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Razer Scarab has regular mousepad looks, precision gaming DNA
If a product doesn't change for two years, it's got to be doing something right, and such was the tale about Razer's Destructor gaming surface. Alas, all good things must come to an end-of-life, if only to encourage people to buy the new hotness, which in this case is the shiny new Scarab. It's a hard gaming mousepad doused in Razer's Fractal 2.0 coating, ensuring uniform responsiveness and the right balance between speed and control. It includes a carrying case -- because, as all serious gamers know, you've got to look good to play good -- and that ever-elusive "feeling of awesomeness during usage." The price is one of those hilarious, currency-agnostic ones, as the Scarab will cost you $39.99 in the US or €39.99 in Europe. We're sure Euro gamers are laughing it up right now. You'll find the PR after the break and the Scarab in stores later this month.
Razer's dual-sided Vespula mousepad: for smooth, seductive mood-swingers
Not that we haven't seen multifaceted mousepads before, but there's something quite delectable about Razer's latest. The craftily-named Vespula is the company's first (update: we forgot about the Exactmat!) dual-sided gaming surface, complete with "speed" and "control" sides that supposedly give you the best of both worlds when switching from one genre to the next. Essentially, the speed side is as smooth as a baby's bottom, while the control side adds a textured layer to pick up on the finest wrist twists. There's also a bundled gel-filled wrist rest to keep the ergonomists happy, and if you're interested, you can get yours right now for $34.99 (or €34.99 elsewhere).
Razer Naga MMO mouse (and Megasoma mat) unboxing and hands-on
Razer's got a knack for cranking out the unusual, and from the First Edition Boomslang, the outfit has also had a thing for developing gaming mice that demanded respect. The recently announced Naga (which is now shipping out to customers, by the way) is one of the most bizarre mice yet, boasting no fewer than 12 buttons on the left side and a promise of making your MMO gaming a more enjoyable experience. Alongside the wired USB critter, Razer also introduced a patently gigantic gaming surface, the $49.99 Mesasoma. We were able to spend some time with each of these peripherals, so hop on down to the gallery for a closer look and on past the break for a few impressions. %Gallery-73385%
Razer adds a dozen keys to Naga MMO mouse, intros rollable gaming surface
Who says MMO gamers are alienated by everyone accessory makers? Across the pond in Germany, Razer has stepped up to serve the needs of basement-dwelling World of Warcraft players with its first dedicated MMO mouse. The Naga, as it's so beautifully called, gives users a dozen customizable buttons on the side in order to take some of those keyboard macros (or just the 1 - 12 number keys) and put them within thumb's reach. The mouse (shown in video after the break) also ships with a robust software suite that can save unlimited profiles and program "thousands of different in-game commands for each character you choose to play." In case that's not enough to get your juices flowing, the company also outed an all new gaming surface (the Megasoma) that can be rolled up and tucked away for easy transport between LAN parties. Check the read link for all the nitty-gritty details, and get ready to hand over $79.99 for the critter and $49.99 for the mouse when they ship worldwide later this year.
SteelSeries adds Xai and Kinzu to gaming mouse family
After the extravagant aesthetics of the World of Warcraft-branded mouse, SteelSeries has returned to its roots with a pair of ambidextrous high-definition mice. The laser-powered Xai grabs the major price tag of just under $80, and in exchange offers a 10.8-megapixels per second sensor, up to 5,001 CPI, and a design engineered in accordance with the whims of professional gamers. Most intriguing is the built-in LCD menu system, where you can fully configure the mouse and then store those settings within the peripheral itself, making for a consistent experience across multiple computers. The Kinzu is the slightly smaller, LCD-deprived optical brother of the Xai, and will set you back a more conservative $34.99 when the two mice, alongside a freshly polished new gaming surface, become available in August.
Razer intros Orochi portable Bluetooth gaming mouse, fancy Kabuto surface
It's been a few months since the reptile fanatics over at Razer dished out a new input peripheral, but the wait for yet another ends today with the introduction of the ambidextrous Orochi ($79.99; ships mid-August). Rather than shooting for the desktop gamer, the company is aiming squarely at the laptop crowd with its freshest portable Bluetooth laser mouse, which is the first to offer a 4,000dpi Razer Precision 3G laser sensor and dual-mode wired / wireless functionality. There's also seven programmable buttons, Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity and on-board memory for setting up performance profiles. In related news, the outfit is also issuing a new gaming surface in the Razer Kabuto, an ultrathin, ultra-soft mat that's probably nice, but not quite $19.99 nice.
Razer releases Destructor gaming-grade surface
By tipster popular demand, we present the Razer Destructor gaming-grade surface (named after the Gigantiops Destructor genus of ants, for the myrmecologists among you). Granted that we can't conscionably recommend shelling out $39.99 for a mousepad unless it actually performs headshots for you, but if you've got a showdown with Fatal1ty in your future it could be up your alley. Optical gaming mice reportedly track 25% better on this thing, with gaming-grade laser mice getting a 37% tracking improvement through proximity to this surface. Co-developed with pro-gaming teams, the Destructor will be available for mission-critical fragging sometime this month.
