The Thronmax MDrill Zero Plus is a capable microphone that offers good quality audio at a reasonable price
Manufacturer: Thronmax
Model: MDrill Zero Plus
Type: USB Condenser microphone
Supported platforms: Windows, MacOS, Linux, PS4
Reviewed on: Windows PC
Price: £49.99 MSRP
Supplied by: Thronmax
Overview
The Thronmax MDrill Zero Plus sits comfortably in a very affordable £49.99 price bracket, where it faces very little competition when it comes to high-performant microphones. The MDrill Zero Plus is very similar to the original MDrill Zero variant, with the major difference being that the Zero Plus now supports 96kHz 24bit recording for superior sound quality.
In comparison to Thronmax’s MDrill One Pro, which retails around £75.99, the difference in sound quality is negligible. You are missing a few of the quality of life improvements found on the One Pro, like the integrated boom mount connector, gain display and customisable RGB lighting, but as a more budget-focused alternative it’s hard to fault the Zero Plus.
Design and build
The pill-shaped MDrill Zero Plus looks great from the moment you take it out of the box. It comes fully assembled, so all you need to do is plug in the included 3m USB-C to USB-A cable and put it in place on your desk.
Both the microphone and stand are constructed from a mixture of plastic and aluminium, and the quality materials give it a distinctly premium feel. There aren’t any visible screw fixtures, and the build quality is superb with no gaps between any of the fittings. Instead of a more traditional mesh, the acoustic chamber at the top of the microphone has an attractive aluminium cover with a distinctive vertical arrangement.
Aside from the pleasing aesthetic, this Vertigain Technology (patent pending) is designed to minimise the scattering of sound in comparison to a more traditional mesh array. The clarity is exceptional, however, without an identical mic without Vertigain to compare with I couldn’t say exactly how much difference it makes, but it sure does look good!
The rear of the microphone has only the Thronmax logo and identifier, while the bottom of the mic has a USB-C input and a 3.5mm jack output for connecting a headset/headphones for zero-latency monitoring.
On the front of the mic, there’s a small dial that controls the volume output from your PC, either to headphones connected to the mic or whatever sound solution you use on your computer. The larger dial controls the recording pattern and gain, and is ringed with an LED light that changes colour depending on the mode selected and whether or not the mic is muted. With the dial in the centre, the mic glows red, indicating that it is muted; There is a very subtle notch indicating when the dial is centred, but I would have preferred it to be more defined as it’s easy to overshoot or not properly feel the notch if you need to quickly hit mute.
Rotating anti-clockwise switches the mic into cardioid mode, with a blue glow, and clockwise activates omni-directional mode, glowing green. How far you rotate the dial determines the level of gain, and the intensity of the light increases as you turn up the gain. It’s a slightly inelegant solution, as if you need to mute the mic it is difficult to quickly return to the exact same position.
If you have carefully calibrated your audio levels prior to starting your stream or recording you don’t want to have to redo it just because you needed to mute the mic. Minor quibbles aside, the fact it has gain control at all is a major plus point as most microphones in this price range are entirely reliant on software on your system to calibrate.
Unlike other mics in the Thronmax range, there is no universal mounting screw connection. You can buy a compatible mount that adopts the Y-shaped fork of the stand for compatibility, so there are options available, but the included stand has a small enough profile that it shouldn’t interfere with your setup when placed on your desk.
Connectivity and setup
The MDrill Zero Plus supports simple plug and play connectivity. You can use either the included USB-C to USB-A or, if you have the ports and cable, USB-C to USB-C, to connect to a USB 3.0 or higher port on your PC. Once connected, it auto-detects and routes audio inputs and outputs through the microphone.
When you first connect the microphone it defaults to 44kHz 16bit audio, so you’ll need to manually switch it to 96kHz 24bit for the best sound quality, but this is a one-time adjustment. It’s a simple process, although if you’re unfamiliar with how to do it, the instruction manual has a simple guide to changing this that covers Windows PC and Mac.
Like the rest of the Thronmax range, there is no custom software for the MDrill Zero Plus, so any sound enhancements will need to be done via third-party software such as Audacity or with integrated solutions like those found in Discord or OBS.
Audio quality
The MDrill Zero Plus is a dual condenser microphone with integrated gain control, with two distinct recording patterns, a 96kHz 24bit sample rate, and a 20-20,000Hz frequency response. This is above what you will traditionally find for microphones at this price point, and makes it suitable for recording a wide variety of audio beyond just voice..
I was very impressed by the quality of the cardioid mode. During a Discord chat, my friend commented on how clear and full my vocal audio was. In comparison to the excellent Logitech G-Pro X (with Blue Vo!ce enhancements), I expected the headset microphone closer to my mouth to be far louder, but the MDrill Zero Plus was significantly louder and clearer, even placed at arm’s length.
Although condenser microphones work best if you speak directly into them, the excellent pickup means it works very well offset. This is helpful if you don’t have a pop-filter, as it helps limit plosives (the harsh sound like when you hit a hard ‘p’). It also allows you to keep the mic away from your peripherals while gaming, limiting the sound of keys and button presses.
It should be noted there is no integrated shock mount, but the MDrill Zero Plus’ stand does a decent job of limiting the pickup of any bumps or knocks on your desk.
Setting the gain to around 50% was optimal for my setup, and the sound was clear and well-balanced. Increasing the gain to full caused the recording to sound over-amplified, and while it wasn’t necessarily distorted, it sounded blown out and lacked clarity.
I had no issues with volume or clarity with the microphone around 2.5 feet away and placed beside my keyboard, and could be heard without having to raise my voice. For most uses, this should be ideal. At distances greater than this, the sound quality is definitely lacking, picking up ambient echo and reverberation.
The omni-directional mode works ok if everyone is within a few feet of the microphone, but typically conference calls tend to have users spread much further apart, and as such, there is a significant variance in the sound quality between individual voices. Even for those up close, the sound lacks the fullness you get in cardioid mode, and the overall audio is lacking in richness, especially at lower frequencies. We mainly focus on how things work in relation to gaming, and it’s superb for streaming or VoD creators, but if you’re planning on using the mic mainly for conference calls, there are better options.
Without any integrated noise-cancelling, the microphone does pick up a lot of background noise, and especially the clacking of a mechanical keyboard. This can be easily remedied with recording or streaming software. It’s more problematic in omni-directional mode, as you are more likely to have the gain turned up to aid in picking up more distant voices, but in cardioid mode, you can reduce the gain and move the mic closer to you to negate it somewhat. As mentioned, third-party software can help out a lot here, but it can be difficult to eliminate all background noise.
Pricing and suitability
Coming in at £49.99, the MDrill Zero Plus is a great choice if you’re looking for a good quality budget condenser microphone. There are other options available at this price range, though many don’t share the same plug and play simplicity or granular control over the gain. The audio quality is almost as good as the more expensive Thronmax MDrill One Pro, just without the extra recording patterns and more refined controls, making it a decent alternative if you need to save money.
Summary
The Thronmax MDrill Zero Plus is a capable microphone that offers good quality audio at a reasonable price. It has a stylish design, and the simple USB connectivity makes it easy to set up and get started. The lack of noise cancellation means it can pick up unwanted sound, but that can be negated with third-party software.
For gaming, streaming or recording podcasts, the cardioid mode works great, giving loud and clear vocal pickup that is only hampered by the sensitivity of the microphone and its tendency to pick up unwanted background noise. In contrast, the omni-directional mode is sub-par, and unless your meetings take place huddled around a small desk, not really fit for purpose. If you’re buying a microphone with the intention of using it for a lot of conference calls, we’d look elsewhere.
Having an integrated gain control is very welcome, but I’d have preferred if there was a more clearly identifiable gain indicator, as it can be tricky to return to the exact level if you have to mute your microphone.
Overall, this is a great microphone that represents good value for money and offers a suitable alternative to other microphones, where you pay as much for the brand as you do the performance.
The Epic MEGA Sale continues with Among Us free to download and keep
You can download Among Us from the Epic Games Store from now until 16:00 (BST) on the 3rd of June 2021. Once downloaded, it’s yours to keep forever.
Among Us
Life as a Crewmate: Complete all your tasks on the ship to win, but watch out for Impostors! Report dead bodies and call emergency meetings to vote the Impostors out. Hope you chose correctly!
Play as an Impostor: Cause chaos, sneak around, and frame innocent bystanders! Winning involves killing off every Crewmate – think you’re a master of sabotage?
Customization: Choose how you want to play! Add more impostors, tasks, decrease visibility and more. All in style as you get to choose your favorite color, outfit, and hat.Cross-platform: play with your friends between PC, Android, and iOS!
New games are added weekly, and as these weeks coincide with the Epic MEGA Sale, we can expect some top tier games to follow.
I’ve just posted about Sony’s great PS Plus lineup for the coming month, so was a bit underwhelmed by Xbox’s newest offer. Game Pass has seen some amazing additions recently, so it’s not all doom and gloom, but it is still a bit of a damp squib. Meh, given the recent months of GwG it isn’t surprising.
The June Games with Gold lineup is here! On Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, experience captivating, momentum-based gameplay in The King’s Bird, and choose to save the world or plunge it into disaster in Shadows: Awakening. And for our classic lineup via Backward Compatibility, play a fighting game filled with classic characters in NeoGeo Battle Coliseum, and traditional lines between good and evil amongst your favorite superheroes are blurred in Injustice: Gods Among Us.
Xbox Live Gold members will have exclusive access to these games for a limited time as part of Games with Gold. So will Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members, who receive all the fantastic benefits of Gold plus access to over 100 high-quality games with Xbox Game Pass.
The King’s Bird In this award-winning artistic title, enjoy a seamless platform adventure with physics-based movement. Escape into a world kept secret by a tyrant and discover the truth about your freedom.
Shadows: Awakening Take control of a demon summoned from the Shadow Realm to consume the souls of long dead heroes. With a gripping storyline and challenging gameplay, find out who is in charge… the demon or the souls that it has devoured?
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum All the best fighters await you. With a host of original heroes and unique characters that transcend time, unleash this tag-team versus fighter with all your favorite NeoGeo warriors amassed under one roof.
Injustice: Gods Among Us From the creators of Mortal Kombat, iconic characters from DC Comics such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and more, clash together in epic battles. With a massive scale and a bold original storyline, see what happens when our greatest heroes become our greatest threat.
Operation Tango (PS5), Virtua Fighter 5 (New remaster) and Star Wars Squadrons are coming to the service
Cooperative futuristic espionage, remastered martial arts mayhem and dogfights in a galaxy far, far away await you thanks to the PlayStation Plus game lineup for June. New titles Operation: Tango and Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown make their PlayStation debut, while Star Wars Squadrons gives you the chance to pilot iconic starcraft like the X-wing and TIE fighter.
All three games will be available to play for PlayStation Plus members on Tuesday, June 1. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.
Operation: Tango | PS5 version only*
Team up to save the world in this cooperative spy adventure, challenging you and a friend to join up online** to complete dangerous missions across the globe in a high-tech near-future world. Combine skill sets from different points of view – playing either Hacker or Agent – to overcome asymmetrical challenges, working in tandem with only your voice to link you. Teamwork is crucial, and communication is key! Note: Operation: Tango requires both players to have access to a working microphone.
Operation Tango will be available to PlayStation Plus members until Monday, July 5.
Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown | PS4
Sega’s iconic one-on-one battler gets a feature-rich remaster, overseen by Yakuza and Judgment developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Debuting on PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now, both Virtua Fighter veterans and newcomers will be able to test all-new online modes such as ranked matches, tournaments and leagues, while enjoying overhauled visuals and redesigned UI. There’s no better way to enjoy this groundbreaking fighting series.
The game will not only be available on PlayStation Plus for about two months – June and July – but it’ll also be releasing on PlayStation Now in June! PlayStation Plus members can enter Virtua Fighter 5’s arenas starting Tuesday, June 1.
Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown will be available to PlayStation Plus members until Monday, August 2.
Star Wars: Squadrons
Master the art of starfighter combat in frenetic multiplayer space dogfights, and learn what it means to be a pilot in a thrilling Star Wars single-player story set after the events of Return of the Jedi and seen from alternating perspectives of two factions. The New Republic fights for freedom. The Empire demands order. Take control of iconic craft such as the X-wing and TIE fighter, customize loadouts and cosmetics, divert power between weapons, shields and engines while immersing yourself in the cockpit. You’ll also have the option to play the entirety of the game in virtual reality on PS VR***!
Star Wars: Squadrons will be available to PlayStation Plus members until Monday, July 5.
Last chance to download the PlayStation Plus lineup for May
As new games join, others leave. This is your reminder that you’ve until Monday May 31 to add Battlefield V, Stranded Deep, and Wreckfest: Drive Hard. Die Last**** to your game library.
*Benefit not applicable for Operation: Tango on PS4 consoles.**Online multiplayer requires PS Plus subscription; fees recur until cancelled. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: play.st/PSPlusTerms.***Please review and follow all safety guidelines for use of PlayStation VR. PS VR is not for use by children under age 12. PS4 or PS5 system, PS VR, and PS Camera are required to experience VR functionality.PS5 console owners require a PlayStation Camera adaptor to use PS VR on the PlayStation 5 console (No purchase required. Visit here for details). For the best PS VR experience on PS5 console, we recommend using a DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller. ****PS5 console only; PlayStation Plus benefit not applicable for Wreckfest: Drive Hard, Die Last on PS4.
Prepare to dive back into the criminal underworld of Kamurocho
It’s official, Judgment is now a series, with a direct sequel scheduled to arrive on both Xbox and PlayStation consoles worldwide on the 24th September 2021.
Ryu Ga Gotoku studios showcased their upcoming crime adventure game during a 30-minute presentation on publisher Sega’s YouTube channel. During the presentation, viewers were shown a five-minute story trailer, followed by interviews with the game’s directors, a word from the lead actor, gameplay footage, and then a Q&A session from gaming media. As far as game presentations go, this was superb!
During that time all aspects of what to expect were covered, and we at Total Gaming Addicts would highly recommend viewing the entire show, as it is packed full of detail. The highlights of which were:
Two locations for the main story to be played in (Tokyo and Yokohama)
Traversal on a skateboard!
The same gritty crime drama.
Nuanced and expanded investigation mechanics
Mini games that include, karaoke, boxing, and a robot wars game
An additional new combat style for fighting – Snake Style
4k 60fps on next gen consoles.
To be released on both Xbox One/Series X|S and PS4/PS5.
The power of the new consoles will be fully utilized
A worldwide release date of 24th September 2021
Many more features and details were discussed in the Q&A session, but the developers have also promised the signature hilarity and silliness alongside the pulse raising drama that also plays a big part in the game.
Another detail confirmed in the presentation was that Ryu Ga Gotoku studios have confirmed that the Yakuza series going forward will keep the turn-based combat introduced with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The Judgment games, in an effort to differentiate between the series, will continue with real-time brawler action combat.
So get ready to lose yourself to the criminal underworld of Japan once again. Dive into amazing fast flowing combat with a gut wrenching yet intriguing crime detective story, hilarious side missions and fun mini games that captivate, with visually exciting over the top gameplay and detailed cutscenes, all in stunning 4k 60fps!
Features
Law and Disorder – Lost Judgment once again puts players in the sneakers of lawyer turned street-fighting detective Takayuki Yagami. Joined by his partner, ex-yakuza Masaharu Kaito, the crime-fighting duo is called on to investigate a seemingly perfect crime whose lead suspect has an airtight alibi. What starts out as a tale of revenge reveals a tangled web of conspiracy involving several unlikely factions taking advantage of a broken law system. But as victims pile up and Yagami unravels the truth, he must choose between defending the law or exacting justice.
Freeform Combat – Yagami’s mastery of martial arts allows him to stylishly overcome any situation from group ambushes to single-target takedowns. Harness Crane, Tiger, and the new Snake style, a graceful style that can deflect and return an opponent’s strikes, using their energy against them.
Investigative Action – Yagami’s arsenal of detective tricks grows with new gadgets, stealthily tracking suspects, and crafty methods of infiltration. Leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the truth.
No Place Finer – Immerse yourselfin the bustling downtowns of Tokyo and Yokohama at your own pace within an authentic setting that only the RGG Studio can deliver. Game at Club SEGA, find your next favorite hangout, take on cases from locals in need, and beyond.
Join us here at Total Gaming Addicts as we bring you more news, previews and the full game review upon its worldwide release this September.
The steady stream of upgraded and enhanced games that are releasing showcase the potential of the new consoles, and Control Ultimate Edition is a perfect example.
Control was one of those games in the PS4 era that I tried a couple of times, and even managed to get a few hours in, but it just didn’t click with me. The combat mechanics were brilliant, but the story appeared as a batty, weird mess that just didn’t seem to follow any kind of coherent form.
However, as one of the lucky few who have a PS5, I got to try out Remedy’s sci-fi thriller on Sony’s newest powerhouse via the PS Plus service. Control Ultimate Edition, tuned to the power of the PS5, was suddenly at my disposal. As we haven’t had a huge amount of affordable games to play on the system as of yet, I thought I’d give it one more go.
You have the option of playing the game in either performance or graphics mode. The game renders in 4k HDR in graphics mode, with ray-traced lighting, shadows and reflections, but the game is limited to just 30 fps. As pretty as the game looked, with the textures and the lighting really popping, as soon as you moved it lost its shiny reverence of beauty. 30 FPS just didn’t cut it for me, but opting for the silky smooth 1440p 60 fps option transformed the game completely.
I’ve always been an advocate for higher frame rates over resolution, and if ever a game shows this off, it’s Control. Particle effects, player movement and the incredible destructibility of the environments are all going on simultaneously. With not a jot of screen tear or any drops in the frame rate, it is transformative. Because everything plays smoothly, players can pinpoint exactly where they are and how to interact with their surroundings. This is extremely pertinent when facing challenging traversal sequences or for spatial awareness when facing enemies both in the air and on the ground. The smoothness of the game drew me into the experience far more than it ever did on last-gen consoles.
But it doesn’t stop there, Remedy hasn’t quite fully utilized the haptic feedback of the PS5 controller, but they have made a damn good start. While Jessie (the game’s protagonist) walks around, you can feel the ever so soft footfalls of her feet alternating in your hands in time to her strides. It’s not so intrusive as to be a constant disturbance, but it’s another layer of texture that immersed me even further into the game. The haptic feedback on the triggers was also a nice touch, and it gave each of the different weapon forms you acquire in the game a slightly different feel to them when pulling the trigger. The basic handgun form of your weapon had a fairly loose trigger, whereas the shotgun and grenade launcher versions needed a slightly harder pull.
My memory is a little hazy as to how the game sounded on the PS4 Pro that I played it on previously, but suffice to say the PS5 3D audio had me on a constant nervous edge. The distant clank of metal, the screech of an incoming enemy attack or the rumble of walls and rock moving was utterly convincing in my headphones. As the audio was so precise, I could pinpoint objects just by the sound and direction it came from even without seeing them.
I’ve been quite a harsh critic of the start of the current console generation, as although there is a fairly decent amount of new games for the system, not many have fully embraced or explored what the new technology is capable of. We were promised smoother and faster frame rates, alongside using the haptic controller in ever more immersive ways. So far, only Astro’s Playroom has hit that particular nail on the head. Additionally, since the Uncharted series wrapped up, and Lara Croft is currently MIA, third-person action-adventure games are a little thin on the next-gen ground, but Control fills that spot nicely.
Simply put, Control on the PS5 is a stunning example of what to expect from this generation and a must-play title. Other than Astro’s Playroom, it’s the first big game I’d give one of my friends to show them what a PS5 can do.
Despite my initial misgivings based on my experience with Control on the PS4 Pro, not only have I now enjoyed it so much to complete the main campaign, I’ve completed both the expansion storylines and am homing in on the Platinum trophy. I understand now why the game garnered so much praise and won so many awards during its initial release, as when you get into it, the story, gameplay, graphics and audio are excellent. One wonders how many more awards the game would have received if it was released as a next-gen title now.
With Xbox Cloud Gaming you now have console-quality gaming on the go, why shouldn’t you have matching quality audio and style too?
Manufacturer: Razer
Platforms: Xbox (2.4GHz), PC, Mobile (Bluetooth)
Price: £149.99 MSRP
Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/mobile
Supplied by: Razer
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CONSOLE. MOBILE. COMBINED
Enjoy cutting-edge audio performance that embraces the future of Xbox. Enter the Razer Kaira Pro—a wireless headset for Xbox Series X|S and mobile gaming. Fitted with our best drivers and headset mic, experience stellar sound and voice chat for unrivalled console and mobile gaming.
XBOX WIRELESS AND BLUETOOTH 5.0
The Razer Kaira Pro for Xbox is designed for two modes of gaming.
FOR XBOX SERIES X|S
Direct, low-latency console gaming via Xbox Wireless.
FOR MOBILE DEVICES
Seamless, convenient mobile gaming via Bluetooth 5.0—optimized for Xbox Game Pass.
RAZER™ TRIFORCE TITANIUM 50MM DRIVERS
Our all-new patented design allows our engineers to custom tune each driver as though there are three—allowing for the individual replications of high, mid and low audio frequencies to deliver richer trebles, brighter sound and powerful bass.
The wireless headset also includes titanium-coated diaphragms, giving added clarity to any vocals you hear so that any comms you receive are always crisp and clear.
RAZER™ HYPERCLEAR SUPERCARDIOID MIC
The pickup pattern on this detachable 9.9mm mic has more noise rejection from the sides as compared to a cardioid mic, and provides a true recreation of your voice thanks to a sensitive low frequency response and an open microphone housing designed for minimal obstruction.
FLOWKNIT MEMORY FOAM EAR CUSHIONS
To keep you in peak form during gaming marathons, our new breathable weave minimizes sweat and heat build-up generated by skin contact, while the ultra-soft foam’s improved density greatly reduces the headset’s clamping force.
DEDICATED MOBILE MIC
Hidden in this Xbox Series X|S wireless headset is a second mic that works without the Razer™ HyperClear Supercardioid Mic—handy for when you need to talk while commuting, whether it’s for mobile gaming or answering calls.
EQ TOGGLE AND XBOX PAIRING BUTTON
Located on the right earcup, hold down the button to pair your headset easily, and press it twice to cycle through 4 EQ settings—such as FPS Mode that enhances in-game audio like enemy footsteps, and Bass Mode to amplify low frequency sounds.
WINDOWS SONIC
Experience lifelike surround sound that allows the headset to place audio with pinpoint accuracy, heightening your in-game awareness for a competitive edge and truly immersive experience.
ADVANCED APP CONFIGURATION
Supported by the Razer™ Headset Setup for Xbox app, get it sounding exactly the way you want with access to deeper audio customization options such as personal EQ presets, mic monitoring, and more.
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Xbox wireless audio made easy
Wireless headsets have always been a mixed bag when it comes to Xbox, due to its lack of Bluetooth. Very few headsets outside of the official offerings are able to directly connect to the console, mostly opting for large base stations or annoying dongles. The Razer Kaira Pro is one of the few that connects to the console directly with 2.4GHz wireless. Beyond that, the Kaira has something else that very few Xbox headsets have, RGB.
The Kaira is not just for your Xbox console either, with the Xbox ecosystem expanding beyond the console market and taking its foothold in the PC space, and now with cloud gaming, the mobile space. With that in mind, Razer has packed Bluetooth 5.0 into the Kaira pro for seamless high-quality audio while you enjoy Xbox Cloud Gaming on your mobile devices.
Design and Build
The Kaira pro is, as expected, mainly black with the signature Razer green details. The headband is a metal-reinforced textured plastic, with Razer embossed across the top, and an embedded green flowknit head cushion. This gives the headset a sleek seamless look, rather than the cushion sticking out of the main framework.
The headband ends in a brushed metallic-look strip that leads to the cups and houses the metal headband sliders that have a very nice clicky step to them. They also have number markers printed on the sliders themselves, making sure you can easily adjust the headband to your preference.
The metal ends also have a swivel motion, allowing the cups to rotate between slightly forward-facing to all the way back, allowing the cups to sit flat on a desk or on your chest while hung around your neck. This would usually just be a good feature for ease of use, but when you consider the mobile market it is an absolute winner and a must-have. You can sit on the train playing your games and just slip them off and leave them comfortably around your neck, rather than putting them away or having the cups stick up and obstruct your head movement.
Moving to the cups, they are oval-shaped and made of the same textured plastic as the headband, topped with black flowknit cushions that are held on by a green leatherette trim. The cups both have a razer logo in the centre that while off is a very subtle gloss black that only just stands out from the matte/satin finish of the rest of the headset, but illuminates when switched on, powered by Razer Chroma RGB.
RGB on!
To me, this is a huge boon for the Kaira pro. RGB on a console focused headset is rare, to say the least. The only example I can think of is the AG9 by PDP and the Turtle Beach Elite Pro v2, and that’s not even on the headset, it’s on the DAC/volume knob that sits on your desk.
The RGB is fairly basic in its function only having the basic options available like Breathing and cycle, but again, for a console headset that is fully customizable in-app on the Xbox, it’s awesome.
The cushions on the cups are super comfortable. The flowknit memory foam ticks all of my boxes, breathable, comfortable, soft and deep, my ears don’t touch the drivers and they don’t cause ear sweat. I have always favoured fabric cups and even more so when they are made of this sportswear like fabric (though having tried Alcantara once it’s probably the only fabric I wouldn’t recommend). They also have decent noise isolation but do not completely cancel out my voice. It’s a strange preference but I do like being able to hear my voice through the cups to some extent.
As the Kaira Pro is a wireless headset all controls are on the cups themselves: the left cup has a mute switch, volume wheel, power button, USB Type-C charging port, a removable gooseneck mic and a built-in mic.
The right cup has the pair button, game/voice mix wheel and the Bluetooth button.
The on-cup controls take a while to get used to as I found myself going for the wrong wheel and pressing the wrong button a fair amount, but after a while you do get used to it and naturally remember what is what.
The removable microphone is a great addition. It would have been so easy for Razer to have either the normal mic or the built-in one but instead, they have given you both.
The main removable mic is a long gooseneck mic; the neck is covered in semi-translucent black plastic so that it has both the rigidity of metal and fits in with the rest of the style of the Kaira pro.
Audio performance
Performance-wise it has done fairly well, as expected from Razer’s Hyperclear Supercardioid microphone. Voice communication comes out very clear and sharp, slightly elevated on the high end but a fair amount clearer than most common headset mics on the market.
The built-in mic is another story. It’s not far off the same quality as the plugin mic, and it’s clear and infinitely better than I expected it to be. The one flaw is its pick up; it literally picks up everything. While testing it talking to my partner through Xbox Live on my phone she could hear herself clearly. So, if I’m in your party while on the train, you’re going to be eavesdropping on everyone around me. Hopefully, in future iterations or a future update we will have the ability to adjust the mic sensitivity but considering that it’s built-in it performs admirably.
On to the stars of the show, the drivers. The Kaira Pro features the Razer Triforce Titanium 50mm drivers, the same drivers in the very popular Blackshark V2. These drivers pack a real punch, and the audio is dynamic and lively.
I did notice that the bass can be a little overpowering in some instances but it was nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a bit of adjustment in the Razer headset app.
The soundstage is excellent. Cue sounds always came through clearly and distinctly over distant sounds. This is always a big must for my personal use. With some headsets, it becomes hard to distinguish if noises are close or not, and many seem to have a very limited range in terms of simulating distance. With the wide soundstage I found it easier to really dial in on where the sounds are coming from. Granted, most games don’t take full advantage of that, but in competitive multiplayer games like the ever-popular warzone it can be a huge advantage. It can be the difference between setting up a perfect ambush or succumbing to an early strike leading to death in-game.
The highs and mids feel crisp and sharp – the zing of the clip from the new rifle in Fortnite echoes through the cups, giving you that extra little bit of detail and allowing the small nuances that the sound engineers in games have painstakingly baked in.
Negatives and suggested improvements
Despite my apparent love for the Kaira Pro, I have found a few cons that set me back a little. Skipping the previously mentioned built-in parabolic pickup mic, the charging port presents my main concern. Of course, you are provided with a cable, but as undoubtedly every game knows cables rarely last as long as the hardware they come with.
The charging port on the Kaira pro is recessed into the cup leaving a snug cut-out for the provided charger. None of the cables I own fit into that cutout, meaning that once that cable reaches its inevitable end I will be hunting around for one that will fit or I’ll be taking something sharp to one of my cables and slicing off the excess rubber to make them fit. I appreciate that the cut out makes everything nice and neat, but it couldn’t hurt to leave a little more room.
A very objective con I personally have is the colour. The black is fine but the green is not for me, especially when I take them out and about. I would much rather them be all black, but they do have that iconic Razer look and they are definitely, unmistakably a Razer headset, so that one is entirely subjective.
Lastly, I experienced random bouts of static noise, almost like the drivers had blown or the bass was cranked to an astronomical level. This lasted a couple of weeks before I decided to scrap my personalised audio tunes a few times and reset every setting. I went through every toggle and turned everything off then back on and it seems to have sorted itself out, but I couldn’t say if that is the end of it or not.
After some searches on good old Google a few users of the Kaira Pro have found that toggling the mic monitoring off and on again sorts the issue out, so take that one as a possible issue that you can actively fix.
Summary
The Kaira pro ticks so many boxes that it’s hard to not fall in love with it. Even at the higher end of the headset price spectrum, it’s a great offering. It is absolutely feature-packed and offers features beyond those of most Xbox headsets, and is so well suited to the Xbox players arsenal.
Having dual wireless connection options allowing you to connect it to your phone or Xbox is very advantageous. I have literally been sat at my desk playing Xbox and when it came time to head out, I just popped them from my head onto my neck, removed the mic and off I went. They are connected to my phone ready to go just like that, plus they are some of the best full-function mobile gaming headphones you will find.
There are a few issues but nothing that I would say subtracts too much from the Kaira’s greatness, the only thing I can say I genuinely would have preferred is the option of a full black colourway.
MSI’s Clutch GM41 is an ultra-lightweight mouse with exceptional battery life, designed for FPS gamers
There has been a lot of call for ultra-lightweight wireless mice from competitive gamers, professional and enthusiast alike. Wireless, because there’s nothing worse than a cable that can snag or drag at the worst possible moment, costing you the W, and lightweight, because speed and agility are paramount in today’s fast-paced shooters.
The MSI Clutch GM41 Lightweight Wireless weighs just 74g and has the same shell and symmetrical design as the Clutch GM41 Lightweight, but impressively only weighs a few grams more. High-speed 2.4GHz wireless gives the GM41 Lightweight Wireless a transmission latency of just 1ms, which is up there with the best of its rivals.
A full charge will last you for up to 80 hours, which is excellent. Recharging from 0% to 100% takes 90 minutes, but a 10-minute blast in the charger will suck up enough juice for an additional 9 hours of battery, which is great if you get caught short in the middle of a lengthy gaming session. If you simply can’t stop gaming, you can plug in the Frixion Free cable and carry on playing wired while your mouse charges.
The Clutch GM41 has a Pixart PAW-3370 sensor, with 20000 DPI sensitivity and 400 IPS tracking, and Omron switches rated at 60 million clicks.
Included with the mouse is a USB dongle, dedicated charging dock, and an extra Frixion Free cable for wired gaming. On the mouse, there is a recessed channel where a USB cable can be plugged in or can be used to store the USB dongle during travelling.
Specifications:
PIXART PAW3370 sensor
Up to 20000 DPI sensitivity / 50G acceleration / 400 IPS tracking
OMRON switches rated for over 60 million clicks
74 gram total mouse weightUp to 9 hours of battery life with 90 minute recharge time
Symmetrical right-handed design
Dragon Center software support allows for customization including RGB light
Charging dock, USB wireless 2.4G transmitter dongle, and FRIXION FREE CABLE included
The MSI Clutch GM41 Lightweight Wireless gaming mouse is available to purchase now in most regions
Saints Row: The Third Remastered is launching on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 as a free upgrade, Steam and GOG releases also confirmed
The update brings improvements to the graphics, putting it on par with a PC running at high settings. Lighting, texture resolution and other visual effects have been improved, along with dynamic 4k resolution targeting a stable 60 fps on PS5 and Xbox Series X. On the Xbox Series S, players can choose between 1080p at 60 frames in performance mode, or an upscaled 4k image at 30 fps in beauty mode. All consoles will also make use of the new SSDs to dramatically reduce loading times.
PlayStation 5 owners will additionally receive support for Activities, and can even turn the highlights on the Dual Sense controller to a subtle Saints purple glow.
While the enhanced version will be available to purchase, existing owners can take advantage of these upgrades free of charge, with Free Upgrade and Smart Delivery on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S respectively.
When I reviewed Saints Row: The Third Remastered, I had this to say, “If you’ve never played Saints Row The Third, the remaster still holds up as an excellent game. The core gameplay remains true to the original, which for fans is exactly what you want. It may not be as deep or refined as modern games, but that’s ok. What Saints Row The Third: Remastered does deliver is a healthy dose of humour, and engaging, entertaining gameplay. It’s a testament to how much fun it is when a thirty-hour playthrough feels short.”
The update releases for consoles on the 25th May 2021, while the PC version launches on Steam and GOG on the 22nd May 2021.
For more information on Saints Row: The Third Remastered follow them on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube @SaintsRow, at Facebook.com/SaintsRow or visit SaintsRow.com.
Our vision is a world where humans and animals coexist in sustainable ecosystems. Our mission is to build awareness and implement effective systems such that habitats and animals are protected.
Our work includes cutting free and caring for captive bears in India and Armenia, rescuing and rehabilitating orangutans and other primates in Indonesia and treating injured and orphaned howler monkeys in Costa Rica.
MSI’s new gaming laptops bring the fight to their rivals
I love the production values of the MSI presentations; they are short, concise and we even got a cameo from Linus of LinusTechTips. The announcements covered both the new creator series laptops and also the gaming series, so we’ve broke these down into separate announcements. For the creator series laptops, follow this link
MSI has revamped its designs for its new 2021 range, with new and unique aesthetics across its range. Whatever your personal preference, there’s sure to be something that catches your eye. It’s not just aesthetics, of course. The New MSI laptops all come with the latest 8-core Intel 11th Gen Rocket Lake CPUs and RTX 30-series GPUs. Many of these GPU’s are full-power variants, which is very nice to see as a lot of manufacturers settle for the mid-power variants.
The optimisation of MSI’s PCs and laptops is generally excellent, meaning we can expect to see every ounce of performance squeezed out of these new devices. MSI’s new Control Center has an AI powered solution that offers 1-click optimisation, to your personal preference. For esports gamers, you can optimise for maximum framerate, Creators can optimise CPU performance for rendering tasks, and if you just want the best looking graphics at 60 fps, you can target that, too.
Wi-Fi 6E, PCIe Gen4 SSDs and improved cooling is implemented across the board, and there’s a load of display options, too, from 360 Hz FHD panels to awesome 240 Hz QHD options.
Another new feature is the MSI App player, that lets you play mobile games on your laptop. There is also a Console Mode, that works as a game launcher that can be fully operated with a game controller. If you like plugging your laptop into a large monitor and sitting back on the sofa, this allows you to replicate the console experience from your computer.
There are a lot of new laptops coming from MSI, so we’ve broken down the key features that have been revealed so far, though we expect to know much more about them as we get closer to the launch.
MSI’s gaming flagship features enthusiast-level specs; an Intel Core i9 CPU and an RTX 3080 16GB that runs at a monstrous 165W TGP. Using an inbuilt Discrete Graphics Mode, this will give you the full power of the GPU. This essentially sounds like a MUX Switch, which allows the GPU to directly connect to the system removing the bottleneck that occurs when using Nvidia Optimus (which relays the GPU output through the iGPU).
The award winning Stealth series retains its minimalist styling, and along with the improved performance, now has greater battery capacity and an epic 240Hz QHD panel.
The GeForce GPUs in the Katana series are the full-power variants. The GeForce RTX 30-series GPUs come in a wide range of TGP options, which means you can theoretically have an RTX 3060 that is more powerful than a 3080 depending on the specific TGP version fitted. Having the full-power variants in these laptops, therefore, is quite a big deal. As MSI’s budget range of laptops, these could end up being the bargain must-buy deals of the year.
MSI GF Sword 15 / 17
Key Features:
Components
11th Gen Intel Core ‘Rocket Lake’ CPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX
Wi-Fi 6
Display
Up to QHD 165 Hz
System
Tech-Blue backlit keyboard
Cooler Boost 5
The GF Sword Series comes in a brand-new Clear-White colourway with a contrasting tech-blue backlit keyboard, and it looks gorgeous.
MSI GL Pulse Series
Key Features:
Components
11th Gen Intel Core i7 ‘Rocket Lake’ CPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 / 3050Ti / 3050
53.5 Whr battery
Wi-Fi 6
PCIe Gen 3 SSDs in RAID 0 configuration
Display
QHD 165Hz 100% DCI-P3 / FHD 144Hz
System
Tech-Blue backlit keyboard
Cooler Boost 5
24mm thin
HDMI 2.0
In contrast to the smooth shells of the Katana and Sword series laptops, the Pulse features more angular lines, designed by 2018 ZBrush world champion Maarten Verhoeven.
MSI GL Crosshair Series
Key Features:
Components
11th Gen Intel Core ‘Rocket Lake’ CPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX
Wi-Fi 6
Display
Up to QHD 165 Hz
System
Cooler Boost 5
The Crosshair seems to share most of the stats of the Pulse, leading us to believe they use the same core components, just wrapped up in a different shell.
I love the production values of the MSI presentations; they are short, concise and we even got a cameo from Linus of LinusTechTips. The announcements covered both the new creator series laptops and also the gaming series, so we’ve broke these down into separate announcements. For the gaming series laptops, follow this link
With the meteoric rise of streaming, VoD and user-generated content, we are now seeing all of the major manufacturers releasing devices aimed at content creators. MSI is trying to stand out by offering the whole package – multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports, exceptional colour accuracy, great battery life and speedy components. Admittedly we have seen the likes of ASUS and Acer offer almost identical laptops, but the Creator Z16 is the first I recall with more than one Thunderbolt 4 port.
MSI Creator Z16
Key Features:
Components
11th Gen Intel Core i7 ‘Rocket Lake’ CPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675
2x PCIe Gen 4 SSD
90Whr Battery – Fast-charging
Display
Touchscreen
16″ QHD+ (2560×1600) 120Hz
16:10 display ratio
MSI True Pixel
100% DCI-P3 Colour Gamut
Delta-E <2 (colour deviance – lower is better)
Calman verified (professional calibration)
System
Cooler Boost Trinity+ cooling solution
2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports supporting charging and DP1.4
4 speaker arrangement
IR Camera (720p30)
16.18mm thin, 2.2 Kg
Micro SD slot
The Creator Z16 is a beautiful looking laptop, with a stunning, curved-edged, CNC machined aluminium case and subtle but elegant styling. For creators, the 11th Gen i7 and RTX 3060 will render 40% faster than the previous 10th Gen i7 and RTX 2060 pairing.
MSI Creator 17
Key Features:
Components
11th Gen Intel Core i9 ‘Rocket Lake’ CPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 16GB / 3070 / 3060
Wi-Fi 6E
PCIe Gen 4 SSD + PCIe Gen 3 SSD slots
99.9Whr Battery – Fast-charging
Display
17.3″ UHD mini-LED backlit screen
HDR1000 (1000 nits peak brightness)
240 dimming zones
MSI True Pixel
Calman verified (professional calibration)
System
20 mm thin, 2.45 Kg
If you want a bigger screen and more power, the Creator 17 could be the device for you – the thinnest and most powerful laptop in its class. Aside from the stellar performance, the display is the main talking point here. The 17″ display is backlit with mini-LEDs, with a total of 240 dimming zones and a frankly incredible 1000 nits peak brightness.
MSI Creator M16
Key Features:
Components
11th Gen Intel Core i7 ‘Rocket Lake’ CPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti / 3050
Wi-Fi 6E
PCIe Gen 4 SSD
90WH Battery – Fast-charging
Display
16″ mini-LED backlit screen
100% DCI-P3
500 nits peak brightness
Calman verified (professional calibration)
System
Cooler Boost Trinity+ cooling solution
23.9mm thin, 2.2kg
The performance components are not quite as beastly as the Creator 17, but the RTX 3050 Ti is still a competent creator GPU, and MSI hasn’t skimped on the display. The 16″ panel is again mini-LED backlit, and has a peak brightness of 500 nits, as well as being professionally calibrated for colour accuracy.
By Jeff Hattem, Head of Studio & Creative Director, Tuque Games
Dark Alliance will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows 10 PC, and phones and tablets via Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) with Xbox Game Pass on Day One, June 22! The game will also support PC and console cross play at launch!
Gather your party, choose your adventurer, and get ready to set out on an epic brawl through Icewind Dale on June 22 with Xbox Game Pass. Forget character sheets and math for the night, Dark Alliance is a third-person action brawler that drops you and your friends into the unforgiving frozen hellscape of Icewind Dale to take on iconic Dungeons & Dragons monsters and collect epic loot. You can venture on your own, but with the addition of cross play on PC and Xbox featuring up to 4-player co-op, why would you?
Dark Alliance lets you choose from four iconic heroes, the Companions of the Hall – Drizzt, Catti-brie, Bruenor, and Wulfgar – with over 50 different moves, special abilities, and team-attacks. The combat is pick up and play but difficult to master, with emergent strategies and tactics depending on the situation, skills, and monsters.
Choose what’s best for you: rapid strikes, backstab executions and a giant panther? Drizzt is your guy. Acrobatics, long range bow and arrow more your style? Catti-brie will suit you just fine. Whatever your play style, the Companions have you covered. And it’s a good thing they do…
We are excited to bring Dark Alliance to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows 10 PC with Xbox Game Pass! But this is only the beginning of our adventure.
Launch isn’t too far away, and we have so much more to show. That’s why starting tomorrow, May 14 and every Friday until launch, come watch us play Dark Alliance.
Acer’s Triton, Helios and Nitro laptops will now have Intel 11th Gen Rocket Lake CPUs and RTX 30-series GPUs
Acer are starting off their next-gen updates with revised models of the best-selling Triton 300, the gorgeous Helios 300, and the potent entry-level Nitro 5. I say, “entry-level Nitro 5”, but the newest versions pack a serious punch.
Switching to the 11th Gen Intel silicon brings the obvious performance improvements, but will also offer improved battery life, support for PCIe Gen 4 and the latest Wi-Fi technology. Combined with the new RTX 30 series GPUs (including the recently announced RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti), performance on these new machines is likely to be far superior to the already very capable models they replace. Top this all off with Acer’s knack for keeping down costs without compromising on performance and we have some serious contenders on our hands.
Aside from the basic specs, we don’t actually know all that much about the new range, but once they release we will be getting them in for review and can go into more detail. In the meantime, here’s a breakdown of the core specs and what we can expect.
Acer Predator Triton 300 (PT315-53)
Key Features:
Components
Intel Core i7 @ 5.0GHz (boost clock)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 (TGP info not yet available)
2TB M.2 NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0)
Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 RAM
Display
15.6″ QHD 165Hz / FHD 360Hz options
3ms response
HDMI 2.1
System
5th Gen Aeroblade cooling
4-zone RGB keyboard backlighting
Killer Wi-Fi and Ethernet
Mini DisplayPort 1.4
USB-C (Thunderbolt 4)
The Triton 300 is Acer Predator’s bestselling gaming laptop, and for good reason. It has solid build quality, an all-metal chassis, and powerful components.
Without knowing the exact model of CPU and the TGP of the graphics card, it’s hard to judge just how powerful the Triton 300 will be. Even the lowest TGP RTX 3080 is still going to be impressive, of course. With regards to the CPU, when it comes to gaming there isn’t actually a whole lot of difference in frame rates when you compare the i7 to the i9, and if anything, the i7 is the better choice as it helps keep the price in check. 32 GB of RAM is also a solid number to aim for, and outside of serious power users it’s likely to be more than enough to power you through the full lifespan of the laptop.
I like the display options on offer. You have the option of choosing between an esports ready 360Hz 1080p display or crisp 1440p resolution. I wasn’t convinced initially that 1440p would be that beneficial on a screen of this size, but having recently tried out a couple of laptops with QHD displays I have witnessed first-hand how much clearer and sharper it makes games and movies.
The inclusion of Thunderbolt 4 is very welcome, as is HDMI 2.1, the dedicated mini-DP port and three USB-A ports. You can plug in a huge amount of peripherals and still have dedicated display connections. It’s a very robust suite of connectivity options.
Acer Predator Helios 300
Components
Intel Core i7 @ 4.6GHz (boost clock)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 (TGP info not yet available)
M.2 NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0) – capacity not specified
2TB HDD for additional storage
Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 RAM
Display
15.6″ or 17.3″ screen sizes available
QHD 165Hz / FHD 360Hz options
3ms response
HDMI 2.1
System
5th Gen Aeroblade cooling
Vortex Flow Design (17″ model) for additional cooling
4-zone RGB keyboard backlighting
Killer Wi-Fi and Ethernet
USB-C (Thunderbolt 4)
When it comes to design, the Helios 300 was one of my favourite laptops released in 2020. It had a touch of gamer flair, but was also stylish enough to draw admiring glances from my colleagues. It was reasonably priced, had great performance, and it was a pleasure to use, so I’m very excited to try out the all new version.
The Helios 300 we tested had the 10th gen i7-10750H, which is only a six-core CPU, so the 8-core 11th Gen Rocket Lake CPU should be significantly faster. There is also a jump up from the RTX 2060 (6GB) to the RTX 3070 (8GB), meaning that overall, the new Helios 300 will be in a different league.
You get the same screen choices as the Triton 300, with QHD and high-refresh FHD panels available, but the Helios 300 also comes with a 17″ display option. Aside from the obvious difference (a bigger screen, if that wasn’t clear), the more spacious interior has allowed Acer to add ‘Vortex Flow Design’. Through the use of strategically placed thermal foam, this can more efficiently channel air into and through the laptop, reducing surface temperatures and improving cooling.
This is definitely one to keep an eye on if you’re a fan of premium design.
Acer Nitro 5
Components
Intel Core i7 @ 5.0GHz (boost clock)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 (TGP info not yet available)
2x M.2 NVMe SSD (RAID 0 compatible)
Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 RAM
Display
15.6″ or 17.3″ screen sizes available
QHD 165 Hz
99% sRGB colour gamut
300 nits peak brightness
3ms response
HDMI 2.1
System
Acer Coolboost
Vortex Flow Design (17″ model) for additional cooling
4-zone RGB keyboard backlighting
Killer Ethernet and WiFi 6
USB-C (Thunderbolt 4)
When I first reviewed the Nitro 5, I was impressed at the performance on offer for such a reasonable price. In the new-for-2021 version, Acer has improved everything, and especially the key area I found it lacking; the display.
The 15.6″ or 17.3″ display is available in 165Hz 1440p configuration, which is already a huge leap over the 1080p 120Hz we reviewed previously, but they have also improved the panel quality. The previous version we tested was a little duller, at 275 nits brightness, but the biggest issue was that it only covered 60% of the sRGB colour gamut. This left images appearing dull and lifeless. In the new Nitro 5, they have targeted 72% NTSC, which equates to around 99% sRGB and is a huge improvement.
The components have also had a major boost. An 11th Gen i7 at 5GHz and RTX 3070 GPU put the Nitro 5 up there with top-tier laptops. Other premium additions include an HDMI 2.1 port, Thunderbolt 4 and a solid suite of connectivity options. The charging port has also been moved to the back which will help with cable management.
If they can keep the costs down as they have with previous Nitro models, this looks like being the best performing laptop for anyone keeping to a tighter budget. I can’t wait to put it through its paces when it launches in the coming months.
The new ROG Zephyrus laptops complement the already stunning ROG 2021 lineup, now with an Intel twist
Fresh off the back of the incredible AMD Ryzen 5000 series laptops released earlier this year, the new range come with the brand new Intel 11th Gen CPUs.
In comparison to the 10th Gen Intel processors, there’s no discussion, the new AMD processors absolutely smoke them in performance tests. With these new Intel CPUs, however, I don’t think it’s going to be as clear cut. In ASUS’s TUF Dash F15, the Intel i7-11370H we tested had higher single-core performance than a desktop i9-10900K, and was equal to or better than the R9-5900HX. The only place it couldn’t match them was in multi-core performance due to only having 4 cores.
The new Zephyrus machines have the all-new 8 core (up to) Intel i9-11900H processors, clocked up to 4.9 GHz. On paper at least, the Zephyrus S17 and M16 have the potential to bring the fight to AMD again, and I can’t wait to see what the results are like.
However you look at it, this is one beast of a PC. The CPU is an unknown quantity as of yet, but as we mentioned above, it has the potential to deliver incredible performance. The GPU has a TGP of 115W, which is in the middle of the 80-150W range. With dynamic boost, it can reach up to 140W, which is higher than the excellent ROG Zephyrus Duo SE. Maximum RAM of 48GB leads me to conclude that 16GB must be soldered to the board, with an additional 32GB that can be added to the extra slot, which is not uncommon and, for gaming at least, more than adequate.
Even considering how slim this laptop is, cooling will not be an issue. ASUS’s cooling solutions are already very efficient: heatsinks fed by carefully arranged heatpipes, Arc Flow fans and liquid metal thermal compound. Additionally, and similar to the hinged second screen on the Zephyrus Duo, AAS Plus cooling is also included, which raises the keyboard 5° when you open the screen. This allows cool air to be sucked in through the top of the laptop and it drastically improves the cooling. It also angles the keyboard a little higher into a better typing/WASD-hammering position, which is an added bonus.
The SSD array is very interesting. It uses three PCIe Gen 4 SSDs in HyperDrive Ultimate RAID array, to produce a mind-bogglingly fast potential speed of 10.5 GB/s. In the lower specced variants, they utilise a single PCIe 4.0 SSD, which should still be muy rapido.
ASUS ROG’s laptop displays have been outstanding recently, and we can expect the same quality of QHD and UHD panels as seen in the Zephyrus Duo SE and Strix Scar 15. These displays have been astoundingly good, with excellent responsiveness, almost zero ghosting and outstanding colour accuracy and vibrancy.
Another area where ROG has excelled lately is its speaker setups, with their flagship notebooks packing impressive sound quality, with that most elusive of audio features, actual bass! The Zephyrus S17 has a six speaker setup, including a pair of woofers, so we are expecting great things from the audio.
I could go on for hours about this laptop, but I need to save something for the review! I’ll finish with a knowing nod of appreciation towards the optical mechanical keyboard, as the one on the Strix Scar 15 was brilliant, and the Zephyrus 17 even has a numberpad.
Up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD with additional M.2 slot (Supports RAID 0)
Up to 48GB DDR4-3200 RAM
Display
16″ QHD 165Hz Adaptive-Sync
16:10 Aspect Ratio
100% DCI-P3 colour
Pantone Validated
94% Screen to Body Ratio
Dolby Vision
500 nits Peak Brightness
System
Stealth Type Keyboard
180° ErgoLift Hinge
Six-speaker arrangement
90 W/hr Battery
19.9mm Thin Low-profile Shell
Webcam
Biometrics – Fingerprint Scanner
Much like the Zephyrus S17, the M16 has far more innovative features than just what’s listed above: Things such as the twin USB-C ports that support DisplayPort, meaning you can connect three external displays; a MicroSD slot; or the Thunderbolt 4 connection, which can hook up to an external GPU.
We’re going to focus on the main points of interest for now. We’ve covered the new Intel CPUs, and the M16 has the same options as the S17. The GPU is a low TGP variant of the RTX 3070, though, which is technically what would have been classed as a MaxQ GPU before. It’s essentially the same as in the TUF Dash F15, with the TGP of 80W, however, the M16 has dynamic boost up to 100W in comparison to just 85W on the Dash F15. The ROG Strix G15 also had an RTX 3070, but with 115W of available power it delivered frame rates up to 20% than the lower powered GPU. How much of that difference was down to the CPU in the Dash F15 remains to be seen, but you can still expect the M16 to comfortably surpass 60 fps with Ultra settings at the native 1440p.
For me, the real star of the show here is the incredible display. 1440p at 165Hz is about perfect for a screen of this size, but it’s the excellent 500 cd/m² brightness and 100% DCI-P3 (cinema-grade) colour gamut that has me most excited. Along with Dolby Vision support, this gives content creators professional-level control over their creations. The M16 also has a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is a definite plus if you are productivity. Finally, putting the icing on the cake is the incredible 94% screen to body ratio; Bezels are just 4.6mm thin on all sides of the display.
Of the other announced features, a similar six-speaker setup has been included, a capacious 90WH battery, and somehow ASUS has even slipped a webcam into that tiny bezel. The ErgoLift hinge allows the display to fold back a full 180°, which also raises the underside of the laptop to increase airflow and aid cooling. The stealth type keyboard is designed to keep noise under 30 decibels for an unintrusive typing experience, and the whole keyboard tray is coated in a smudge-resistant coating.
There’s much more we could mention, but we want you to read the reviews once we get our hands on these laptops. Hopefully this brief preview has got you as excited as we are to check out the newest editions to ASUS ROG’s outstanding 2021 line up of laptops.
The AOC CQ32G2SE is proof that top specs don’t have to cost the Earth
Manufacturer: AOC
Model: CQ32G2SE
Price when reviewed: £349 MSRP
Supplied by: AOC
We’ve tested a lot of AOC monitors, ranging from the entry-level displays all the way up to the exceptional Agon premium lines. Their premium displays are excellent, but what is most impressive is the level of quality at the lower end of the price range. The CQ32G2SE we have for review costs under £350, yet this 31.5” monitor comes with a lot of desirable features: It has a 1500R curved 16:9 VA panel, 165Hz refresh rate, 1440p QHD resolution and Freesync Premium. AOC has had to make a few concessions to keep the price down, but the overall performance is brilliant for the price.
Design and Build
What’s in the box?
Power brick and adapter
1.8m HDMI cable
1.8m DisplayPort cable
Warranty information
Quick-start guide
Gaming monitors can sometimes look a little OTT, but AOC has kept the flourishes subtle. There is a small amount of deep-red trim on the underside of the lower bezel, around the base of the stand, and on the rear of the display, which gives the display a touch of individuality. From the front, your main view is dominated by the large curved screen, flanked by pleasingly small side bezels and a slim lower panel featuring a small AOC logo.
The CQ32G2SE uses an external power brick, with a sufficient length of cable for you to keep the power brick on the floor under your desk. You can also feed all of your connected cables through the integrated cable management hole in the stand, keeping everything neat and tidy.
The angular stand looks great and is very stable, keeping the monitor relatively wobble-free, but lacks much in the way of ergonomic adjustment. It can be tilted -3.5°/+21.5° but cannot be swivelled or pivoted, and there is no height adjustment. This does limit your options for positioning and depending on your setup you may need to buy an additional monitor shelf to raise it up sufficiently, although it does have connections for a Vesa 100 mount if you prefer. On my desk, the large size of the display put the centre of the screen just below eye level, which was ideal.
Assembling the monitor takes just a minute or two. The stand comes in two pieces, with a quick-release D-ring screw holding it together and a simple but secure monitor attachment. Build quality is good; There is a minor amount of creaking if you apply pressure to the panels, but it’s unlikely to be noticeable in normal use and doesn’t affect its usage.
While many monitors use a small joystick to access the function menus, the CQ32G2SE has a set of five buttons on the bottom-right of the screen. The nicest thing I can say about them is that they work, but I found them to be too small and have too much resistance when pressing them. The markings embossed into the display, that identify what each button does, are also very hard to see. I miss-pressed these buttons often, even after I’d had enough time to properly familiarise myself with the monitor. It’s a very minor complaint, but worth drawing attention to.
The CQ32G2SE supports automatic source switching and power-on, so once I’d gone through the initial calibration process I rarely needed to use the buttons.
Display Performance
The AOC CQ32G2SE is a 32”, 1440p, 165 Hz monitor, with FreeSync Premium certification.
Brightness and colour
The CQ32G2SE recorded 119% sRGB coverage and 89% AdobeRGB, which is remarkable for this price range, and suitable for colour-critical applications. It is only an 8-bit panel, so it is not quite as impressive as some of AOC’s more expensive displays that can display a wider colour gamut, but it’s very good for the price.
The default colour accuracy is very good out of the box, requiring very little adjustment during calibration. Colour saturation is only average, but the gradients are still very smooth across the whole range. If you prefer a more deeply saturated image, the Game Colour setting does a good job of increasing saturation without overexposing the image and blowing out the colours. Setting Game Colour to 12, colours appear richer and deeper while retaining good balance. It is less natural, but it brings images to life.
Peak brightness is the weakest aspect of this display, measuring just 248 cd/m². If you usually use your monitor in the evening or in a room shielded from bright sunlight then it’s sufficiently bright. In a very brightly lit room, however, it can look a little dull.
This is a VA panel, which means you get very good native contrast, and the lower brightness actually plays into the CQ32G2SE’s favour. Playing games or watching movies with predominantly dark scenes is great, as the low black level helps avoid the grey glow we’ve observed on cheap displays. There is a small amount of black crush that flattens some detail, but unless you are actively looking for it or directly comparing it with a significantly more expensive display, it’s almost unnoticeable.
Viewing angles and uniformity
Viewing angles are average for a budget VA panel. The image is still clearly visible when viewed off-centre, however, saturation quickly washes out, and there is a minor amount of colour shift. There’s a relatively narrow ‘butter zone’ for optimal viewing, but stick to this range and you should be very satisfied with the image.
If you sit too close to the screen there is a visible reduction in brightness towards the outer corners of the display, but at arm’s length or further, the picture is far more consistent. As this is quite a large 32” monitor, the 1500R curve definitely helps. Having the edges of the screen angled towards you improves the uniformity of colour and brightness stability.
The curved display definitely helps reduce any inconsistencies in brightness, but it also pays dividends when it comes to heightening immersion in games and movies. The perception of depth is amplified, and the screen feels wider than it actually is.
There is a small amount of glow around the corners of the display, but it doesn’t encroach too far into the screen and is faint enough to be easily dismissed. It’s certainly better than other panels in this price range.
Frame rate and response
Max resolution and refresh rate:
DisplayPort 1.2: 1440p @ 165 Hz
HDMI 2.0: 1440p @ 144 Hz
If you have a PC capable of maxing out the display, you’ll be very happy with the CQ32G2SE. I played several games set to ultra at 165 fps and it’s a fantastic experience.
Unfortunately, G-Sync is not compatible with this monitor, however, if you use an AMD GPU or games console the FreeSync activation window is very wide, keeping the action stable from 48Hz all the way up to 165Hz.
There is a fair amount of ghosting evident on very fast-moving images, which is most apparent with a bright object against a dark background. Cranking the overdrive up to strong managed to reduce this ghosting significantly without introducing overshoot. In actual use, it’s barely noticeable, and as we’ve found throughout most aspects of our testing, the CQ32G2SE’s performance is above what you’d expect at this price point.
I’m pretty average at competitive shooters, so naturally, I take every advantage I can get. It’s hard to quantify, as sometimes I just have a good day, but I was consistently finding myself making hits and occasionally nailing head-shots on CS:GO. I found the gaming responsiveness felt just as good as many premium gaming monitors I have tried.
HDR Performance
The CQ32G2SE is not an HDR display, though it does have an HDR Mode within the settings. It produces a rough approximation of HDR, but at the expense of completely crushing bright colours and turning subtle gradations of colour into a monochromatic block, so I wouldn’t recommend using it.
Picture Boost
Using AOC’s Picture Boost setting can significantly improve the overall image quality. Colour saturation and brightness is enhanced without crushing the brighter colours, whites are crisper and more natural, but it also keeps the darker colours intact. This also helps improve the contrast and makes for a much more appealing image. Combining Picture Boost with Game Colour dramatically improves the overall picture quality.
Connectivity
There’s nothing groundbreaking on offer here, but it’s a solid lineup of connectivity options. Two HDMI 2.0 inputs are joined by a single DisplayPort 1.2 input for connecting multiple consoles, PCs or laptops. A 3.5mm audio line-out is also included for connecting to speakers or headphones, which is useful if you have several devices connected to the display. There is no USB passthrough, but this is to be expected in entry-level monitors.
Pricing and availability
The AOC CQ32G2SE is crammed full of cutting edge display technology but at a price far lower than you would normally pay for this functionality. At under £350, it’s competitively priced and hard to beat..
Availability is good, with the monitor available to purchase right now. If you shop around, there are some great deals online; it can currently be purchased from Amazon for just £329.99, though it has recently been on offer at various stores for as little as £299.99. Even at MSRP, though, it still represents great value.
Who is it best suited for:
If you are into competitive gaming but don’t have a huge budget, the CQ32G2SE is an ideal starting point for aspiring pros. A similarly specced display from rivals can cost upwards of £700. That AOC has managed to pack so many desirable features into a monitor costing under £350 is remarkable. If you are in the market for a 32” QHD display that can run at good frame rates, there aren’t many options that come close to the affordability of the AOC CQ32G2SE, and even fewer that are any good.
The addition of Freesync Premium and low latency mode makes this display well suited to the new generation of consoles, too. Many games with performance mode options tend to run at reduced resolutions, so this 1440p display makes a lot of sense. You can play games at 120 Hz without having to pay a significant premium for an HDMI 2.1 display (when they eventually release, that is).
Summary
The AOC CQ32G2SE is an affordable gaming powerhouse. It’s hard to find a display of this quality, packing in so many desirable features, for anywhere near this price. The low peak brightness is the only real negative, but when you weigh that up against the excellent colour accuracy and great contrast levels it’s a very satisfactory compromise, especially if you mostly game in the evening.
The excellent performance is accompanied by stylish design, good connectivity options and solid image adjustment settings. For anyone in the market for an affordable large screen QHD display, the CQ32G2SE is a solid option that should certainly make your shortlist.
“What amazes me is how someone could have that kind of power and yet keep it hidden all that time”
Shionne – Tales of Arise
Challenge the Fate That Binds You.
“For 300 years, Rena has ruled over Dahna, pillaging the planet of its resources and stripping people of their dignity and freedom.
Our tale begins with two people, Alphen and Shionne, born on different worlds, each looking to change their fate and create a new future.
Featuring a diverse cast of characters, intuitive and rewarding combat system, and a captivating story set in a lush world worth fighting for, Tales of Arise delivers a first-class JRPG experience.”
One of the hardest questions to ask a JRPG fan is, “Which is your favourite series in the genre?” Could it be the epic storytelling of the Cold Steel series from Falcom, or GUST’s Atelier series which is now hitting top form with Atelier Ryza? Well, just to complicate the issue even more, Bandai Namco, is parking the car outside and is about to make a grand entrance with the latest behemoth in the genre, Tales of Arise.
It’s been a whopping seven years since the last game in the long-running series, which was the superb Tales of Berseria. Tales of Berseria was such a revelation to me, as it was the JRPG that grabbed me hook, line and sinker into the genre. That was quickly followed by playing some of the previous games (Tales of Graces and Tales of Vesperia).
Each of those games had a certain quality that is almost unmatched by others within the genre. It’s a series that tries to put more effort into the animations and visuals, adding more detail and interest than its counterparts. Only Ni No Kuni has impressed me in this way, as that game had the legendary animation creators, Studio Ghibli, to help them with development. However, Bandai Namco has been working in collaboration with the anime studio “ufotable” for the in-game cutscenes in Tales of Arise. If you are unfamiliar with ufotable, this is the studio that was responsible for the 2019 hit anime Demon Slayer (Kimetsu No Yaiba), as well as God Eater, The Garden of Sinners and Fate Zero.
Another reason the game has taken seven years to complete is that during the process they spent five years designing a bespoke lighting mechanic, called an “atmospheric shader”. The developers took time out to explain the atmospheric shader in the trailer below, and the gobsmacking results are plain to see.
Putting this all together, the visuals look stunning, especially for a JRPG. Tales of Arise even has an environment trailer showcasing how vibrant, varied and detailed the worlds you will be playing in will be. For anyone like me who can enjoy JRPG games with fairly basic environments, this new game is ripping up the rule book and taking things to a whole new level, as JRPG fans simply aren’t used to this kind of graphical fidelity.
However, not only have the visuals been given an almighty upgrade compared to previous games, but the combat looks fast and fluid too. Have we hit the gaming nirvana of a JRPG game that has the classic RPG overtones to get invested in, combined with fast, free-flowing hack and slash combat in the style of Devil May Cry? Judging by the gameplay trailer below, we most certainly have!
Tales of Arise combines stunning visuals with smooth and slick gameplay mechanics. When this is woven together with the signature Tales of immersive storytelling, that beguiles players into the world by crafting the characters’ identities into the overarching narrative, you may then be able to understand why the arrival of Tales of Arise is a very big deal in the JRPG genre.
We here at Total Gaming addicts can’t wait for this one, and we will be bringing you more news, previews and the full game review upon it’s worldwide release. Tales of Arise is scheduled for release on the 10th September 2021, for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Microsoft Windows.
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RGB-backlit gaming headset with detachable microphone, 50mm drivers and 7.1 Virtual Surround Stereo with Hi-Fi audio
Communication is key when it comes to multiplayer games, and the perfect sound to dive into virtual realms in casual titles is the cherry on top. The AOC GH300 has a boom detachable microphone with a LED that signals if you’re muted. A 7.1 Virtual Surround Stereo feature for PC creates multi-layered audio with which you can pinpoint sound sources in-game with extreme precision. Its RGB lightning can be changed via AOC Audio Center. Supports High-Fidelity sound quality (24bits/96KHz audio).
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AOC has taken a bold step out of the monitor market (where they have been killing it, may I add) and are trying their hand at the peripherals game, starting with headsets.
Enter the AOC GH300 virtual 7.1 surround-sound, RGB, USB headset.
I can not describe how ecstatic I was to hear that AOC was entering the Peripherals market. I use an AOC 27G2U monitor every day and could not be happier, so my expectations were high for what AOC would come out with in terms of a headset.
The unboxing experience was quite straightforward. The packaging is styled in black and red (AOC’s favourite colours) and features silver reflective AOC logos and imagery of the headset. Inside, a moulded black plastic insert holds the headset inside. Given there are some stellar unboxing experiences when it comes to headsets, this is fairly basic, but the unboxing is unimportant. What is important is the AOC goodness it contains.
The GH300 is a visually appealing headset. It has really quickly become one of my favourite headsets in terms of its styling. The headband is completely covered in leatherette with red stitching down the sides, the AOC logo is embossed on the top and it is filled with plush foam on the bottom, each end finished with a large black plastic end piece.
This led to the striking red brushed steel sliders. These are the most unique style choice on the GH300. They are stronger than any headset I have used in recent memory, yet remain very thin, adding a quality, modern and clean feel to the headset. It has a defused reflectiveness to it that I feel you can only achieve with genuine metal. There are always products featuring fake brushed metal, but the real thing feels and looks so clean, and it’s almost satisfying that they are cold to the touch when you put them on.
These then wrap halfway around the large circular cups attached by 2 textured circular bungs that add a nice extra metallic pop. The cups are fairly big, made entirely of smooth black plastic with a large grill on the centres with the AOC logo underneath them. It appears at first that the AOC logo is white, but as soon as you plug in the GH300 you will see it illuminate.
The RGB AOC logo can be customized in the AOC audio center software (more on that later) to either static, breathing, cycling or heartbeat. The effects are limited and I could not get the heartbeat to work at first, later realising that it is reactive to sound.
You can select any colour on a full spectrum chart or select from a few preset colours. The RGB is fairly bright and vibrant and looks great blasting through the grill. I am admittedly a sucker for RGB on headsets. For content creators, they are the most seen part of your setup, so I am a fan of anything that can add some personality and customization to them.
The cups themselves are finished with a large lush set of memory foam filled leatherette cushions. These are large and circular, easily fitting over your ears; The depth is fairly standard, just about enough for my ears not to touch the drivers. I usually prefer fabric cups over leather purely due to the sweat factor, but these leatherette cups do provide a comfortable fit with decent sound isolation helping the bass hit just a little harder.
I’m not certain but from using the GH300 I would say the cups are closed back despite the open grill that i assume is purely for aesthetics. My preference is for open-back headphones; I am not overly focused on bass for my use, usually opting for a high and mid-heavy audio tune. That said, the GH 300 is one of few headsets I have been using that are closed-back yet enjoyable, as the bass is not overbearing.
I found the flexible mic protruding from the left cup a little too short for my personal taste. I prefer long mics that sit in front of my mouth or at least reach round towards the front of my mouth, for example, Astro’s TR mic or the mic found on the Roccat ELO stereo. This is purely personal preference, but I feel that generally the more front and centre a mic is, the clearer and easier it picks up your voice without needing to have a huge pickup range.
The neck is flexible but it has a certain range of movement that it will ping back to. So, despite the fact it is completely flexible, it will only stay in a certain range. Due to its length, there isn’t a huge amount of adjustment needed, and where it falls is usually right where you want it.
I would have liked a metal gooseneck style with a bit more length. This would have allowed for better positioning and added aesthetic appeal, with the metal complimenting the steel sliders.
The mic itself is an omnidirectional small cylinder cardioid pattern mic. Its pick up is pretty good, and it never seemed to miss my voice, but as normal with cardioid mics and most headset mics it picks up my keyboard quite frequently. This will depend on how hard you tap and the style of keyboard you have of course. My heavy fingers and mechanical blue clicky switches are probably the absolute worst-case scenario, and with that considered the GH300 performed pretty well.
Clarity was fairly average, though slightly muffled on the low end. This again is fairly standard for most gaming mics, but compared to most mics in the GH300’s £50 price range it’s actually pretty good.
The mic also has a red LED ring on the end that indicates whether the mic is muted. This is hidden out of the box by the boom fitted to the mic, so I have opted to leave it off. It’s nice that it’s included, but I haven’t found much of an issue with hot miking, so I leave it off.
The GH300 is connected by a lovely black braided cable ending in a nice chunky USB. The inline controls are in the form of a box with a large dial, a set of rocker switches and 1 side button. The dial adjusts the headset’s volume, and the rocker switch on one side toggles the mic muting, while the other toggles the RGB on and off, And the side switch mutes and unmutes the desktop audio of your PC. I would have liked it if the volume dial controlled the actual desktop volume rather than the volume of the headset itself.
As the inline controls are so big, they could have done with being more centred on the cable so that that box could sit on the desk. It wouldn’t stay there for long as it is deceivingly light and would get pulled around, but it would at least stop it from dangling off the ear cup.
The sound quality from these beastly 50mm drivers is actually surprisingly good. Whenever I try a brand’s first headset I always expect one thing… Bass boost. It is always the first damn thing a brand does: Take a set of drivers, give them bass boost, wrap them in an edgy design and call it a gaming headset. Well, AOC as always did better than the rest, making a £50 headset that doesn’t rely on bass boost… award worthy.
The GH300 is fairly average without its software, it just sounds like a nice set of drivers (WITH NO BASS BOOST). Once I managed to find the AOC software it automatically checked the box labelled as HI-FI, which enables hi-fidelity 24bits/96KHz audio. When the software took control of the headset the soundstage widened a fair amount and the quality and clarity of the audio improved. At this point, I started to enjoy the GH300 much more.
I played some Battlefield, COD, Forza and Halo to get a good feel for the audio, as these are games I am all too familiar with their audio, and the GH300 was performing admirably. The sound stage is not super wide; when things get past double-digit meters away from you in Battlefield the audio plateaus into more low end and becomes hard to distinguish from much further away noises, but again this is a £50 headset and for that price having any kind of decent sound stage is good.
The audio is surprisingly balanced and clean, and I never really noticed any muddiness. Weapons had good punchy audio, explosions felt powerful but not overpowering and queue noises like footsteps were distinguishable and audible, I very much tip my hat to the GH300 for its performance.
Now onto the software, and as I have mentioned a couple of times, this is the biggest issue I had with the GH300. The AOC audio center is very simple software but it’s the lowest point of the GH300. Starting with the look, the AOC audio center looks dated. It looks like something I would associate with Alienware in the early 2000s. The software also suffers from some strange wording, for example, the heartbeat mode I mentioned earlier. I sat there for 10 minutes waiting for the headset to mimic a heartbeat and pulse with light. Eventually, I gave up and stuck some music on it, and it started pulsing away… heartbeat apparently means sound reactive.
The breathe and cycle effects are fairly standard wording but what we all know as static is labelled as constant. I had no issue understanding what that meant but it seems a strange choice.
The software is also extremely simple, with three tabs for speakers, mic and LED. Speakers allows you to adjust the master volume (once again not controlled by the dial on the headset, so that’s three volume controls now, including desktop) and then something called front, with a left and right adjustment. This is actually the balance adjustment so that you can boost one ear over the other. When it’s available, I adjust the balance to favour my right ear as for some reason it always sounds quieter (probably too many years of having the window open on the motorway).
Under mic, you will find Mic in with a left and right (no idea what this does) and monitor with left and right. Monitor is for mic monitoring so the mic plays back into the cups in real-time. It’s unusual to have a left and right adjustment for the monitoring but it’s actually a very useful feature and offers more control.
For the LED options, we touched on the 4 effects that are available; Constant, breathing, cycle and heartbeat. Other than this there is a large box with the colour selector and a few standard colour options.
Despite its simplicity and dated look the software is still serviceable and does its job. The software is obviously new and with time will improve, especially with AOC’s plans to expand its peripherals line. I would imagine that eventually, the AOC audio center will evolve into a command center that controls all AOC peripherals, and hopefully receives a visual and feature-based overhaul.
Summary
The AOC GH300 has far exceeded my expectations in terms of what I expected from a £50 headset, especially as this is AOCs first crack at it. Clean, non-bass boosted audio with a good sound stage, RGB and more volume control than even a DJ could want are paired with a gorgeous look and feel that makes the GH300 a great choice if you are in the market for a budget-friendly PC headset.
Despite the software’s lacklustre appearance and the slight shortcomings that will likely be ironed out with AOC’s next headset, the GH300 is a no brainer. It’s great value, it looks great and it will compete with headsets costing double or more its price.
The Scar 15 isn’t quite the esports machine it aims to be, but turns in solid all around performance
Manufacturer: ASUS ROG
Model: Strix Scar 15 G533QS (2021)
Part number: G533QS-HQ132T
Price when reviewed: £2,699
Supplied by: ASUS
Overview
The ROG Strix Scar 15 is ASUS’s premium esports focussed gaming notebook. In the specification we received, it comes with top of the line components, including a blisteringly fast Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU and GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. Of the notebooks we’ve tested so far, only the ROG Zephyrus Duo SE has managed to outperform it, though as it shares almost identical components, the difference is negligible.
All this performance doesn’t come cheap; The Strix Scar 15 in this spec, with the 165 Hz 1440p display and 2TB Raid0 SSD array, will set you back £2,700. When you weigh up the quality of the components and excellent features, it’s a reasonable price to pay. Every part of the Scar 15 is best-in-class, like the beautiful display, the incredible optical-mechanical keyboard, the crisp and well-rounded audio, and of course the remarkable gaming prowess.
Design and build
If you like RGB, you’re going to love the Scar 15. The keyboard has full per-key addressable lighting, that can be configured with ASUS’s Aura Sync software to synchronise with the LED light bar that wraps around the leading edge of the notebook, the additional light-bar that sits under the right side of the display, and any compatible ASUS Aura Sync peripherals you own.
Fully lit up, it’s a beautiful sight to behold. The lighting casts a pleasant glow around the Scar 15, without being too distracting when you’re deep into the clutch stages of your favourite game. Like the Zephyrus Duo SE, the key lights don’t bleed around the edges, with just the letters and icons lit up. I like the aesthetic of this, although, in a pitch dark room it can be slightly tricky to spot the edges of each key.
Aside from the lighting, there is an illuminated (and synced) ROG logo on the lid and a few other design flourishes. A diagonal slash runs across the keyboard tray, with a translucent panel allowing a muted look at the insides of the notebook. Admittedly there’s not much to see under there, but it’s a nice touch. The only downside is that the power/charging indicator lights are under here, and they look large, fuzzy and a bit distracting.
ASUS has shipped the Scar 15 with three interchangeable shoulder caps, and you can even 3D print your own. They can be swapped out in seconds thanks to the magnetic attachment, allowing you to easily personalise your notebook.
An oft-overlooked area, the underside also has some appealing design touches.
The build quality meets the typical ASUS Rog level of quality. Panels all fit tightly together, the display hinge is sturdy yet still possible to open single-handed, and the metal-topped lid is solid, with only the slightest amount of flex. The keyboard tray is also very rigid, with a minimal amount of flex under pressure. Top marks as usual for the build.
Internals and upgrades
Opening the notebook up is a simple process; simply remove the eleven phillips screws from the base, finishing with the pop-screw in the lower right corner, and the cover pops right off. You need to be careful when removing the bottom cover as there are a couple of thin ribbon cables connecting the light bar. Once inside you have easy access to the key components, which should make cleaning out any eventual dust build-up a doddle.
As is standard with notebooks, there’s not a whole lot you can upgrade. Both RAM So-DIMMs can be replaced, giving you up to 64 GB memory, and the M.2 NVMe SSDs can be swapped out. 32 GB of RAM is ample for a gaming machine, though, and the excellent SSDs are already rapid. Unless you need more than the 2 TB storage already included, you shouldn’t need to change anything for many years, if at all.
Keyboard and trackpad
I thought I had experienced the best that laptop keyboards had to offer, but the ROG Strix Scar 15 has raised the bar. ASUS has fitted a magnificent optical-mechanical keyboard into the Scar 15, and it is far better than any other notebook I’ve tried.
Travel distance is a relatively large 1.9mm. It’s incredibly responsive and accurate, and each keypress is accompanied by a subtle but satisfying click.
As you can see in the images, it’s a tenkeyless layout, but benefits from the addition of hotkeys across the top and right side of the keyboard. The top hotkeys include volume control, mic mute, fan speed/performance mode and Armoury Crate shortcuts, while across the right are a set of useful media control keys.
If you use notebooks a lot, you’ll be familiar with using Fn key shortcuts to control the various features of the notebook. It only took me a few minutes to adapt to the combos required for things like Home, End, Page Up/Down, and in general, it’s a very sensibly laid out keyboard. The most important keys for gaming are easy to hit consistently, too, and I appreciated the full-size directional arrows rather than the half-height keys found in many of ASUS’s other notebooks.
The enormous trackpad is silky smooth and has edge-to-edge responsiveness. The under-surface mouse buttons are clunky, but no more so than on almost every trackpad I’ve used. With the Scar 15 being a premium esports notebook, it’s pretty much a given that you will be using a decent mouse anyway. For those times when you aren’t using a mouse, it’s a very competent trackpad for the majority of light use and media consumption it’s likely to be used for.
Connectivity and I/O ports
There’s a decent selection of ports on offer, with the most ungainly ones like the ethernet, power and HDMI ports tucked away at the rear to assist with cable management. The USB-C connection at the rear is a Gen2 port, allowing 10 Gbit/s transfer speeds, supporting up to 100W PD charging and DisplayPort 1.4 over USB-C. This allows you to connect two additional displays for productivity, multi-screen gaming or managing your stream chat.
At the rear of the Scar 15 are a gigabit RJ-45 ethernet port, HDMI 2.0b (max 4k@60Hz), USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A and the power connector.
On the left side are a pair of USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, and a 3.5mm combi-jack for headsets or headphones.
Networking is handled by either the ethernet connection or the Intel WiFi 6 AX201 (802.11ax) network card. We didn’t have a WiFi 6 capable router to test it with, however, we found the range to be excellent, reaching every room and providing a stable connection through thick walls. Speed drop-off was significant in rooms adjacent to the router, but it was still sufficient for streaming video. For gaming, we’d recommend making sure you are as close to the router as possible.
Finally, dual-band Bluetooth 5.1 is included, which provided a solid connection to my headsets, wireless keyboard and game controllers.
Audio
You’ll be pleased to know that the sound quality is very good. The Scar 15 has two 4W speakers located at the front on the underside of the notebook that handle the mid-range and low end audio, and at the rear of the keyboard tray are an additional pair of forward-firing 2W tweeters.
The resulting audio has a pleasing depth. Bass notes are clear and warm, without any bloat or loss of clarity during intense sounds like explosions, balanced well with the rich mid-range frequencies. At the higher end, gunfire and voices are crisp and detailed without any of the harshness usually associated with smaller speakers.
Peak volume is very good, well-able to overcome the noise from the fans while gaming, and even able to fill a mid-sized room with music should you not have an audio system to hand. I’ve always been indifferent when it comes to notebook speakers, as they usually fail to deliver anywhere near good sound, but I’ve been highly impressed with what ASUS has achieved.
The only negative I can attribute to the Scar 15 is that although the sound is spacious, positional audio cues are hard to pinpoint due to how close together the speakers are. For competitive gaming where you need accurate positioning, headphones are always going to be a better choice, but for single-player gaming or media consumption these speakers are ideal.
Display
I’m a huge fan of the displays on ASUS’s 2021 range of notebooks, and the gorgeous 15.6” 165 Hz 1440p panel fitted in the Scar 15 is easily my favourite.
Gamers have been requesting decent high-refresh 1440p displays in laptops for years, and now they are here, it’s definitely been worth the wait. The Scar 15’s display exhibited no detectable artefacts or overshoot, and almost zero perceptible motion blur, making it ideal for competitive gaming.
The display covers 98% DCI-P3, 100% sRGB, and 85% AdobeRGB, producing a wide gamut of colours that are bright, rich and vibrant. Uniformity across the display is excellent, with only minor variances occurring at the corners of the display, and an overall average Delta E of just 0.8, which is superb. Paired with a peak brightness of 390 cd/m² it makes for an amazing viewing experience.
Contrast is as expected for an IPS display, measuring 1035:1, which is decent. Black levels were only average, but there is still plenty of detail in dark scenes, and the display doesn’t have the grey tinge often attributed to IPS displays.
Viewing angles are very good, with the image clearly visible from sharp angles, and I was impressed with how well the display retains colour vibrancy and contrast when viewed off-centre.
For serious competitive players, you may benefit more from the 300Hz 1080p or ludicrous 360Hz 1080p display over the 1440p display here, but if you use your notebook as an all in one gaming and media device it’s wonderful.
Performance
If you are up to date with your gaming hardware knowledge, it should come as no surprise that the gaming performance of the ROG Strix Scar 15 is exceptional. In the configuration we have for testing, the 1440p 165 Hz display is a perfect match for the potent CPU and GPU pairing. At native resolution, almost everything runs above 60 fps; If you prefer high frame rates for competitive games, it shouldn’t take much tweaking of the settings to reach the 165 fps maximum of the display.
The RTX 3080 is far superior to the 20 series GPUs it replaces, enabling stronger frame rates in ray-traced games, especially with DLSS 2.0. With a GPU TGP of 115W (130W with Dynamic Boost), this version of the RTX 3080 sits roughly in the middle of the 80W-150W potential range. In practical use, the Strix Scar 15 utilises the majority of the 130W available when gaming, only really being restricted when the CPU is under heavy load, which is uncommon when gaming.
Resizeable BAR support has also been added to the Strix Scar 15 via an automatic BIOS update; only a few games properly support it so far, but they do see a notable improvement. In a nutshell, Resizeable BAR allows the CPU to send data to the GPU much faster, resulting in faster frame rates.
AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900HX is a productivity and gaming powerhouse. The phrase “desktop replacement” has been bandied around for years, but it’s a reality with the new Ryzen CPUs. The Strix Scar 15 outperformed an overclocked desktop i9-10900K with bespoke cooling, which is hugely impressive. Whether it’s squeezing out extra frames in games, multitasking to the Nth degree or running intensive editing software, the Scar 15 has you covered. Plug in a mouse and keyboard (or your peripherals of choice) and a big display and you have a legitimate desktop replacement, with the added advantage of portability.
In comparison to the Zephrus Duo SE, I was surprised to find that performance was in some cases up to 20% lower on the Scar 15 at 1080p on some games. This performance deficit is even more apparent in high-fps games like CS:GO and Fortnite, with the Scar 15 underperforming by a large margin. When connected to an external 4k display, the results were more even, with the Scar 15 edging ahead on some games, though still falling behind on esports titles again. Considering they have the same RAM, GPU and CPU, I expected parity in the results. This appears to be down to the implementation of Optimus on the Scar 15, whereas the Duo SE utilises a MUX switch removing the bottleneck.
After carrying out some research, it seems that connecting to an external display via USB-C to DisplayPort allows the display to connect directly to the discrete GPU and tap into the full potential (HDMI still routes the signal through the iGPU). Unfortunately we didn’t have the necessary cables to test this. It’s a minor blemish against an otherwise stellar performance, as it’s a very impressive gaming notebook, but it is disappointing that the Scar 15 only reaches its full potential in this way.
Benchmarks
All benchmark tests were carried out with fan control set to Turbo in the ROG Armoury Crate software (Performance mode is slightly quieter in terms of fan noise, but sees frame rates a few FPS lower on most games). In-game settings use the Ultra preset (or equivalent) where available. If DLSS was available, it was set to performance mode. (If an RTX game comfortably runs above refresh rates you are happy with, we recommend switching DLSS to Quality, as it makes a noticeable difference to image clarity.)
Total War Saga: Troy (average across all three scenarios)
1080p – Ultra preset – 108.9
1440p – Ultra preset – 85.6
2160p – Ultra preset – 48.5
Borderlands 3
1080p – Ultra preset – 104.52
1440p – Ultra preset – 76.76
2160p – Ultra preset – 43.98
Control
1080p – Ultra preset – 130
1440p – Ultra preset – 102
2160p – Ultra preset – 60
Control RTX
1080p – Ultra preset – 75
1440p – Ultra preset – 60
2160p – Ultra preset – 36
Destiny 2
1080p – Ultra preset – 146
1440p – Ultra preset – 106
2160p – Ultra preset – 62
Minecraft RTX
1440p – Max RT Render Distance – 75
2160p – Max RT Render Distance – 35
Fortnite
1080p – Epic preset – 185
1440p – Epic preset – 152
2160p – Epic preset – 100
Fortnite RTX
1080p – Epic preset – 80
1440p – Epic preset – 53
2160p – Epic preset – 27
CS:GO
1080p – Ultra preset – 205
1440p – Ultra preset – 175
2160p – Ultra preset – 158
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Gaming performance comparisons
We’ve listed a range of computers with varied GPUs for comparison, including the almost identically configured ROG Zephyrus Duo SE. This should give you an idea of how it compares against a range of processors and system configurations. We find these comparisons useful for consumers looking for not only the best overall performance but the best value, too.
Laptop/PC
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo SE
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
ASUS ROG Strix G15
Acer Predator Triton 500
ASUS TUF Dash F15
Model
GX551QS (2021)
G533QS
G516QR
PT515-52
FX516PR (2021)
Processor
R9 5900HX
R9 5900HX
R7 5800H
i7-10875H @ 2.31GHz
i7-11370H
GPU
RTX 3080 16Gb
RTX 3080 16GB
RTX 3070 8GB
RTX 2080 Super MaxQ 8Gb
RTX 3070 8Gb
GPU TGP/TDP
115W/130W Dynamic Boost
115W/130W Dynamic Boost
115W/130W Dynamic Boost
80W/85W Dynamic Boost
Ram
32GB DDR4-3200 (16+16)
32GB DDR4-3200 (16+16)
16GB DDR4-3200
32GB DDR4-3200 (16+16)
16GB DDR4-3200 (8+8)
SSD
2 x 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD
2 x 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD
1TB M.2
1Tb M.2 NVMe SSD
512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
Display
2160p 120Hz Pantone
1440p 165Hz Pantone
1080p 300Hz IPS
1080p 300Hz G-Sync
1080p 144Hz
Price
£3,499
£2,699
£1,699
£2,199
£1,299
System Benchmark Results
Cinebench R15
CineBench – CPU (Single)(cb)
(High-performance mode / Auto Fan): 236 cb
CineBench – CPU (Multi)(cb)
(High-performance mode / Auto Fan): 2064 cb
CineBench – GPU (OpenGL)
(High-performance mode / Auto Fan): 150.39 fps
Cinebench R20
CineBench – CPU (Single)
(High-performance mode / Auto Fan): 564
CineBench – CPU (Multi)
(High-performance mode / Auto Fan): 5269
Cinebench R23
CineBench – CPU (Single)
(High-performance mode / Auto Fan): 1464
CineBench – CPU (Multi)
(High-performance mode / Auto Fan): 13568
3DMark – Time Spy (DX12)
Time Spy Score – 11125
Gaming Score – 11440
CPU Score – 9626
3DMark – Fire Strike (DX11)
Fire Strike Score – 23835
Graphics Score – 26593
Physics Score – 25494
Combined Score – 12709
PCMark 10
PCMark 10 – 7175
Essentials – 10383
App Start-up – 15198
Video Conferencing – 7891
Web Browsing – 9336
Productivity – 9744
Spreadsheets – 11205
Writing – 8474
Content Creation – 9909
Photo Editing – 16185
Rendering and Visualisation – 11699
Video Editing – 5139
Bright Memory Infinite RTX Benchmark
Very High – DLSS Setting: Quality
1080p: 70 fps
1440p: 44 fps
2160p: 21 fps
High – DLSS Setting: Performance
1080p: 107 fps
1440p: 72 fps
2160p: 37 fps
UserBenchMark
Gaming – 140% UFO
Desktop – 100% UFO
Workstation – 144% UFO
CPU – Gaming – 96.40%
Graphics – 145%
Boot Drive – 423%
Storage
The 2TB of PCIe 3.0 storage is ample for most users and runs at incredibly high speeds. Sequential read and write speeds of 7100 MB/s and 5047 MB/s respectively are close to the pinnacle of what is currently available. It’s next-level performance, which translates into much lower loading times in games, superb system responsiveness and rapid boot times.
CrystalDiskMark
The following are the results recorded in CrystalDiskMark, with figures measured in MB/s
SEQ1M Q8T1 Read
7100.84
SEQ1M Q8T1 Write
5047.25
SEQ1M Q1T1 Read
3334.43
SEQ1M Q1T1 Write
4311.06
RND4K Q321T1 Read
343.73
RND4K Q321T1 Write
606.71
RND4K Q1T1 Read
61.81
RND4K Q1T1 Write
207.57
Cooling
ASUS has fitted a very competent cooling system in the Strix Scar 15. Even under our most strenuous tests, the temperatures were very well managed, with very little in the way of thermal throttling.
Under full system load (GPU, CPU and Memory fully utilised) the CPU averaged just 83℃ running at 3.6 GHz and the GPU stable at 78℃.
During our CPU exclusive tests, the temperature stabilised at 80℃ with a clock speed of 4.4 GHz.
In our prolonged gaming test, the CPU averaged 82℃ with the GPU maxing out at 78℃.
This is an excellent result, allowing the Scar 15 to make full use of its components while still ensuring that the longevity of the components isn’t being compromised.
For light use such as watching videos or browsing the internet, silent mode enables the Scar 15 to switch off the fans completely. I found they do spin up occasionally if temperatures start creeping up, but for the most part they are indeed silent.
ASUS has optimised the Turbo mode preset to balance cooling performance with reduced fan noise, however, you can push the Scar 15 further by switching to manual mode, overclocking it further and customising the fan speeds. We managed to reduce the temperatures by a few degrees this way, though this was at the expense of significantly louder fan noise. Using manual settings does come with a pop-up warning, and proceeding may void your warranty should anything go wrong with the system as a result of pushing the overclock too far. Unless you are experienced and confident, it’s best avoided.
Surface temperatures remain well-managed. The highest build-up of heat is at the rear sides of the keyboard tray, however, it never becomes so warm that it is uncomfortable. The vented heat from the sides of the notebook is reasonable, so it’s best to avoid leaving your chocolatey snacks alongside them.
Battery life
The ROG Strix Scar 15 has an improved and capacious 90Wh battery that has good longevity, even when feeding the power hungry QHD display. Watching 1080p video played back from an external hard drive, we got around 8 hours of battery life. For standard productivity and browsing, we used PCMark 10 running on a loop, and averaged around 5-6 hours on a full charge. Gaming, as expected, takes a greater toll on the battery, and we managed to squeeze out just over an hour of gaming before reaching for the charger.
On battery power, the system switches to 60fps automatically, which helps the battery life, and can also be switched into iGPU mode, that prevents applications from using the discrete GPU, prolonging battery life further.
Using the included and relatively compact 240W power adapter, the battery fast-charges up to 50%, then slows down, taking around 1h45m to fully recharge. ASUS’s battery life prolonging settings are also present, allowing you to charge up to 60%, 80% or 100%, depending on whether you will mostly be using your notebook plugged in.
The Strix Scar 15 supports USB-C charging at up to 100W. A USB-C charger is not included but should be available in stores soon.
Summary
The Strix Scar 15 performs well at its native resolution, capable of making the most of the 165Hz on offer, and games look incredible thanks to the sharp and vivid display. It can’t quite match the almost identically specced Zephyrus Duo SE at higher frame rates because of the lack of MUX switch, but it still looks and plays brilliantly. The optical mechanical keys are also a welcome addition, easily giving the Scar 15 the best notebook gaming keyboard we have tested.
As an all-around system, it’s hard to fault the Scar 15. It has an excellent CPU that can outperform desktop PCs in productivity tasks, the display is accurate enough for colour critical work, gaming performance is great, and the components are powerful enough to last you for many years to come. The only real downside is the aforementioned underperformance due to Nvidia Optimus, though this can be negated by connecting to an external display via USB-C to DP.
If the Scar 15 is out of your price range, you can pick up the ASUS ROG Strix G15 for £1,699, which has only slightly lower average frame rates, a great display and offers a fantastic price to performance ratio. There are also ROG Strix Scar 15 variants with an RTX 3070 and Ryzen 7 5800H processors, starting from around £2,000, or if you want a bigger display, the Scar 17 has the same core components as the Scar 15.
The Predator Sim Racing Cup 2021, contested on Assetto Corsa on the PC (Steam), has a grand prize of one year as part of Romain Grosjean’s R8G professional esports team and a full racing rig!
As far as prizes go, they don’t come much more exclusive than that! As well as the grand prize, each national winner will receive a trophy, an Acer Predator Orion 3000 gaming PC and a monitor, and runners up can win a selection of Acer peripherals and swag.
If you don’t already own Assetto Corsa or the DLC, registering will give you a promo code for 80% off both the game and DLC.
The qualification and finals will be held at Monza, driving a Mercedes AMG GT3.
How To Enter
To participate in the Contest, a Driver is required to:
Own a driver profile in-game with your real Forename and Surname
Own a discord account with real name and surname and join Predator Cup chat and voice room with this link, in order to receive support from the Organizer and be aware of official communications
Download and install SimSyncPro8100PREDATORR8G to manage skins and the track for the championship here. Tutorial on discord #content Install
Driver names must be their real ones and must not contain any obscene or suggestive language. Certain special characters might not appear correctly on the in-game HUD during the broadcast, so it is recommended to use simplified characters when applicable. Drivers who attempt to change their in-game names and surnames during an active series may not be able to participate in the Contest.
UK Racers:
For entrants located in the UK, if you sign up for the Gleam contest, too, you can be entered into a draw to win £2,500 of Acer Predator gaming kit, or 1 of 100 Xbox Game Pass for PC subscriptions.
Qualification to the National Finals is earned by setting one of the 20 fastest laps around the Monza Predator track. You must save and send the replay of your fastest lap to the organiser. Failing to submit a replay will result in disqualification from the contest.
Car Assignment:
GUESTS INVITED: Guests that have been invited by the Organizer must use the car selected during the registration and approved by the Organizer.
SIM RACERS QUALIFIED: Every Driver is requested to pick the car and skin defined by the Organzier and downloadable on registration form.
Hotlaps must be completed between 10th May and 14th May 2021 to be counted for the competition.
Hot lap competitions will take place on the Monza Predator track for each National Cup and last for 5 days.
Drivers who rank top 20 best lap time during the hot lap phase will be invited to the National final.
The National final will be held on the Monza track and the duration of the race will be 45 min.
Every National Cup champion and up to 5 guests will be invited to the International Final on a track to be decided by vote.
The International Final will be a single event with a duration of 90 minutes, the track will be voted by the public and the live streaming will be broadcasted.
The top three Drivers in the National final and the overall champion in the International Final will receive the prizes. Prizes will only be costed to the country of racer origin (e.g. a UK winner can only have their prize shipped to a valid UK address).
National Finals – 15th May 2021 @ 7:15PM (BST)
Each National Final will follow the same format:
Free Practice: 30 minutes
Qualification: 15 minutes
Race: 45 minutes
Driving Assists: All
Setup: no limitations
International Final – 30th May 2021
Free Practice: 60 minutes
Qualification: 15 minutes
Race: 90 minutes
Rules: one mandatory pit stop, add at least 1 litre of fuel, no mandatory tyre changes
Driving Assists: TC/ABS (no stability control, no ideal line, no automatic gearbox)
Setup: no limitations
Prizes
National Cup
The top three Drivers in each National Cup will receive the following prizes:
1st Place
Trophy and official R8G T-shirt
Predator Orion 3000
Gaming monitor
2nd Place
Medal
Keyboard Predator Aethon 300
Predator Cestus 350 Gaming Mouse
Predator Gaming MousePad XXL
3rd Place
Medal
Headset Predator Galea 350
Predator gaming backpack with teal blue
International Champion
1st Place
Full Predator branded racing rig set up (Fanatec Podium wheel base DD2, Fanatec Podium racing wheel F1, Fanatec Clubsport Pedals V3 pedals, Sim lab P1-X racing cockpit)
Become a member of R8G esports team. Live an exceptional experience by becoming a member of Romain Grosjean R8G Junior Sim Racing Team for one year and by benefiting from advantages to be part of a professional team (mentoring, skills development, participate into international tournament series).