Any PC gamer will tell you that finding a good gaming mouse is hard, but customizing its settings is even harder. Once people tweak this necessary peripheral to the perfect settings, they're loathe to start over with another mouse. Thanks to Razer and its 6-month old cloud-based service, they won't have to.
Razer's Synapse 2.0 service is essentially a configuration that allows gamers to save the finely tuned settings of their Razer products to cloud. From there, users can access their custom settings from anywhere, reducing downtime when using the device with a different price. During our booth visit, we watched as a mouse was configured for specific Razer mouse pads as well as a bare surface. Razer has done its customers a solid, announcing that Synapse 2.0 would now work with a number of past products including the Razer DeathAdder gaming mouse and the Razer BlackWidow mechanical keyboard.
But it just wouldn't be E3 without some new product and Razer didn't disappoint. We had some hands-on time with the Razer Taipan, a sleek new mouse that combines the best features past Razer favorites. The ambidextrous device has nice buttons that delivered strong feedback, a smooth trackwheel and texturized rubber sides that made for a nice, firm grip. The mouse has been carefully weighted at .95 grams with help from the professional gaming league. In addition, the device features two sensors, one laser, the other optical ensuring precise movements.
We also got to check out the Artemis concept controller. Created in conjunction with Piranha Games and Infinite Game Publishing, Razer answers the age-old question of what would it be like to pilot a mech. Designed specifically for the upcoming installation of "MechWarrior Online," the military-green peripheral features a large display that shows where your robot has taken damage. There's also a large joystick that can be repositioned for left-handed users. There's also a large number pad to set up macros.
Razer also unveiled the Razer BlackShark gaming headphones. Drawing inspiration from the popular "Battlefield 3" series, the headphones' cans are made of a glossy plastic while the band is made from sturdy metal. The top of the band is wrapped in plush leatherette as are the cups of the headphones. The headphones are noise-isolating, perfect for blocking out ambient noise that can distract from an intense gaming session. One of the cooler features of the BlackShark is the ability to remove the attached boom microphone transforming the device into regular headphones.
Both the Razer Taipan and the BlackShark will be available in July at $79.99 and $129.99 respectively. However there's no word on pricing or availability for the Artemis controller.
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