite. The top streaming mixers cater to both creator and audience. It's about ease of control, it's about knowing what your audience is hearing, and it's definitely not about a creator sacrificing their own audio for the sake of clean audience mixes.

For the money, this thing is certainly capable if you don't care about background music in between your games. The Ducking feature sounds great and works really well balancing multiple sources of audio you might want to talk over. It's $60, so that's a really nice feature for your investment, but creators who actually want a RodeCaster Duo-like experience are going to need to keep shopping, because this thing ain't it.

And that's just what I mean by "if you come at the king, you best not miss". Comparing yourself to the very best in the market is ambitious on its own, but to sort of miss the best points and biggest appeals of a device you're imitating is much harder to defend.

Should you buy the OneOdio Solocaster?

The Hyperkin Competitor, the Razer Stream Controller X, and the Maono PD200W are all examples of times brands have successfully imitated a dominant device in their tech markets. But in all of those examples, the brands shooting for their respective kings haven't missed. They've given people a bit extra despite the budget price, they've corrected wrongs of the thing they're imitating, or they at least offer the exact same kind of experience for a more reasonable price.

It feels to me like OneOdio has tried to be a little too ambitious with the Solocaster. The RodeCaster Duo costs $499; it's objectively way too expensive for most people. If you're making a cheaper alternative, you do not need to be shooting for as low as $60 to make it appealing. I would happily have recommended a $150 Solocaster if it meant it had more faders, a bit of customization depth, or a secondary USB-C slot. As it stands, there's a functional device here that will fulfil basic needs for some creators, but its extremely budget parts let it down. Moreover, its waste of the physical faders and dials it does have makes me think OneOdio had no idea what sort of creator to go after. The novel features and effects are fun, but they're taking up space that could have been used to take the fight to Rode.

If you are looking for a dedicated XLR streaming mixer on a tight budget, then the OneOdio Solocaster will fulfil a few requirements. But you're likely going to need to spend more on a conclusive mixer down the line. If I were you, and you were taking content creation seriously enough to buy a streaming mixer, I'd think about saving a bit more and looking at a mid-range option, because those do exist.

How I tested the OneOdio Solocaster

I integrated the OneOdio Solocaster into my setup for a few days before writing this review. In that time, I tested its various features and audio mixing powers with different configurations and settings applied. I swapped out a few pieces of gear to ensure it had solid compatibility with accompanying audio peripherals. I compared it to the RodeCaster Duo since it's obviously taking a lot of design cues from it, but also used my experiences of testing other audio mixers to evaluate how it performs.

For more on our testing methods, check out the GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

For more on content creation, brush up on the best capture cards, the best ring lights for streaming, and the best microphones for streaming and gaming.

Japanese brand Taito is releasing one of the strangest mice I've ever laid my eyes on that's officially licensed for anime fans: the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood PC Mouse.

As discovered by Siliconera, this new mouse doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the best gaming mice and is a simple plug-and-play wired rodent, but instead, Taito has put all of its focus on recreating the iconic cursed item, down to its haunting illuminating eyes and stone-textured face. Unfortunately, it's not the kind of thing you can just walk into any old tech store and pick up, but an exclusive Japanese arcade prize item. Yet, I can only hope that anime fans alike can still find a way to get their hands on this official piece of JoJo tech - I just hope there's no vampirism side effects that come with it.

While it's always disappointing to see neat pieces of tech like this remain prize figures that require a costly trip to Japan to find, it might not all be doom and gloom. Jenni Lada at Siliconera pointed out that there are listings for it across some retailers, including at Hobby Genki, which states it will be available on July 31, 2026. Though there is a massive "out of stock" banner across the photo too.

It's also not entirely impossible to get your hands on Taito prizes and other merch that's typically reserved for prize machines in Japan. Personally, I regularly use online stores like Surugaya to import items like it that would otherwise be out of my reach. However, with stores like it, you do have to be okay with accepting that you'll be getting a second-hand item, rather than a brand-spanking new gaming mouse for your PC.

If you're a hardcore JoJo fan though, I imagine that won't stop you. I've only watched the first few series' of the anime, and even I'm contemplating adding this mouse to my setup as I'm infatuated with the fact that it's not just got official JoJo art printed across like MSI's Frieren Beyond Journey's End accessories. Instead, the entirety of the surface of this mouse recreates the various nooks and crannies of the mask's surface.

The Hobby Genki description describes the mouse as "highly ergonomic" but I'm not entirely sure it'd be all that comfortable to actually use. Though who knows, maybe having a nose poking into the palm of your hand would actually be pretty comfortable?

As a heads up to fellow anime enjoyers, this isn't the first time an iconic piece of anime history has been transformed into a mouse. Shuichi Shigeno's well-known Initial D series (which you may know more from its memes if you aren't an anime fan of a certain age like me) has resulted in a series of bizarre mice of its own. Rather than being based on a mask, naturally, these are based on the iconic cars used in the series, and can regularly be found on the likes of eBay.

They're not cheap by any means, and you can expect to pay $124.80 (eBay) for the privilege of having your mouse shaped like a Toyota AE86 car. But it's got Bluetooth connectivity over Taito's wired Stone Mask mouse, and the headlights even pop up and actually light up. It doesn't get any more anime than that.

• View all anime PC gaming accessories at Amazon

Our team has rounded up the best gaming keyboards, the best gaming headsets, and the best gaming chairs if you want to give your setup a boost.

The Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60 has a particularly interesting proposition. A 60% deck coming at a time when smaller form factors are falling a little out of favor, but one that holds a much lower price tag compared to the rest of the mainstream magnetic gaming market. A deck with more adjustable switch controls than most, but fewer keys to use them with.

After two weeks in hand, the Clipper is one of the best gaming keyboards you can pick up right now. Yes, that 60% form factor is going to limit its users to those who truly can get by on as few keys as possible, and its 8,000Hz polling rate isn't even going to be noticed by 99% of players. But its price, actually useful customization features, and light, fast typing feel, all come together to form a compelling alternative to the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini that's sat atop the 60% thrown for a little while now.

What I loved about the Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60

Light, snappy switches

The Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60 is the first to use the brand's MGX Hyperdrive Core magnetic switches. While Hall effect giants like the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 opt for the MGX Hyperdrive V2, the newer Core clackers come with a minimum of 27g actuation force. Under the hands they've got far less resistance behind them compared to the Vanguard. This is a smooth, fast, slip down to the full extension of the switch rather than a thocky, potentially more satisfying (for some) actuation.

That can mean a less textured sound profile, with these lighter clacks in a smaller chassis popping with a slightly higher frequency than the deeper Vanguard.

Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60 (MGX Hyperdrive Core):

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 (MGX Hyperdrive):

However, it makes perfect sense for competitive play.

This is a 60%er designed to keep your high-ranked gameplay as fast as possible, and that's where the smoother stems come into their own. Dancing across these keys is a particularly nimble experience, but combine that with super short actuation points and barely a thought registers a keypress.

In typing tests I averaged 99 words per minute at 97% accuracy, that's higher than both my typical 95WPM and 95.5% accuracy.

Subtle but still interesting aesthetic

Larger Corsair keyboards can suffer from a shadowy all-black aesthetic relying only on LED lighting for a bit of visual flair. However, I've always found that smaller 60% and 65% Corsair decks manage to weave a little more interest into their designs. The Clipper doesn't have large panels of extra LED lights or logos strewn across its frame, but its simple two-tone gray accent keys certainly help it stand out without leaping off the desk.

Lighting is uniform even across longer legends, something very few gaming keyboards manage to nail. While the LEDs themselves come across more pastel in-person, compared to the bold colors of Logitech and Razer decks, they're plenty bright and functionally helpful when lighting up only dual-function keys.

Extra switch customization options

The best Hall effect keyboards typically share a set of features; customizable actuation points, multi-step inputs, and rapid trigger. All that's here, but Corsair has added a few neat little extras of its own.

Tap Lock allows for any hold command to act as a toggle while Smart Tap allows for different commands based on whether you're tapping or holding. The former is a nice addition to the arsenal, even though it's usually covered by in-game settings anyway. However, the latter came in particularly handy - more so than the four-step actuation options common on many magnetic decks.

While assigning multiple inputs to one keypress is faster, it's rarely a necessary aspect of my playstyle. Loading a grenade, throwing, and returning to the weapon wheel in one keypress is neat, but I actually found myself using Smart Tap features a lot more.

Assigning heal to a tap and opening up different healing options with a hold, or even just swapping between a main interaction key and a secondary one, all my controls feel a lot tighter together and far more organized. There's also no need to learn how far down a keypress I need to be to trigger my full list of commands.

The feature also helps in productivity scenarios, with directional inputs easily mapped to taps on the cluster of right-hand keys, somewhat removing some of the roadblocks of the 60% layout.

Actually, not a bad price

While some of Corsair's roster of keyboards can suffer a little brand tax, its Hall effect options are surprisingly some of the more competitively priced in its arsenal. The Clipper Pro Mini 60 doesn't deviate. At $99.99 / £89.99, it's significantly cheaper than the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini ($219.99 / £209.99) and Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini ($179.99 / £179.99). Even a look at the wider market puts Corsair in a favorable position.

It's not the cheapest on the market - Epomaker's AULA WIN68 sits at $49.99 / £49.99, you can grab an Attack Shark 65%-er for $59.99, and RK Royal Kludge and Redragon have the absolute bottom of the market at $30 - $40, but after that we've only really got Womier competing in the same $90-$100 price range. Options from Keychron, Asus, Razer, Nuphy, Logitech, and SteelSeries will all run you well over $100.

It's not the cheapest option out there, but for full-featured, mainstream gaming keyboards it's certainly on the right side of the numbers.

What to consider about the Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60

Some crunch on the space bar

While the majority of the typing experience here is smooth and snappy there is a little crunch on the spacebar every so often. It's only noticeable when hit in the middle of the bar with a little more force, but could suggest further degradation with longer term use.

Adding a little lubrication to the top of the stabilizer bar housing doesn't massively help the problem, and with the bar itself mounted under the plastic housing it's a little tricky to dive in there for a quicker fix. It's not too harsh on the ears and I was able to temper my space bar use so as to not hit that louder clack pretty easily in testing.

Cheaper casing

This isn't exactly a slight against the Corsair Clipper, after all it's designed to be a lightweight, portable 60% keyboard and its pricing is certainly competitive. However, if you're after a more luxurious feeling keyboard there are sturdier cases out there.

This is a plastic construction, with a lighter, more hollow feel to it overall. That's purely aesthetic, though. The sound dampening is still top notch, and everything still feels nicely bouncy.

Should you buy the Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60?

The Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60 is among the cheapest mainstream gaming-branded magnetic gaming keyboards, and yet it still feels great in the hand (barring some space bar twinges), runs light and speedy for competitive play, and offers an extra set of switch customization tools over its competitors.

That means it's giving the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini something to think about. While my current top pick for the best 60% gaming keyboard does have its own way around the arrow-key problem, and adds a pretty slick joystick function, Corsair's Smart Tap feature provides the same fix while avoiding the echo problems of Sneki's offering. With a lower starting price, it's now my go-to recommendation for anyone after a more compact form factor.

How I tested the Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60

I mainlined the Corsair Clipper Pro Mini 60 for two weeks, running the keyboard for all my daily gameplay, work, and everything in between. In that time I primarily played across Doom: The Dark Ages, High on Life 2, and Planet Coaster 2, with dedicated testing in CS2 and Apex Legends. I also completed three one-minute typing tests on TypingTest.com at the end of my testing period, taking the average of each test as my final result. For more information on how we test gaming keyboards, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I'm also rounding up all the best wireless gaming keyboards as well as the best hot-swappable keyboards on the market.

RGB is not integral to any gaming setup. Ever. Colourful disco lights won’t make you play better or be more comfortable while you (by you, I mean me) lock in for a long session of WoW.

So why exactly does the new ASUS ROG Courser gaming chair boast six areas of RGB lighting? Is it necessary? Absolutely not. But if we reduced every gaming chair down to the barest of essentials, we’d probably all be sitting in stark grey office chairs. The Courser is a gaming chair with unabashed flair. Sporting four lighting strips that extend down the sides of its backrest, with six colour modes glowing next to its all-black EPU leatherette finish.

The cutout area and rear-side ROG logo also light up, and at this point, you might be asking: if the lights aren't visible when you're using the chair, what's the benefit of having them? For those flashy design flourishes and a pretty reasonable set of conventional chair features, the ROG Courser will set you back $750 / £699. That’s definitely on the more premium end of the gaming chair pricing scale, so is the extra lighting really going to be worth it in a stacked market?

Design & Features

Well, for starters, the in-chair lights create an eye-catching look that’s ideal for streamers and content creators. The RGB looks super sleek contrasted against the dark chair. But for those who prefer to game in private, the Rainbow colour mode on the top level of brightness will add a gorgeous, subtle multicolour hue to your gaming room. This is a chair that will add heaps of atmosphere to your setup.

It includes eight different colour settings, five levels of brightness, and several lighting modes, including wave, static, breathing, and colour cycle. But alas, this isn’t Soft-Furnishings-Radar, and we are not just reviewing an ambient light fixture here.

So while the selling point of the ASUS ROG Courser is how it looks, its strongest quality is actually how it feels.

While the Courser shares much of its overall shape with the brand’s Chariot models, its broader frame makes it noticeably wider. It has a roomy seat base of 55cm, offering plenty of space for a broad range of body types.

The EPU leatherette material is smooth and breathable, perfect for keeping cool during gaming sessions on hot, sticky summer nights. It’s also notable that you get 4D armrests on the ROG Courser, which is standard for a gaming chair of this price. There are separate buttons for elevation and the twist functions, then a pull clicker for distance out from the chair.

These 4D armrests can now swivel the entire 360 degrees, too. All these comfort factors combine to form a chair so accommodating you’ll genuinely forget you’re sitting in it until it’s time to chill and kick back. This is when you will become highly aware that you are sitting in something pretty luxurious.

Assembly

Admittedly, I felt a mild wave of panic when the ASUS ROG Courser arrived on my doorstep. My previous gaming chair was constructed for me by an ex-boyfriend, and the thought of piecing together something so complex alone was daunting. I have lost patience and bawled tears of frustration over many IKEA flat-packed furniture items in the past - was my new gaming chair going to prove similarly difficult to build?

Not at all. The Courser was a breeze to assemble, even for a clumsy person with zero experience at putting a gaming chair together. All the parts slotted neatly into place, making the build experience feel simple and stress-free. It took 30 minutes for me to assemble the chair by myself, following the clear instructions card inside the box

Performance

I thought lower back ache was normal, all part of the fun of hunching in a shrimp shape over my PC while I devote another evening to Azeroth. Turns out: it’s not. I’ve been sitting in the ASUS ROG Courser for 4 weeks now, and my spine feels noticeably more limber.

The in-built lumbar support backrest appears to be the key factor here, with its fully adjustable system that can be tweaked according to depth and height - ensuring my posture stays good while I game. The Courser doesn’t have a lumbar pillow, but it doesn’t need one thanks to its dynamic lumbar support system that works very similarly to the Corsair TC500 Luxe and the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen.

Unlike most gaming chairs, which shift your body slightly forward or slide you down the backrest when reclined, the Courser has a Dynamic Synchronised Recline System that keeps your posture more consistent with the backrest while reclining up to 155 degrees. This is something we’re seeing more often in the gaming chair market, especially with the LiberNovo Omni, but more recently with the Secretlab Atlas.

It’s a unique, thoughtful detail that makes finding a comfortable position as you lean back much easier, as you won’t need to make adjustments every time you recline. For PC gamers especially, this is a feature to look out for because when you’ve spent ages finding the exact right height and angle of your armrests to match up with the level of your desk so you can aim precisely with a mouse, the last thing you want to do is mess that up by reclining them out of position.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Courser?

The RGB of the ROG Courser might be alluring to a lot of gamers looking for those perfect unicorn vomit vibes in their chill-out spaces, but the price tag of $750 / £699 could be equally off-putting. For context, Asus has charged similar amounts for its ROG Destrier Ergo chair line, so it’s no stranger to outlandish designs and high price tags. But for the same money, or less, you could get yourself a Secretlab Titan Evo (without RGB lighting) and a colorway that represents your favorite gaming franchise. For less money, you could get the still-expensive Razer Iskur V2 NewGen, which gets you a floating backrest, or you could get an AutoFull G7 with seemingly endless adjustable parts.

Compared to those options, Asus obviously offers RGB lighting which we don’t see elsewhere, but having sat in it for around a month, I think the lights are actually the least valuable thing here. The adjustable lumbar support, spacious seat and dynamic recline system make this chair a pleasure to sit in for hours.

If you’re looking for the best value gaming chair, there are great alternatives from Secretlab and Razer, but if you’re after a premium chair that doesn’t look like anything else on the market and backs up its flashy design with comfort, then the ASUS ROG Courser earns its place.

How I tested the Asus ROG Courser

I tested the ASUS ROG Courser for a month before this review was written. I assembled it myself in 40 minutes using the instructions card that came with the chair. It was very easy to build and to lift by myself. I sat in the chair for around 9 hours per day, either working from home or gaming.

For more on how we test gaming chairs, dive deeper into the GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

Looking for more gaming furniture? Check out the best console gaming chairs, the best gaming desks, and the best standing desk.

I'm not shy about the fact that I have maybe some of the most bizarre gaming mice preferences you'll come across. Where a lot of FPS gamers will opt for a very slimline, lightweight mouse that's obsessed with gliding across their desk like it were ice skating, I'm not a fan. Instead of the claw grip most people are using, I've always preferred a palm grip, so I ever so slightly detest mice that don't have a dedicated groove for my pinky and ring finger.

To make matters more complicated, I've also been obsessed with an MMO mouse for the last year and a half now. With 12 programmable keys on its thumb side, I have ultimate utility for mapping in-game actions to the buttons I feel are appropriate, and I'm not sure I could go without them now.

All of these things mean that as a gamer and a consumer, I do not feel even close to catered to in the current market. This is because, as my colleague and GR+'s resident mouse expert pointed out recently, the best gaming mice have an Esports problem. As Esports has become more prevalent, the preferences of the extreme 1% of gamers have become almost the entire market.

8,000Hz polling rates, a narrow, lightweight design, and essentially no extra functionality have become the norm for flagship, increasingly expensive mice. As weird and fringe as my own mouse preferences are, I'm not a fan of the fact that brands making them have decided that because it's what suits competitive, twitchy, performance-obsessed sweats on the biggest competition stages, we all need to conform.

Outside of the Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite, I don't see any gaming mice launching these days that stray from that convention. As much as I love the Redragon Impact M908 I use currently, I would love some more FPS features since these are the games I play most often. A slightly lighter weight or a better set of skates, or, if I can dream, a faster polling rate than 1,000Hz so I can keep up with the best players I'm up against. This kind of option just doesn't exist on the shelves, which is why a chance encounter at Computex a month ago drove all this home for me.

While I was in Hall 2, where most of the booths and exhibits are geared at B2B visitors and not the consumer-facing gamer stuff I was there to see, I stumbled upon Meetion's booth. My eye was immediately caught because, minus RGB, my Redragon Impact M908's design is very distinct. You seldom see 12 MMO keys and a pinky grove on a mouse, so I was instantly attracted to something sitting on display.

The Meetion Mega V1 isn't available yet through Meetion's website, nor its UK or US Amazon stores, but when it is, I'll be waiting. See, it has the design I love, but it's got the 8K polling rate and the lighter-weight feel of those Esports mice. It's the weirdo FPS mouse I've been longing for - it's even wireless and feels like it's gliding around the display surface much better than the one on my desk would.

But not only that, there's real innovation hiding in the Mega V1. It's got a modular element to it because you can swap around its side panels to have more or less functionality. Don't fancy those 12 extra MMO keys? Want a different shape on the other side? This mouse caters to you. Where is this level of ingenuity in the current mouse market? I'd be a lot more up for using a lightweight Esports mouse if it had the option for me to attach a side panel with a few extra keys on it.

What impressed me even further was that, in addition to this coming from a relatively unknown brand was that the side keys were tiny microswitches. They clicked in with a premium feel of the best PC controllers; they felt easy to actuate and distinguish from one another. The M908 Impact's side keys are useful, but they're plain plastic buttons that can be tough to actuate quickly - yet another issue that Meetion has found a cure for.

You probably don't have the weirdo, sicko mouse preferences I do, but even so, brands like Meetion are the solution if you don't feel like the biggest names are offering you some versatility these days. Esports rodents just aren't going to be for everyone, and if the bigger brands don't realise that soon, they might be losing some lunch to the smaller brands that are willing to take risks to cater to different desires.

If you want to delve deeper, check out the best wireless gaming mouse, the best Razer mouse, and the best Logitech mouse.

Back in March of 2024, I received a press release from Secretlab. The brand, having just reached its 3 millionth customer, issued a statement from one of its CEOs. "We don’t make 'gaming chairs'", it read. "Our design mentality is that we design chairs suited for long hours of gaming and other activities. Hence, our design philosophy is starkly different from most 'gaming chairs' on the market", said Ian Ang.

I must admit, when I read that, I scoffed. Secretlab is maybe the brand most synonymous on planet earth for making gaming chairs, so to claim that's never been the focus felt a tad silly. It's a company with inextricable links to gaming, from licensed gaming designs of its products to its co-founders forming a friendship through a love of games. I've now been fortunate enough to meet Ian and his fellow CEO, Alaric, and what's become clear to me is that the statements made in that press release match up far more with where the company was headed, not where it's been. Secretlab isn't satisfied with just the gaming market, and looking back now, that 3 million customer statement was really just a long-term teaser for what was to come.

The Atlas isn't designed for gaming. It's a productivity chair aimed purely at focused, ergonomic desk work. There are no licensed colorways of your favorite games; there's no library of ergonomic add-ons and improvements. This is a classy, modernized, almost Scandinavian-esque desk chair that's taking a very different approach from the Titan Evo. And I couldn't be happier about that. I've sat in the Atlas for just under a month now, and ironically, I think despite its attempts to steer clear of gamers, it's a better gaming chair than its flagship sibling. What's more, I'm no longer scoffing at Ian's 2024 comments because whether you're gaming, working, or something else, the Atlas is a great place to sit.

Design & Features

I'm sure your eyebrows are probably pushing their way down your forehead right now. How can a chair that has no design and feature set geared toward gaming be a better gaming seat than one of the most popular thrones for gamers on the market? Well, I actually think Secretlab was onto something with that statement back in 2024.

Ever since, the boundaries between gaming chairs and office chairs have been blurring, especially when it comes to "ergonomic" ones. Gaming chairs and their increased adjustability have bled into the office chair market, and vice versa. Most of the Atlas's rivals in the gaming space will sport mesh backing, for example, which is a direct pull from office chairs.

Secretlab has steered away from that convention with the design of the Atlas, because there's no mesh involved here. Having spoken at length with Secretlab's executive head of product development & industrial design and its CEOs, I find myself on the same page as them. Mesh chairs always feel like less of a product that you pay more money for, and I'm so glad they didn't opt for it here.

Instead, what we have is a leaner chair than the Titan Evo, but one that still uses the brand's signature upholstery and proprietary foam cushioning to support your posture into healthier positions. It reminds me of the fabric versions of the Fractal Refine. There's a less-is-more approach to backrest cushioning that you don't quite sink into, but it's enough for you to know it's there. It's supportive, comfortable, but not indulgent - kind of ideal for a chair that wants to improve your posture and wellbeing.

The Atlas is available in two main models, each with the brand's leatherette and Softweave materials in various colors. The base version will set you back $499 / £399, but the NanoGen premium versions will cost you $699 / £599. There are no officially licensed colorways of the Atlas, nor any Skins for it, like there are for the Titan Evo. It's unclear from talking to the folks at Secretlab if this is something they have planned in the future, or whether they'd prefer to let the Atlas stand alone as a less-nerdy and more classy aesthetic offering.

Similarly, there's no compatibility here with Secretlab's chair add-ons. The design here is fundamentally different from the Titan Evo, so it's understandable that making those add-ons compatible would have been a step too far, binding Secretlab to a similar design to its flagship. Given how the company has built on the Titan Evo with an entire ecosystem of add-ons, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if we saw separate add-ons for the Atlas in the future. Only time will tell, but during assembly, I did spy some unused screwholes in the seat base, and these may just be futureproofing for Vincent Sin, the aforementioned head of product development, to create some new add-ons with.

The Atlas strips back on some adjustability and features compared to the Titan Evo. 4D armrests take a drop down to 3D, losing out on their ability to slide to a narrower or wider setting. Fully adjustable lumbar scrollwheels are replaced by a Re-curve backrest designed to fit a median of body shapes. Full recline is substituted for a synchronous tilt mechanism that shifts the armrests back one degree for every two degrees the backrest tilts back.

Elsewhere, you have a clever recline tension mechanism which almost in itself gives you four recline settings, but a locking catch means you can set the backrest in any position that works for you. You also get seat depth adjustment, which may help you to sink into a chair that really encourages you to stay upright.

One thing I'd really like to applaud is the design work that went into the controls for the Atlas. There are really excellent, small bits of visual feedback to communicate to the user what tilt tension they're at or if their recline is locked or unlocked. From a tour of Secretlab's office, I've seen first-hand the buckets full of 3D-printed prototypes to get this exactly right. It's something chairs constantly neglect, but having it makes a massive difference because it's easier to distinguish what the various levers do and how you should use them. Having spoken to people who aren't as clued up about what gaming chair controls do, I know that if people don't understand them, they don't use them, so Secretlab's tireless effort in this respect could help ensure you get the most out of the Atlas.

The entire design ethos of the chair is visually distinct, but the top of the backrest in particular has a really alluring angle to it. Its inward curve and head panel aren't as pronounced as they look at first glance, but the way the shoulders only gently wrap around you means you aren't inspired to slouch inward. Overall, the Atlas has a taller, distinct look that's really grown on me. The Dune and Dune+ colorways, in particular, are absolutely beautiful and look right at home in a WFH or classy gaming space.

Assembly

In true Secretlab fashion, assembly of the Atlas was pretty painless. The brand is always good at providing videos and a big placard in the box telling you the steps to follow. It also provides the tools you need in a handy little box. The first thing I noticed when unpacking all of the separated elements of the Atlas was how light they all were. I always assemble the chairs I test solo, and having built a couple of Titan Evos, I can tell you they're easy to assemble, but their parts are on the heavier side.

With the Atlas, the seatbase, the backrest, and all of the separate parts are much easier to grab out of the box if you're a building party of one. It makes for an easy assembly because there aren't hefty bits you need to wrestle into position at awkward angles.

I'd say the Atlas takes a tad longer to put together than the Titan Evo, but I'm not sure that's a fair comparison, seeing as the Evo has been around for so long now and Secretlab has had a lot of time to work out the quickest and easiest ways to get that thing assembled.

The only thing I'd really swap from the assembly process is the casters. The other elements that make up the Atlas feel quite distinct from the Titan Evo, but these wheels feel almost exactly the same as the ones from the bigger chair, and I don't know if they're a great fit. Rolling it around on my living room/office floor carpet flooring while I'm sitting down is a massive struggle for such a light build. It might seem silly, but those small corrections to match up the chair with the middle line of your monitor can be irritating if the chair is fighting you. I don't know if substituting some narrower casters or differently designed ones would help here. Either way, be prepared for the Atlas to not be the easiest to roll around in.

Performance

I never thought I'd be saying this in a Secretlab review, but I actually have some concerns about the build quality of the Atlas after my typical month of chair testing.

Keep in mind that I'm testing one of the earliest models, and Secretlab sometimes innovates and improves on models as they extend their lives on the shelves. Your mileage may vary, but in particular, the plastics used in the mechanism of the armrests feel a little looser than I'd expect from Secretlab, and they rattle pretty loudly from side to side. Similarly, the seat depth adjustment is occasionally loose for me. When I shift my weight or cross one leg under the other, it moves ever so slightly out of position even while the seat depth setting is supposed to be locked. The backrest and cushioning both feel as new as the day I first sat on them, but for once, with a Secretlab product, I'm a little concerned about how long the bodywork may last.

I've now seen first-hand the sorts of endurance testing and R&D that go on for Secretlab products before release, so I do feel confident recommending the Atlas to you as a long-term option, but I can't help but note to you that from my month of testing, I do have some initial concerns. Similarly, like a lot of gaming chair armrests these days, these ones don't lock into position besides their height. To move them forward or rotate them to just manually shove them. These take more effort than most clicky armrests, like the ones on the AutoFull G7, which slide out of position very easily. But over time, in my experience, these types of armrests can come loose too. That hasn't happened to me with the Atlas yet, but I've sat in a lot of chairs, and that's a trend I've noticed.

All of this feels to me like it could be a result of two things, namely, the fact that the Atlas has a lighter build than the Titan Evo. It isn't quite as beefy, and like I mentioned in the assembly section, its parts feel a lot easier to throw around. Moreover, Secretlab has provided a more affordable price, and that may point to slightly cheaper materials used - plastics in the armrests don't seem as premium, for example.

I mentioned it in my early impressions, but I think the lighter build contributes good things too. It may bring more build quality concerns into play, but in my eyes, it makes the chair more comfortable. The Titan Evo Nanogen's frame and pure heft are, I think, a reason why it has a reputation for being firm. You fall into it, and the thing gives your entire body a jolt. The Atlas, with its lighter quality, doesn't do that. I can fall into this and feel caught and cushioned all at once. With a less intrusive frame and a thinner layer of cushioning, things don't feel as firm to sit in at length. The way that form has been paired with the Softweave+ fabric helps that too. It feels as though the material has a bit more flex, which allows it to feel comfier.

If there's a downside to that fabric and foam combo, it's breathability. I'll preface this by saying I've just been testing the Atlas during a record-breaking heatwave in the UK, which is a much, much tougher test of chair breathability than others in my Scottish home have gone through, but if you live in a warmer country, keep in mind that it's going to hug your shirt and you're going to feel sticky when you stand up. This happens to me even with a mesh chair in hotter conditions though.

Even so, I managed to sit in this chair for long work days and full evenings of gaming, and I felt very comfortable besides a few lumbar shuffles. That's to be expected; the backrest is never going to cater perfectly to everyone. For work and play, this thing is excellent and holds great value for money at its price point - although keep in mind that I'm testing the premium version, so I can't really speak to the more affordable options. I think if I were to nitpick one aspect of this chair, it'd need to be the armrests.

For starters, they have an excellent, plush cushioning - I have no complaints there. But there are two design flaws here that I can't help but compare to the LiberNovo Omni, another innovative ergonomic chair that puts recline as one of its main focuses. In that chair, I can recline back for the first two or three settings and still game at my desk with my arms up on the worktop to control a mouse and keyboard. It's a perfect ratio of tilt without compromising very precise armrest adjustment for gaming. In other words, the ratio of recline works so that the armrests slide back with you, but stay level with where they were when you were upright.

In the Atlas, they actually tilt back too much in my opinion, and slope upward, making it much more of a pernickety process matching them up with the level of your desk for reclined PC gaming. A readjustment of the armrest height sorts that, but it does take that second adjustment, which can get quite annoying when you just want to kick back and keep playing. Essentially, versus the Omni, it's a bit more annoying to use, but versus most other chairs, it's going to be a lot more helpful because other chairs don't sync their armrest and backrest recline levels at all. Not to mention, the Omni I'm comparing it to costs close to a grand.

The synchronous tilt system hasn't been designed for gaming, but I think the 2:1 ratio could be adjusted slightly to take on the LiberNovo Omni because it's so, so close to being that intuitive. The tilt locking tensions of the Atlas are genius, and do provide a way to keep the backrest support and relax a bit from your standard, upright focus mode. I really enjoy using the fourth recline tension for a slightly more indulgent work session, or the second mode for a much more comfortable session gaming with a controller at my desk.

Sadly, the other problem with the armrests is one I haven't been able to get past since my early impressions. Without that fourth dimension to move them narrower or wider, they compromise the ergonomics of the Atlas. Ideally, to make the most of the re-curve backrest angle, you want to sit as deep into the seatbase as possible, with the small of your back tucked right into the bottom of the backrest. If I sit in that position, my elbows don't hit the armrests without my forcing them outward from my body because they don't raise up high enough or come close enough to my midsection.

That then creates a slouch in my chest, and things get uncomfortable quickly. It's a problem I know all too well from the Corsair TC500 Luxe. If I sink into the chair a bit more, this isn't such a problem, but it's not ideal for a chair with ergonomics at its heart. For reference, I'm just over 5ft10, and I'm sitting in the Large model of the Atlas. According to Secretlab's metrics, I'm right on the cusp between the Regular and Large models, so maybe a Regular would fix this issue. Either way, it detracts from the effectiveness of the Atlas as an ergonomic seat, and I can't help but wish that just one more dimension of armrest adjustability were included because a quick shift inward is all that would be needed to fix this issue.

Should you buy the Secretlab Atlas?

It's no real secret that I've never been the biggest fan of the Secretlab Titan Evo. I think that chair is amazing for offering an ecosystem of upgrades and add-ons. I think its selection of colorways is unmatched, and its build quality is so assured that it's hard to argue against as a long-term investment. But it isn't all that comfortable in my eyes, and its ergonomics aren't anything that countless imitators now offer for cheaper.

The Secretlab Atlas is much, much more up my street. It has a distinct, sleek, and modern design; it has a beautiful blend of comfort and ergonomics; it has a good amount of adjustability for the money it costs, and most importantly, it has a value price tag which isn't sticking in the back of my mind as I review it. Secretlab typically makes pricey products, and while they're always crafted to a high standard, one sticking point for me is that I know you can often get more affordable options elsewhere.

The Atlas isn't quite as good as the Fractal Refine in my opinion. While it adds more comfort in the backrest and seatbase, it loses out on a couple of extra dimensions of adjustability - but for once, Secretlab's offering is more affordable, so I'm not wrestling to justify it against the competition.

The Atlas isn't as firm as the Titan Evo; it's got a lot of features going for it and a showstopping look that's done nothing but grow on me since the curtain was first drawn back on it. It doesn't have the same offering of add-ons at launch that the Titan Evo does, but I'm sure that in time, that could change. The Atlas isn't the best gaming or desk chair out there, but at its price, I don't think it needs to be. I really enjoyed my time sitting in it, and I think a slew of gamers and remote workers will too.

How I tested the Secretlab Atlas

I've done my usual four weeks sitting in the Atlas to test its build quality and its impacts on my body. I've sat in it for over 8 hours on an almost daily basis since then for both work, gaming, and other content creation tasks. I've also reclined in it to chill out from all of those things. I've compared my time in it with Secretlab's other chairs, as well as my time with other gaming and ergo seats like the Fractal Refine and LiberNovo Omni.

Besides my at-home testing, I also want to disclose that I was taken on a trip to Singapore to get an early look at the Secretlab Atlas ahead of its reveal. I got to meet the people behind the Secretlab brand, talk to them about the design of their products, and get a feel for the company's culture. I'm confident that this hasn't skewed my review in either direction, but it has enlightened me to the design philosophy and manufacturing standards that the company strives for.

For more on how we test gaming chairs, check out the GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

If you're crafting the perfect gaming setup, you should know about the best gaming desks, the best console gaming chairs, and the best gaming PCs.

Whenever a new series of one of my most beloved anime launches, I inevitably get a bit obsessed and snap up any figures and merch I can get my hands on. So it feels serendipitous that I stumbled upon the IQUNIX EV63 Ghost in the Shell Edition keyboards.

The $249.99 (Amazon) boards are the result of a collaboration between gaming keyboard brand IQUNIX and publishing company Kodansha, and include two 60% layout keyboards, decked out with double-shot PBT themed keycaps (hey Major), NOVA hall-effect switches, and aluminum chassis for a look that appears as if they jumped right out of the original 1995 film.

I'm currently typing with the K3 Gen II Hatsune Miku Edition keyboard from Asus, so I'm always partial to an officially licensed bit of tech, but the Shell Core and Shell Blue go above and beyond what I'd expected to see on an anime board.

IQUINIX states that the board "blends tactical precision with cyberpunk
aesthetics" and that's definitely apparent when you gaze at the images and see the transparent keycaps for yourself. The turquoise green coloring on the Shell Core design, in particular, feels very on-brand for the franchise. Its coloring reminds me of the QUAD poster I have for the 1995 Ghost in the Shell film re-release, which I own from my days working at in independance movie theatre.

If you look close enough, you can even spot the Major herself upon some of the keys, and each version of the board incorporates her image differently, which delivers a nice bit of variation for fans. Yet, as cool as they look, I'd be really intrigued to see if this Ghost in the Shell collaboration isn't just style over substance.

Both EV63 Ghost in the Shell models include Hall-effect Nova Switches, which are designed with "reduce wabble and enhanced trigger consistency." As someone who's recently discovered the wonders of Counter-Strike 2 a bit too late, I'd be curious to see what these linear-feeling switches could do to get me on the same level as seasoned players.

The keyboards are also built with FPS games in mind and include custom onboard profiles, and are powered by the brand's latest HyperCore V3 firmware. The latter of which is aimed at prioritising speed by ensuring every keypress is fast, and that there are no keystroke accuracy issues if you swap to alternative compatible switches, an inclusion which is quite unusual given the rarity of hot-swappable HE keyboards.

I'm not as well-versed in the world of e-sports gaming to notice a discernible speed difference most of the time, but it's reassuring to learn that these new Ghost in Shell edition boards aren't relying solely on their looks.

The new Ghost in the Shell anime series launches on Amazon Prime on July 7, where I'll inevitably become yet again obsessed with the queen that is Major Motoko Kusanagi. Sadly, these boards aren't available at UK retailers, so I won't be able to add them to my setup in preparation. But I'll let all of you fellow UK-anime fans know if and when they become available across the pond.

• View all gaming keyboards at Amazon

Our team has also rounded up the best gaming chairs, the best gaming laptops, and the best gaming mice, if you want to give your PC gaming setup a boost.

I've been waiting for this gaming keyboard deal ever since I first pulled the Corsair Galleon 100 SD out the box and clocked its $349.99 MSRP. This is a seriously fun deck to have on the desk, but its price point always slightly got in the way. Yes, it's the best gaming keyboard for those after a full-size format, but at full price, you still need to sit in a niche use case to make the most of it.

You're looking at a TKL layout with a 12-button Stream Deck integrated where you'd expect a num-pad to be. That's a massive amount of customization potential, especially with the four-panelled screen and two control dials. You're essentially getting the functionality of the Stream Deck Plus (minus two dials and plus four buttons) baked into the price here. When that price is $299.99, things get a little more interesting.

This record-breaking discount comes as part of Best Buy's 4th of July sales - surprising, considering the Galleon 100 SD was still stuck at full price during last week's Prime Day offers. Still, I'll take that first discount whenever it comes - especially if it makes one of my favorite gaming keyboards easier to get hold of.

• Join GamesRadar+ Deals on WhatsApp for our top daily discounts

I've had this model front and centre on my desk whenever I've not been testing a new gaming keyboard. You can even forget its obvious streaming benefits; I use those extra keys for everyday productivity, Spotify controls, and a particularly in-depth Planet Coaster 2 control suite.

Whether or not it will be right for you depends on how your setup already looks, though. If you're already sorted for a Stream Deck, there's little point in paying over the odds for an integrated model. It's nice to have it right there, but considering you can pick up one of the best Hall effect keyboards for about this price, there's more flexibility elsewhere.

Anyone on the hunt for both a keyboard and a Stream Deck, however, needs to listen up. The Galleon 100 SD scored four stars in my review, dropping the final star largely because that value doesn't quite stack up so easily. A couple of months ago, I dug a little further into the math.

The Stream Deck Neo is one of the brand's more value-packed mid-range options. At $99.99, it can easily sit next to a cheaper gaming keyboard and give you the same kind of control opportunities as the Corsair Galleon 100 SD for far less cash. With today's discount applied, you've still got $200 to spend on a mechanical TKL keyboard or a magnetic option. That's not insignificant.

Splitting the design has its own benefits; being able to position the Stream Deck exactly where I wanted was nicer than sometimes having to take my mouse hand away, and the flexibility to introduce a magnetic keyboard instead is going to benefit more competitive players.

You're still not getting the full control panel at your disposal, though, and day-to-day shortcuts are far more comfortable (and I was hitting them more reliably) when positioned along a flat interface rather than the Neo's stand.

Ultimately, today's discount tips the scales in the Galleon's favor a little, but there are still cheaper ways to achieve your command centre setup. If you're more interested in quickly and easily hitting all your macros while still upgrading your keyboard to a solid mechanical offering at the same time, though, it's well worth investigating.

• See all 4th of July sales at Best Buy

I'm also bringing you all the best wireless gaming keyboards as well as the best hot-swappable keyboards for more options as well.

As the last few hours of Prime Day begin to fade, I feel it's my duty as a tech reviewer to try to make as many people aware of discounts that could actually save them money in the long run. Please read these next few chaotic paragraphs with a sense of urgency because I've written about so many deals this week, my brain is beginning a delayed melting process that's entirely unrelated to the European heatwave that's been running alongside it. Even so, I'm coherent enough to know that this might be one of the best offers I've come across. If you are shopping, or even at all interested in a new microphone for streaming and gaming, please read on.

The Maono PD200W is not the most well-known mic on the market. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that most people, even the ones in the know, do not know this thing exists. But they should, because it's a damn good microphone even if you don't consider its main selling point. It has wireless, USB, and XLR connectivity. Most mics only have two out of those three, or just one of them, and yet somehow, Maono's is cheaper than the competition and sounds pretty much just as good as the most expensive options.

I get it, you don't believe me that it can sound that good at this kind of price. Please allow me to prove it to you. Here's my good friend and freelancer, Alex Berry, talking into it:

I know what you're thinking. "Wow, what a lovely Australian voice this man has." Yes, I agree with you, but also, what a superb-sounding microphone that conveys that voice with so much clarity and rich depth.

Okay, but how does that compare to a more expensive mic? Well, here's Alex again, talking into a Shure MV7+ that's much pricier.

Sure enough, that one sounds a bit fuller, and the sound overall might be a bit brighter, but in my opinion, not by all that much. For reference, the Shure MV7+ costs $299 at full price, and $254 during Prime Day. Would you say it sounds $170 better?

Not to mention, the Maono gives you a third method of connectivity on top of the Shure's XLR and USB capabilities, and still holds onto that classy content creator look we all know from the Shure SM7dB.

If you are a gamer who talks with friends, if you are a content creator who occasionally streams or makes videos with voice-over for YouTube, if you're a professional podcaster and you need a spare, or on-the-go capsule for yourself or guests, I don't really know why you wouldn't go for the Maono PD200W. The way this thing is priced, it provides convenience, quality, and a professional, no-nonsense look to creators and hobbyists of all levels - and even gives beginners room to grow into an XLR setup - at such a dramatically lower cost than the competition.

To give you more context, one of my go-to budget-friendly mics I still recommend to beginners is the Blue Yeti Nano, which came out in 2018 to the tune of $99, and still sells for that kind of price. Shure's budget-friendly USB-only mic, the MV6, sells for $169. In other words, I have absolutely no clue how Maono can be making a profit on the PD200W, but if it's going to allow us to get such great mic quality and convenience at this price, we might as well accept the gift, no?

For more on content creation, head to our pages about the best gear for streaming, the best capture cards, and the best streaming mixer.

Elgato's Stream Deck family transcends the live streaming gear market at this point, branching out thanks to pure usefulness to the general PC gaming crowd. I think one reason why these nifty little desk assistants have been so popular is that they've never been particularly hard on your wallet, but with a full franchise of sizes on the shelves now, and almost all of them seeing Prime Day discounts, it's hard to turn them down.

Elgato has really shown up for Prime Day this year, because I'm not kidding, besides the new Stream Deck+ XL (which is honestly so big it's only going to be really useful for the most pro-grade users), you can get pretty much any Stream Deck model on offer at Amazon right now.

I've done the rounds and studied each one's price history data, and from what I can see, four of them have new historically low prices just now. That's out of the five I'm seeing discounted for Prime Day, so there's really never been a better time to try and grab one of them. Just keep in mind that you might need a Prime membership to make the most of these since they are official Prime Day deals, so take out a free trial if you need to. Prime Day ends at midnight in your local time (on Friday 26th) so don't wait around too long.

For more on content creation gear, take a look at the best microphones for streaming and gaming, the best streaming mixer, and the best capture cards.

This is how my life goes. I use a new keyboard every two weeks, then at the end I have to take photos of it. We're all friends here, I'll tell you that after all that constant work and play it doesn't exactly look photo fresh by the time I come to write up my final review. Dust is the enemy here, but we all know these accessories aren't exactly impervious to crumbs and other grossness - that's not what you want to see from some of the best gaming keyboards on the market.

A while back I got tired of tiny brushes, or de-capping every keyboard before I took photos of it. I picked up a $7 tub of goop, and I haven't gone back since.

There's one problem - the only reason I'd mark ColorCoral down. It doesn't last much longer than around six months.

After that, the gel becomes too soft, sticking awkwardly where it previously would have lifted straight up and becoming a nightmare on the hands. So yes, you will have to replace it eventually - especially if you're using it as often as I am. For $8, though, it's earned a permanent spot on my shelf.

Simply take that crusty old keyboard, switch it off, slap the gel on top (I like to move fast here to avoid leaving the goop to nestle too deep in between the keycaps), give it a little shuggle around, and lift everything straight out. All that nastiness sticks to the gel, leaving your deck as fresh as the day it was set up.

Just don't try it on straight switches - I did that once, it was a bad move.

• See all PC cleaning accessories at Amazon

We're rounding up plenty more of the best Prime Day gaming deals, spanning everything from Prime Day PC deals to Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals.

We all have to start somewhere, and if you're still at the 'office keyboard and cheap mouse' stage of your PC gaming journey, you'll be glad to know that it's finally time to make an upgrade.

As part of the Prime Day deals, the Asus ROG Strix Scope II X is now down to $95.99 at Amazon — this is the first time it's fallen below the $99.99 mark, and it's also more affordable than Asus' other keyboards, making it a pretty tempting buy right now. If you're ready for your first serious gaming keyboard, it's worth taking a closer look.

Every member of the Asus ROG Strix Scope II X family is reduced, as well as some other models from the brand, and you can find those discounts below.

Explaining its lower price, the Scope II X is wired, and doesn't have wireless connectivity, and it's also a little more compact, but its cables and switches are more robust than on the original model. For most gamers, it's probably the best pick of the bunch.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Strix Scope II X?

The ROG Strix Scope II series, rounded out by the standard and 96 models, all have mechanical keys. This kind of button has a tactile 'click' which feels more responsive to use for gaming, and they're incredibly durable too (no more disintegrating WASD keys).

Gamers tend to opt for them for these reasons, and so if you're beginning to buy some serious gaming accessories, it's a great place to start. A mechanical keyboard like the Strix Scope II X will last for a long time, and you won't really see a need to upgrade unless it's worn out or damaged.

The one question is cabling: if you absolutely need a wireless model, it's not going to suit your needs. Otherwise, though, you're sorted.

Plenty of other keyboards are discounted over Prime Day right now, but the biggest reductions often come on higher-priced keyboards, like 8Khz ones or those with robust, WASD-hammering designs. For most gamers, the Strix Scope II X is more than enough.

• Asus ROG Strix Scope II | $139.99 $109.99 at Amazon
• Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 | $179.99 $146.99 at Amazon
• Asus ROG Azoth | $249.99 $161.49 at Amazon

If you're looking for other items for your gaming set-up, we're monitoring all of the Prime Day gaming deals that'll help you pick up more kit. We've also rounded up all the best gaming keyboards so you can see how Asus' options stack up and find some other options worth considering.

I've been covering Prime Day for years now, and if I'm honest, it's been a continually growing trend each year that the best deals don't actually show up at the world's largest retailer; they come from competing brands. Prime Day is yet to begin this year, but other retailers like Newegg, Best Buy, and Walmart are already running competing sales.

Corsair isn't to be outdone either. It's currently running a promotion that lets you get any of its gaming chairs for 40% cheaper if you use a special promo code, which brings two of my go-to chair recommendations down to super-affordable prices.

The Corsair TC500 Luxe is one of my favorite gaming chairs I've ever tested. It manages to scratch an itch I have for gaming chairs that feel like you're sitting in a perfectly adjustable sofa, or even a La-Z-Boy. It has room for you to adjust the lumbar to suit your back, as well as a magnetic head pillow and recline, and adjustable armrests, but it's also got a wide seat base that lets you shift your position, cross a leg over, sit completely cross-legged, or just feel like you can really sink into it.

The armrests are my biggest pain point by far, and the caveat I'd issue anyone I'm recommending the chair to. I don't think they're a deal breaker because the rest of the chair is so good, but because they're set too wide apart, the ergonomics do suffer a bit. You can hear more in my full review, linked above.

Meanwhile, the Corsair TC100 Relaxed was the first gaming chair I ever reviewed, and it's kept its place on our best chair list ever since. It's a near-perfect starter chair, offering a nice blend of comfort with some beginner gaming chair perks. Yes, the lumbar cushion and head pillow are both strap-on ones, which isn't ideal. No, you won't get the last word in armrest adjustability, but you do get a chair that can stand the test of time, and will keep you comfortable for long hours at a desk.

There's a strong chance we could see both of these seats get Prime deals of their own once Amazon opens up its big summer sale selection, but if I were you, I wouldn't wait around. For these offers, you get them straight from Corsair without any middlemen that will likely only make things more expensive (unless you already have free shipping through Prime). If you're not a Prime member, you're unlikely to see better offers than what Corsair is offering on its products through its own website.

For more on Amazon's summer sale, check out Prime Day Kindle deals, Prime Day PC deals, and Prime Day Meta Quest deals.

Many mechanical keyboards bought in the last few years are hot-swappable, so - rather than buying a whole new deck this Prime Day, it's well worth seeing yours can simply take a new set of switches as an upgrade. Sure, the best gaming keyboards benefit from super-speedy clackers, but everyday typing devices deserve a little luxury as well.

After all, shelling out for a whole new typing experience can rack up quite the bill if you're just looking to swap to a different feel or actuation speed. While custom decks will run you into the hundreds, even cheaper off-the-shelf mechanical decks can still take you well over the $50 price range.

Of course, so can some switch sets. You'll find a good spread of some of my favorite linear, tactile, and clicky mechanical keyboard switches just below, spanning the premium to the budget. I've also kept my roster limited to Amazon, to make the most of early Prime Day gaming deals.

Linear mechanical keyboard switches

Tactile mechanical keyboard switches

Clicky mechanical keyboard switches

Don't have swappable clackers? Check out the best hot-swappable keyboards on the market right now. For something a little more customizable, we're also rounding up the best Hall effect keyboards available.

Prime Day is coming up next week, and that means it's one of the few times throughout the year where shopping for one of the best gaming chairs gets a little more affordable. Since we're now inundated with AI overviews and generative chat bots whenever we do any research for what to buy, I'm sure there are probably lots of folks who are tempted to dodge the experience of sifting through deals by asking AI for a helping hand. I really don't think you should do that.

Especially when it comes to something like a chair that you as a human will sit in, why would you want to ask AI for recommendations? Not to have too strong a "pick me, choose me" vibe, but I'm a chair reviewer who's been testing them for over three years now, and I don't know why anyone would want recommendations from an ass-less entity on the internet. So, as an experiment, I opened Gemini and asked it the following prompt:

"I'm looking for a new gaming chair this Prime Day, and I have a budget of $500. Which three would you recommend?"

A few seconds passed, and it then recommended the following products (spoilers: I do not recommend you shop for these ones, so read on to find my alternatives, and tap the "view details" button to get more of my thoughts on each of Gemini's suggestions).

I really thought I'd have an advantage over AI in this specific recommendation arena thanks to my human body and experience sitting in chairs my whole life, but it seems Gemini can't even stick to a strictly defined pricing prompt, because on two out of the three recommendations it's given, the price exceeds $500 by some margin - more than a Prime Day discount will remedy, anyway.

To be fair, its suggestions aren't awful chairs. The Secretlab Titan Evo is a great, sturdy option with loads of scope to upgrade it with the brand's add-ons. It's a chair I'd recommend, but not during Prime Day, seeing as Secretlab's availability and pricing at Amazon isn't ideal. We've also reviewed the Razer Iskur V2X and the AndaSeat Kaiser 4, but these aren't the ones to look out for on Prime Day to make sure your money goes as far as possible.

So overall, that's three recommendations that I would not stand behind (let alone sit on this Prime Day). As someone who has actually parked themselves in a plethora of gaming chairs and kept a close eye on the market for years, here's what I'd suggest that comes in well under a $500 budget while securing the most features for your money. Again, hit the "view details" button to get a more in-depth analysis of each one.

I'd go with the Fractal Refine if you spend long hours at a desk for both work and play. I'd classify it as a hybrid ergonomic-gaming chair. In other words, it blends office chair and gaming chair designs to give you the best of both worlds. There's a smaller amount of cushioning, but its taller shape makes that okay because it inspires you to sit up straighter. More, you can change the seat depth so you sink further into it to relax, but you still make the most of the lumbar support. Its armrests are some of the best for gaming I've come across.

I'd buy the Corsair TC500 Luxe either if you want a more comfortable chair overall that's mainly for gaming, or if you are a larger hooman bean. The armrests on the TC500 Luxe are set a little wider than I'd like, and if you're not a bit broader or taller, chances are this will cause a slouch in your posture, which won't be good for you in the long run.

I'd opt for the Boulies Master Series if you want a mix of premium features and a sleek look for remote working. I'd say of all of my recommendations, the Master is the most likely to see the lowest price during Prime Day, so this might also be a really great choice for those on a tighter budget.

Again, Gemini didn't give terrible recommendations for chairs overall, and I'd absolutely suggest you look at the Razer Iskur V2 X in particular, since it's one of the best budget options on the shelves. Now that the NewGen model is arriving, the original (which is still worth buying) is getting even cheaper.

But this experiment just shows you're going to be far better off reading up on the best Prime Day gaming deals when you check out content from actual humans. AI has its uses, I'm sure, but when it comes to recommending products, it's much more reliable to take advice from people with hands-on time with those products. In other words, using AI to help you shop during seasonal sales will often not find you the best deals or value for money. It's probably not that much quicker, either.

Annoyingly, two of my go-to value chair recommendations are showing pretty poor availability the week before Prime Day, so I haven't included them as my official alternatives. They are the Eureka Ergonomic Python II and the AndaSeat Novis. Both of these offer excellent build quality, comfort, and prices, so I've attached a widget below for you to keep track of the best offers on them in your area. I know, I'm so helpful.

James Bond has always been known for using the latest tech, driving the coolest cars, and wearing the most stylish tux, but thanks to 007 First Light giving us a bit more freedom to explore his world in depth, we now know what gaming chair he's kicking back in at his desk.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, James Bond sits in one of the most stylish, highly-coveted, and pricey chairs that actually exists in our world, the Herman Miller Embody. You can see the chair in the spy's bedroom during the game's opening hours, when he first moves into the Bayswater apartment with fellow agents Cressida and Monroe.

In fairness, it's not really clear whether or not Bond would have actually picked this seat for himself, or if it just came with the flat provided to him by MI6. If it's the latter, maybe this is a special edition Herman Miller Embody that's been modified inside Q-Lab to have even more futuristic spy features? An ejector seat function, perhaps? It's unclear - maybe the chair features again later in the game, but since I'm still early on in the story, I'll need to keep playing to find out.

In all honesty, as a gaming chair reviewer, the Embody immediately caught my eye during this scene, but I was surprised to see it rendered in such detail. Every tiny bit of the backrest is recreated faithfully - I wonder if one of the environment artists at IO Interactive sits on one themselves. Or maybe Herman Miller paid to be featured - what brand wouldn't want to be known as James Bond's chair of choice? Alternatively, it could be the developers making comment on the gaming chair market - it certainly made me laugh that Bond would sit in such a luxurious chair that costs well over $1,000 since he's known for driving expensive cars from Aston Martin.

That might be sad news if you were hoping to sit in James Bond's desk chair in real life, but the Embody has been haunting the entire desk chair market for years thanks to its alluring design, overwhelmingly positive reviews, and high price.

We originally reviewed the Herman Miller Embody back in 2022, and we were very pleased with its ergonomics, comfort level, generous warranty, and sleek design. Since then, it's sat on our best gaming chair buying guide, but has always been the most expensive option we'd recommend.

Back in our original review, my good friend Rob Dwiar said, "For me, the Embody has taught me that investing in ergonomics is a seriously worthwhile endeavour if you can do it, and it has made me rethink my entire gaming setup. It could just be all the gaming chair that you'll ever, ever need." On the other hand, he rightfully had lots of reservations about its price, and how, for the same money, you could buy multiple Secretlab chairs, which is even truer today with the arrival of the Secretlab Atlas, which I'm currently testing.

Shockingly, for its price, the Embody doesn't come with a headrest as standard, but the brand has made one available for purchase as an add-on. Ongoing support has been good for the Embody, as the company has also made new colorways available, and discounts do arrive every so often to make it a bit more approachable.

Want to ogle some more extremely pricey gaming hardware? Take a look at the best gaming PCs, the best gaming laptops, and the best gaming handhelds.

I recently had the chance to visit Secretlab's HQ ahead of the launch of its latest chair, the Atlas. I, like many, have been known to criticize the firmness of this brand's cushioning in the past. The Secretlab Titan Evo is a popular product, but it's never been my pick for the best gaming chair because while it has unreal build quality, it can feel a little too solid to sit in for my liking. So when I first got to sit down in the Atlas, I could feel Secretlab employees perched, eager to know if I thought that was an issue with their new passion project.

I'm sure that'll be the question on a lot of shoppers' minds at the moment. Secretlab's chairs are pricey, and the Atlas offers a reprieve from that with a lighter price tag that starts from $499 in the US and £399 in the UK. If the Titan Evo's price puts it out of reach for folks who otherwise would love a chair from this brand, the Atlas might finally be the one for them. But the question remains: is it as firm as people have said the Titan Evo is?

I've been sitting in the Secretlab Atlas for around four days now, on top of my experience trying it out in Singapore at the company's reveal event. And while it isn't designed for gaming, and certainly isn't targeting gamers in its marketing, its pedigree comes from a brand that undeniably has gaming at its heart. Secretlab's two co-founders met and became friends through video games; a massive proportion of its 4,000,000 customer base will all be from a gaming background, courtesy of Esports and officially licensed video game liveries for its products.

The Atlas might not want to be good for gaming, but it might just end up as my preferred Secretlab chair for gamers once my testing is said and done.

In other words, it may well be better than the Titan Evo.

Firmness - Is less more?

Okay, enough stalling. Is the Secretlab Atlas too firm?

I'd love to give you a straight-up answer, but I'm not sure it's as simple as that. The Secretlab Atlas uses the brand's same homegrown upholstery and cushioning as the Titan Evo, but it's a much lighter-feeling product that takes a really different approach to supporting your posture. It's also not trying to be a gaming chair; it's a productivity seat that puts ergonomics in more of a spotlight than add-ons and colorways.

So there's definitely a firmness to the Atlas, but because it's taking a different approach, that isn't such a bad thing. To answer this properly, I need to talk about mesh chairs and the Fractal Refine.

For years now, gaming chair brands have been trying to sneak their way into more offices and homes by going after a different niche in the gaming chair market: ergonomics. So much of the time, these end up being mesh chairs with very little cushioning, loads of clicky adjustable panels, and a massive price tag. With pretty much all of them, you feel like you're paying more for less of a product, because while mesh is "breathable", it's really just a net that'll support your bodyweight.

Regardless, these chairs get by despite a lack of cushioning. I'm not the biggest fan of mesh chairs, but it's plenty comfortable in a seat base or backrest, and it does inspire you to sit up straighter and make your posture self-supporting because there's not as much there to relax into.

In my opinion, the best chair to take the design philosophy of those lighterweight, more slender ergonomic chairs and turn it toward gaming is the Fractal Refine. It can be had with mesh upholstery, or with a fabric one, and in either case you get a much lighter degree of cushioning, but because its design is inspiring you to sit up straighter and mind your posture instead of sinking into it for hours on end, it works, and works really well. It takes less cushioning with this kind of design to keep you comfortable.

The Secretlab Atlas reminds me of the Fractal Refine in so many ways, because it takes a very similar approach. Its backrest is taller, slimmer, and arguably more minimalist. It even has a similar feature set to the Secretlab Atlas, including seat depth adjustment and, more relevantly, a narrower amount of cushioning.

I haven't gotten the measuring tape out or cut into the Atlas to know this for sure, but compared to the thicker backrest of the Titan Evo, it feels as though Secretlab has opted for a slightly thinner layer of cushioning on the Atlas. With a taller shape, an integrated lumbar curve, and a lower seatbase to inspire more ergonomic posture in your lower body, the cushioning in the Atlas doesn't feel as firm as previous Secretlab chairs. I still need to shift around at points, but the seat base and backrest both feel a lot more comfortable than the Titan Evo.

Less might just be more.

For reference, I'm testing the Atlas in its Dune+ colorway, which means I do have the Nanogen cushioning and upholstery - ie, the comfier version. That said, I tested the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition, and it didn't feel this welcoming to sink into.

I don't know for sure if this is the case, but the Titan Evo is a heavy, sturdy bastard of a chair. It will last a lifetime because this brand's build quality is second-to-none, but at times I feel that bleeds into the sitting experience because while the cushioning could be less firm, the frame feels like it has zero give, and that might just add to the "too firm" allegations.

The build quality of the Atlas is still great, but its parts felt a lot lighter when I was assembling it, and I wonder whether this is playing a part.

The move from 4D to 3D

One of the strongest first impressions I have from my initial stint sitting in the Atlas is that its armrests are great. In many ways, they fix some of the biggest woes I've had with a lot of gaming chair armrests in recent times.

To adjust them, you don't need to push loads of buttons or release some catches. They have a lever on the outsides to move them up and down, but to rotate or move them back and forward, you just push them, and they click into position. But where other armrests click out of position far too easily, the ones on the Atlas actually take some oomph to adjust. They're yet to fall out of position from me applying pressure to them, and I hope that remains the case as my testing goes on.

I hate to say it, because the armrest surface and cushioning feel really comfortable and plush, but I do think Secretlab has fumbled slightly by dropping down from 4D armrests on the Titan Evo to 3D ones on the Atlas. If there was one adjustment I think these could really use, it's the ability to be narrower, and that's the dimension that's missing.

Yes, they can rotate to make the width problem less of a bugbear, but when sitting naturally at my desk, the points of my elbows are only just landing on the armrests; they're in no position to be fully supportive without me slumping into the chair.

When I was at the Secretlab HQ for the reveal of the Atlas, Ergonomics Specialist Dr Lindsey Migliore, a PMR Physician, Founder of GamerDoc, and a Secretlab Ergonomics Advisory Board Member, talked about the 90, 90, 90 rule - the importance of having 90-degree angles for your knees, hips, and elbows while sitting at a desk. With wider-set armrests, the Atlas risks the same issue as the Corsair TC500 Luxe in that, to properly use the armrests and achieve that 90-degree angle in my elbows, I need to pull them out from the sides of my body, creating a slouching position in my chest and hampering the ergonomics of the chair.

I need to keep testing to see if this is the case in a longer-term sense, or whether I'm still adjusting to a new chair, but it could be a bigger issue with the design of the Atlas. If the armrests were capable of going a fraction narrower and a fraction higher, they'd be perfect.

My road leads into the desert

It was one of the first things I thought about the Atlas when Secretlab pulled back the curtain on it; the Dune colorway is one of the best-looking designs this brand has ever produced. Yes, it sucks that the Atlas doesn't have compatibility with the massive library of Secretlab designs and officially licensed colorways available for the Titan Evo, but if you're able to grab one of the Dune designs of this chair, I think it just about makes up for it.

Not only is it a beautiful texture that's in its element in a home office, but it has a neutralizing effect on the theme of a room that manages to bring all of the interior design together. In other words, its caramel/beige/sandy hue has a way of blending into black, white, or wood-colored setups like mine. It somehow blends between all of these tones, and it just looks priceless.

The other Secretlab colorways look good too; the Atlas is a bold new aesthetic for the brand, so it's an immediately eye-catching chair in any color. But the Dune version has a way of complementing the design so that any harsher angles and clearer outline lines are almost absorbed, creating a much softer and more calming effect on your eye.

As someone who has placed many a gaming chair in their home workspace over the years, this is probably one of the best-looking I've had the privilege of welcoming in.

The price seems right

I still have a lot of testing to do before I'm ready to give the Secretlab Atlas a final review score, but I'm actually really excited to do that testing.

I like to sit in a gaming chair for around a month before reviewing one because I like to give it time for it to cause aches and pains, or relief. I like to see how the build quality stands up to a longer period of testing than other reviewers typically give, but that sometimes means by the end of week one or two, I'm dreading the remainder of the time with a seat because I can already recognise its flaws.

The Atlas is great to sit in so far, and for once with a Secretlab product, I feel excited that I don't have the cloud of a higher price tag making it even harder to recommend. This is a more affordable Secretlab chair than I've tested previously, and so far, I actually like it better than the more expensive ones.

Will that be the case in a few weeks time? Who knows, but right now it's one I'd tell you to keep on your shortlist while you search around for a new place to sit.

See also the best gaming desk, the best console gaming chair, and the best gaming PC.

Today, Secretlab has unveiled its first new desk chair since the Titan Evo in 2022. While it's been iterating on the Titan Evo ever since with new models and colorways that have made it a staple of the gaming chair market, Secretlab hasn't chosen to expand out into a new SKU in years. But now, as lines in the desk chair market start to blur between gaming and ergonomic options, Secretlab is choosing to launch the Atlas.

The Secretlab Atlas pulls back slightly from the expansive set of features offered by the Titan Evo for a much more focused and distilled chair design. The result is a lighter chair that puts your ergonomics and posture front and center, and a synchronous tilt recline system the main appeal. Where the Titan Evo is a tried and tested gaming chair that's ergonomic, the Atlas is an ergonomic productivity chair with a very different feel. But it may end up being more accessible to players who haven't been able to afford a Titan Evo until now.

"The traditional task chair hasn’t changed for decades, and isn’t built for the way we actually work today", says Vincent Sin, Head of Product Development & Industrial Design at Secretlab".

"Static posture is the enemy of prolonged focus, yet most chairs still lock you in a single position. With Secretlab ATLAS, we’re taking the best of Secretlab and bringing it to support task sitting. We’ve applied a decade of ergonomic design and material expertise to create a chair that supports the entire rhythm of your day — not just the hours spent upright in focus mode, but also the essential periods of rest in between.”

This desire to cater to more than one sitting position certainly tracks with the rest of the market, as floating backrests have become more commonplace - the epitome being the LiberNovo Omni, which has a fully dynamic backrest. Interestingly, Secretlab hasn't given in to this trend, instead opting for a design that integrates a non-adjustable lumbar curve into a fixed backrest.

Secretlab's alternative doesn't look to support your posture with a chair that moves around with you as you shuffle in your seat; instead, it deems the best way for you to maintain focus throughout the day to be allowing you to rest and take short breaks. The answer? "Focus" and "Rest" modes built into the chair.

The Atlas has a refined reclining mechanism that Secretlab is calling a "Synchronous Tilt Mechanism". There's a full range of 120° of recline, but for every 2° the backrest tilts, the seatbase tilts by 1°. Supported by an adjustable tilt force control, this means the armrests, backrest, and seatbase all recline without losing the ergonomic setup of the chair.

There aren't set reclining levels, because by adding more tilt force resistance, you also find you'll only be able to recline back to certain levels while also relaxing into it. It's a clever way to implement ergonomics while relaxing, and tilt tension has been an under-utilized feature on lots of chairs I've tested because it feels like product designers never know what to do with it.

Compared to many of the office and ergonomic chair rivals in the market, Secretlab's new option may feel a bit limited. These chairs, like the AutoFull G7, often combine mesh backing with loads of clicky panels that are all adjustable in various dimensions, but that hasn't been the approach with the Atlas. The Re-Curve backrest integrates lumbar support into its design to ensure you're always getting the most out of it while sitting.

As per usual, Secretlab has done a bunch of ergonomics research backed by an independent Ergonomics Advisory Board, United States Ergonomics, and other experts to find the best curve to suit all sorts of body shapes based on how people sit. While I'm sure the brand has integrated this research into its product design super effectively, I always have my reservations about a one-size-fits-all approach because everyone's body is different and I don't think it's possible to cater to every somatotype with one fixed design. Nonetheless, a Regular and Large size of the Atlas may provide some scope for you.

The Tilt Force Adjustor has four separate levels, which go hand in hand with an adjustable seat depth so you can sink deeper into the Atlas and still benefit from lumbar support - a similar approach to the Fractal Refine. Down from 4D armrests on the Titan Evo, the Atlas has 3D armrests that adjust up and down, forward and back, and can rotate - there's no moving them to be narrower or wider though.

This feels like a fresh start for Secretlab as it branches out into a brand-new product range, but my concern is that this may defeat the appeal of opting for one of this brand's products. A lot of people are drawn to Secretlab's Titan Evo because of its wider ecosystem of add-ons and colorways, and with a newer, bolder design, those things won't be compatible with the Atlas.

As of launch, Secretlab tells me that none of the Titan Evo's add-ons and attachments are compatible with Atlas, meaning the armrest tops, the limited edition Skins, the licensed colorways, and the recliner are all limited to the Titan Evo models. The Atlas does have a magnetic head pillow like its older sibling, but for now, that's all. I'd be surprised (knowing Secretlab's ongoing support for its products) if we didn't see any add-ons and accessories for it in the future, but for now, it's worth knowing the chair is a standalone within the Secretlab ecosystem before you buy.

The bigger blow here for some folks may be that the massive selection of colorways for the Titan Evo will not translate over to the Atlas, with only some standard Secretlab colorways and upholsteries available at the time of writing. The Atlas is available in Classic Black or Moon colorways with NEO Hybrid Leatherette, or in Softweave Plus Fabric in Black, Cookies & Cream, or my personal favorite, Dune - a sandy-colored beige which looks really classy and neutral in a home office.

Alternatively, if you're willing to spend a little more, the Atlas is also available with NanoFoam Composite, used in the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition. This version comes in Nanogen Leather upholstery in Pure Black+ or Pure White+, or with Softweave+NanoFoam Composite in Black+ and Dune+.

The good news is that with a lighter feature set and compatibility suite than the Titan Evo, there's also a lighter price tag - something I've always felt could be better when it comes to this brand's products. The Secretlab Atlas will start at $499 in the US and £399 in the UK - which is some ~$200 cheaper than the Titan Evo, depending on what colorway and add-ons you get with it. The Secretlab Atlas Premium Range will start at $699 in the US and £599 in the UK - again, offering a lot of value over the brand's more expensive limited edition or NanoGen options.

I'm already testing out the Atlas in preparation for my review, but I've only been testing it for a few days so far, so I'm not ready to give my full thoughts. For my early impressions, you can check back soon to read more about why I think it might actually be a better gaming chair than its Titan Evo sibling.

To read more on Secretlab, check out the best gaming desks, the best standing desks, and the best console gaming chair.

Razer has been in the microphone market for just over a decade now, but the latest entry in the Seiren product range is taking a slightly different approach than the USB options that came before it. The Sieren V3 Pro taps into one of the best trends in the microphones for streaming and gaming market of late: hybrid connectivity.

The Sieren V3 Pro features both XLR and USB-C audio connections, which makes a clear statement that Razer wants to compete with the best. There still aren't many of these mics around; there's the Shure MV7+, the Rode PodMic USB, and the Maono PD200W. Razer says with this mic it wants to bridge the gap between entry-level gear for streaming and content creation that may not be the type of quality folks need in the long term, and the overly pricey but equally limited XLR options aimed at "pro" users.

The Sieren V3 certainly looks like it's taking a different approach to things. Gone is the loud RGB of the Sieren V3 Chroma, as it's relegated to a smaller (much classier) ring around the mic's body. The all-black aesthetic and cylindrical shape are a solid entry into a Shure SM7dB lookalike contest - which undoubtedly makes people associate it with a pro-level microphone.

It's got 32-bit float support for a wider dynamic range, with a view to streamlining post-production work. It comes with a built-in noise gate, compressor, limiter, and AI-noise remover, which may help to match it up against the Elgato Wave3 Mk2.

A 30mm dynamic capsule resides inside, protected by a built-in shock absorber and a removable pop filter. Unlike a lot of XLR mics, the V3 Pro also has some on-board controls, like a small gain control dial on its bottom, and a tap-to-mute sensor button. If you're not quite at the stage where you're thinking about one of the best streaming mixers yet, the Sieren V3 Pro has a 3.5mm headphone jack so you can channel all your other PC audio through it and still benefit from live monitoring.

The Zinc unibody design means you can mount it to a boom arm, but it comes with a standard desk stand.

Of course, any Razer peripheral is going to lean on Synapse to help you manage it. The lighting, audio enhancements, and the initial setup of the mic will all rely on Synapse software. I'm not a huge fan of this since Synapse is a fairly heavy peripheral application that tends to compete with any and all other applications you run through your gaming PC. It also has a hefty install size and has proven near impossible to uninstall for me in the past without the use of a third-party storage software that can get by Razer's background trickery.

As you might guess, I'm not super eager to use Synapse again to test this mic out, but I'm hoping if it's plugged in through a RodeCaster Duo or other audio interface through XLR, Synapse won't force itself into play as a middleman. Either way, to get the full benefits, you might be beholden to team Sneki's app.

In terms of value, the Seiren V3 Pro does sit in an interesting place. At $249, it's definitely pricey at first glance, especially if you're used to Razer's previous USB-only mics. Compared to Shure's MV7+, the V3 Pro is $50 cheaper, but that's really about it in terms of other hybrid mics that are more expensive than this in 2026. The Rode PodMic USB has a full price of $209 but is frequently discounted down below that (right now it's grabbable for $180 at Amazon). The SteelSeries Alias Pro, which comes with an XLR/USB interface, comes in at $369 at full price, but is again frequently discounted, with a lowest-ever price at Amazon of $159 (average price of $259).

Then things get even worse, because the Maono PD200W comes in below them all at $119.99 (currently available for $99.99 at Amazon). The Razer Seiren V3 Pro has a lot going for it, and I'm looking forward to testing it out for sure, but the mic market has a problem competing with the PD200W because it offers such insane value with not only XLR/USB connections, but also wireless connectivity as well.

I'd have thought that an XLR mic from Razer might mean we finally see a new audio mixer from the brand, since its one and only so far has been quietly aging and might even be unavailable in some territories now. Razer tells me that there are no plans for a new mixer or audio interface at this time, which feels like a missed opportunity to squeeze in some bundles and further upgrade paths for pro-level creators.

Noctua's Computex booth looks exactly as you'd expect it to, with the brand's signature brown color sticking out like a beautiful sore thumb in a tech conference that's bursting with RGB, bizarre PC cases, and massive demo spaces. But this brand's showing might be the most impressive I've come across. There are revolutionary cooling innovations to be seen, but I never thought one of them was going to be for my hand, in the form of a gaming mouse.

Honestly, I saw so many cool things at this booth that I'll need to write a whole other article just to touch on them all, but Noctua's upcoming gaming mouse is the thing that made my jaw hit the floor.

Made in partnership with Pulsar, it's a new edition of the Feinmann F01 mouse. It has a lightweight design (73G), and in case you're not aware of this particular rodent, its original model also has an open, cage-like design for its upper chassis. That means open space within the mouse for a lighter feel, potential for airflow, and a perfect testing ground for Noctua to do its beautiful, beige magic.

Inside the Noctua Edition of this mouse that's estimated to drop either in June or July 2026 is a tiny, upward-firing fan. To be specific, it's a tiny Noctua NF-A4x10 5V PWM fan, hooked up to a motion sensor within the mouse so that as soon as you start to move it around, it'll immediately start cooling the palm of your hand down. Take your hand off, and it'll spin down again, saving power draw for the next time you actually need it.

When I say I smiled from ear to ear upon testing that thing out, I cannot tell you the amount of giddy joy it gave me. I hate to admit it, but I have pretty clammy hands at the best of times - it's something I've always been self-conscious about. Having just tested a very expensive gaming mouse in the form of the Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition, which does not respond well at all to sweaty gaming sessions, Noctua's little inventive gadget seemed all the more impressive.

It was so quiet as well; even putting my ear closer to it, any and all noise seemed to be blocked by my hand covering the fan. Noctua has allowed the fan speed to be controlled by the mouse buttons, or through a web driver in five distinct levels. So if you're in a heatwave in the heart of summer, or just in a particularly competitive round of your favorite game, it's all adjustable.

As a mouse, it has an XS-2 42000 DPI sensor and an 8K polling rate, as well as a standard USB port for charging and wired use.

As silly as this thing might seem, Noctua does not do anything by halves - I fully expect this to end up as a fan favorite when it becomes available. Not only is it a polar opposite to the RGB, gamer-looking mice on the shelves most of the time, but it's got the chops as a clicker to actually be what competitive gamers require. Honestly, cannot wait for it.

For more on Noctua's Computex showing this year, check back soon.

For more on PC gaming, take a look at the best CPU for gaming, the best graphics card, and the best RAM for gaming.

What if I told you you could have a yellow retro-styled Vokswagen Beetle and a gaming mouse in your Amazon basket a full three weeks before Prime Day? What if I told you they were both the same thing, and only a little over ten bucks?

That's what I stumbled upon this morning, checking out the new 'early Prime Day deals' tab that popped up on my Amazon homepage. Now that it's taking up permanent residence in my brain, I need to share it with yours.

What we have here is a 1600 DPI wireless mouse (impressively complete with a 2.4GHz receiver) powered up by two triple-A batteries. Those power cells slot underneath the removable roof, with your two main clicks sitting along the hood of the car. Listen, I never said it was an ergonomic design.

It's a neat gimmick for anyone looking to brighten up their desk with some novelty, but I don't think I have to tell you this isn't going to be one of the best gaming mice in your arsenal. It does have wheels, after all. Famously, the ratio of wheels to gaming mice should stand firm at 1:1.

I've had a peek and the reviews give us even more gold. One user notes a single complaint, "one of the headlights doesn't light up as bright as the other" - wait... the headlights light up?

The Elec Space Wireless Mouse is being sold by, you guessed it, Elec Space - an unknown retailer with a flair for cursing a setup with the bizarre. A quick look at its Amazon storefront reveals a heart-shaped rodent covered in sharp, jagged rhinestones, positioned upside down and wildly large in the frame of an AI marketing image. Classic.

Don't want your next CS2 run to leave you in bandages? How about the 'Cute Pig' selection? Yes, a squashed Babe with a worrying lack of feet and two ears for main clicks - that's what I've been missing. This is a Temu back door, is what I'm saying - don't expect something that's going to see you through gaming for the foreseeable future.

Car mouse will stay with me, though, as I'm tossing and turning in the wee hours dreaming of RSI and cramp. Maybe car mice are the way forward - as Herbie, Fully Loaded said back in 2005 "it only takes one person to blaze a trail."

Serious deal hunters can get prepped for the summer sale with our guides to the best Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals and the best Prime Day PS5 deals on the horizon.

I was walking around the Computex show floor this morning when I suddenly came across a range of gaming chairs I hadn't seen before. That doesn't happen all that often with me, since reviewing them regularly means I tend to hear about any new names that enter the space. The folks manning the relatively small booth welcomed me in, and since I'd probably already passed my step count for the day, I happily accepted their invitation and sat down.

The brand is called MarsRhino, and you probably haven't heard of it either because it's a Taiwanese company that doesn't distribute to other regions yet. But having taken a lengthy look at its range of gaming furniture, I sincerely hope that's about to change, because there are innovations here that deserve recognition from the wider market.

First off, they have a solid selection of both ergonomic mesh chairs and cushioned gaming chairs with floating backrests. Here's the interesting part, though: unlike the million and one freely adjusting clicky annoyances currently occupying the shelves, these are all electric.

Yes, electric gaming chairs are becoming a bit of a repetitive theme at the moment, but there isn't anything gimmicky about the ones MarsRhino had to show off. Instead of fiddling around with umpteen different controls and never knowing which lever under your bum controls what adjustable aspect of the chair you're sitting on, MarsRhino has simplified things to an easy electric control panel.

In fact, the latest, flashiest chair in the booth even has a remote control, which might seem stupid at first, but honestly would simplify chair controls even further. The staff at the booth told me that their chair batteries typically last a month, unless you're adjusting constantly and, while I was sitting down, one staff member even switched on a lumbar stretching program - eat that LiberNovo Omni.

Beyond electric frills, I must say that I'm a massive fan of the comfort level each MarsRhino chair has. They reminded me of the late great Boulies Ninja Pro, as each one had a perforated leatherette upholstery that was breathable, but also felt nice and plush to sit down in. Meanwhile, the floating backrest did a great job of supporting my lumbar, in fact - a better job than the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen I've just been testing.

Some of them used magnetic headrests, but one chair I was shown used a clever locking mechanism that allowed the head cushion to "float" just like the lumbar support. In other words, it would extend out from the backrest while still being fixed to it and then pivot and tilt as I moved my head. There's some real mileage to that as a headrest design philosophy, and it might be a way for traditional gaming chairs to compete with fully dynamic options like the aforementioned LiberNovo Omni.

MarsRhino even makes a one-seater gaming couch, which is ideal for living room players looking for the best console gaming chair. This is a niche of the chair market that's been slowly disappearing in recent times, but MarsRhino has managed to make something that looks like a Lazyboy that'd blend right into any living room.

When I'd seen all the chairs MarsRhino had brought to Computex, I was asked if I also reviewed desks. I was then pointed over to what was perhaps the most ingenious product the brand had on the show floor, a height-adjusting desk that also tilted forward and back.

When you first think about this, you may think it's a disaster waiting to happen; I know I certainly did when I saw the desktop tilting towards me. Surely, all the hardware, displays, peripherals, and work you have on your desk will slide off and crash to the floor? Perhaps, but with a fully magnetic surface and a very easy-to-use control panel, you'll have more confidence. Clever magnetic panels can also sit atop desk accessories to ensure nothing light slides off. Obviously, a monitor arm mount is going to be pivotal here, but I just love the concept of it.

There are serious practical uses for this. One thing I hate about reclining in a gaming chair is that when you tilt yourself back, you ruin the viewing angle, eye-height, and armrest level for your desk and monitor. Your arms now have restricted circulation as your forearms press into the corner of a desktop; your focus on the game you're playing will be limited because you're not in the ideal visual spot for your monitor. But with a desk that can tilt toward you, reclining and having the optimal experience is still possible.

Ingenious design - when I saw it, I wondered how no one had thought of it before. I mean, maybe they have, but they don't want people to lose thousands of dollars' worth of gaming hardware from it falling off their desk.

The other use for this is that when you put a height-adjusting desk in standing mode, getting the angles right for your eyes and wrists again becomes a difficulty. I know for me, if I'm in standing mode with my Fezibo L-Shaped Desk, I'll start to experience discomfort with my wrists as I type because although it might be set to the right for my eyes, my arms have to overadjust to reach the keyboard in the same way. Again, the ability to tilt the worktop toward you fixes that completely, and actually might encourage you to use the standing mode on your desk every once in a while - we all know the novelty wears off quickly.

I'm totally won over by this brand's wares. There are some really simple innovations that even the most inventive names in the space, like Secretlab, don't have answers for. I'm told that MarsRhino is currently seeking distribution partners in the US and EU markets to expand its serviced regions, and so I sincerely hope its presence at Computex this week helps that. If not, hey, any readers interested in MarsRhino products, please follow them on socials to keep up to date, or hound your local retailer CEO to start stocking these innovative chairs and desks pronto.

Perfecting your desk setup? You should know about the best gaming PCs, the best gaming monitors, and the best gaming laptops.

When it comes to gaming mice, I'm what most brands would call a tricky customer. I have pretty bizarre tastes that don't align with the competitive FPS games I tend to use mice for on PC, and ones that certainly don't align with the Esports design a lot of companies lean into these days. My daily driver is an MMO mouse with numbered buttons along its left side, adjustable weights, and a dedicated groove for your ring finger and pinky, so it pretty much couldn't be further from the ultra-lightweight mice most FPS players are using to glide around their massive deskpads.

• Pre-order | $259.99 at Best Buy

So, trying out the Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme Edition 20, which has just been revealed at Computex, was quite the transition. Compared to the other lightweight mice I've tried, this feels very different. Lightweight rodents for me usually translate to a lacklustre-feeling accessory that, while speedy, don't exactly give me the feedback and comfort I like. This is a different story. This gaming mouse combines a celebratory anniversary look along with really robust-feeling side buttons and a scroll wheel that you just know will last a lifetime. Or at least, I'd hope it would, because it will set you back $259.99.

As much as I missed my 12 extra function keys and dedicated finger grooves on my MMO mouse while testing this, there's no disputing that the customization, glide, and all-around competitive brilliance of this mouse improved my FPS gameplay.

Design

The ROG Harpe II Extreme 20 is a semi-ambidextrous, 82g Esports mouse that builds upon the company's previous Harpe Ace II, Harpe Extreme, and Harpe Mini outings. Being a celebratory release for two decades of the ROG brand, this takes the design language up a few notches, with a 24K gold-plated metal frame that resides under a blackened crystal clear shell. The gold scrolling wheel and side buttons lure your eyes to see the gold hues within the chassis, and the transparent shell gives it a touch of class and an understated feel.

RGB is used within to show a specialized ROG 20 logo, and subtle bits of branding are peppered around the mouse, making it undeniably a ROG product.

Turning it over, things stay just as luxurious. The mouse feet, or skates, as they're often referred to, are made of Corning Gorilla Glass, which provides a stupidly easy glide around pretty much any mouse surface. I tested it with all the speeds of the SteelSeries QcK+ Performance mouse pads, as well as a pretty slick one that came with my Couchmaster CYCON2, and the mouse slid around so easily that they all felt like glass pads.

The Harpe II Extreme Edition 20 utilizes a ROG AimPoint Pro 65K sensor with 65,000-dpi <1% deviation, and for those with those harder surface mouse pads, it features track-on-glass technology.

The shape will be familiar to anyone who has used a Harpe mouse previously. It's 39.7mm high, 126.1mm long, and 63.9mm wide, with a beautifully crafted curve to rest your hand on. It's been designed with finger tip and claw grips in particular, though, so palm-grip players like me aren't necessarily as catered to - I'll say more on that in a little bit.

The black and gold design philosophy is so strong, but you can tell Asus has meant this to be a proper showpiece, or collector's edition peripheral thanks to its packaging. The box it arrived in folds out to reveal it like some sort of exotic flower, and a sturdy, transparent case means you can take it with you without fear of the surfaces being scratched.

Features

Perhaps the only thing more impressive than the packaging is the Harpe II Extreme's expansive list of features and settings options. There's tri-mode connectivity here through wireless USB, wired USB, and Bluetooth pairing. The ROG Optical Micro switches are quoted for a 100 million click lifespan, and with a max polling rate of 8,000Hz, you know there's plenty of futureproofing for such an expensive peripheral.

Using the wireless dongle, you get access to ROG SpeedNova connectivity so that 8K polling rate isn't limited to a wired connection only. There's an impressive (quoted) 195 hours of battery life here too, which I haven't managed to actually find an end to yet in my hands-on time with it. Depending on what polling rate you set it to, your mileage will vary, but the Harpe II Extreme has a clever trick up its sleeve where it will determine interference in the surrounding wireless environment and boost its signal to maintain a steady connection.

If you're not one for spending loads of time in settings menus for your gaming peripherals, Asus has included a Zone mode on this mouse, which simplifies things for competitive players. Alongside 5 stored profiles you can configure, Zone mode will optimize things specifically for competitive play. With it on, you'll see a polling rate boost, increased sensor responsiveness, as well as sensor frame rate and wireless transmission power optimizations.

Performance

I've built more than one gaming PC with an ASUS motherboard, and I've tested its Raikiri controllers in the past, so this isn't my first run-in with a peripheral from the now 20-year-old ROG brand. One thing I have to admit is that dealing with the Armory Crate app is always my least favorite part of the ROG experience. This app always feels clunky; it usually involves subsidiary downloads to actually customize the product you have, and I worried an Asus mouse would involve me needing to download it. To my delight, that wasn't the case.

Upon connecting it to my PC via the wireless USB dongle, I was immediately met with a pop-up notification that invited me to a browser tab where I could fully customize the Herpe II. Everything from its button mappings to its polling rate, to its DPI and wider suite of settings and features was covered without the need for an additional download, and I loved how speedy the process of getting set up with it was.

Having just tested the GameSir G7 Pro 8K, I was curious to see how an 8K polling mouse would compare. Turns out, an 8,000Hz polling rate on any gaming peripheral seems to present itself in the same way. I play with a relatively high DPI of 2,300 compared to a lot of FPS players these days. But bumping the polling rate up to 8K meant that it felt a little more unruly than I was used to. Unbelievably smooth thanks to those Gorilla Glass skates, even with a (somewhat limited by today's standards) 144Hz refresh rate display, but would certainly take a while to get used to, as every twitch, pivot, and slip in any direction is registered.

Thankfully, while the 8K polling rate was a bit too hot to handle for my liking, the settings gave me loads of scope to fine-tune. I could try as low as a 150Hz speed, and ended up settling on a 1,000Hz speed after a few brief tests with 1,400Hz. There's a lot of scope to make this mouse the exact speed and sensitivity for you and your playstyle. If you like putting DPI all the way down and attacking CS2 players with massive swipes across your desk, there's loads of scope for you here.

My main FPS game is the Extraction Shooter GOAT, Hunt: Showdown, and so naturally, the bayou became my testing ground for the Harpe II. When the game's intense sound design has you completely immersed in a 3v1 western shootout, your heart can frequently pound out of your chest, and your palms start getting clammy. The shape and design of the Harpe II Extreme was excellent for keeping my grip, but one thing I will say is that the surface texture doesn't hold up all that well to those sweaty, intense gameplay sessions. There were a few moments where I felt my palm starting to slip in places, and the design of this mouse is so stunning that I worried my sweaty hands were going to stain or mark it and spoil its look. The aesthetics of this mouse are going to be a huge win for any gaming setup, but a little extra thought over actually gripping this peripheral would have been welcome, even if it is an anniversary showpiece.

While I do love the shape and look of the Harpe II Extreme, I do wish it catered to my palm grip a little more. My MMO mouse, and every mouse I've used for the last six years, has had a pinky groove, which I feel is so important in keeping my hand comfortable through long hours of remote work or intense gaming sessions. Yes, this is a niche taste with mice these days, but one I find very hard to go back to not having. One reason I don't gravitate to the ultralightweight mouse market is that I don't feel my whole hand is catered to, and I do wish Asus did a little more. My ring finger and pinky barely manage to hug onto the side of the Harpe II, and while I appreciate it's not exactly designed for a mouse grip like mine, a little more real estate on the right-hand side of it would go a long way.

Additionally, I get that this mouse is never going to compete with my 12 MMO keys, but more than two extra side buttons would have been welcome for the amount of money this rodent costs.

I can't fault the side buttons and scroll wheel that are here, though. They all feel so robust, like they'll last the next 20 years of the ROG brand. In fact, from reviewing the best PC controllers, the closest comparison I can make to the side buttons is that they feel almost as good as the most cushioned microswitch buttons I've come across. Pardon the pun, but this is the gold standard.

For reference, playing solo vs trios in Hunt, I usually average out around three or four kills per round. I may or may not have been having a good day when I did a longer session with the Harpe II Extreme, but I played three matches in a row, scoring four kills, then six, then seven, so I'm entitled to give some of that credit to the high-performance mouse I was using.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme 20th Anniversary Edition?

I have a lot of reservations about recommending controllers that cost $200 most of the time, so trying to justify a price of $259 for a mouse gives me a lot of anxiety. For reference, that RedDragon mouse I use cost me under $40, and is frequently on offer down to $25.99, so I'd argue you really don't need to spend this much to get a good clicker. Even for competitive gaming in the ultralightweight market, the SteelSeries Aerox 9 tops out at $189.99, so that should give you an idea of how much most people will likely be budgeting.

On the other hand, compared to those other lightweight mice I've tried, I think the Harpe II Extreme offers a much more premium feel. I don't feel I'm compromising as much on feel or build quality here, and I don't feel like the brand behind it is charging more for less of a product. The exhaustive list of settings and features arms you with so many ways to make this mouse work for you, and with premium parts used to craft it, you can sort of see where the price tag comes from.

Reservations about pricing aside, I think Asus has absolutely knocked it out of the park with the design of this 20th anniversary timepiece. Fans of this brand will not be disappointed by the aesthetic, build quality, lighting, and finer details of this mouse. It's a strong showing of why Asus ROG has been around for 20 years, and might stick around for a few years more.

• Pre-order | $259.99 at Best Buy

How I tested the Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme 20

I put the Harpe II Extreme to work in my gaming setup for a few weeks before writing this review. I tested it on different mouse pad surfaces and in various games, but since it's an Esports peripheral, I mainly used it in FPS games like Hunt Showdown. I drew from my own experience of using other gaming mice to make my feedback, and used the prices of similar mice to assess its value. I used the Gear Link browser app to customize the mouse's settings and get a feel for how its various features can impact its performance.

For more on how we test gaming mice, take a look at our hardware policy.

Want to compare with what else is out there? Take a look at the best wireless gaming mouse, the best TMR controllers, and the best Razer mouse.

If you've ever been served one of those videos that goes up the price range of different gaming keyboards and compares how they sound, you'll likely relate to my first experience with the Asus ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20. As someone who has only really dabbled with the depth of the keyboard world, I always figured that yes, there'd be a difference in the feel of the more expensive options, but surely not as much as the true keyboard nerds make out.

• Pre-order | $599.99 at Best Buy

I've been typing on a DROP LOTR Elven keyboard for the last year or two, and I love its mechanical feel and faithful design, especially as someone who hammers down pretty hard on his keys; it has an excellent weighty actuation to it. The Azoth Extreme Edition 20 sounds, feels, and actuates about 20x better than what I'm used to, so I finally understand the appeal of the most expensive sounding keyboards in those videos I see in my feed.

That much has been true of pretty much any Azoth board we've tested, but this is no regular Azoth. It's an anniversary timepiece that helps mark 20 years of the ROG brand, and with some seriously premium frills, it costs no less than $599.99. It's no keyboard for the faint of heart (or wallet). Whether you're typing or gaming, it's one of the most premium you'll find. It's certainly the best I've come across, but this keyboard range's price tag is becoming a bigger and bigger pill to swallow.

Design

The original Asus ROG Azoth has been sitting pretty atop our best gaming keyboard lists for a while now, with each iteration wowing us in different ways as their prices increase.

For this version, Asus has donned a black and gold aesthetic along with a "bladed metallic" texture. The chassis is a full aluminium alloy, and the frame is metal, giving it a noticeable weight compared to a lot of other keyboards you'll have tried. It's a fully customizable/hot-swappable 75% keyboard with RGB lighting. In the top right corner, there's a small OLED display with a switch you can use to set different colors and programmes for the color of the lights - a solid continuation from the Asus ROG Azoth 96 HE.

Turning it over is where things get a bit silly. There's room for detachable magnetic feet (of differing heights) to give it more of a raised angle, which is something I never found necessary, even when pairing the board with its companion wrist rest. In the middle, though, is a 24K gold-plated, laser-engraved, polished ROG nameplate, which is as extra as it sounds. It is removable if you want to put it on display somewhere, but it certainly will contribute to the cost of this thing. Lurking underneath it is a USB dongle and a paddle switch for the adjustable gasket mount.

Speaking of, that clever switch will let you adjust the typing feel of the Azoth Extreme to be a tad firmer or softer, which may suit you if you're like me and tend to type pretty hard. What will contribute to that typing feel a lot more is the architectural choices that went into the product as a whole. For starters, the carbon fibre positioning plate has a firmer rigidity to stop vibrations on the top layer of the chassis. Then, underneath is a three-layer dampening system. First up are two PORON layers, then underneath it all is a silicone pad to absorb vibrations and minimize switch pinging and echoes.

Features

Getting to the finer details, the ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20 features ROG NX Snow mechanical switches that are hot-swappable and come pre-lubed. They have a refined clicky and refined linear feel, depending on how you configure them, which complements the adjustment Asus has made to the inner workings of the switch.

Below the upper housing is a stem material made of composite POM material that adds a bit more smoothness to the keystroke. It has a walled stem design to protect from dust intrusion while also adding some more stability. Then, on the very bottom, you have a POM bottom housing for a deeper keystroke sound.

In terms of connections, the tri-mode connectivity from the previous Azoth boards carries over, and the Azoth Extreme 20 is equipped with a ROG Omni receiver that allows connections to multiple supported devices with a single USB dongle - perfect for if you have an Asus mouse or other peripheral that already supports it. That means fewer USB ports are used up without compromising on high-polling gear.

Speaking of which, the Azoth Extreme sports a maximum polling rate of 8,000Hz, but only if you have a ROG Polling Rate Booster. In wireless mode, the Azoth Extreme can last you a quoted 1600 hours with RGB lighting and the OLED display off, 245 hours with the OLED display on and the lighting off, or a still impressive 96 hours with both on.

You can customize the board using Gear Link, without the use of Armory Crate.

Mystery Keycap Set

Launching alongside both the mouse and keyboard is a fun twist on the ROG anniversary - a new form of collectible called the Mystery Keycap Set. These provide a fun unboxing experience for long-term fans and are excellently crafted tributes to some of the most well-known products in Asus ROG's history.

I have to admit, I'm not one for mysterious collectibles like this because so often they end up being fodder for resellers to make a fortune off of, but the attention to detail here is unreal. The Chariot keycap actually spins as one of the best gaming chairs should, the Claymore deck and Raikiri controller keycaps sport all the right textures.

Each ROG Keycap Mystery Box reveals a random collectible keycap, and the full set includes tributes to the Chariot chair, Raikiri controller, Claymore keyboard, Delta headset, and variations on the ROG 20 logo. In one box you'll find: 6 x Mystery Keycaps, and 6 x nameplates (randomly selected with no duplicates; and it may include a special edition version)

According to the press materials I've been issued, the probability of finding all of them is as follows:

• ROG Claymore: 1/6
• ROG Gladius: 1/6
• ROG Chariot: 1/6
• ROG Delta: 1/6
• ROG Raikri Pro:1/6
• ROG Logo: 7/48
• Special Edition Keycap: 1/48

One box sets you back $24.99, which isn't bad considering the hand-crafted design of the keycaps inside - although it may seem bad to those who have already splashed down $599 on the Azoth Extreme 20.

The mystery keycaps are made with a Cross-based structure (Cherry MX-based stem), which should give them wide compatibility when it comes to switches to put them on. Each keycap is made with Resin material before being hand-finished with intricate paintwork.

Performance

As I've mentioned, I'm pretty hard on my switches when it comes to typing. I don't know what happened in my younger days while I was learning to type that compelled me to hammer down as hard as I do. However, using the Azoth Extreme Edition has felt like a formative experience. Its premium switches, the way their sound is dampened with each keystroke, and the featherweight it takes to actuate them if you aren't using their firmer actuation, is unlike any other keyboard I've used. It feels like it's taking me by the hand and asking who hurt me, encouraging me to be nicer to whatever keyboard I type on next.

There are ups and downs to lots of Azoth's qualities for me, though. Its lighter actuation means it's super easy to translate your reaction time to whatever game you're playing. But there have been so many times when I've been gaming or typing when I thought I was just resting my finger on a key, only to see something happening on screen and realise I was putting too much weight on it. That's awesome for gamers who need the slightest bit of press on their keys to register, but that can also, in my case, cause mis-presses where you don't want them.

Secondly, there's no denying the build quality of this keyboard. Hell, there's 24K gold plating on it and a fully metal body - something so many other keyboards forgo because they're worried about performance. No guess as to why it weighs as much as it does!

That kind of build quality doesn't come around often in any category of gaming hardware, and it absolutely reinforces the experience of using it. With such a hefty deck underneath it, the switches all feel so stable and cushioned. Each press, no matter how hard you tap, is safe; it doesn't feel like I'm damaging anything or that I'll be wearing down the switches the more I use it like that. But with so much weight to it, it does make it feel a bit like an immovable object to keep on your desk, so if you like to shift your accessories around often, this isn't very agile. More, if you've spent a lot on a desk mat, be prepared for it to suffer marks and potentially dents under the sheer heft of this sitting on it.

Even the flashy design has its utility drawbacks. For a celebratory piece like this, there will almost certainly be form-over-function issues, but there are some basic errors I wish were stamped out. The white key symbols on the bottom sides of the keycaps aren't very legible when the RGB is shining through from underneath, and slightly blinding you thanks to transparent edges on the keycaps themselves. This would hardly be a dealbreaker, but for a 75% board where you are likely to search for the Fn functions lurking on some of the keys, it's likely an annoyance you'll run into.

Should you buy the Asus ROG Azoth Extreme Edition 20?

In years of testing all sorts of gaming tech, there have been few with the kind of premium build quality and luxurious feel of the ROG Azoth Extreme Edition.

The Azoth Extreme has been made to mark 20 years of ROG accessories, and its latest flagship keyboard, as well as its mystery keycap set, is easy to recognise as a labor of love. Its lightweight actuation has a calming effect on a hard typer like me, will offer speed to competitive gamers, and a design that will make anyone (gamer or not) see why the maker has lasted this long.

Like with any gaming peripheral of this cost, I'd remind you that you don't need to spend this much to get something good, or even usable. Even with all its 24K gold-plated flourishes, it's going to be very difficult to justify a keyboard this expensive, and there's no way around that. That said, for the Extreme users who want a showpiece, it doesn't come much better than this.

• Pre-order | $599.99 at Best Buy

How I tested the Asus ROG Azoth Extreme 20

This keyboard sat on my desk for around two weeks before I wrote up my thoughts in this review. I used it for typing, video editing, and gaming every day in that time to put it through its paces. I compared it to other keyboards I've used, and I read up on previous Azoth offerings to get a feel for what this line represents.

For more on how we test keyboards, take a look at our hardware policy.

For more on peripherals, check out the best PC controllers, the best gaming mouse, and the best hot-swappable keyboard.

It’s always felt as though Elgato is a brand that knows its audience and what they need, sometimes even before they knew they needed it. That approach has seen it steadily grow its range of creator-focused gear from the iconic Stream Deck to microphones, lighting, cameras, and capture cards. There are plenty of creators who rely on Elgato across their setup, so when it announced a chair in 2025, it felt like a left-field, yet logical decision.

The Elgato Embrace isn’t just for creators, though. It’s an ergonomic chair designed for anyone who spends hours at their desk, whether that’s gaming, creating content, or simply working. That premise is familiar enough, and at $499.99 / £499 it’s priced in a pretty familiar way too. That number puts it squarely in the midfield of the best gaming chairs. It’s easy to spend more, but it’s easy to spend a fair bit less, too.

So what makes this chair interesting is how Elgato pitches it. The initial launch took aim at gaming chairs, their pricing, and their setup process, while being pretty bold in directly calling out other brands at the same time. I’ve got no problem with self-confidence, but you need to be ready to back it up if you’re going to come out talking the talk. So the question, then, is whether the Elgato Embrace is ready to walk the walk in a very competitive desk chair market. Is this self-branded “Studio Chair” really that different from what’s already here?

Design & Assembly

I’ve put together more than my fair share of gaming chairs at all points across the budget spectrum. It’s hardly my favorite activity, but it’s never been a source of impending dread either. It’s only a chair, after all; they’re really not that hard to put together.

In its launch of the Embrace, Elgato went full TV shopping network with its portrayal of the ‘normal’ experience and made a point of highlighting how simple the Embrace was in comparison. In fairness, Elgato does leave you with a very simple building process, though I’m not sure it’s that much easier than any modern gaming chair, just quicker to get done. The main improvement is not needing to attach the seat cushion to the base yourself; that comes pre-attached and saves a chunk of the hex key work. Instead, you just pop the wheels into the base, perch the seat on the gas cylinder, and slot the backrest on. It genuinely took about two and a half minutes, so points to Elgato for that.

With it put together, the Embrace is exactly what Elgato promised in the looks department. It's a clean, understated, black office chair. It’s a grown-up’s seat that, dare I say, is almost a little bit boring and certainly quite generic looking; whether that’s for better or worse is a matter of taste. The only Elgato branding sits discreetly on the back of the headrest, which means it looks equally at home on a Twitch stream or a Teams call. It only comes in one color for now, which is a shame but not a problem, and only in one size, which is a shame and slightly more of a problem for some prospective sitters.

It may look like an adult chair from a distance and in marketing materials, but up close, it’s an awkward teenager when it comes to build quality. With the exception of the main seat unit, this is an entirely plastic chair. That’s not necessarily an issue as there's no creaking or obvious flex, but it lacks any premium feel with no real payback. It’s like it doesn’t know what it wants to be. When I’ve seen other brands opt for plastic components, it’s been in the name of cost-saving on their budget lines, and that makes sense. Here, it has the vibe of a chair that's been designed with sustainability in mind but without actually making any specific claims.

Features

The Elgato Embrace comes with the full set of ergonomic adjustments you’d expect to see on a premium chair: seat height, seat depth, lumbar support, a five-step recline system, 4D armrests, and a detachable headrest.

The mesh backrest is breathable and flexible, with a material that feels noticeably softer and less scratchy than some other mesh options I’ve tested before. If you're someone who runs hot during longer sessions or works under studio lights, it does its job perfectly well. Lumbar support is adjustable for both height and depth, and while I’ve never been one for aggressive lumbar support, the Embrace’s is a decent showing. I just wish the vertical adjustment range went a little higher. I’m about 180cm (5’11) and at its highest point, I would have still liked to go a little further; taller users may struggle to get the lumbar positioned exactly where they need it.

The five-step recline uses a tilt limiter rather than a true tilt lock, which is a deliberate ergonomic choice, but it does feel a little prescriptive. You can tighten the resistance so the backrest requires a pretty deliberate lean to move, but you can't dial in a specific angle and fix it there. It’s also worth noting that only the backrest moves, and this is independent of the seat cushion, so your lower half stays where it is regardless, which can be an odd feeling if you’re used to a more traditional tilt.

The included headrest, while fine when you’re reclining, isn't especially useful day-to-day. It's prone to shifting around and can't be completely locked in place, even when you tighten the hex bolts as hard as they'll go. The armrests are a bigger problem. The padding is thin and hard, which is not particularly comfortable on your elbows, but the real frustration is that they simply won't stay put. Height adjustment locks in solidly, no complaints there, but the rotation, forward-backward, and in-out movements have no locking mechanism at all, meaning they shift out of position at the gentlest touch. It's a problem that plagues plenty of chairs at this price (and above), but Elgato has fallen into a common trap with a chair it promised would solve all my annoyances with its rivals.

Performance

After using it as my daily driver for work over the last couple of weeks, I can tell you as far as comfort goes, the Elgato Embrace is entirely adequate without ever being particularly memorable. If you're expecting a plush, welcoming kind of comfort that draws you in, that's not what this chair is. If you’re expecting an incredibly ergonomic experience that’ll solve all your aches and pains, that’s not what this chair is either. I wasn’t disappointed by how it felt to sit on for extended periods, but a bit like its looks, the Embrace is just very standard.

The seat cushion is relatively soft and relatively shallow, too. The foam isn’t particularly dense, with a fast spring-back that leaves it feeling more like a standard mass-produced office chair you'd find in a corporate hot-desking setup than anything particularly premium.

The shape is nice, slightly sculpted but with a flat overall profile and waterfall edge intended to avoid cutting into the back of your legs and promote circulation. It’s a nice change from the aggressively-bucketed seats with high sides that you often find on gaming chairs. The seat is reasonably narrow, however, so larger users should consider other options, and there’s no XL option on offer, I’m afraid, so you’ll need to look elsewhere.

All in all, I don’t have a huge amount of criticism of what the Elgato Embrace is like to use as a studio chair, but it does feel like a chair I’ve sat in hundreds of times before. There’s nothing wrong with that; not every chair needs to be groundbreaking in one way or another, and often brands seem to add features for the sake of saying they’re different. I don’t need built-in air conditioning in my chair, thanks in advance. But the truth is, I came into this expecting more from a chair that had promised so much about shaking up the market and delivering what others haven’t. This is, in essence, a pretty basic mesh office chair trying to cosplay as a premium one.

Should you buy the Elgato Embrace?

The Elgato Embrace is a functional, comfortable-enough ergonomic chair that looks smart on camera and assembles in minutes. If those are your top priorities and you're an Elgato superfan, then there's logic to picking one up. But at $499.99 / £499, the Elgato Embrace has a value problem that it told everyone it was solving. Elgato's entire pitch was about delivering premium, full-featured ergonomic comfort at a more accessible price than the established brands, but what I'm sitting on feels closer to a $250-300 office chair with better branding. The Embrace isn't bad, it's just not $500 good.

In our list of the best gaming chairs, and even outside it, there are better options for one reason or another. Maybe they’re cheaper, maybe they’re more comfortable, maybe they’re a little better executed. The Elgato Embrace is trying to position itself as a premium alternative to both gaming chairs and high-end office chairs, but the build quality, materials, and overall feel don't fully back that up. For a first attempt at furniture from a tech peripherals brand, the Embrace shows promise, but I just wish they’d made a quieter entrance to the market.

How we tested the Elgato Embrace

I used the Elgato Embrace as my primary desk chair for a couple of weeks, using it for a mix of gaming, content, and general productivity. Testing covered extended sessions of four-plus hours at a time, and I paid particular attention to comfort, build quality, and adjustability. I assembled it myself on a carpeted floor and used it with a standard plastic chair mat underneath.

For more details about how we test gaming chairs, take a look at the hardware policy.

There's more where that came from. Check out the best gaming desks, the best standing desks, and the best console gaming chair.

Activision officially dropped the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 reveal yesterday, and nestled among the campaign details, multiplayer upgrades, and return of DMZ, Ninty popped its head up. This is the first CoD title to launch on Nintendo hardware since Ghosts, though we'll have to wait a while for its Modern Warfare 4 pre-orders, and it comes with full Joy-Con mouse control support. As much as I love this nifty feature, I very much recommend that you don't take them up on that offer.

It's not just that you're relying on softer trigger buttons for your main clicks, or that the taller shape gives you far less stability on a desktop. I don't know about you, but when I'm in the heat of battle, I tense up - my relaxed palm grip becoming a strained claw with the adrenaline. Maintaining that hold over the tiny Joy-Con 2 is going to be unbearable.

Thankfully, you don't need to spend hundreds to pick up a far more comfortable gaming mouse supported by the Nintendo Switch 2. In fact, pretty much every rodent I've tested with the handheld has worked flawlessly. For everyday play when you don't want to rely on sticks, though, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed would be my top pick.

This is the best budget wireless gaming mouse I've tested so far, so it's not going to stand up against made-for-esports high-flyers like the Razer Viper V4 Pro or Logitech G Pro X 2 Superstrike. It will, however, run easily on the Switch 2, keep you comfortably on the couch with a wireless connection, and holds up with a sturdy build quality. Unless you're playing competitively, you don't need to shell out on one of the best gaming mice to have a good time here.

Look, the Joy-Con 2 are powerful little gamepads and that sensor is remarkable for what it is. It can't keep up with a traditional shape though, and I wince at the thought of cramping my hand around the tall, skinny oblong for serious CoD sessions.

It's lovely for mini-games or the odd break from the thumbsticks, and definitely speeds up my Balatro dopamine hit, but it's not going to cut it for fast-paced, tense FPS gameplay. Even Cyberpunk 2077 feels a little too action-y and Call of Duty (especially multiplayer Call of Duty) is going to push that unnatural hand position to its limits.

• See all gaming mouse deals at Amazon

We're also rounding up all the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, but you'll also want to check out the best gaming keyboards and the best Nintendo Switch headsets if you're after more Call of Duty upgrades.

Razer has been in the gaming chair market for a while now, but at the time of writing, it finds itself in a tough spot. Yes, it's facing the same old competition as it always has from the mainstay brands like Secretlab and Herman Miller, but it's the newer, emergent brands and "smaller" names on its flanks that are starting to eat into its market share. Desk chairs, including the best gaming chairs, are in an innovative renaissance right now, and the worst thing a brand can be at a time like that is stagnant.

Razer now has to contend with the likes of LiberNovo and its viral dynamic backrest; it has to deal with AutoFull offering a floating backrest, heating and ventilation, Shiatsu massage features, and 720-degree armrests. Razer has to go up against a million and one ergonomic "office" style chairs that dip into the gaming market, and scrappy brands like Eureka Ergonomic and AndaSeat that try to offer as many features as possible for a more affordable price than you'll find elsewhere. And Razer's answer? Doubling down on the Iskur V2 it came out with over two years ago.

The Razer Iskur V2 NewGen commits the sin of not feeling "new" at all, because while all the other brands duke it out with impressive attributes and innovations, Razer is sticking its hand in the air and shouting, "Hey, remember our chair though?" I certainly do remember the original Iskur V2, as well as its full price tag of $649.99/£649.99, and I'm not sure slapping that sticker back on the "NewGen" version is going to do Razer any favors.

Price

Floating backrests and dynamic lumbar systems are becoming a common theme in the gaming and desk chair market at the moment, and for good reason. It feels as though designers are finally waking up to the fact that adjustability is one thing, but human beings move frequently when they sit down all day, so we need something that can keep up without needing loads of manual adjustments. Razer was one of the first big brands to offer this with the original Razer Iskur V2, which had one of the best lumbar support systems we had come across at the time.

It had an issue, though. It was $649.99/£649.99, which put it at a more expensive cost than the likes of Secretlab (before adding any extras onto the Titan Evo). Even worse, $649 then became a price point to avoid for any smaller brand, so it looked expensive versus newer rivals like the Corsair TC500 Luxe. Eventually, as more innovations started emerging and floating backrests became more commonplace, the Iskur V2 started to look limited compared to something like the AutoFull G7, or indeed the AutoFull M6 Ultra.

I got the impression from covering the gaming chair market in the years following the Iskur V2's release that, while it offered quality, it suffered because of its high price. When a chair starts drifting further and further away from its launch price and into discount aisles more often than not, you get the impression it's struggling to keep up with the competition. Soon enough, I started seeing the Iskur V2 in the discount aisle during Prime Day, Black Friday, and pretty much every other seasonal sale on the calendar. Then, all of a sudden, it was nowhere to be seen - I could barely find stock to recommend it at most of the big e-tailers.

Its cheaper alternative, the Razer Iskur V2 X, meanwhile, seemed to show that the brand was prepared to offer a simpler, more affordable gaming chair than usual, and I had hoped this was a sign of things to come for the inevitable Iskur V3. Lo and behold, the Iskur V2 NewGen was announced at CES 2026. Truth be told, it had Benjamin, our incomparable Tabletop and Merch Editor (who reviewed the original Iskur V2 for us), and me scratching our heads. Costing the same $649 as its predecessor did, its big selling point was a new, more breathable leatherette upholstery and... not much else?

I remember asking Benjamin if he's ever had an issue with the leatherette on the Iskur V2 not being breathable enough. He said no, and he's sat in it since reviewing it. I looked online to see if folks on Reddit had been complaining about temperature control issues in the Iskur V2. I couldn't see anything, so I'm a tad perplexed at this refresh.

Thankfully, Razer isn't charging more for this new model than it did previously. But I can't help but look at this as a way to discontinue the frequently-discounted Iskur V2, bring back the original price, and sell again with the premise of "New".

Design & Features

Because there's no avoiding it, the Iskur V2 NewGen is essentially the exact same chair as the original. In many ways, it feels like an answer to the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen Edition. It's essentially the same product, but the emphasis on refreshing it has been through using a new upholstery, a more breathable cushioning setup, and slightly widening the dimensions.

To actually determine what is different about the NewGen model, I've scoured the product pages for both versions of the Iskur V2. The original's hyperflex backrest was called the "World's First 6D adaptive & adjustable lumbar support", while the NewGen model rebrands it to the "World's First Razer Hyperflex Lumbar Support System" - from the descriptions, both do the same thing. Similarly, both chairs are said by Razer to use "Dual-Density, Cold-Cured Foam Seat Cushions", but the new model has a breathable, perforated design. By the looks of it, the seat on the NewGen edition has also been widened slightly both in its shoulder curvature and seatbase.

Of course, the Razer Gen-2 EPU Leather with Cooltouch Technology is the biggest departure, and is apparently 13x more durable than regular PU leather. Elsewhere, all the listed designs and features of both seats are identical.

I do think only adding a new upholstery and some color options (the NewGen edition is available in Black and Green, Black, Quartz, and Light Grey) is a bit of a copout, even if there are other minor changes. But I don't misunderstand that new upholstery can make a big difference to any chair. People don't realize it, but one upholstery versus another can fundamentally alter the comfort and plushness of a seat.

If a leather or a fabric material is put together with too tight a weave, then it won't have the stretch it needs to really bend into the cushioning under your weight. Similarly, if the fabric is too loose, the hard work a brand has done finding the exact cushioning firmness they want will be compromised. Don't use a premium material, or don't use the right amount over each chair section, and it'll fray and damage over time. There's a lot to think about with gaming chair upholstery, so I don't mistake how big a change it can make.

From my experience with the Secretlab Titan Evo NanoGen, I don't feel upholstery alone can make a big enough difference on its own, though. For its NanoGen model, Secretlab went back to the foundations and added a whole new level of cushioning at the same time - and even then, it didn't make a massive difference for me personally. From all the marketing and press material I can see, it doesn't seem as though Razer has added new cushioning to this seat, just made it more breathable.

Carrying over from the original, you get 4D armrests, reactive seat tilt, and 152 degrees of recline.

Assembly

One thing I do have to applaud is Razer's assembly process, not because it's any more streamlined than your average gaming chair, but mainly because of the consolidation of packaging and the unique charm and personality given to the process. Upon first opening the box, you'll be met with a whimsical placard and a pair of nylon gloves. Razer is clearly catering to its audience here with nerdy Thanos references as well as some excellent sitting position warnings. A+ for humour - it's not something I've seen in any other gaming chair assembly process.

Jokes aside, the addition of a pair of gloves actually comes in really handy during the build. They're not going to save your fingers from being crushed, but I have broken skin a couple of times while putting one of these things together. Not only that, they help to keep the chair clean, and your hands free of any oils that might be put on the metalwork for lubrication purposes. Maybe this is something brands like Secretlab should add to their included toolkits.

Assembly was fairly easy, the standard steps of how to build a gaming chair, so not anything to really report here. I did manage to build it myself, but then again, I am a professional, so if you struggle lifting heavy parts, a co-op partner can come in handy.

Performance

In a general sense, the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen is a really decent gaming chair with good build quality and a reasonable level of cushioning. Some chairs struggle to strike a balance between support and comfort, and the jury's still well and truly out on what is too firm and too soft - because every brand in the market has different ideas.

The Iskur V2 NewGen feels comfortable to fall into, and in the three or so weeks I tested it, I didn't notice myself with a numb rear end that made me shuffle into new positions often.

In a similar way, I really like the armrests. They have quite a plush surface to them and a really great shape that means your forearms have a flat surface to glide across while using mouse movements. There aren't infinite height adjustments, but I felt I had loads of scope to match up the exact level I needed for my desktop. I'd also like to applaud Razer for sticking to a more traditional 4D armrest system. Each dimension is controlled by a release catch, none of this clicky rotation nonsense, which never fails to fall out of position and infuriate me.

Overall, there's a lot to like about this chair, which is why, for all my reservations about its price and its lack of innovations, I would still recommend it. On the other hand, I do think this is a chair for gamer that's above my height.

There's a bit too much seat depth here for people under 6ft to really benefit from the ergonomics it offers. Don't get me wrong, I love having lots of seat depth and a bit more width to the seatbase, so I have the ability to cross my legs over or shuffle my weight onto one side if need be. But too much depth will start to encourage you outward from the back of the chair, moving your lower back away from where it's supposed to be, and sneakily introducing a slouching position as you sink deeper into it. That then makes the lumbar support less effective, and the chair's ergonomics as a whole suffer a bit.

Again, this is a problem I had as a 5'10 man, so your mileage may vary, but it completely threw the ergonomics Razer was clearly going for out of whack. I couldn't, for the life of me, find a lumbar adjustment that suited my back. Even at its lowest setting, I felt like my spine was being hyperextended. This Iskur V2 NewGen just feels to me like an XL chair that would suit larger frames a bit better.

This is where the price really starts to bother me, because I've tested more affordable gaming chairs, like the Eureka Ergonomic Python II, that offer almost an identical experience to the Iskur V2 (albeit without adjustable lumbar support) and do the entire ergonomic setup better. That chair comes in at half the price of the Iskur V2 NewGen, and has an even more substantial seat cushion, so there's very little excuse to be made for Razer charging as much as it does.

One thing I cannot understand going unchanged from the original Iskur V2, is the headrest. Back when my colleague Ben reviewed it, we raised the point that even back then, neck pillows with wraparound straps were out of date compared to more efficient magnetic ones. While testing the original, the headrest would continually shift out of position, and the new model suffers the same.

In fact, it pinged off the back of the NewGen model so often during testing that I decided the only way to remedy it was to take it off entirely. Without that neck pillow to encourage me to sit upright though, I felt my head falling forward far too often, again encouraging a slouched position.

It's 2026, and magnetic neck pillows are by far becoming the norm for gaming chairs, especially over $400. I cannot fathom why, if it were coming out with a NewGen model, Razer wouldn't look to make this change.

But instead, Razer focused on breathability, and if I'm totally honest, I'm not sure it shows. The leather material used on the NewGen edition feels premium and certainly cooling to the touch, but it isn't a perforated leatherette, which I would think of as a more breathable alternative.

Testing it in my Scottish flat as the temperature rises gently into the Summer months, a "breathable" option shouldn't have too much trouble staying cool. I still felt the backrest trapping heat, hugging my t-shirt, and I'd still have to peel myself away after a long period sitting in it. It really isn't as cooling as I think the brand intended, and I shudder to think how it would fare in countries that actually get warm during Summer.

If I get really nitpicky, it's also a bit infuriating when this leather material squeaks as you move around in the chair. Floating backrests can have this problem as upholstery needs to stand up to the friction of moving parts, but the leather used here is so much louder and doesn't fill me with confidence about longevity - even if Razer claims it's more durable.

Should you buy the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen?

Not at full price, no. I really do not think this is a chair that's worth $649/£649, and I expect Razer is going to find that out again as we see it start to drop in price. It may take a year, it may take a year and a half, but I don't see this almost identical design to the original Iskur V2 performing too well in a market that's moved on from it in many ways.

Further, I'd personally recommend that if you're under 6ft tall, you look at something else. Your mileage and somatotype may vary from mine, but this feels like a gaming chair designed for larger frames.

If you do manage to get it discounted by $100-200, I'd recommend it. There's a really decent chair here, with solid armrests and good cushioning.

How I tested the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen

I used the latest Razer Iskur as my chair for daily work and play for about three weeks before coming to a final verdict in this review. I usually like to test a chair for a full month, but seeing as we've already done longevity tests with the original model, I feel more confident taking less time with the new one.

I sat in it for around 8 hours a day and beyond when I was gaming at my desk on top of a remote working life. I assembled it alone, I configured the backrest and lumbar support in many different ways to get a feel for how it could serve both my and readers' bodies. I compared it against previous versions of the Iskur on specs and price, and compared it closely with my experience of sitting in loads of different types of gaming chairs over years of reviewing them.

For more on how we test gaming chairs, take a look at our hardware policy.

There's a lot of gaming hardware out there. Take a look at the best gaming desk, the best standing desk, and the best console gaming chair.

Razer and Logitech have been duking it out for generations now, but each brand's 2026 entries couldn't be more different. While Logitech went for reinvention with the X2 Superstrike's haptic switches, Razer went in the other direction.

One rolls the dice on a new way of interacting with your games, the other refines an already-winning formula. One is almost silent, the other is about as loud as you'll find. With both options occupying the high-end price range, the best gaming mouse for you will come down to how you hold your rodent and how you like your clacks.

Competitors

What I loved about the Razer Viper V4 Pro

Speed-focused design...

For particularly competitive players, there's a set of numbers that means more than everything else. The Razer Viper V4 Pro trims its waistline down to a solid 49g (in the black version I'm testing, the white option hits 50g). That's not quite the lightest gaming mouse on the market (check out the Corsair Sabre Pro V2 Ultralight for a reliable 36g option), but it's still pretty effortless in the hands. It's also easier to flick and spin than the Logitech G Pro X 2 Superstrike and its 61g form factor. The Viper range has always lived to become an extension of your arm, and this is the best we've seen so far.

Like its ancestors, the Viper keeps a flatter dome than many of its competitors and siblings. While the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro and Superstrike are by no means uncomfortable and accommodate a good range of grip types, there's a little extra wiggle room in this shape. There's more clearance to pivot the main body between the thumb and pinky during finer aiming moments in a claw grip, while taller mice will often bump into the base of the palm instead.

I do naturally prefer a greater curve on the thumb side than you'll find on either the Viper or the Superstrike, but that's only because I typically use the top of my thumb for a lot of the legwork. Everyone uses different muscles in their unique grip and control styles, so it's fairly subjective - if you find yourself working the thumb a lot more, though, something with a deeper gradient like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX offers a much more comfortable shape.

I was never cramped or forced into an awkward hold here, though. The softer matte finish isn't to my personal taste, but it's still grippy enough to withstand more frantic gameplay moments and feels luxuriously smooth in the hand.

... with the sensor to back it up

Nobody's expecting to come here and read that the Razer Viper V4 Pro is anything less than blindingly fast, but here we are. Whether or not the upgrade to a 50K DPI sensor, 930 IPS, and 90 G acceleration in the Focus Pro Optical sensor will be worth it for mere mortals is a question in itself. This isn't where Razer keeps its costs low, the Viper line is where it lets its tech rip - whether players need it or not.

The same can be said for its new 2.4GHz receiver, the same dome-shaped plugin we saw in the DeathAdder V4 Pro. It supports polling rates up to 8,000Hz - a speed that only the upper echelons of esports glory will be able to notice, let alone make use of. It's no reason in itself to buy the Razer Viper V4 Pro, but it's there for those who want it.

Sturdy battery life

Razer has historically done pretty well with the battery life of its rodents. While Corsair, SteelSeries, and Logitech tend to skew a little lower (averaging between 70 and 110 hours between them), even older releases like the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K have been punching at 110 to 150 hours. The Razer Viper V4 Pro ups the ante again, coming in at up to 180 hours in base 1,000Hz polling. That's the marketing number, but I've been running for two weeks (and that's been a two weeks of more gameplay than usual, with roughly 110 to 120 hours of work and gaming combined) and I still have 38% left on this charge.

Goodbye Synapse 4.0

Try as it might, Razer never quite managed to make its Synapse program the lightweight, stay-out-of-your-way software it needed to be. Thankfully, the brand is following a number of mainstream gaming hardware brands and taking its customizations to the web. That means no more downloads, crashes, and resource hogging. Synapse Web covers all the basics, including keybinding, DPI settings, sensor calibrations (and the nifty rotation and dynamic sensitivity tricks that come with them), and polling rates.

Unfortunately, it doesn't provide a fix for annoying Razer firmware updates - there are still far too many hoops to jump through in that department, and you'll still need to download the full suite.

Super tight scroll wheel

I do have to make special mention of this scroll wheel. Razer's done a bunch of fancy stuff with its encoder, swapping over to an optical sensor rather than a mechanical one. That makes for finely tuned precision in gameplay, but the actual mechanism behind this wheel is pulling just as much weight. There's a nice sense of heft to each rotation here, but it's a tactility that never gets in the way of speed. Notches clearly defined, comfortable, and easy to hit accurately. It's a small feature, but this is easily my favorite scroll wheel to date.

What to consider about the Razer Viper V4 Pro

The V3 Pro still looks pretty great as well

Unlike Logitech, Razer isn't doing anything revolutionary with this year's flagship. This is still the same shape and feel as you'll find in the Razer Viper V3 Pro. A better sensor, slightly lower weight, that gorgeous scroll wheel, and small tune up on battery life certainly makes it a worthwhile release for the true competitors among us, but there's nothing massive separating the V4 Pro from its predecessor.

Unless you're at the top of your leaderboard, there's nothing in here to pull you away from the older (and now much cheaper) previous generation.

You'll certainly hear it coming

I was taken aback by the sheer audacity of these main clicks when I first got the Viper V4 Pro on the desk - and I'm a fan of a sturdy snap. It's a large, brash, thunky sound profile that raises the decibels over pretty much everything else I've tested in the last year. These clicks are never hollow or pingy, but they're going to be noticed if you're sweeping and tapping in a quieter space. If you need your setup to stay quiet, they're loud enough to turn you away from the Viper entirely, running straight into the Superstrike's whisper-quiet haptic arms.

Should you buy the Razer Viper V4 Pro?

As with all flagship releases, the Razer Viper V4 Pro isn't actually made for the vast majority of players. Its tech, features, and FPS-first mentality just aren't justifiable for the budgets of cross-genre Steam generalists. If, however, you're a competitive player looking to up your game or support your skills with lightweight, super-fast hardware, that value comes into sharper focus.

The Viper V4 Pro succeeds in everything it sets out to do. It's supremely fast, effortless to wield, and holds its power for a particularly long time. Whether that's enough when the Logitech G Pro X 2 Superstrike is lumbering onto the battlefield is another matter.

If you're going for a classic FPS experience, where low weight, high reaction times, and fingertip grips rule all, the Viper V4 Pro is your go-to. It's a traditional esports gaming mouse dressed to the nines. If you want a new generation of main clicks, and you're happy to experiment with the possibilities afforded by the Superstrike, though, new technologies could prove more fruitful.

How I tested the Razer Viper V4 Pro

I used the Razer Viper V4 Pro for a period of two weeks, running the mouse for all my daily work, play, streaming, browsing, and everything in between. I tested specifically in Apex Legends and CS2, both on its own and side by side with the Viper V3 Pro and Logitech G Pro X 2 Superstrike, while also using the mouse for Mixtape, Planet Coaster 2, and High on Life 2.

For more information on how we test gaming mice, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

We're also hunting down all the best wireless gaming mouse models as well as more of the best Razer mice and the best Logitech gaming mice on the market.

I'll get it out the way first, the Logitech G512 X is one of my favorite gaming keyboards of the magnetic age. It doesn't offer the smoothest typing feel or break out a ludicrous number of actions per key. It doesn't use a wireless connection or a whole new form factor. In fact, the Logitech G512 X impresses me so much because it falls into none of those pitfalls, instead making smart investments with its features in order to undercut some of the more premium options on the market.

That's where some of the best gaming keyboards find their footing so, while you won't find a PCB stacked to the brim with high quality magnetic switches here, there's plenty nudging the G512 X into that top list. Another thing to get out the way before we start. Straight out of the box, this is a mechanical keyboard through and through. It's only when you take a look at the nine Gateron magnetic switches hidden along the top lip that the full customization options are unfurled.

This is a hybrid magnetic / mechanical deck, with 39 slots for those magnetic clackers to sit in and the ability to chop and change between analog and mech whenever you need to. In essence, it doesn't charge you for the premium magnetic switches you're unlikely to use on the right-hand side of the board.

What I love

Smart magnetic implementation makes for an easier price tag

The Logitech G512 X starts at $179.99 / £169.99 for the 75% version, but it's probably more useful to look at the 98% model. That's because this not-quite-full-sized design is where a lot of the more premium Hall effect keyboards are finding themselves these days, with the best two I've tested being the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 and Asus ROG Azoth 96 HE.

Both of these are more expensive than the Logitech G512 X (at full price, anyway - more on that later), with Corsair's option coming in at $229.99 / £209.99 and the Azoth sitting at a whopping $359.99 / £349.99. They both also feature magnetic Hall effect switches throughout the entire deck.

That means you're paying for analog customization where you might not need it. Logitech restricts its nine supplied Gateron switches to the left hand of the board, where you're more likely to be clustering your action keys around WASD. This is where most players actually utilize adjustable actuation points and rapid trigger - featuring the same switches across the rest of the deck can feel like a waste.

That's where Logitech plays its smartest card. While dropping down the number of usable magnetic switches may be a disservice to the ultra-competitive among us, the majority of more casual players are better served here.

It also achieves full hot-swappability between magnetic and mechanical clackers for far less cash than the only other keyboard I've tested with this tough-to-find feature; the Cherry XTRFY MX 8.2 Pro TMR at $249.99 / £209.99. Straight out the box, you'll find either Logitech's linear or tactile mechanical switches installed.

It's not just that Logitech has cut back on its magnetic keys so save us a few bucks. It's that this analog functionality has been implemented in a way that keeps things sensible while still allowing for the full customization experience. Each Gateron switch is capable of actuating at between 0.1mm and 4mm (the full range we typically see), with dual-step actuation points up for grabs.

You can look at the four-point actuations found in premium options like the Azoth or Glorious GMMK 3 Pro HE, but few players will actually take advantage of such a feature.

Plus, the added Second Actuation Pressure Point rings (included alongside your extra switches along the top of the deck) make this magnetic feature even better with their smart tactile bump. Applying these o-rings to a Gateron switch's face provides tangible feedback for your first actuation point. I'm just guessing and relying on muscle memory in other decks.

Rich typing feel

You can find cheaper magnetic keyboards, in the NZXT Function Elite Mini TKL that launched at $199.99 but is regularly found in double-figures these days, for example. These decks always carry a slightly woolly quality to their cheaper magnetic switches, though, upping resistance in the typing feel and adding extra fatigue.

While the G512 X's mechanical clackers are a little heavier in their actuation force than I would typically choose day to day, their mechanical design keeps this lower-budget magnetic stiffness at bay. If the supplied Gaterons then went and stomped all over that smoother typing feel, we'd have a problem - but Logitech went with TMR technology for its alternate clackers. That means we've got a much easier actuation even across those other switches.

Typing with both flavors installed isn't as disconcerting as I thought it might have been as well. There's a little giveaway that some of these things are not like the others, but it never translates into an uncomfortable experience, nor a less precise one. They smooth into each other nicely, and I never felt the need to adjust tension when hitting a magnetic clacker straight after a mechanical one.

All that's supported by a gasket mounted design that makes for a softer full press and keeps each clack suitably deep in sound and texture. I never heard a single rattle, ping, or echo in my entire testing time.

Functional cyberpunk design

Some could look at the glowing plastic grate at the front of the Logitech G512 X and call it garish. Others could see a cheaper-feeling piece of plastic holding switches and o-rings in place and think it naff. I might have been one of those people in another life, but the jazzy design has won me over.

We've got enough all-black monochrome keyboards relying on per-key RGB lighting, the aqua-cyan of the white G512 X I've been testing looks great on the desk and keeps things interesting in aesthetic. There's a serious impact to that glowing front edge - if Logitech decided to include the accompanying translucent wrist rest in the box, this would have been a 10/10 for style.

What to consider

Casing quality doesn't quite match competitors

Logi nailed the look of the G512 X in my opinion, but it's not quite following it through with a durable build. I've noticed in the last week or so of my testing, the casing itself doesn't hold up to as much pressure as you'll find elsewhere across the market. There's some notable flex in the lower bezel that even yields some creaks when really pushed to its limits. That's under direct force that wouldn't be applied under normal circumstances, but the Asus and Corsair decks mentioned earlier don't behave quite the same.

Logitech is using a thinner plastic for its top plate, and when that material overhangs the light bar running underneath the front edge it's significantly weakened. The same flexing and creaking can't be felt towards the top of the keyboard, but does betray itself in the thinner lines of casing between the main alphas and the num pad.

Full magnetic decks can meet this price point

It's not necessarily a con, partly because I'm celebrating the fact that Logitech is using magnetic clackers efficiently. However, it should be noted that you're not getting a full set of adjustable switches here - just in case you really do need all those customizations. Still, even that would be a non-starter if the G512 X was priced just a little lower. As it stands today, with sales taken into the equation, you can find full sweeps of Hall effect switches for about the same rate as this - and often less.

The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96, for example, launched at $229.99 / £209.99 but it's since tumbled to sit at between $160 and $190 day to day now. Whether you use all of those magnetic clackers or not, it's still the better deal.

Should you buy the Logitech G512 X?

If you're looking to dip your toe into the world of Hall effect keyboards, have a decent wad of cash to invest in the adventure, but want the flexibility to back out and return to your mechanical switches instead, there's no better gaming keyboard on the market right now.

That hot-swappability (and cheaper price than Cherry) is a real feather in this board's cap and makes for a seriously compelling reason to go team Logi for your next deck. Being able to swap and change between not just different mechanical feels, but switch types altogether is a real benefit considering the high prices of fully analog keyboards. Even if you decide you hate adjustable clackers, the G512 X will still serve you just fine.

If you're already on board with the magnetic revolution, there may be better value elsewhere. The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 hasn't lost its throne to Logitech here. It's more efficient not to slot magnetic switches into slots where they won't be used, but it's also undeniable that the Vanguard provides more customization options for less cash (when it's on sale). Throw in that sturdier form factor and those looking for an all-out magnetic transformation will find better features elsewhere.

How I tested the Logitech G512 X

I've had the Logitech G512 X on my desk for just over two weeks now, and it's been running the whole show in that time. This has been my only keyboard for both work and play, save for a few direct comparison sessions with the Asus ROG Azoth 96 HE and Corsair Vanguard Pro 96. In that time I tested specifically on Apex Legends and CS2, but also let it run on High on Life 2, Mixtape, and Planet Coaster 2 sessions.

For more information on how we test gaming keyboards, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

For more options, check out our guides to the best hot-swappable keyboards and the best wireless gaming keyboards available.

When Elgato announced its Neo line in 2024, it felt like an interesting shift for the brand. For the first time, it wasn’t directly chasing content creators and a slice of the premium market; instead, it looked to be going after a broader, more everyday audience. The Elgato Wave Neo is the microphone in that range, so it almost feels strange to consider it against the best microphones for streaming and gaming.

It’s a compact USB-C condenser that’ll set you back $89.99/£89.99 and boasts the simplest route to good audio as its defining trait. It's a very different proposition from the rest of Elgato's mic lineup. Where the excellent Elgato Wave:3 MK.2 leans hard into creators wanting studio-grade vocals with onboard processing, and the Wave DX speaks to the XLR crowd, the Wave Neo is seemingly aimed squarely at those with money on their mind.

I’ve spent a couple of weeks with it and ended up using it mostly in a way I wasn’t expecting.

Design

The Elgato Wave Neo is a cute little thing, a pill-shaped microphone with a white plastic shell made from more than 60% recycled material. If you've seen any of the other Neo products, you'll immediately see the familial resemblance. It comes with its own weighted metal base, an extension bar, and a pre-installed black foam pop filter that clips onto the top. If you’d like a splash of color, you can also grab one of five pastel alternatives, but they’ll set you back an extra $14.99 as an add-on, rather than being an actual color choice. In the box, you also find a braided USB-C to USB-A cable with a molded connector, and that's your lot.

The Wave Neo is understated enough to sit on your desk without demanding too much attention, and with a base footprint of just 9cm, it doesn’t take up much space either. The weighted base keeps it planted, and there's a neat cable guide on the back of the riser for tidying the USB cable away, and you can build the stand with or without the riser, depending on how close you want the mic. If you’d rather keep it up and out of the way, it supports 1/4", 5/8", and 3/8" mounting threads for a mic arm.

There are a couple of rough edges that feel a bit un-Elgato to me, though, and not just because this isn’t trying to look like the brand’s other best live streaming gear for gamers. The connection between the stand and the riser extension is loose and wiggly. It doesn’t actually have anything to secure it firmly in place. Admittedly, once it's assembled and sitting on the desk you don't really notice, but it leaves an underwhelming first impression, and I can almost guarantee at some stage you’ll go to move it and pull the top half clean off. The seam where the foam pop filter meets the mic body, right around the central LED, is also a tad rough. Again, it’s me being picky, but the Wave Neo just lacks the precision I’d usually expect from an Elgato product, even a more budget-friendly one.

The front is dominated by a large tap-to-mute button with an LED that glows white when in use and turns red when muted. It's bright and hard to miss, and for a mic that's going to spend most of its life used in work calls, knowing your mute status at a glance is a nice thing to have. You can dim it through Wave Link if it bothers you, but I actually opted to ramp it up to the max. Around the back there's a 3.5mm headphone jack, though this isn't for direct mic monitoring like you’ll find on the Wave:3; it's purely for listening to your computer's output.

Features

On the inside, the Wave Neo is running a condenser capsule with a cardioid polar pattern, and it’ll record at up to 24-bit/96kHz with a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz. For the price, that's actually a solid spec sheet; I’d even go as far as to say it’s overkill given the intended use case. Nobody needs 96kHz on Discord or Teams calls.

Physical controls are limited to the touch-sensitive mute button on the front. There's no gain or headphone volume dial, so if you want to adjust anything like that, you're doing it through software. The mute button is certainly sensitive. On top of deliberate taps, I was even able to get it to activate by knocking it with the top of my MacBook Air’s screen while testing positioning. Thankfully, because it's on the front edge rather than the top, like on the Wave:3, I didn’t find it prone to accidental touches.

Elgato’s Wave Link app is where the Neo picks up a couple of features worth knowing about. For most people, the big win will be Voice Focus, Elgato's AI-powered noise cancellation, which I found to be effective at filtering out distractions from within your space. It’s worth noting this is a device-powered feature in the app, rather than anything happening onboard the Wave Neo itself, so if you're planning to use it purely as a plug-and-play mic, you’ll be missing out. For anyone working from home or in an open-plan office, I'd say it's well worth the download.

Beyond that, you get a low-cut filter, the ability to adjust gain and LED brightness, and you can browse the Elgato Marketplace for extra filters and effects. It’s worth noting that the Wave Neo predates the new Wave FX Processor you’ll find inside the likes of the Wave:3 MK.2. That means despite both mics running through the same Wave Link software, you’re locked out of most of the new effects and app features like VoiceTune.

Performance

A quick glance down Elgato’s product page for the Wave Neo tells you everything about who it imagines this mic being for. This isn’t being presented as a gaming or streaming mic. It’s not sitting in RGB-filled setups while chill lo-fi beats to study and relax to play in the background; it’s in workspaces and bright desk setups.

So that’s how I approached it. I tested the Elgato Wave Neo away from my usual streaming setup, using it in my dining room and my work office across Teams calls, Discord, and general day-to-day productivity.