At E3 2019, while there are hundreds of games to check out, there’s also plenty of hardware to see: from controllers, mice, keyboards and so on, all the way to maxed-out gaming rigs. You cannot have one experience without the other. Here, we take a look at a few of the many hardware vendors and their wares made with gamers in mind.
VoltEdge
High-performance games accessories developer VoltEdge™ showcased their brand new 3D Sound Array for PC gamers at E3 2019.
What exactly is a 3D Sound Array? And how can something audio be 3D? All good questions and ones we were itching to answer when learning about this new, first of its kind, piece of technology.
VoltEdge’s 3D Sound Array (created in partnership with Dysonics) is a device consisting of a set of small, linearly arranged speakers which work together using signal processing techniques to isolate the left and right ear audio signals. In other words, when someone is sitting directly in front of the speakers, the 3D Gaming Audio Array enables them to hear sounds near and far, left and right and up and down thus providing a truly 3D audio experience. Created with gamers in mind, the device is a single platform that fits underneath a gaming monitor or laptop. The device also comes with a built-in subwoofer, EQ and personalization settings, and a headphone jack with the same 3D audio capabilities.
The price and release date have yet to be announced. For more information on the 3D Sound Array, please visit https://voltedge.co/product/3d-sound-array/.
In addition to the announcement of the 3D Sound Array, VoltEdge also launched the TX70 – a low latency, 2.4 GHz wireless headset which boasts to offer the best bang for your buck for someone looking for a high-quality headset without a high impact to their wallet. Not only is the headset extremely comfortable and light (which is great if you are prone to headaches after an hour or two of headphone use), it offers great sound quality at an extremely affordable $59.99 price point.
“For the price of a video game you can now have a high-quality wireless headset,” said Chris Richards, co-founder and CEO of VoltEdge. “We challenged ourselves to bring the most sought-after feature in headsets – wireless – to all gamers, and to do it while enhancing sound performance and comfort. We feel very confident that VoltEdge will set a new standard for the industry in terms of advanced design combined with affordability.”
The headset will feature wireless compatibility with the PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch, 50mm temper tuned drivers for crystal clear audio, boasts 15 hours of battery life comes and high-quality athletic mesh cushions for long gaming sessions. I have yet to see how these headsets perform with long-term use, but from what we experienced at their booth at E3, we were quite impressed. The sound quality and comfortability of this headset almost seems like a steal for its low price point.
You can check out more of VoltEdge’s products and keep tabs on release dates for these cool products at https://voltedge.co/.
Logitech
Logitech has been making waves upgrading its gear lineup and winning awards for design over the past year. At E3, the company announced that it would be upgrading the Logitech G903 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Mouse, Logitech® G703 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Mouse, and Logitech G403 HERO Gaming Mouse with Logitech’s high-performance HERO 16K sensor The HERO 16K Sensor offers 10x the power efficiency of the previous generation sensor and delivers precision performance with 1:1 tracking and 16,000 max DPI – in other words, more accurate tracking and longer battery life. Each mouse comes with unique features and a different price point depending on your personal needs and preferences.
The G903, which retails at $149.99, is designed with the ambidextrous gamer in mind. It is smooth and streamlined for both right-handed and left-handed players, boasts an incredible 140 hours of battery, and comes with 11 programmable buttons.
The G703 LIGHTSPEED (which is, if you are right-handed, is, in my opinion, the most comfortable mouse of the three HERO mice) now features an improved battery life of up to 35 hours on a single charge with its HERO upgrade. If you don’t need the ambidextrous capabilities of the G903, you’ll be happy to note that this mouse does have a lower price point of $99.99. Both the G903 and the G703 are compatible with the Logitech G’s POWERPLAY Wireless Charging System, which will wireless charge your mouse as you play and comes in a size perfect for more active mouse use frequently required for gaming.
For those who don’t need a wireless mouse, the wired G403 HERO, retailing at $69.99, is a nice option. With its HERO upgrade, the G403 now weighs 10g lighter than its previous version. It is sleek to the touch and comes with six programmable buttons.
All three mice are sleek in design, smooth and comfortable to the touch, responsive and feature Logitech’s LIGHTSYNC RGB lighting programmable through the Logitech G HUB. The Powerplay Wireless Charging System retails for $99.99. You honestly can’t go wrong with any of these choices – it all depends on your personal preferences for your gaming setup.
To learn more about these products, visit https://www.logitechg.com/en-us.
Astrogaming
Astrogaming unveiled its new A50 wireless headset and boy, is it loaded with a ton of cool features! Built with the audiophile and gamer in mind, the A50 features Dolby® Headphone 7.1 surround sound, a 5 GHz wireless transmitter for low-latency gameplay with Astro Base Station Transmitter, and a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery for up to 15 hours of battery life – plenty of time for any lengthy gaming session. Astrogaming is well-known for its fun, customizable headsets and the A50 does not disappoint in that regard. It is fully mod-kit ready with magnetic interchangeable pieces so you can customize your headset to your own specific aesthetic tastes and comfortability needs. Not only does the A50 sound great, but it is also light, which is great if you’re one prone to getting headaches after wearing a heavier headset for a couple of hours.
The A50 is also extremely versatile with compatibility for PC, Xbox, and PS4 and is designed to fit comfortably over your HTC Vive, Oculus or PS VR headset! It is Discord certified and comes in two colors – black or grey and retails for $299.99.
For more information on A50, visit Astrogaming’s website at www.astrogaming.com.
marseille
Ever wish you could play your favorite old console games in 1080p? Or boost the resolution on your movies to your television’s full capabilities? Well, marseille may have the answer for you. E4G came across Marseille’s booth on the E3 show floor and were duly impressed. Their two products – the mCable and the mClassic have the ability to upscale the resolution of your media to HD and even 4K Cinema (depending on your monitor or television’s capabilities).
But how is this possible? The brand new mClassic features a high-performance scaler that scale pixels from SD to HD and also from HD to 4K Cinema and nifty algorithms that not only analyze and determine the best depth of field relevancy in an image but also the “sharpness” of an image, all processed in, according to marseille, real-time (less than 1 ms). The result is a beautiful, crisper image with enhanced resolution and beautiful colors.
The mCable, the mClassic’s predecessor, looks similar to an HDMI cable and comes in a cinema version and gaming versions for different console types (including retro consoles!) with different algorithms designed for each type of use. The mCable retails at a starting price of $119.99 (depending on the length of the cable) and is available now. The mClassic typically retails for $99.99 but is currently available for $79.00 on Indiegogo.
For more information on the mCable and the mClassic, please visit https://www.marseilleinc.com/.
Alienware
Alienware’s E3 booth featured several new pieces of gear behind a fun, LED light waterfall. Amongst the new items was the Alienware AW 510H 7.1 Gaming Headset and the Alienware AW310H Stereo Gaming Headset. Both headsets feature custom-tuned 50mm drivers for more dynamic sound stage, custom-designed acoustic chambers, a professional Discord certified uni-directional noise cancellation retractable boom microphone and memory foam earpads for a deeper acoustic chamber with noise isolation. For gamers who use their headset on multiple platforms, each headset also comes with a detachable 3.5mm cable.
Both headsets are designed for long periods of wear with ideal clamp force to avoid slippage during gameplay and a hybrid of plush memory foam, sports fabric and leatherette on the earcups for cooling, comfort, and enhanced noise cancellation. Both headsets will be available on July 31, 2019, at $99.99 for the Alienware 7.1 Gaming Headset and $79.99 for the Alienware Stereo Gaming Headset. If you love high-quality sound and have the extra $20 to spend, it is well worth it to get the AW510H over the AW310H. Both of these headsets are beautifully designed and comfortable to wear, but the audiophile in your will thank you for the upgrade.
For more information on Alienware, please visit their website at www.alienware.com.
