Turtle Beach have always been ahead of the pack when it comes to the quality of their gaming headsets. While never at the forefront of the mainstream eye like other market competitors, they have almost always delivered on an excellent range of fine audio accessories to boost your gaming experience. Their new Recon Controller for Xbox and PC is yet another homerun from both a design standpoint and on the audio front, and is arguably one of the best controllers you can own right now. To get the specs for the Turtle Beach Recon Controller out of the way first: Connections - USB-A Connection to Game Console or PC Connectivity - Detachable 10ft / 3m cable with Type-C USB Connector (Type-A at console) Audio Input/Output - 3.5mm audio port for stereo audio output & microphone input Weight - 0.66 lbs. / 300 grams Dimensions (Mm) - 180x183x73 Compatibility - Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One & Windows 10 PCs Warranty - 1-Year Limited Warranty Upon unpackaging the Turtle Beach Recon Controller, you're immediately greeted with two reactions: the first is the extremely lightweight feel of the controller itself. In most cases, lightweights for controllers don't equate to quality, but here, Turtle Beach have excelled at making it feel premium while still keeping it relatively light in your hands. At only 300 grams, the controller is light and rests comfortably in your grip. The second reaction is the strange layout of the controller itself. The top center of the controller features a number of unique buttons. Here, you can easily adjust your volume and chat, but most importantly, get easy access to the Turtle Beach-specific EQ presets. Tapping on this button will bring up four EQ presets: Signature Sound (Default), Bass Boost, Bass & Treble Boost and Vocal Boost. These allow you to adjust various aspects of your gaming experience depending on your preferred sound output and quality. You can also monitor your mic volume with the tap of a button, which lets you hear your own voice so you can adjust accordingly. Tapping on this button will bring up four EQ presets: Signature Sound (Default), Bass Boost, Bass & Treble Boost and Vocal Boost. All of these features are packed onto the front of the controller with little to no intrusion, designed in such a way that it never looks or feels distracting. Overall, the design and lightweight build quality is absolutely superb, and we haven't even gotten to my favourite aspect of the controller yet. On the back are two mappable quick-action buttons. For anyone familiar with the competitive-focused Elite controllers, these buttons make an extraordinary difference in gameplay, allowing you to easily map any commands or actions to them for that extra advantage. I played a fair chunk of Halo Infinite's multiplayer and Forza Horizon 5, and in the case of the latter, I mapped manual gear shifts to them. They were extremely responsive and made a huge difference when gear-shifting in-game as opposed to using the D-pad. The only real downside to this is the lack of third and fourth quick-action buttons which doesn't make it the most ideal controller for competitive play (or those that go the extra mile in fighting games), but for those wanting the luxuries of an accessible controller with added firepower, this might be for you. On the plus side, each quick-action button lets you assign four selectable profiles to them, so not all is lost. The Turtle Beach Recon controller comes with the great Pro-Aim Focus Mode, which adjusts thumbstick sensitivity depending on your preferred style of play and long-ranged accuracy (by simply tapping the right macro button to toggle four levels of slowed down sensitivity). While I personally never found much use for it, the thumbsticks were also responsive and firmly built for precision and quick reactions. Hitting and maintaining drifts in Forza Horizon 5 never felt so good, and thanks to excellent vibrational feedback, it gave me just enough to feel every slight twitch of the car. ...for those wanting the luxuries of an accessible controller with added firepower, this might be for you. The rubber grips are the final thing you'll notice about the controller that really stands out in its design, but serves a more ergonomic purpose. The non-sweat grips wrap the handles of the controller, and it feels terrific. Even after several hours of playing Halo Infinite (and trust me, these multiplayer matches can get awfully sweaty), the grips remained just as comfortable to hold, stick-free and easy on the touch. In following the DualSense's futuristic haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, the Turtle Beach Recon controller offers something close, albeit no cigar. The handles and triggers have dual rumble motors built into them, but they don't quite hit the same impressive marks of PlayStation's signature new-gen controller. However, they do feel like a notable step-up from the current base Xbox controllers in terms of rumble feedback, and seemingly worked fine on Xbox. However, when testing it out on PC, it was notably not compatible with a number of games which is a shame. Thankfully, the wire is 10-feet long, meaning I could enjoy sitting comfortably on my couch without having to worry about leaning forward in fear of the cable being too short. Unfortunately, this is a wired controller which I thought would have its downsides considering I sit quite far from my TV when playing in the lounge. Thankfully, the wire is 10-feet long, meaning I could enjoy sitting comfortably on my couch without having to worry about leaning forward in fear of the cable being too short. This is a problem I previously encountered with other wired controllers on the market, and I'm glad Turtle Beach addressed this issue. However, with it still being a wired controller, it's the only "downside" I can see in an otherwise terrific controller (or if you really mind wired to begin with). The Turtle Beach Recon controller won Best Gaming Accessory at E3, and it's an award well-deserved. Turtle Beach have created one of the most impressive Xbox controllers I've had the pleasure of playing with. At a price point of R1299, it's only a slightly cheaper option to the original controllers, but it's one that I can fully recommend above it as well. The build quality is fantastic, lightweight and easy on the touch while still feeling like a heavy-hitter. With the additional bells and whistles, it makes for a slightly imposing but nonetheless excellent gaming experience once you get the hang of it.

MSI have officially announced the brand new AMD Advantage Edition gaming laptops that include the latest Radeon RX6000M Series graphics. The all-new AMD-powered Delta 15 gaming laptop was revealed alongside the revamped Alpha 15/17, now packing the AMD Ryzen 5000 H series mobile processors and up to the latest AMD Radeon RX67000M series mobile graphics. Both the Delta 15 and revamped Alpha 15/17 will come packed with the latest AMD Radeon RX6000M series mobile graphics, delivering up to 70% faster speeds and up to 1.5x faster on battery usage. First and foremost, the sleek Delta 15 will be powered by the AMD Radeon RX67000M GPU. Built for the enthused gamer, it will enable 1440p gaming with "ultra-high framerates at max settings." Physically, the Delta 15 is touted as one of the thinnest and lightest AMD gaming laptops, boasting 19mm slim and 1.9kg lightweight. Couple its elegant Carbon Gray Aluminum design with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX mobile processors under the hood, and you have a gaming laptop that's ready for performance and portability. Unplugged, it allows for up to 12 hours of use once fully charged. The Alpha 15/17 on the other hand, delivers something equally impressive, utilizing "exclusive AMD SmartShift and AMD Smart Access Memory technology, which provide the next level of speed and responsiveness." Like the Delta 15, the Alpha 15/17 will come equipped with up to 240Hz refresh rates. Both also take advantage of the AMD's Anti-lag and image sharpening technologies, enhancing the image detail significantly while also minimizing input lag. Underneath the hood of the Alpha 15/17, you'll find latest AMD Ryzen 7 5800H mobile processors and AMD Radeon RX6600M mobile graphics, paired with a striking new chassis design: a 5mm thin-bezel display, independent number-pad, RGB backlit keyboard, and intuitive hotkey, making it ideal for the gamer on the go. Both the Delta 15 and Alpha 15/17 combine power and performance with a sleek form factor, putting it on the watchlist of MSI laptops geared towards the gaming market. The Delta 15 is available currently from Evetech, starting at R40,999 RRP – it is currently on special starting from R37,999. Alpha 15/17 price is TBA.

Cooler Master’s CK721 is their new 65% layout wireless mechanical keyboard sporting a nifty new mechanic. Cooler Master have a smaller 60% keyboard as well as a full sized mechanical keyboard that’s wireless too but the CK721 falls in the specific niche between those devices. It also has an extra feature which may appeal to some gamers. This feature being the “Precision Dial” in the top right corner of the keyboard. Let’s dive into the technical specs before we get into the keyboard’s performance. Keyboard Switch Type: TTC Mechanical Switch (Red/Blue/Brown) Keyboard Keycaps: ABS Painting & Laser engraved, OEM Profile Keyboard Material: Aluminum, Plastic Keyboard Color: Space Gray, Silver White Keyboard LED Color: RGB, 16.7 million colors Keyboard Polling Rate: 1000Hz (Wired/2.4GHz Mode), 125Hz (Bluetooth Mode) Keyboard Response Time: 1ms (Wired/2.4GHz Mode), 8ms (Bluetooth Mode) On-the-fly System: Yes Keyboard Multimedia Key: Through Function Key (FN) Connectivity: Wired, 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth 5.1 Charging: Support Wired charging Battery: 2000mAh Battery Life: 73hrs (LED Off) Compatible OS: Windows 8+, Mac OS X 10.10+, Android, iOS Software Support: Cooler Master MasterPlus+ Keyboard Cable: 1.8m, USB Type C to Type A, Detachable & Braided Wrist rest: Cloth/SBR, 334 x 95 x 18 mm Keyboard Dimensions (L x W x H): Standard: 334 x 118 x 37 mm / 13.15 x 4.65 x 1.46 inch, With 1st stage feet open: 334 x 118 x 43 mm / 13.15 x 4.65 x 1.69 inch, With 2nd stage feet open: 334 x 118 x 46 mm / 13.15 x 4.65 x 1.81 inch Keyboard Weight: 764g / 168 lbs (without cable dongle) Warranty: 2 years Unboxing the keyboard, users will notice the spongy low-friction cloth covered wrist rest straight away. This wrist rest is soft to the touch and will be highly appreciated by gamers who spend extended periods of time at their keyboards. The only gripe with the wrist rest lies with the fact that it’s prone to getting dirty very quickly. This wrist rest is a dust and grime magnet and even though it’s darkly coloured, you can notice the dirt it picks up just from daily usage. This wrist rest is soft to the touch and will be highly appreciated by gamers who spend extended periods of time at their keyboards. Thankfully though, it’s super easy to clean since you can just wipe it down or dust it off quite easily. Only time will tell how long this spongy wrist rest will actually last though since these types of things tend to fall apart sooner rather than later - Especially if you’re moving them around or using them quite often. When it comes to the actual keyboard itself, the CK721 looks great. It has a very clean minimalist aesthetic to it and the dial in the top right corner immediately catches your eye. Being a tenkeyless keyboard, there’s no numpad here but you do have a few extra centimeters which really help with the keyboard’s layout. The arrow keys for example aren’t as cramped as on the SK620 and there’s a neat little column created by the DEL, PGUP and PGDN keys with the precision dial right at the top. The layout of the keyboard is excellent and feels like something that gamers would most likely prefer over the smaller SK620 since the extra space makes a world of a difference when typing and gaming. Of course this will come down to personal preference but I definitely enjoyed using this keyboard quite a lot. The CK721 has adjustable feet which allow users to elevate the keyboard to just the right angle for their personal preference. Located on the left hand side of the keyboard is a tiny docking bay which has a plastic cover that clips into place. Located inside this is the 2.4 GHz wireless USB dongle which is kept in place by a spring. On the opposite side of the keyboard is a physical switch which can be slid to enable the 3 different connectivity modes available. This of course being wired mode, 2.4 GHz wireless mode and Bluetooth mode. In the time I spent with the keyboard, I used all three modes and felt no real difference between any of them. It should be noted though that the polling rate is different when using Bluetooth though at only 125 Hz whereas it’s a solid 1000 Hz in both the wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes. The response time of the Bluetooth mode is also 8ms as opposed to the far superior 1ms in both wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes. It should be noted though that the polling rate is different when using Bluetooth though at only 125 Hz whereas it’s a solid 1000 Hz in both the wired and 2.4 GHz wireless modes. To reiterate though, I never noticed any real difference between all three modes. However, if you are playing a highly competitive game such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive or Starcraft 2, you’ll definitely want to either plug the keyboard in or swap over from Bluetooth to 2.4 GHz wireless for the added security of having a higher polling rate and response time. The battery life of the SK721 was roughly around 70 hours with the RGB lighting disabled and I did have to plug it in to charge it during the time I spent with it. When the keyboard’s battery is low, there is a noticeable increase in errors when typing. If this happens that’s a signal to plug in the device and let it charge. Unfortunately, there is no real way to see how much battery life is left apart from looking at the icon displayed in Cooler Master’s MasterPlus+ software. Cooler Master, if you’re reading this please update the icon to show an actual percentage, this is a problem across all of the wireless, battery powered devices that use MasterPlus+. Users can save their custom settings straight onto the board or via MasterPlus+ and this is pretty straightforward. Custom keymapping is also extremely easy to do via the software suite and changing the RGB lighting is a breeze too. The RGB lighting on the CK721 is perfectly set up with numerous preset colour schemes to cycle through as well as different speeds and brightness available. The overall aesthetic of the keyboard, with all the RGB lit up, looks amazing. When it comes to the actual performance of the keyboard, typing on it felt slightly different to my daily driver keyboard (which is from a different brand). This was immediately noticeable and this is because Cooler Master have opted to use TTC Mechanical Switches on this keyboard instead of Cherry MX keyswitches. This may make or break your purchasing decision depending on which brand of keyswitches you are used to and prefer. Using the keyboard to game was fine throughout my testing and typing on it wasn’t problematic either. Getting used to the slightly “springier” feel of the TTC Red keyswitches did take some getting used to at first though. This will come down to personal preference as to whether or not you will enjoy using these keyswitches over the more standard Cherry MX Reds seen in keyboards these days. Another interesting mechanic that Cooler Master incorporated into this keyboard is the lever located in the dongle dock. Shifting this allows you to remove the aluminium top plate off the top of the keyboard. This allows for easy cleaning and for added customization if you want to remove keycaps or put in a new aluminium plate (Cooler Master is planning on selling coloured top plates for this keyboard soon). The overall build quality of the keyboard is quite sturdy so I don’t really feel as if anyone would need to replace the aluminium plate for reasons that aren’t purely cosmetic related. The keyboard’s key new feature is the “Precision Dial” in the top right corner. This dial is useful for gamers who want to set it up to perform specific tasks such as skipping songs, adjusting their PC volume, adjusting the keyboard’s RGB brightness and more. Using the MasterPlus+ software suite, users can easily set this up and it’s good to go in no time flat. The precision dial feels like a bonus to an already pretty decent keyboard and it’s great that it works so well with a very satisfying rotation feel to it. This dial is useful for gamers who want to set it up to perform specific tasks such as skipping songs, adjusting their PC volume, adjusting the keyboard’s RGB brightness and more. Overall, the CK721 is a solid, 65% keyboard with a “Precision Dial” which may or may not seem like a gimmick to gamers. I personally got quite a bit of use out of it and loved it. I felt that the keyboard’s TTC Keyswitches were a bit of a downgrade over the Cherry MX keyswitches used in Cooler Master’s other keyboards though which was slightly disappointing. This, again, comes down to personal preference so if possible, see if you can try out this keyboard before making a purchasing decision. If however you are in the market for a 65% keyboard with a great additional mechanic that’s actually useful, the CK721 is definitely a great option to consider.

To celebrate the release of the innovative Z690 series motherboards in South Africa, ASUS is hosting a competition where you could stand a chance to win an ASUS Prime Z690-A motherboard of your own! To enter the competition, simply CLICK HERE and answer five questions correctly about the Z690 motherboards. Each correct answer will earn you one entry into the draw, which will be announced one week after the competition closes. ASUS provided a statement describing the power behind their new Z690 motherboards: "The new ASUS Z690 motherboards will support both the new DDR5 memory module on selected models, and PCIe® 5.0 slots for both video cards and storage. The ASUS Z690 platform ― covering ROG Maximus to the ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, ProArt and Prime motherboards ― is built to support all-new 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors that feature up to 16 cores and 24 threads. All motherboards will have built-in support for Windows 11 and LGA 1200 CPU coolers to help DIY builders get up and running more smoothly."