So you've thrown down some major cabbage and gotten yourself a serious gaming PC for the new year, and now you want a mouse just as fitting -- well look no further than Razer's DeathAdder, say the guys over at ExtremeTech. They took the sinisterly-named peripheral for a spin, all the while pitting it against their previous fav, the Logitech G5. Well after some grueling rounds in the pits, the DeathAdder eked out a tie with the champ, garnering a 10/10 rating and the lofty distinction of being one of the best mice they have ever used; Team ExTech loved everything about the slithery rodent, from the feel of the rubberized shell to the perfectly placed thumb buttons to the fully customizable drivers. So based on the review, it seems that any gamer even remotely serious about their ranking should be considering, if not knocking down the doors to add this glowing glory to their arsenal -- if they can deal with "only" five buttons, that is.

If you've got no use for the LCD-equipped G15 keyboard, but still lust for dozens of extra buttons to push, you might be interested in the slightly less costly G11. Logitech's self-proclaimed "gaming keyboard" sports the same basic features as its more luxurious sibling, but omits the LCD in favor of bringing the price down to a more respectable level. While it may not be immediately evident what makes the 'board so "gamer-centric," ExtremeTech took a long look at the G11, and unearthed a lot of potential for coders and macro-freaks as well as late-night MMO gamers. While noting that the device boasted the usual assortment of keys, the crew was thoroughly impressed (albeit a bit overwhelmed) with the 54 "G-keys" that could record any macro imaginable. It was noted that keystrokes, although comfortable, rendered a slight "click" when depressed, and they were occasionally sidetracked by mistaking a lower G-key with the Control key. Nevertheless, the illuminated keys (and media controls) were deemed "worthwhile," and the superbly implemented Keyboard Profiler software allowed for on-the-fly macro recording including pauses and combinations. Overall, reviewers felt that the G11 was nothing more than "a shiny keyboard that glows in the dark" if you weren't obsessed with macros, but insinuated that it was a solid value at $70 if you used the bevy of G-keys as frequently as ASDF.

The most telling line from ExtremeTech's review of the $99.99 Logitech MX Revolution mouse -- which we also got our hands upon recently -- is: "The MX [comes] with a learning curve". The reason for this? An inordinate number of features that results in a mouse that takes some getting used to. Starting with the scroll wheel, Logitech has devised a way of integrating both the ratcheted type of scroll with the free-spin variety: by default, the mouse will switch between the two modes depending on how fast the user is scrolling. Users can tweak the speed at which the mouse will switch into free-spin mode, and yes, there's a ratcheted only option. The next notably new feature is the "document flip", a second scroll wheel located just above the thumb rest that functions as an application switcher if you decide not to change the software settings. Finally, there's a dedicated search button on the top of the mouse that will either, a) start an internet search for a selected word or, if you don't have anything selected, will b) take you to the homepage of your preferred search engine. In practice, the reviewer found the new features to be in need of a little polish: the scroll wheel was a little too eager to switch into free-spin mode (and doesn't double as a middle mouse button), the document flip felt a little redundant, and the one touch search button bugged-out a few times. Underneath all the features is a relatively basic, multi-buttoned cordless laser mouse -- the 800 DPI sensitivity is nothing to write home about -- but the ergonomics and design live up to the high standards we've come to expect from Logitech. The reviewer concludes that the extra features probably aren't necessary, but could in the long term increase user productivity if prospective buyers spend some time customizing the button functions and getting used to the new features. If you think you can do without the new features, you might consider picking up one of Logitech's other no-frills gaming mice, which feature much higher sensitivities and equal, if not lower, prices.