Archive - 2016

Fnatic Gear Announces Clutch G1 Gaming Mouse and Duel TMA-2 Headphones

2016/11/01

LOS ANGELES – Nov. 1, 2016 – Today, Fnatic Gear, the global leader in the world of eSports and gaming, announces two professional eSports-grade peripherals for the gaming lifestyle community: the Clutch G1 optical gaming mouse and the Duel TMA-2 headphones. The Duel TMA-2 combines professional gaming and urban lifestyles into one headset, thanks to its intuitively modular design, while the Clutch G1 supports maximum reliability and performance with its customizable buttons and controls. Together, the Clutch G1 and Duel headphones support professional gamers with precision and performance during rigorous gaming marathons with premium comfort.

Duel TMA-2 Headphones – for gaming and lifestyle audio

Fnatic Gear collaborated with award-winning Danish audio pioneers at AIAIAI to create the Duel TMA-2 headphones. Enthusiasts can finally have an all-in-one headset that delivers top-class audio quality during gaming and music listening sessions, whether you’re at home or on-the-move.

The Duel TMA-2’s have a soft-rubber coated modular design, enabling users to switch between sound-isolating over-ear pads to soft, padded on-ear cups to suit their preference for maximum comfort and desired sound signature. The Duel TMA-2 pumps out accurate and immersive sound using 40mm titanium-coated drivers. Provided is a removable boom for use while gaming and an in-line mic for taking calls when you’re out and about. The Duel TMA-2 headphones are created for the professional eSports player’s lifestyle, and will work seamlessly with PC, PlayStation4 and Xbox as well as smartphones, tablets and other audio devices.

Designed to eliminate the need to own a separate gaming headset and music headphones, the sleek and stylish design of the Duel TMA-2 offers a completely personal experience during the longest of gaming sessions and throughout the rest of your day.

CLUTCH G1 mouse – putting eSports in the hands of all gamers.

The Clutch G1 is a plug and play, soft touch, multi-button eSports gaming mouse designed to increase efficiency, accuracy, and performance. It naturally incorporates thumb and hand movements for extreme comfort during crucial gaming situations.

Engineered and designed for comfort and performance, the Clutch G1 has a matte, soft-touch coating and beautifully ergonomic shape that perfectly fits the right-handed FPS player. Its build allows for a claw or palm grip, which provides flexible comfort even after the longest gaming sessions. The Clutch G1 also features a unique Drag Reduction cord, elevated 2mm, to increase speed and efficiency.

The Clutch G1 is armed with Pixart 3310, an advanced optical sensor perfect for users that are serious about perfecting their game with precise actions. Designed with onboard memory, Clutch G1 offers maximum customization with three different gamer profiles to personalize the functions of all seven individual buttons, select RGB illumination patterns with millions of colors and lighting effects, and adjust polling rates.

“After the successful reception, by our players and the eSports community of our Flick mouse, we wanted to offer a mouse that would equally satisfy all players and the community who want a slightly bigger form factor with different ergonomics so that everyone can enjoy what we, here at Fnatic, have to offer,” said Andrew Kim, Head of Product Development at Fnatic Gear. “Secondly, I’m really excited to finally be able to announce a headset that will truly eliminate the need for passionate gamers to purchase two different headsets. The Duel TMA-2 is the first professional gaming headset to provide uncompromised gaming acoustics and audiophile music listening through its intuitive and innovative modular design. With a gaming configuration prioritizing positional audio for those gunshots and footsteps, and an on-the-go configuration tuned for a truly immersive audiophile listening experience, the minimalistic and iconic design of the Duel TMA-2’s provide users with uncompromised versatility, comfort and performance.”

Customers can pre-order The Clutch G1 and Duel TMA-2 for $69.99 and $199.99 respectively at FnaticGear.com. Both products will be fully available late November 2016.

For more information about the Fnatic Gear’s entire selection of gaming accessories, visit FnaticGear.com and follow @FnaticGear on Facebook and Twitter.

nDreams Announces Danger Goat

2016/11/01

boothby

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos

Tuesday 1^st November, 2016 – nDreams, the UK’s largest developer/publisher solely focused on creating virtual reality (VR) games and experiences, is thrilled to confirm that that their upcoming mobile VR game Danger Goat will be available to download for Daydream on Thursday, 10^th November.

To celebrate this announcement, nDreams has released the first trailer for Danger Goat – watch it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/u5vxr4a3xw0

Danger Goat is an all new breed of puzzle platformer with a bold, graphic style inspired by classic cartoons and developed exclusively as a launch title for Daydream, Google’s platform for high quality, mobile VR. nDreams has designed Danger Goat to make best use of the Daydream View headset and controller by combining tactile, dynamic puzzles with intuitive motion controls.

In Danger Goat, a seemingly humble goat has escaped from the depths of Area 51. This, however, is not any old goat – he’s the intergalactic Danger Goat who wants to return to his spaceship! A sinister group of secret agents are hot on his trail and will stop at nothing to prevent him from returning to the cosmos. They have deployed an arsenal of over-engineered contraptions to wipe out Danger Goat in the most hilariously brutal ways imaginable. It is up to players to stop them by using the Daydream controller to guide Danger Goat to freedom, solving tricky puzzles and using delicious thistles to lure him away from harm.

nDreams are proud to be one of the first videogame developers making original apps and experiences for Daydream, having first announced their commitment at Google I/O 2016.

For more details about the game, please visit nDreams’ website for additional information.

Universal Studios Hollywood Employees Volunteer for 12th Annual Day of Giving

2016/11/01

boothby

Geek News, News

Universal City, California, November 1, 2016 – As part of Universal Studios Hollywood’s annual “Day of Giving” community outreach event, hundreds of employee volunteers will band together to bring magic to six LA-based non-profit community organizations on Thursday, November 10, 2016.

The inspirational “Day of Giving” event is a yearly Universal Studios Hollywood tradition designed to connect employees with diverse community organizations, many of which are beneficiaries of the Discover A Star Foundation whose mission is to empower individuals and families to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

On this 12th “Day of Giving” anniversary, Universal Studios Hollywood will serve as home base for two of the six event locations, hosting Operation School Bell and Habitat for Humanity.

In support of Operation School Bell, 250 homeless children from over 20 LAUSD elementary and middle schools will be treated to new clothing, sneakers and school supplies, followed by an afternoon of theme park fun that includes a visit to “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter TM,” a chance to visit with Minions and experience the popular “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” ride and “Super Silly Fun Land” play zone, and venture aboard the world-famous Studio Tour to experience the epic “Fast & Furious – Supercharged” thrill ride.

For the first time, Habitat for Humanity will join the “Day of Giving” roster with employee volunteers crafting elaborate playhouses to accompany homes built by the organization.

The day-long event will also send hundreds of employee volunteers around Los Angeles to help support community-building efforts at the following organizations: AIDS Project L.A. (APLA), where employees will volunteer at the North Hollywood food pantry and help assemble food bags for clients; Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where volunteers will visit patients, distribute gifts and assist with arts & crafts; Project Angel Food, where employee volunteers will prepare and package meals for terminally ill clients; and Shane’s Inspiration, where employees will take part in a “play date” with special needs children at a nearby Shane’s Inspiration playground.

Supported by Universal Studios Hollywood, Discover A Star Foundation is committed to making a significant impact in local underserved communities by providing grants to deserving non-profit organizations. Originally founded in 1995, Discover A Star’s mission is to provide financial assistance to neighboring nonprofit groups. To date, Discover A Star Foundation has raised over $8 million and provided financial assistance to over 65 non-profit organizations.

Through The Woods Review

2016/11/01

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

I had seen a trailer for Through The Woods a while ago but, with the exception of the name, I had kind of forgotten about it. That can be nice to go into a review completely cold when it turns out to be a game that is as atmospherically driven as this one is. This indie title immediately showed its team dedication in the details of every fallen tree and the amazingly immersive sound that made me at one point take my headset off to check if the sound of thunder was real. The only question… is the story as deep as the woods?

First Steps:

After a brief Chapter 0 which may have originally been part of the demo that they wanted to keep which mostly showed off the environment and a little of the relationship between a mother and her son, the game starts with you playing the mom as she wakes from a nap, goes out to look for her kid and sees him being taken across the lake in a viking long boat. The game is set initially in a cabin in the woods of Norway but seeing a row boat with viking carvings row into the mist while you jump in the water and start swimming across after it is kinda unsettling which was a welcome start. After losing the boat in the fog you make it to the other bank where there appears to be a viking fishing village that though long out of use seems relatively undisturbed except by you as you stomp around it picking up ancient manuscripts and calling for your boy. From there the story starts to weave and you start to go Through The Woods.

There are lots of woods and other things in them that I won’t give away here but I will say for the best experience play it in the dark with a headset on, preferably by yourself. There is so much detail everywhere and though most of it gets repetitive the game’s team really kept at it. I wonder how many bowls they had to put in ruins, how many fallen trees or piles of rocks? The voice acting is a little stilted (probably not the actors’ native languages) but otherwise the sound is astounding, I noted some spots in certain chapters in case I wanted to listen the sound of wind through the trees or the crackle of a serious thunder storm that had to be captured not replicated. When playing the game I even stopped a couple times just to take in the graphics or listen to the woods.

After a while of things beginning to look very much the same, which you are supposed to feel since you are getting lost going through the woods, you might get a little lulled and even stop reading the clues. I personally kept on top of them despite it and though I did get a bit punished by the game for getting lulled I started to deduce a possible ending. When the actual ending arrives it neither proves or disproves my thoughts so I would definitely have to say the ending is open to interpretation. It all depends on what you believe is really going on in Through The Woods, you can take it at surface value or consider… well make your own conclusions when you get there just stay on top of the clues.

Out Of The Woods:

Through The Woods is a beautiful immersive experience with a story line steeped in Norse Mythology that explores the dynamics of a mother and son. It can at times seem to drag but after each lull there is a reward, you just have to make your way through the woods.

Through The Woods Review Score:

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star-o” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”] (4 out of 5)

Knott’s Unveils 2017 Plans

2016/11/01

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

Buena Park, Calif. (November 2016) – There’s farm fresh fun for everyone coming to Knott’s Berry Farm in 2017 with a brand new thrill ride, an extended Knott’s Boysenberry Festival, the exciting return of Ghost Town Alive! next summer, and the expansion of Knott’s Soak City Waterpark.

Sol Spin will bring brand new hair-raising thrills to the Fiesta Village area of the park next season. The new ride will send brave guests on a thrilling topsy-turvy adventure over 6 stories high as they rotate in all directions on one of six spinning arms. Sol Spin will be the newest addition to the theme park’s world-class line up of more than 40 rides and attractions when it opens in spring 2017.

But that’s not all! Knott’s Berry Farm is also expanding the park’s Seasons of Fun. For the first time ever, the mouthwatering Knott’s Boysenberry Festival, exclusively dedicated to celebrating Knott’s delicious roots, will be expanded to 23 days. Celebrate the historic berry with countless one-of-a-kind boysenberry inspired dishes, drinks and more, plus limited-time live entertainment the whole family will love!

This past summer to celebrate Ghost Town’s 75^th anniversary, Knott’s debuted the one-of-a-kind interactive experience Ghost Town Alive! The extremely popular interactive experience returns for a second year packed with new characters and even more interactive old west fun. The citizens of Calico return to take guests on an immersive journey back in time to the old west of the late 1800s when bandits and cowboys battle for control of the west. This summer the wild- west gets a little wilder, as new story lines and plot twists will be revealed throughout the season insuring guests will never experience the same adventure twice. Ghost Town Alive! offers something for everyone in your posse.

Also, coming to the park next summer, is the all new Boardwalk Barbecue restaurant located in the Boardwalk area of the park near Xcelerator. This new fast-casual dining location will offer various BBQ favorites including smoked pork ribs, tri-tip and rotisserie chicken along with a selection of sandwiches and side dishes. Boardwalk Barbecue will also be featuring a selection of local and well known craft beers. The restaurant will include a new covered seating area with a stage for live entertainment. The location will replace the existing Boardwalk Barbecue restaurant. Construction is set to begin this year.

Next year’s new enhancements also include an extensive expansion, renovations and new additions in store for Knott’s Soak City Waterpark, which were announced earlier this summer. Orange County’s largest water park will debut two water slide towers offering exhilarating attractions geared for families and thrill seekers. Shore Break will tower over seven stories and offer six different thrilling water slide experiences. Four of the slides on the tower will feature an Aqua-Launch chamber which will innovatively launch guests as the floor under their feet drops them into an almost vertical free fall through a series of flat loops and S-curves in a translucent flume. Shore Break will also feature dueling tube slides that will zip riders through an enchanting series of drops and turns. The height requirements for Shore Break slides are 48 inches. The Wedge slide tower will take the location of the current Pacific Spin and will be an open air family raft ride. Up to six guests at a time will descend down navigating twists and turns and unexpected drops. The minimum height requirement is 40 inches and 40 – 48 inches must be accompanied by a responsible person. The expansion project will also include updated shaded seating areas, cabanas and a remodeled Longboards’ Grill. Guests will be able to experience both water slide towers when Knott’s Soak City Waterpark opens for the summer season in May 2017.

A 2017 Season Pass is the best way to experience all of the new additions coming to Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City Waterpark next year. A Knott’s Regular Pass includes unlimited 2017 admissions to Knott’s Berry Farm and a Gold Pass includes unlimited 2017 admissions to both Knott’s Berry Farm and Soak City Waterpark. Right now you can get either a Regular or Gold Pass at the lowest price of the year: a Regular Pass for as low as 6 payments of $15, or a Gold Season Pass for as low as 6 payments of just $17.62. And when new passholders purchase before 12/31/16, you get one free admission during 2016 season to Knott’s Berry Farm. Hurry, offers end Jan 8, 2017. Applicable taxes and fees apply. The payment plan is only available online at knotts.com

For more information about Knott’s Berry Farm please visit knotts.com or download the Knott’s Berry Farm app for your smart phone.

SteelSeries Rival 500 Optical Gaming Mouse Review

2016/11/01

Ripper71

News, Peripheral Review, Peripherals News, Reviews

I love testing gaming gear and, in some way, for one of the strangest reasons: No one else in my house likes gaming gear. If I give them a headset designed for hours of comfort, maximum sound quality, and perfect voice capturing – they use speakers. If I hand them a keyboard with 5 memory keys, special ergonomic shape, and ghosting prevention they use it like it was a simple $10 keyboard from Budget Depot. So, I always consider it a challenge to see if I can get the others to like and use a product I bring home. I kept this in mind when putting the SteelSeries Rival 500 MOBA/MMO Optical Gaming Mouse through the paces.

Hands On:

When it comes to SteelSeries, we are talking about one of the most well-known and respected names in gaming gear to ever hit the market. People sometimes complain that with certain companies you are paying for a name or a logo but SteelSeries has yet to be one of those kinds of peripheral-makers. There products have been used by professional gamers and eSport teams for years and have a history of durability to go with reliable performance. A SteelSeries headset for the Xbox was one of the first headsets I reviewed over five years ago for GamingShogun.com and I still have that headset hooked up to one of my Xbox 360 consoles. So I’m not spouting corporate babble, here, just personal experience.

Most gaming mice start to have problems with buttons getting in the way of everyday use to the point where a lot of people will have two mice hooked up to their rig or an easy switch out port to go between program heavy gaming to not accidentally clicking on a button with normal typing. This can especially become a problem when you get over ten programmable buttons, they just wind up getting in the way or messing up ergonomics by bristling off the mouse. So first things first you can use this mouse without hitting a bunch of unnecessary function button if you are thumb heavy or palm heavy, the pad of your thumb has a nice ergonomic rest right in the middle of the buttons with sliding it up, down or back to hit buttons and the palm rest area is clear right up to the left/right buttons. If you are thumb and pinky heavy on the mouse (some of us are) the pinky is completely clear so a thumb/palm/pinky lock on the mouse allows you to access all the buttons without losing your grip, all this with 15 programmables. This mouse is designed specifically to avoid missclicks in any use and it works.

The most exceptional way it is designed to avoid miss-clicks is both inspired and simple, they created an on/off switch on the bottom of the mouse to turn off the buttons under the thumb to create a normal ergonomic thumb rest. Being able to slide a switch to turn off buttons and turn them on? It’s so straight forward that I would love to see on future models one more switch that can turn off all extra buttons to make it a normal mouse for everyday use! This mouse immediately shot to the top of the gaming mice in my house with that so that in case a family member got on my rig for some reason (how dare they!) they feel more comfortable with the mouse right away.

So having solidly pointed out how gamers and non-gamers in the house will be able to work with the SteelSeries Rival 500 and not hit buttons the next point is what if you want to. Most surround your thumb with a few located on the sides of the left and right button. The general idea is that your thumb will be most free during action yet at the same time you don’t want a pad full off little buttons that are hard to tell one from the other. So the buttons are all different shapes and sizes with most being around the thumb and some being able to be shut off if not needed.

Internally, the SteelSeries Rival 500 has a butt-kicking PixArt PMW3360 Optical Sensor with a 1:1 tracking accuracy. If you don’t know what that babble means then just stick to the fact it is “butt-kicking” and you should be fine.

As for software and hardware interactions the mouse includes the SteelSeries Engine 3 that provides everything from tactical alerts and button assignments to changing the color of your illuminations. The GameSense software makes it so that you can get custom lighting, vibration and duration effects from such things as stuns and health damage it does zero recoil on your tracking.

Last Click, In My Hand:

After years of reviewing gaming mice the SteelSeries Rival 500 is the first one that after trying it out, Mrs. Ripper requested to be her new gaming rig mouse. In my household, that is a stamp of approval which I have been trying to achieve for years. Knowing the quality of SteelSeries I know it will be a mouse in our house for years to come too. Do yourself a favor and pick up the SteelSeries Rival 500 for all your computing and gaming needs.

SteelSeries Rival 500 Optical Gaming Mouse Review Score:

Hearts of Iron IV Together for Victory Announcement Trailer

2016/11/01

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

STOCKHOLM – 1 November 2016 – When the fires of war erupt and your nation is under siege from the greatest war machine the world has ever seen, it is good to know that you are standing shoulder to shoulder with your brothers and sisters around the world. Together for Victory, the first expansion for Paradox Development Studio’s World War II game Hearts of Iron IV (PEGI 7), shines a bright light on the British dominions and colonies that rallied around the flag in England’s darkest hour.

The centerpiece of Together for Victory is a set of new National Focus trees for five subjects of the British crown: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the British Raj in India. Make history with appropriate technology or alternate history paths, as well as new portraits, new leaders and new companies for the Dominions. Together for Victory is the first step in a process that Paradox hopes will tell the story of every nation in the great conflict.

Together for Victory will also include:

New Autonomy system has different levels of dependency and status for subject nations – puppets, Dominions and fully independent states
Continuous National Focus ideas will add new bonuses and improvements to your country as you take it through the crucible of war
Nations can request a Lend-Lease agreement from their allies and friends if they are in dire need of equipment and vehicles
And much more, including updates and changes to the combat system

Hearts of Iron IV: Together for Victory is coming soon to major digital retailers, including the Paradox store.

www.paradoxplazashoplink.com

Eisenwald: Blood of November Launch Trailer

2016/11/01

boothby

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

October 1, 2016 – Following up on the success of Legends of Eisenwald, developer Aterdux Entertainment is pleased to announce the newest standalone game in the franchise – Eisenwald: Blood of November, is now available on Steam and GOG.com.

A completely standalone game, Eisenwald: Blood of November focuses on a sandbox-style approach to gameplay set within the medieval world of Eisenwald. Players will battle to determine who will take the mantle of Duke of Eisenwald. There are two leaders vying for the role, and only one can reign supreme.

Eisenwald: Blood of November is available now on Steam and GOG.com for $8.99 USD. Review keys are available upon request.

KRYTAC Partners with Laylax for Precision Barrels

2016/10/31

boothby

Action Sports, Airsoft News, Articles, Geek News, News, Windows PC News

October 31, 2016 – Brea, California, USA – KRYTAC, the premium brand of airsoft and training replicas from world-renowned arms manufacturer KRISS USA, has entered into an agreement with Laylax for the exclusive distribution of Prometheus EG Precision Barrels for KRYTAC in the United States. These high precision barrels will be available for all KRYTAC AEG models and sold through the KRYTAC Pro Shop at www.krytac.com.

“We are excited and honored to work with Laylax and bring this new line of high performance barrels to US players,” states Allen Lau, Product Manager at KRYTAC. “The Prometheus EG barrel already has a longstanding reputation of excellence. When Laylax showed that they were able to improve upon the original design and match each barrel for KRYTAC, we knew there would be no better tight bore barrel to pair with our AEGs. Innovative, high quality, products are the hallmark of the KRYTAC brand. A sentiment that is shared by Laylax, and is shown masterfully through the Prometheus EG for KRYTAC barrels.”

“Performance upgrade components function best when installed in a quality base platform, and KRYTAC has the best performance, out of the box,” according to Masaki Koshida, Senior Licensing Manager at Laylax. “Creating a performance barrel specifically for KRYTAC AEGs has been a top priority at Laylax since we began our partnership with KRISS USA. Our goal is to compliment the already outstanding AEG platform with our top quality upgrade parts to further increase the advantage for KRYTAC owners on the playing field.”

Prometheus EG for KRYTAC barrels are precision machined from high carbon stainless steel, and are enhanced from the standard Prometheus EG barrel with an enlarged hop up window as well as channel cuts at the front for stabilization bushings, o-rings are included to fit into the channels. All Prometheus EG for KRYTAC barrels feature a 6.03mm bore.

Prometheus EG for KRYTAC precision barrels will be available directly through the KRYTAC Pro Shop starting December 2016, in the following lengths:

135mm for the Alpha SDP
155mm for the Trident MKI and MKII PDW
280mm for the Alpha CRB, Trident MKI and MKII CRB, and Trident LMG Enhanced
387.5mm for the LVOA-C
416mm for the Trident MKI and MKII SPR

For more information about KRYTAC, please visit www.krytac.com. For more information about Laylax, please visit www.laylax.com.

SteelSeries Arctis 3 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset

2016/10/31

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

SteelSeries makes gaming gear with longevity and versatility, from mice to keyboards to headsets. So I was more than happy to give their latest entry level headset, the Arctis 3 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset, a run through its paces. Does it meet up to the expectations of entry level gaming headsets?

Heads On:

First off we announced the Arctis line of headsets a while back and there was a comparison chart to give readers a general idea of the differences between them and some of the standout features that all three possess.

All three have ski goggle suspension bands which, at first hearing, might be confusing but that just means that the Velcro adjustable bands like the ones that are used on many ski goggle models are the same type that are used on here with many designs to choose from and interchange as a result as well as maybe even using the same design as your favorite set you use when hitting the slopes.

This adjustable design instead of a static stretch one allows a consistent fit no matter how much you use it and the ability to clean it if it begins to get a bit dirty which built-in bands tend to lose elasticity over time and apply the pressure of the stretching to your head as well as just being wipe cleanable.

Adding to the comfort and the sound isolation is the AirWeave Ear Cushions which are so comfortable they feel like memory foam for your ears. I recently did an extremely long, almost all night gaming session and had the headsets on the entire time and they never got uncomfortable to the point I had to remind myself they were on so that I didn’t talk too loud to myself and or head to the bathroom with them on (they have a long cord with the included extension but not that long). On ear audio controls of both volume and mic on/off made it so that if I did need to listen for a sound I could turn it down or with the cups I can turn both sideways if I need to which is great to listen to someone or to set the headser flat down on a desk. When I didn’t feel like wearing them this came in particularly handy to make them double as speakers so that I could still hear stereo sound on the desk.

Like the other Arctis headsets when wearing the Arctis 3 you get 7.1 surround sound you just get it with SteelSeries version instead of DTS which is no doubt a cost saving tool while still maintaining the sound directional ability that you would want in most FPS games in particular. At the end of the day they are also nice just to close your eyes and listen to some music or atmospheric relaxations sounds and SteelSeries 7.1 Surround Sound is solid enough that it would probably be hard to tell it from DTS.

One of probably the weakest points on entry level headsets is the microphone quality. This is a problem in general with most except the highest end headset systems usually so one of the most notable parts of the Arctis series has to be the SteelSeries ClearCast microphones. Located on a retractable, very flexible boom the microphone is encased in a very sturdy housing and is designed with a noise cancellation system built-in that also works in tandem with audio software. The clarity is surprising, with only a little bleed from the room ambient noise. They are definitely up to the task of team chat or Twitch broadcasting and depending on your perfectionist level they would probably due for YouTube videos. If you are going for a walk with them plugged into your phone SteelSeries ClearCast system is handy, since all you have to do is pull out the practically hidden boom and take your call.

In my case I have nerve issues and other medical issues that prevent me from being able to hold a phone up to my ear for long periods of time. This way I can set this headset up to my cellphone and be able to carry on 2 hour catch up sessions with my mother who has hearing issues and has a hard time sometimes understanding me if there is too much background noise. It really is easy to change between setups, since it has two types of plugins on the headset it is literally a matter of changing cables.

When it comes to the headset there is really only one question and that is whether or not to spend another $20 and go from entry level to mid-range, which when you consider the small amount of money difference does come into play. I haven’t tested the Arctis 5 (hopefully I will get the opportunity soon, you never know) but on the list above it seems to give you a lot more for that little amount, DTS Headphone:X 7.1 Surround Sound (probably not that noticable), Illuminated Wired with Prism RGB Illumination so that you can change the glow color of the headset which has a nice illumination ring, LED indicator on the mic, and probably one of the biggest things the USB ChatMix control that allows you to increase your chat levels if you have a soft speaker without blowing your eardrums out by the game on the fly. It comes down to if you think you would use those features, if you don’t find yourself wishing to adjust chat much or like light up headsets then you might as well save your money and go with the Arctis 3 which has much more than the usual entry level mics would ever aspire to add on.

Last Listen:

The SteelSeries Arctis 3 is one of the most impressive entry level headsets to ever hit the market giving many mid to high end features at a more affordable price. This headset will work for you universally around the house and on the go, the only question being whether you want the next model up with a few more bells and whistles for just a few more dollars.
[easyreview title=”Arctis 3 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]