Best budget mechanical keyboards

Best budget mechanical keyboards

Mechanical keyboards are becoming the norm these days, but many of them are overpriced, so we at Geektick reviewed the most budget friendly keyboards.

The market for mechanical keyboards is massive these days, with new mechanical keyboards being released every day. In short, when I was younger, I never owned a mechanical keyboard and had zero knowledge when getting one. So I made a mistake, of course, and ended up buying an overpriced keyboard. Still though, it’s a pretty good keyboard, but I am kind of annoyed by the fact  that I could have possibly saved around 50 dollars, and I ended up finding the same model keyboard for 20 dollars cheaper at the market next day. And no, I couldn’t return the keyboard, because they had a policy which stated if you damage the box of said item you can not get a refund. And I was rash when opening the keyboard so I ended up destroying the box entirely. A foolish mistake on my part.

The story I told you was just an insight into why it is good to do some research before buying. So I presume you guys are here for the list and not for my story. So lets start going through the best budget keyboards.

Content:

 

 

BEST BUDGET  Mechanical Keyboard – EagleTec KG011 Office

The stylish EagleTec Kg011 is our choice as the best budget mechanical keyboard. It was a clear winner compared to the rest.

This keyboard isn’t your average day to day keyboard, it is truly something special. It has a nice sleek body and a stylish light blue background color, but this isn’t the only style of this keyboard as it has quite a lot of styles to choose from.  This keyboard has a nice edge finish. It handles extremely well, looks pleasant to the eyes and on top of all of those things it comes with a cheap price tag making this the best keyboard to buy if you are on a low budget and don’t want to spend a lot of money. It is the most logical step you can take to assure yourself a nice gaming setup.

Product details:

  • 104 double-shot injection molded key caps are blue LED backlit, 100% anti-ghosting.
  • Custom mechanical switches designed for longevity with greater durability and responsiveness.
  • Mechanical keys with medium resistance, audible click sound, and tactile bump feedback.
  • Plate mounted keys. This high quality build technique integrates a metal plate between the switches and the PCB.
  • Blue LED back lighting can be adjusted for brightness, breathing effect, and on/off
  • Multimedia controls on Function keys.
  • Switchable ‘W’, ‘A’, ‘S’, ‘D’ and arrow keys for specific applications and/or gaming
  • Different styles of color to suite the users needs : black, black with blue LED back lighting, white and silver with blue back lighting, black with rainbow LED back lighting, white and silver with rainbow back lighting and the plain white and silver

BEST SELLER  Mechanical Keyboard – Corsair Gaming K55

 

Yet another great keyboard with a lot of demand for it. This keyboard has sold over thousand of copies and is still going strong with the current market.

It has a nice bottom extension to reduce the pain of your wrist,  giving you the option to lean your arm on it. Besides being quite comfortable it also looks quite fancy, with the colorful LED lighting and with its nice sleek body. On top of that it has many customizable features and much more. It doesn’t cost much either, making it one of the most requested keyboards there is at the moment. There are many more things where this keyboard exceeds at but lets keep it nice and simple. It is a nice fancy keyboard that provides a nice feel,  while it comes with a cheap price tag.

Product details :

  • Three-zone dynamic RGB backlighting with 10+ preconfigured vivid RGB lighting modes allow you to choose immersive lighting effects
  • 6 programmable macro keys enable
  • Dedicated volume and multimedia controls for direct audio control without interrupting your game
  • Quiet and responsive keys give a satisfying feel
  • Multi-key anti-ghosting ensures the most accurate simultaneous key presses
  • Detachable wrist rest with soft rubber texture provides comfortable positioning for your wrists
  • Windows Key Lock mode ensures interruption-free game
  • Keyboard tilt adjustment to enable comfort for long play sessions

BEST BUY  Mechanical Keyboard – Azio Backlit Mechanical

The Azio Backlit Mechanical Keyboard is our pick for the best buy for many reasons. First of all lets start with the thing I like the most about this keyboard, the extension for your wrist. I can’t stress enough how much this means for the user of the keyboard. I am on my computer for about 6-8 hours per day and after time when I start writing or resting my arm I feel a strange soreness in my left hand.

But besides that, it has a simple design which itself is quite pretty and sleek. It handles quite nicely and is quite comfortable to use. In my own personal opinion it is probably one of the best keyboards in the market at the moment. You might be asking yourself: “But where are the LEDs?”. This is just the basic version of this keyboard, as there are other versions or to say styles which include a nice set of customizable LEDs.

Product details :

  • Mechanical Key Switches (Kailh Blue)
  • Gunmetal Grey Anodized Aluminum Face Plate
  • White LED Backlight w/ Adjustable Brightness
  • Detachable Palm Rest
  • Full NKRO on USB (Windows)
  • Easy-Access shortcut Keys & Volume Wheel
  • Windows Key Lock
  • Braided 6ft Cable

CHEAPEST  Mechanical Keyboard – Redragon K552-N KUMARA

 

By far one of the cheapest mechanical keyboards that exist at the given moment. It actually costs less compared to some plain keyboards, and yes, you heard me, it legit rcosts less. But do not let that discourage you to buy this keyboard. Even though the price is quite low for a mechanical keyboard, it still provides all of the functions of a mechanical keyboard and looks and feels pretty nice. It has some disadvantages, for example there is no bottom extension to provide the most comfort for the wrist area.

Surprisingly, it is quite durable and has a nice design. It also comes with customizable LEDs with many colors to choose from  and only costs just a mere 20 bucks. It’s impressive how much the technology has come along and how obtainable it has become.

Product details:

  • Custom mechanical switches for ultimate gaming performance
  • Red LED adjustable lighting and double-shot injection molded keycaps for crystal clear backlighting
  • Metal and ABS construction, mechanical keys, and gold plated USB connector stand up to hardcore gaming
  • Custom mechanical switches designed for longevity, responsiveness, and durability. Mechanical keys with medium resistance, audible click sound, and tactile feedback
  • 87 standard conflict free keys, 12 multimedia keys, and splash-proof design

HAVIT HV-KB378L RGB

The havit keyboard ain’t the most popular or well known mechanical keyboard, even though it is still a great keyboard never the less. As it provides many nice additions to it, for example the bottom extension which provides a nice place to rest your wrist. It comes with a bunch of customizable keys, and on top of that it comes with a nice amount of adjustable LEDs. It can change to around 10 modes and has a nice smooth finish on the sides giving this keyboard the most desirable look.

It ain’t the cheapest but it is quite budget friendly. It provides all the needs for many people and comes at a decent price.

Product details:

  • 104 keys RGB mechanical keyboard, constructed with floating keys, blue switches
  • 10 adjustable multiple RGB backlit modes, including: Always-on mode, Single-color-breathing mode, Pro-gamer mode, 7-color-breathing mode, On-click-lighting mode, Single-color or Mixed-color-flowing mode, Running-forth and back mode, Ripple-spreading mode.
  • Customizable Pro-gamer mode: Press FN+INS to switch to Pro-gamer mode, only W, A, S, D, ESC, “↑” “↓” “←” “→” 9 keys are default to be lighted, 5 default modes can be chose by pressing FN+ 1-5; And these 5 modes are allowed to be customized the backlit color and lighting mode by pressing FN+ HOME.
  • Metal base with wrist rest (non-detachable), effectively reduce fatigue of long time using; gold plated USB interface guarantees efficient and stable data transmission
  • Easy-to–reach multimedia keys: Fn + F1-F12, provides Windows Key lock for gaming, multimedia controls for entertainment, email and calculator

AULA Ergonomic Sapphire Keyboard

Another addition to our list of great keyboards, it provides everything a person would need from a mechanical keyboard and more. It has a nice simple finish around the sides, a nice bottom extension. Besides all of those things it feels extremely well when playing games and provides a nice amount of customizable buttons to add to the core of the game when playing. The standard version is a nice black finish with a carefully done build, the other versions just adds LEDs to the main version. The LEDs on the second version are open to the users preference and enable him to change them to his will.

Product details:

  • Ergonomic design, high quality and minimalist style
  • Large and comfortable palm rest to reduce hand fatigue
  • AULA mechanical blue switch with ultra-long lifetime durability, perfect for all gamers
  • User-friendly design with a set of shortcut function keys cooperated with the FN key
  • Lock / unlock function for WINDOWS key to avoid miss clicks / distractions during gaming

Thermaltake Poseidon ZX Tournament

A classical mechanical keyboard, compact and has all the things you would expect it to have. Only real con to getting this keyboard is the fact that it’s lacking the additional bottom extension. Besides that it has a nice finish with the addition of LEDs behind each key providing the ability to see the keys during all time.

It comes with two options, you can choose between blue or brown switches.

Product details:

  • Fully Back-Lit Keyboard: With an LED under each cap, the POSEIDON ZX is a fully back-lit keyboard, offering 4 levels of adjustable brightness
  • TteSPORTS Certified Mechanical Blue Switches: The TteSPORTS Certified Mechanical BLUE switches are built for speed and durability, offering a pronounced tactile feel and audible click feedback
  • Accessible Media Keys: With the Fn (function) + F1-F7 keys, you can control your volume and media player anytime, without having to minimize your current game or program.
  • Tenkeyless Form Factor: The POSEIDON ZX comes in the tenkeyless form factor; which is 80% the length of a regular full sized keyboard. This size makes the POSEIDON ZX more portable to take on the go for gaming, as well as helps prevent gamers from having their mouse hit their keyboard in the middle of games.

Tomoko Blue Switch 104-Key Black Mechanical Keyboard

A simple black mechanical keyboard made for all purposes, just a few words to describe this keyboard. It has a nice edge finish and a sleek black design. It provides a nice feel when you are playing video games and also adds the option to customize a few buttons to the user’s request. Another nice thing about this keyboard is the fact that it is pretty portable enabling you to carry it around wherever you want. Also, this keyboard is water proof,  which is a nice little feature.

Product details:

  • Anti-Ghosting 104 KEYS. N-Key Rollover. With anti-ghosting 104 keys, it allows Multi-Keys to work simultaneously without confliction
  • Blue Switches. Provide you “clicky” tactile feedback to improve typing speed and accuracy. Lifespan of 50 million keystroke, 60±15g key force and 4.0±0.2mm stroke travel
  • FN Shortcuts. Easily access to media controls, such as play, pause, next and previous track, calculator, email, web browser etc without exiting game
  • Build Quality. Made of top-grade ABS and metal base, with matte-finish texture,it is sturdy and robust for durability. Laser-engraved keys are not easy to fade. Water-resistant with drain holes

CM Storm QuickFire TK

Probably the most expensive keyboard we will cover today, but hear me out. Yes this article is the best budget keyboards. And this keyboard is extremely good with all due respect but it comes with a higher price tag. It is extremely portable, has all the basics, like customizable buttons and LEDs that can go through 3 modes depending on the users tastes with the standard amount of buttons with a long lifespan.

That sounds plain but it’s a well trusted keyboard that will last a long time and provide the best quality.

Product details:

  • Mechanical BLUE CHERRY MX switches with a lifespan of over 50 million keypresses
  • Compact and ergonomic layout with an integrated numpad section
  • Fully backlit with blue LEDs, 3 modes, and 5 brightness levels
  • NKRO through USB for unlimited simultaneous keystrokes
  • Embedded blue steel backplate for maximum stability and durability
  • Super grip pads and keyboard standoffs with rubber feet for increased stability
  • 7 easy-access multimedia shortcut keys

MechanicalEagle Z-77 Keyboard

Extremely friendly budget wise, compact and good looking. Quite a nice keyboard to be honest. It has a nice feel to it providing the utmost comfort when playing games,  it also has the addition of LEDs making it look extremely well especially in the dark. And it is extremely compact enabling you the portability many keyboards lack.

What more is there to say about this stunning keyboard,  and the price will leave you without any words. It is extremely cheap, especially when it’s on sale it goes down up to 35 dollars.

Product details:

  • Innovative pluggable design mechanical keyboard allows you to replace all the switches by yourself. It comes with 5 PCS of free switches (Gaote switch/ Otemu switch) for you to replace.
  • Easy to change 9 backlit by pressing FN+Ins; 8 modes gaming keys lighting-up patterns. Support selectable keys lights (Light colors can’t be changed).
  • Anti-ghosting 87 keys/n-key rollover. Allows multi-keys to work simultaneously in high speed. Each key is controlled independently, which allows faster response in games.
  • Custom mechanical switches designed for responsiveness and durability. Mechanical keys with medium resistance, nice click sound, and tactile feedback. Tested for over 50 million times keystroke.
  • Ergonomic designed: the stepped keycap makes it sleek and the arc and slope fit your hands easily to prevent fatigue. Convenient Multi-media Keys FN+F1~F12 Provides Windows Key lock for gaming, multimedia controls for entertainment, email and calculator

Conclusion

With the sheer number of keyboards we’ve covered, some people might wonder what is the best keyboard to get. Well, in short, if you fancy yourself the cheapest then the pick is obviously the Redragon K552-N KUMARA. Otherwise if your budget is really low but you can afford a bit more than the Redragon K552-N KUMARA then go for our best keyboard the EagleTec KG011 Office. If you want to save some money and still get a really good keyboard then the obvious choice is the Azio Backlit Mechanical. On top of these keyboards there are stacks and stacks of mechanical keyboards that are extremely over priced. And many of them are extremely good for many reasons, but the key issue with them is their price, making them quite expensive for the average Joe.

Either way, if by any chance you, the reader, is wondering what are the advantages of having a mechanical keyboard while gaming, then listen out for a small story. So here is the story why I needed a mechanical keyboard. Throughout the years I played many games and in all of them I always had an issue with either my mouse being wacky or my keyboard having issues when I press over 3 buttons at the same time. So firstly I changed my mouse to the one I use at the moment, afterwards I changed the keyboard. The main game which caused me to get a mechanical keyboard is WoW as it was getting harder and harder to play the game as I progressed to the end stages of each expansion. Why? Well when you level up and get more gear in WoW there are many more spells and potions to use, and in order to use them at the same time you need to spam the button, but there is a global cool down on those spells which helped out but I still had many issues nevertheless. Then I started to play battlegrounds and many more things as I progressed in the game and it was getting so hard to play that I was legit destroying 5 buttons by mashing them constantly. For example when you play a battleground as a healer, it gets so stressful to keep running away while healing yourself and your teammates at the same time, I can not stress how difficult that was. And on top of the basic button mashing, there were moments when your key wouldn’t register at all and you would be left there with a blank face on how you wiped on the last boss.

Okay I went off topic a bit with the story, but overall getting a mechanical keyboard was the best decision I made as it provided a great way to play games, write documents and many more things, and also the sound it makes is extremely satisfying. So if you are in the end planing to buy one of these keyboards or another mechanical keyboards which you fancy be sure to keep in mind that these keyboards are all extremely good and provide a great way to boost your setup and overall boosting your satisfaction when using one. Also be sure to keep an open mind upon seeing these cheap keyboards, they might be cheap but it does not mean they are weak or bad in any case, yeah, they are a lot cheaper compared to the standard razor mechanical keyboard with the nice greed LEDs, but these are extremely good as well and they deserve some love too.

To sum up everything, there are many great keyboards which will suite everyone’s needs, the ones we looked over today are extremely budget friendly and provide a nice alternative to the expensive and overpriced keyboards. May Talos bless your kind heart for reading this article.

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Best portable gaming system

Best portable gaming system

With all the hype about the new generation of consoles that will release in the next year or two, I thought I’d take the time to write something about the current best of the best. Since I own or owned all of the consoles from PS1-PS4, Xbox and Nintendo I’m as excited as you are for the next generation.

So why buy a console?

They are the ideal systems to bring with you on holidays or vacations, and for your house alike. They don’t take up much space, next to none cable management, and with the latest UI from Sony and Microsoft even DVD’s are becoming less and less seen. Sure you could bring a laptop with you but to play the games these consoles run you’d need to cash out way more than these systems cost. Not to mention all of these have their exclusive games. For example, you can only play the Uncharted franchise on PS3 or PS4 nowhere else, same goes for Halo on Xbox and the latest Legend of Zelda for Nintendo. They are also compact as they can be taking into consideration what’s inside them and the best is yet to come.

Without further ado, let’s get into the best of the best;

 Overview

 

 

Sony PlayStation 4 Pro

Coming from a company like Sony it’s no wonder this thing is a beast. Console wise, the PS4 Pro offers almost everything you can expect from a portable gaming console. The console had a few nicknames before it was released including PS4K or PS4.5. The second one is more suitable because this is an upgrade, rather than a proper level-up of the console, which the PS5 will be.

This means you are getting the best possible version of the 3 year old console. not a next-gen one. As Sony would call it “The super-charged PS4” and it suits it very well since it’s bigger than ever. Adding to that it has more power under the hood and it can run 4K video and now supports HDR (video). Taking all of this into consideration we can say that the PS4 Pro is purely focused on gaming and performance.

While most of you won’t be interested to buy the Pro version over the stock one, there are some guys still out there who are about to join the Sony team and they are in for a treat.

 

 

DESIGN AND FEATURES

The PS4 pro is a pure beast, short and simple. A little taller than its predecessor, clearly wider and deeper though. The overall effect this gives you is something of a well-built machine.

Its rival, the Xbox One S can afford to go a bit smaller than its predecessor because the specs are the same on both. The Pro here has a bigger engine though and that alone asks for bigger space, not to mention other improvements in specs, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

 

It still has that same parallelogram shape but the sharp corners have been rounded off. There is a chrome effect on the PS logo at the top and it’s the only thing that stands out from the matte plastic. That subtle little detail adds a premium vibe to it that is very appealing.

The original two-deck design is now a three-deck. There seems to be a no functional point to this extra deck, it’s just an aesthetic feature.

As with earlier versions, two USB ports hide in the small space at the front, but Sony has added a third to the back. With this feature added I can finally charge my controller without a cable sticking out the front.

The other connections are as before: HDMI out, Ethernet, Aux (for the camera), optical out, and power. Note that the power lead is no longer a figure-of-eight cable, but instead it’s kettle lead.

Underneath all the aesthetics the PS4 Pro promises double the power of its downgrader. This means the Pro can run games faster with almost no frame rate drops on the most intense games, but most importantly, the PS4 Pro now supports 4K and HDR as I mentioned before and that is a really great addition when battling his rival- the XBOX.

The fact that the PS4 Pro can handle 4K and HDR indeed means better looking games. New PS4 games will have a ‘Pro’ option for enhanced visuals, and even some older games are getting patched right now as you are reading this.

Compatibility won’t be an issue, so you don’t have to worry about that. All PS4 games must work on standard and Pro consoles. That’s practically a rule at this point – nobody gets left out in the cold. If this wasn’t the case, then it would be entirely up to the developers to decide how to make use of the extra power that the PS4 Pro has.

The PS4 Pro is indeed quieter than the original. Of course, there is more noise when you insert a disc in it and as the fan speed gets higher, but once you install everything and play your game in normal or average conditions, it’s barely heard. If you turn your TV volume on, from your sofa for example, you can’t even be able to hear it.

 

This thing is also pretty fast. The PS4 Pro has a SATA 3 hard drive, which is an upgrade from the SATA 2 which the original had. This essentially means that the Pro can transfer data faster at almost twice the speed. Bigger games like GTA V or Hitman, they jump into action noticeably quicker and that is great, particularly because the long loading screens kill our happiness and our excitement for playing the game.

 

 

SONY PS4 PRO – CONTROLLER

There’s also a new controller. Well, a slightly tweaked version of the older one. If you’ve seen that one released with the new slim PS4, well you know exactly what to expect.

Its functionality remains the same, of course; the analogue sticks, the face buttons, Options/Share buttons, and the D-pad have all been given a new grayish tone to contrast it with the black color of the controller.

That touchpad is now also translucent. On the top side, it lets the players know which color they are in multiplayer games and matches.

All of these tweaks are aesthetic which gives the Xbox One S a couple of points, they added a tougher joysticks and somewhat of a grippier texture. The PS has licensed third parties, like Razer to make “Pro” controllers.

 

 

 

 

The Verdict

The PS4, in my mind, is the side to join when it comes to the PS vs. XBOX rivalry. Its hardware won’t get old any time soon that’s for sure, and it has all the necessities a console needs to have – all the ports and all the goodies. Although some may argue that the lack of 4K streaming is an issue, it’s not measurable to the pros you get when buying the PS4 Pro. Sony has offered us many exclusives on this console, and with the latest one (when writing this article) Horizon Zero Dawn getting top scores from IGN, GameStop and reviewers like those two. It makes us wonder what will the rest be like. The PS4 Pro is more pleasing to look at and is more elegant in my opinion. Its universal color makes it blend into the room, no matter which color the environment it’s in is. With the coming of Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Last of Us 2 its fan base is going to be even bigger, because these 2 games are considered to have the best stories a game can possibly have.

 

 

 

XBOX ONE S

 

Almost 3 years after the release of the original Xbox one comes a newer version of the console. In its core it’s the same thing Sony did with the PS4 which is essentially an upgraded version of the original, but not a complete level-up.

It’s smaller, quieter and the most interesting thing about it is its development of the resolution, from HD to Ultra HD (4K) – quite a large gap but it’s very welcomed. Games are up-scaled to the resolution, that means it’s not true 4K, but movies will happily make the most out of the extra pixels whether you’re streaming 4K over Netflix or playing an Ultra HD Blu-ray.

 

DESIGN AND FEATURES

Advanced electrical engineering, Moore’s Law, or even a miracle, call it whatever you want, but the Xbox One S defies what many thought was impossible – integrating a massive power supply along with an expansive 2TB hard drive into a chassis two-fifths the size of the original – or 17 x 11.4 x 4.4 inches (L x W x D) if you want to know specifics. How Microsoft pulled it off, I’ll never know.

Well… actually, I might know. Something tells me it has to do with porous siding that allows for much better airflow. A denser design would enable Microsoft to use a smaller fan and repositioning of the hard drive directly behind the disc tray instead of in the back right corner would free up tons of extra space that allowed Microsoft to just cut out of the box completely.

After that, Microsoft can move the hard drive allowing the power brick (essentially a power supply unit that you’d find in a PC) to be seated inside the console instead of sitting next to it and just creating clutter that is unnecessary on your gaming shelf.

While components have shifted on the inside of the box, the embodiment of the system has undergone a transformation of its own. Now, there are 2 physical buttons in place of the touch buttons for power and eject on the console. Those USB 3.0 ports have now also been moved to the lower half of the face of the console.

On the back side you’ll find an HDMI In port that allows you to pass in a cable box, an HDMI Out, two Super Speed USB ports and S/PDIF and ethernet ports. There is an added IR blaster on the front of the console that enables you to turn on your other devices, like your TV for example. The only thing missing in all of this is a standard for Kinect, as I stated earlier.

Another down side is that if you like your console in color schemes or anything other than pure white you are out of luck. But this color has advantages on it’s own, as white is a color of universal harmony and cleanliness and it will surely fit nicely into your living room or some other environment. It’s not all sad for you color lovers out there as the new Microsoft Xbox Design Lab program allows you to customize your controllers as you’d like them to be.

Xbox as a platform

If you’re just now joining the green team and coming from PS Nation or from PC or just casual gaming in general you’re in luck. The Xbox as a platform is the best it’s ever been. The App Store is still bare bones compared to windows 10 device but it’s vastly improved from the platform that launched 3 years ago.

Navigation is also getting better with some minor improvements. For example they moved My Apps and Games to the top right of the home screen and that alone makes the interface much more efficient. Now it’s easier to get from one place to another without getting lost.

The final feature I’d like to mention is Cortana, a recent addition to the Xbox that works similarly to Siri or now even Amazon’s Alexa. Cortana understands commands like Invite my friend John to a party” or “Pull up my achievements from GTA.” Using Cortana is a more intuitive way of navigating Xbox and it is a major step in the right direction from the Kinect-only voice commands.

While Microsoft has said that the chip set has remained exactly the same, it can’t be, with that said they have swapped the standard Blu-ray disc drive for a 4K. HDR-capable one that can read Ultra HD Blu-rays. This is the next generation of physical media.

 

It’s hard not to be impressed with the Xbox One S’s 4K UHD TV. From the moment you turn on the system and set the picture to 4K it’s clear that the Xbox One S is the most premium system on the market. The biggest upgrade is in the graphical department. The system can either upscale all content or you can leave that to your TV. Of course, to see any sort of difference between the original Xbox One and the S version you’ll need to upgrade your TV.

 

Check out our list of the best 4K TVs if you’re looking to make the upgrade and truly embrace the next generation.

 

While the pool of streaming media content is a bit dry, so is the App Store itself. But do not worry, because Microsoft will be introducing more and more apps to its store. Especially now since they have promised the addition of Universal Windows Apps. Apps that cross lines between Windows 10 and Xbox are slowly rolling out now.

I was concerned that the loading and buffering of this more demanding content would take longer, but it seemed to load faster than the original Xbox One on its normal HD resolution. So far only Netflix has a 4K version of its app on the Xbox Store, but YouTube will follow shortly…as for Amazon or Vudu there are still no upgrades. If you are not a subscriber to Netflix’s 4K streaming tier, there’s always an option to pop in a Blu-Ray disc and surprisingly the Xbox One S is one of the cheapest ways to play 4K Blu-Ray right now.

 

You might ask yourself, but what about gaming content ?

It’s only logical that games look better in 4K than in any other resolution, even if that is achieved by up-scaling instead of native 4K read-through.

In the time of this review. I’ve checked out many games but Fallout 4 and Rise of the Tomb Raider, along with GTA V obviously had me most impressed.

Starting games took the usual, approx. 15 seconds of waiting, but once they started it was a delight. They looked way better than on the Xbox One before. While roaming the streets of Diamond City ( Fallout 4 ) I noticed stadium lightning for the first time ever. Its surface reflections added almost as much to the scene as the character models.

 

Playing the Rise of the Tomb Raider, the full-motion capture sequences had a crisp finish to them. It was like watching a 4K movie instead of watching a game rendered in 1080p.

 

GTA V

I very much enjoy playing Michael, he’s by far my favorite character. I play every free roam session with him and I noticed something pretty spectacular – while driving at night time I came across a cliff (where you see Los Santos for the 1st time as Trevor) and the city was amazing. The lights. the night sky, simply perfection.

These experiences may not be indicative of the experience of every game out there. But given everything I’ve seen so far, games are smoother, faster and better looking here than they’ve ever been on the original Xbox One.

 

With all that said, it’s important to mention that Microsoft won’t be making games for the Xbox One S. Although some games may have additional HDR capabilities on Microsoft’s latest gaming system, exclusives are out of the picture. Even the developers at 343 that made Halo won’t make the franchise exclusive to the One S by any means.

 

Xbox One S controller

Of course in order to play any game out there you’re going to need a controller. And to add to the upgrade of the console itself, Microsoft also upgraded the controllers as well.

The One S controller is almost the exact copy of the original’s controller, but with small, yet effective improvements.

 

 

The first improvement is that the Xbox One S controller will be the first ever controller by Microsoft to natively support Bluetooth. That means that if you want to use it as a controller for your PC you won’t need the Xbox One USB receiver plugged in in order to use it.

The other minor tweaks are in the textured grip that makes the controller easier to hold for an extended amount of time, and more powerful wireless antenna that allows players to sit farther away from the system.

While the cross-over from the Xbox One to the Xbox One S would’ve been a perfect time to switch the controller’s power source from batteries to rechargeable Li-Ion battery, that wasn’t the case here this time around. I guess they are holding that change for the next system code named Project Scorpio that comes out sometime this year. But if you do have a couple of the original Xbox One’s controllers lying around your house, you won’t have to replace them with new ones as they will work just fine with the One S as they did with the original.

 

The Verdict

The Xbox One S is a beast of its own. Although there might not me many exclusives to watch out for on this end of the spectrum, the existing multi-platform games bring a lot more than on the PS4. Due to its support of true 4K and HDR all content on it is a delight to look at. Its size is a major improvement and the overall “simple” design, along with the color, makes it a beautiful package. The App Store may be a little dry at the moment but that will just keep improving and there is a lot to watch out for with all of this in mind.

 

 

 

Nintendo switch

It is a compromise between a console and a handheld gaming device. its design is unique. With every new hardware that Nintendo releases, we can see that they are trying weird and fun ideas.

We can see that Nintendo is always trying to be different from other gaming consoles. They introduced motion-controls to gaming world with Wii U, and made a handheld device with a 3D display called Nintendo 3DS.  With the latest console they allowed you to play games wherever you want. With Nintendo Switch you can use it as a console to play at home or go out and use it as handheld device. After all, every gamer wants to enjoy full gaming experience where ever they are. This console works better than you would expect.  It has some small issues but it’s not far from being perfect.  Designers found a good compromise between being a home console and a handheld device.

Design and features

When you buy the Nintendo Switch in its box you will find:

The main body of console with two detachable controller sides, a grip that enables you to combine these controller portions into a gamepad, two straps that can be attached to its sides and make them individual controllers and a dock that allows you to connect Nintendo with television. USB power cable and an HDMI cable will also be in the box. As you can see you will get a lot of accessories.  Joy-con straps and Joy-con gripes can easily get misplaced, so you should find a way to keep them together.

Handheld mode

Let’s say something about handheld mode first.

When you use it in its mode you have to attach two portions of controller, to the left and to the right side of the screen and then you can enjoy the handheld mode. As a matter of fact, the size and shape of analogue sticks look like a modern version of PS Vita. On top side of the console you have a headphone jack, a volume rocker and a power button.  On bottom side of the console there is a kickstand that allows you to use it in tabletop mode. It conceals a micro SD slot that allows the console to expand its storage. Its storage is limited to only 32G, so if you prefer downloading games over buying them than you’ll have to invest in a micro SD card with support up to 2Tb  On the right side of the detachable Joy-con there is the classic A, B, X and Y button configuration that has been used on and off since the SNES, two shoulder buttons and an analogue stick.  There is also a small „+“-shaped button and a home button used for reaching the system console menus. On the left side,  there is a small „-“ button that is used as the „select“ button, an analogue stick, a share button (which is used for taking screenshots and will be upgraded to video record screen), two shoulder buttons and a Nintendo D-pad. The left Joy-con has a set of four circular buttons. Their shape is identical to face buttons on the right. That decision was made so the left Joy-con can be used as an individual controller. In this configuration its D-pad is acting as face buttons.

Console mode

If you want to connect the device to your television you place the main body of the console in the included dock and then you can use it in the console mode.The transfer of the viewing experience from its own screen to the television is as seamless as it could possibly be.  You can continue to play in the second because you don’t have to pause the game. Detaching the Joy-con is not too easy but it can be done by pressing and holding a small button on the back and sliding the controller up. The dock that you use to connect Switch to is around the same size as the Switch’s middle portions. On the back there is a USB port that is used to provide the console with a power, and an HDMI port that you use to connect your Nintendo to television. On the left side there are two USB ports that can be used for charging your controllers.

Tabletop mode

The last form is the „Tabletop mode“. The console can be propped on the table by using kickstand which you attach to the back of console and then detach Joy-cons for semi-portable gaming. The situation which you will not be able to use it is when you are taking a shower (Note: don’t do this, this device is not waterproof)

Set up

Setting up is really easy. To set up this console you have to attach the Joy-cons and press the power button. When you want to play games on TV you have to connect your dock with TV via HDMI and give it some power via the included USB power lead, and then just slip the console into the dock. When you want to pair your controllers it is a little bit more complicated because you can use it either paired or separately. When you want to use controller you just press both shoulder buttons at the same time. You can also use the keyboard. It’s not as good as smartphone keyboard but it’s better than traditional controller. You have to set up your account and Wi-Fi. After you have done everything, you will be able to enjoy your brand new console.

The verdict

The new Switch is a step in the right direction. Offering compatibility with multi-               functionality for the maximum experience. With its exclusive game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild getting a 10/10 from GameSpot and IGN it’s sure to attract all Nintendo lovers and Zelda lovers alike. It has vibrant colors that will keep the attention of the toddlers too. It’s easy to carry around and, with its few problems that can and will be easily fixed with future updates, it’s the ideal bang for your buck.

Conclusion

If you were to ask me what I would choose. I’d go with the PS4 Pro. It simply has the best design (in my opinion), and the best UI. It has the more exclusive games than all other consoles and add to that, their exclusives reach 8 or 9/10 scores. Last of Us, Uncharted are the most popular and there are other hidden gems, but I’ll let you find those when you get the console. Don’t want to spoil the fun.

 

Nedim SabicBest portable gaming system
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Best microphone for gaming

Best microphone for gaming

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So, from my perspective, video games are a big part of our lives now, or at least the industry of computer entertainment is. Whether you like it or not, video games won’t go away. From numerous consoles and entertainment systems all the way to personal computers, video games have been in our lives for quite a long time now.

When you think about it for a moment, quite a lot of people have actually grown up alongside video games as one of the entertainment types. All the way from the simplest forms such as ping pong, to tetris and now, well, everything. If it weren’t for the entertainment video games have given me, I probably wouldn’t have a life I have right now, just like many others. Then, there are various types of video games and I’m sure in the future, there will be many more categories of them, but I just like to put them as following: singleplayer games and multiplayer games. It’s simple as that, if you ask me, because some of them are made to be simply played alone so you can get immersed in the story and just, enjoy it for a few hours, all by yourself.. and then you have those which are only made for multiplayer entertainment. That means you play it with other people from around the world. It can be your friend from the neighborhood or a random person from a different side of the planet.

Nonetheless, video games have created a brand new form of entertainment that will continue to grow and won’t go away for a long time, for sure.

 

Now, if you’re playing a multiplayer game, communication is a very important aspect of the game itself, so how do we achieve that? Well, in the distant past, you would have simple interaction dialogues with predefined messages. Then it moved onto an interactive chat interface, meaning you could type your message on a keyboard or using your joystick to communicate with other players.

Now, you have all of those combined, but there is a very big difference. We have voice communication now. I’m sure you already know of this as it’s been around for quite a long time now, if not since the 1990s, but it has since grown into an industry of its own. What do I mean by this? Well, let’s just say that the voice communication industry is a big part of not just video games and entertainment, but every other part of IT.

Taking that into consideration, sure, you could just call up your friend and invite him over to your place so you could play some games together, but imagine if that friend didn’t live near you, but rather in a different city, or perhaps even a different country? Say he was on the other side of the world, right. You can’t just call him up and invite him to your place so you could play some games. Sure, you could still play together online, but that’s not it, right? The laughter, the fun you have together, it’s just not right. Well, what you can do is tell your friend to get headphones with a microphone and say you will do the same. Now you can speak to each other almost exactly the same way as if you were in the same room. That’s perfect, right? Sure, there MIGHT be some drawbacks, but voice communication is very important not just for gameplay, but the entertainment itself.

Due to the fact that I have been in this ‘gaming‘ world for quite a bit now, over ten years actually, I decided to help out similar people around the world by advising them which products to buy in the whole gaming industry. In this article, I will go over some of the best headsets and standalone microphones for gaming. Some of them are inexpensive, some are not, but I can tell you for certain that all of them are good. Some more, some less, but whichever appeals to you the most, you won’t regret the purchase.

Content:

 

[BEST] ASTRO A50 Headset

 

 

  • compatible with PS4 & PC
  • amazing audio quality
  • adjustable microphone
  • Dolby headphone 7.1 Surround Sound
  • WIRELESS

Well, aren’t they beautiful? I mean, just look at them. Eye catching colors, beautiful design and the best comfort you can get out of headphones. What else could you ask for?

The Astro A50s are built and made with extreme care and precision because they’re made by people who know the industry extremely well and have spent years in it researching and developing the best headphones you could get so you can achieve the utmost gaming experience ever. As we all know, the audio in video games is one the most important things. Whether you’re playing Starcraft or Counter Strike, the sound is of great importance. No matter what game it is, without the sound, it is boring and in some cases, unplayable. That’s why you need great headphones, such as these.

I mean, just look at them. Other than the fact that they shine with elegance and coolness, you actually do get the top notch product out there. Of course, there are other really well made headphones out there which rival the Astro A50 very well, but as far as I have seen, I came to a conclusion that these, really are the best you can get right now. Other than the fact that they are wireless, they are also extremely light, which means you can have them on your head for a really long period of time and you wouldn’t feel any discomfort. Now, of course, video games might not be everything you like, perhaps you like music so you’re looking from that perspective as well.. In that case, these are also a good choice, however, due to the fact that they are wireless, there might be the slightest difference between the wired version and these.

The wired version is, obviously wired, but also half of the price of these. Why? Well, the obvious reason is because you don’t need the additional receiver/transmitter as they are wired so they’re just plug and play, but the other factor is that they’re a bit older than these, meaning you will get a slightly worse audio quality, but as far as I have seen, it’s really not that much of a difference, but if music is of the greatest importance to you, you should look at a different type of headphones then. Back onto the A50s from the technical aspect, honestly, you’re getting the best there is out there at the moment. The microphone on it’s own is a wonder when you see its quality, ability and everything else.

When I’ve tried this headset, I knew I was going to get really good results, but I really wasn’t expecting them to be THAT good. The microphone, not only is it directional, meaning it will pickup YOU and only you, but the quality it gives is absolutely astonishing. Alongside some of the software you can get from ASTRO, you can freely adjust the settings of the microphone using various settings, lowering its sensitivity and similar. You really are given all of the settings you can get so you can fully control this headset. Other than the glorious microphone, let’s not forget the audio you hear. The sound quality for video games is by far the best I have experienced, no matter what game you’re playing. I’ve tested it on Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Team Fortress 2, Battlefield 4 & 1 and really, it’s absolutely amazing.

No one complained about the noise in the background I intentionally made as no one could hear it. This headset truly is made for gamers. If you choose the wireless version, that means you can walk around your whole room, if not the whole home without any impairments to the sound. My friend from the UK did this test specifically for me over TeamSpeak as he has the same headphones. He would get up from his desk and just walk around his home while constantly talking to me. I could hear a bit of a quality drop when he was outside his home, but while he was on the inside, there were no problems whatsoever. So yeah, that’s why this headset is gilded with the BEST category tag.

[BEST SELLER]SteelSeries Siberia 800

  • SteelSeries next-gen speaker drivers
  • closed ear-cups
  • Dolby cirtual 7.1 surround sound
  • Retractable microphone
  • WIRELESS

Simply said, this headset just shines with elegance, comfort and luxury. It looks sleek and simple, but it offers so much. First off, it’s wireless, which is a great addition, especially to gamers on the move as these headphones are very compact, so if you like to play games a lot, but you travel quite often, this headset is a very good option as you can rotate the speakers so it can be placed in a tight area, such as a bag or a briefcase. Other than that, the microphone is retractable and it basically disappears if you decide not to use it. All you have to do is push it inside the left speaker and that’s it. When it’s retracted, only its reddish tip is visible, so it’s really nice for various types of entertainment. Other than the luxurious look, the sound fidelity is astonishing due to the fact that the ear cups are closed inwards so you achieve total isolation from the surroundings and none of the sounds will leak out directly, but that’s not it. They are really, really comfortable on your head and ears. There’s no excess pressure being exerted onto your ears and due to their low weight, they’re pretty much perfect in that category. They come in black and greyish color which both fit nicely on this design of headphones. They’re somewhat similar to the older versions of the Siberia series, but they are more different than similar if you look it at from the greater perspective. You still have the round shaped speakers which are able to rotate. The additional full length padding on the arc which covers the head is there, as well, so yeah, the design is somewhat still the same, but they have certainly upgraded the specifications and abilities of the Siberia series. As always, due to the fact that these are wireless, you will always gain higher quality on wired versions, but as far as I have noticed, there isn’t a difference. You are paying for quality product, that is for certain, so if sound quality worries you, it shouldn’t as the Steelseries products have proven high quality over a lengthy period of time in the past and I stand behind this decision as both my friend and  me had a different version of Steelseries products, and there is no doubt.. They do deliver quality and luxury.

A unique thing about this headset is the fact that you receive two Li-Ion batteries. Not one, but two. You can charge the second one while using the first one, so when the first one is depleted, you just swap them out and continue gaming, no hassle in that! As per me, this headset really does deserve the BESTSELLER category tag as it’s not overly expensive and I’ve seen a lot of Twitch streamers and YouTube gamers use these. If you consider the pricetag of $240 and the quality this headset offers, it’s a very good trade off.

 

[BESTBUY] HyperX Cloud Revolver

 

  • Studio grade sound quality
  • Steel frame
  • Detachable microphone
  • 50mm sound drivers
  • Compatibility with PC/PS4/MAC/Xbox One

 

If you’ve ever followed up with HyperX products, then this one will look very similar to one of their most popular products ever, the HyperX Cloud II headset. We can say this is the version two of that headset as this one looks very similar to the Cloud II and obviously, it’s better. As stated previously, it’s built from a steel frame which makes it extremely durable and stiff while at the same time it provides comfort. Don’t let the steel frame worry you as this headset is actually very comfortable on your head. It’s not too lose and it’s not too tight, it’s pretty much perfect. I mean, it’s made from steel, there’s no way you can break this, so if you accidentally drop them on the ground or something similar, there shouldn’t be worry about them breaking or anything.

Of course, there’s the iconic red colour which braids the top part of the headphones, the headrest and in addition to that, the sides of the speakers are glowing in red as well, representing the HyperX logo alongside some stylish lines in a circle, as you can see in the picture. Other than the great design, they provide really good functionality as well. There’s an additional software you can obtain from HyperX for extra sound effects and adjustments, but it’s not necessary. The headset itself is plug & play so it’s pretty straight forward. There is one slight drawback though. They aren’t very compact as other headsets. They’re bulky and slightly heavy. The weight isn’t a problem as it’s countered by the huge amounts of ear and head padding which makes them very comfortable actually, but you can’t carry these around everywhere. I mean, you just can’t due to their size and inability to rotate and bend, but they are absolutely amazing for their price if you plan on using them at your home.

The microphone itself is the main part of these as it looks relatively small and simple, but in reality it really isn’t. The best thing about it is that you can detach it very easily and it will look as if it wasn’t there, so if you just want to chill in the evening hours while going through the gameplay of your favorite game, just detach the microphone and enjoy. The great quality of the microphone is just an extra cherry on the cake as well, as I personally had no trouble using it in communication with random players and my friends both in game and over TeamSpeak & Discord, so I can say with certainty that it is very good. Because of that and its great price, I decided to place it as the winner of the BESTBUY category. If you’re on a budget, but you’re also looking for great quality, then you wouldn’t make a mistake by purchasing this headset.

 

Blue Yeti Pro

  • Four different polar pattern settings
  • Cutting edge A-D converter chip
  • Built-in amplifier for zero-latency monitoring
  • 15 Hz – 22 kHz frequency response

Now, this microphone caught my eye with quite a few things. First off, it looks amazing. The vintage look really appeals to the user and it’s just, pretty. Reminds me of those old microphones in studios before the 2000s. There’s also the fact that this microphone has multiple outputs. An XLR output if you really want to use this microphone to its maximum potential, and an USB output, for the quick plug & play action.

I wouldn’t say it’s great for portability as it really isn’t, but if you really have to, you wouldn’t have much trouble moving it around, just be careful, because it is absolutely amazing. It is somewhat heavy, but when you see what it has to offer, you will understand why the extra weight.

The single greatest thing anyone has ever implemented onto dedicated microphones is the simple and separate button for muting it. And it’s there. You don’t have to unplug the cable, you don’t have to mute it in sound manager, you just press the button and it’s muted, so if someone walks into your room, just press that button and no one will be disturbed. There’s also a volume knob for, well duh, adjusting the volume of the microphone output and it’s that simple, really.

The additional XLR output on the bottom of the microphone is amazing as you can use an additional external amplifier or a different device for other uses and hook it up directly to the microphone using the XLR output, provided you have the necessary wiring. This means, that if you ever want to record music, instruments, vocals, anything that is very dependent on quality of the sound, you can achieve it with this microphone. I’ve heard numerous popular YouTubers claim that this is one of the best microphones out there and I can’t disagree. I haven’t encountered a better one so far.

The coolest part about this one is the four different pattern settings. What does that mean? You can choose what type of monitoring (recording) you want the microphone to be in. It can be stereo, cardioid, omnidirectional and bidirectional.

The stereo mode means it will pick up sounds on both the left and the right channel and it is ideal for recording almost any type of sound. Cardioid mode is crafted for podcasts, vocals or game streaming. It captures the sound only from one direction, so positioning the microphone in front of you while live streaming and picking this mode is the perfect combination.

The omnidirectional mode is quite cool, to be honest as it captures audio coming from all directions. If you want to capture 3D sound or gain the 3D effect with sound, this mode will suit you the best. Last but not least, we have the bidirectional mode and simply said, it records from two sides, which is perfect if you are recording two vocals, or you’re playing with a friend in the same room.

This microphone combined with an adjustable stand you can also purchase is pretty much the perfect combination. It has all you want out of a microphone and it won’t disappoint you.

 

Audio-Technica AT2020 USB microphone

  • Condenser microphone with USB output
  • A/D converter with 16 bit, 44.1/48 kHz sampling rate
  • Internal headphone amplifier for clarity and musical detail

Now, the point of this article was to review microphones for gamers and so far it has been a great trip, but it was headsets only, meaning you would receive a microphone and headphones in one. However, as the primary focus is on microphones, I’ve decided to count in dedicated microphones as well because they really do stand out in that business as they are made for detecting and recording audio. Now, sure, it may not be very convenient to carry both headphones and a dedicated microphone at the same time, so this is a better option if you are certain you won’t be moving around quite of ten. Dedicated microphones are especially handy for live streams and YouTubers as they will always provide better quality than headset microphones. We also have to remember the fact that you can literally put this microphone on a microphone stand and position it anywhere you like, so there’s that. It can be above your head, it can be below your chin, on the side of your face, anywhere you like.

Now, onto the microphone itself. Made by Audio-Technica, an amazing audio-oriented company which not only produces superb microphones, but they’re also in the business of headphones and headsets, and they’re good at it. Previously, I have reviewed one of their noise-cancelling headphones with a microphone and honestly, I was left speechless. The stuff these people make is just amazing. When I was reviewing this microphone, I wasn’t skeptical about it whatsoever, because I simply knew that it would deliver what I wanted. Excellent sound quality without any issues and trouble.

The size of this microphone is very impressive as well because you would usually expect a dedicated microphone to be relatively bulky and large, but this model actually is not so big. You could certainly put it in your front pocket of your pants if you wanted to. Now, of course, the sound quality is the main thing about microphones and I can tell you with assurance that you would not regret buying this. You get a quality-made stand which can have its angle adjusted, so technically saying, you could have this microphone placed anywhere on the desk and it will pick up your voice. It is almost fully omni-directional, meaning it can pick up sound coming from almost all directions. The exception being its two sides which are covered with the frame and the bottom part. Other than that, you really do get an amazing product for the price you pay, which actually isn’t as high as you would expect for such a great product. Then again, even if you’re not a gamer, this microphone is still great for you. Say you’re an instrument player. Buying this microphone is a perfect product for you as it will record all of the sounds you create with your instrument and voice, no joke.

One last thing I would like to note about this microphone as seen in the title of it is that it is USB connected, which makes things even easier. You don’t need any other external adapters and/or converters. You just plug it into the USB port and it’s ready to go. It’s that simple!

 

Rode NT-USB Condenser Microphone

  • USB connectivity
  • On-mic mix control
  • Tripod stand, pop filter and ring mount included
  • Ultra-low noise

Very similar to the previous microphone from Audio-Technica, the RODE NT-USB microphone has a few more additional features at a slightly more elevated price, but the trade off is quite worth it. RODE is without saying, a great producer of quality and well made microphones and they offer numerous bonuses with their products. As you can see in the picture, just by purchasing this model, you receive a tripod stand, a ring mount and the most important of all, the pop filter shield which filters out those annoying ‘pop’ noises. Other than the great extras you receive with this microphone, there’s also one really useful thing on it and that’s the two mix wheels on it which lets you adjust the volume of the microphone itself and volume of the headphones you can plug into the microphone itself for realtime sound feedback.

The great visual aesthetic design is really pleasing to the eyes. The color is a perfect match and the USB cable is detachable so that makes this microphone quite portable, if you don’t mind disassembling everything every time.

It provides amazing sound quality, especially for instruments, but it is also great for gamers as it can capture even the slightest whispers, so you can truly get immersed into the video game you’re playing without yelling your heart out in an effort to signal your friend. The pop filter shield is a really useful thing, especially if you use the microphone on a daily basis as it filters out the ‘pop’ noise as previously stated, which can get really annoying in a very short time period.

The microphone stand is adjustable so you can place the microphone anywhere on the desk and just point it towards yourself and it will capture your voice without any problems. The additional volume wheels on the microphone are very useful, especially if someone walks into your room, you can lower the volume very easily without unplugging the microphone, so the usability of it is really good.

Other than that, it’s a really great piece of hardware for the price you pay.

 

HyperX Cloud II

  • USB Audio Sound Card
  • 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound
  • Noise cancelling microphone
  • Echo cancelling
  • 15 Hz – 22kHz frequency response
  • 53mm sound drivers

Bulky. That’s the main characteristic of this headset. But don’t let that put you down, they’re pretty good in my opinion. I already had a chance to review these some time ago, but I decided to give them another shot as they were pretty good and I wanted to test them out further. This variant comes only in color of black which makes them look pretty cool. One would think that with great size, great weight comes, but surprisingly, these headphones are pretty light. They’re made out of plastic, but I tested how strong it was by trying to bend it, and it didn’t break. I did bend it quite a lot, but it didn’t break, so it is some high quality plastic. The reason these headphones are inexpensive is because they’re made out of plastic I assume because the technicalities are really good. I had no problems with the sound quality of both the speakers and the microphone, so there’s that.

The microphone itself is detachable, meaning you can’t retract it upwards or downwards, but you actually have to detach it to move it out of sight. That is a great thing if you have to move these headphones around quite a lot because you can’t rotate their speakers, but you can detach the rather large microphone, which is a good thing. They are VERY COMFORTABLE on your ears and head when you put them on and as sketchy as it may seem, the material the padding is made of does not look cheap as it doesn’t rip apart, doesn’t come off and doesn’t give off that weird odor after a prolonged usage of the headphones.

It also has an active noise cancellation on the microphone, meaning you won’t be picking up a large amount of unnecessary sounds coming in from the background which makes this headset a great choice if you’re playing video games in a loud room. There is also a 7.1 audio mode which turns the audio into more realistic sounding audio, but I personally didn’t like it on any of the headphones, but that’s just personal preference, so it shouldn’t cause you any problems.

All in all, a great piece of hardware for avid gamers for a relatively low price.

 

Turtle Beach – Elite Pro

  • 50mm sound drivers
  • extremely soft ear padding
  • rotational microphone
  • 12 Hz – 22kHz frequency response

The orange color on these headphones is what makes them look cool, aside the amazing design of course. The customizability is one of the key characteristics on these as they were made for one specific audience.. and those are hardcore gamers. Sure, you don’t have to be a hardcore gamer, but a lot of professional teams in various popular video games use these in tournaments and live streams as they are really, really good. Oh and did I mention they look cool?

The extremely soft ear pads are so soft you could fall asleep with these without any trouble. They don’t cause any excessive pressure on your ears nor your head so there’s no worry in getting a headache or sweaty ears. I mean, of course, if it’s blazing summer and the temperatures are high, it will always be not so pleasing to wear headphones, but these are one of the most comfortable I’ve seen so far.

The microphone is relatively simple and straight forward. You can rotate it upwards and downwards, so lining it up with your mouth won’t be a problem at all. The quality of the microphone is pretty good, but in this case, they have focused more on quality of the sound you receive through the speakers, which I understand, as it is very important in the tournaments. Of course, we cannot ignore the voice communication between the players, but I believe they have prioritized the sound quality of speakers over the microphone.

Now, I’m not saying it’s bad, it is very good actually, but you can get better ones for somewhat the same price. Other than that, a really great pair of headphones in my opinion.

 

Conclusion

If you’re a gamer, and I believe you are if you’re reading this article, let’s be real.. you need good gear to perform well. Whether it be a mouse, a keyboard, in this case a headset, it has to be quality made. If you’re reading this segment of the review, you will get the general understanding of the best headsets there are in the market right now. Maybe, just maybe none of these suit you, and I’m sure that will happen as each gamer has their own and unique play style and requirements, and if that’s the case, feel free to contact me through the comment section and I will gladly help you out in picking the best headset for yourself.

All in all, this article was made in an effort to help out numerous people who seek the best voice communication device there is that they can afford and no matter what you are, a musician, a hardcore gamer, a casual gamer, I’m positive this article can help you pick your ideal microphone/headset.

 

Nedim SabicBest microphone for gaming
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Best motherboards for gaming 2016/2017

Best motherboards for gaming 2016/2017

The motherboard is the most crucial part of the computer and we at Geektick have chosen the best motherboards of 2016, after countless hours spent researching and my personal experience. All of that combined lead us to the best motherboards which we will carefully describe.

There are many motherboards out there, and when I was younger I never cared which one I would buy. But I could have saved a lot of money in the long run if I just paid the extra $100, but as a teenager that was not so important, so many mistakes have been made, but rest assured I learned from my mistakes and I am here to give you advice. So I collected the best and most reliable motherboards at the moment. Currently,  the best one which you can buy is the  Asus X99 Deluxe II, but besides that, we shall be looking at a few more motherboards that you might like. Keep in mind these are the best motherboards you can get in early 2017, and they definitely will not let you down, I can assure you. I know the pain when everything dies, and when your BIOS corrupts. Ended up wasting a lot of money.  We will also be looking at suitable processors that will maximize your performance.

Content :

BEST MOTHERBOARD – Asus X99 Deluxe II

This is definitely the best mobo of 2016. Powerful, fast and stylish- these are the main attributes describing this beast. The second generation X99 motherboards that have recently launched represent the very best that motherboard manufacturers can create when largely unrestrained from pesky PCI-E lane limitations. And considering the fact that there’s been an almost two year gap between the first generation models and these new releases, we expect them to be even better than their predecessors which were extremely good in their own right. The ASUS X99-Deluxe II motherboard that we are reviewing today is the model you buy when you want everything. It is the most feature filled model in the company’s LGA2011-v3 lineup. It is clearly a direct descendant of the original X99 Deluxe, and that’s a good thing due to the fact that the original Deluxe had no cons in its time, proving that the Deluxe II is the best motherboard in this current time. The only con to this motherboard is that it supports a small amount of processors but when you are buying this mobo you are not aiming to buy a processor which is used for casual users, this motherboard is made for gamers, you are looking to buy the i7 6950X, which I am going to describe better later on.

The deluxe II has five physical PCIe x16 slots, 3 way CrossFire and 3 way SLI capabilities, 1 PCI-E x1 slot, 1 M.2 x4 connector, 2 U.2 connectors, 1 SATA Express ports, 8 SATA 6Gb/s ports (plus the 2 on the SATAe port), 3 USB 3.1 Type-A ports and 1 USB 3.1 Type-C port, many people would be more than satisfied with the new X99 Deluxe II. It also has 4 USB 3.0 ports, 4 USB 3.0/2.0 header, 2 Intel-powered Gigabit LAN ports, a Thunderbolt 3.0 header, a dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi module with Bluetooth v4.0, Realtek’s latest 10 channel HD audio controller and diagnostic LEDs. DDR4 memory-wise, the Deluxe II can handle up to an incredible 128GB of RAM and memory speeds up to DDR4-3300.

In summary this motherboards features are:

  • Supports Intel Core i7-5960X Processor Extreme Edition – Intel Core i7-5930K/ i7-5820K Processors – Intel Core i7-6950X Processor Extreme Edition – Intel Core i7-6900K / i7-6850K / i7-6800K Processors
  • Quad Channel DDR4 3300 MHz (128 gbs max)best1-1
  • Includes extensive upgrades including onboard U.2 / M.2 slots that tap into 32Gbps of PCIe bandwidth
  • 3 USB 3.1 Type-A ports and 1 USB 3.1 Type-C ports
  • 4 USB 3.0 ports
  • Thunderbolt 3
  • 10 SATA 6GB/s
  • ASUS Aura Features controllable RGB onboard lighting 
  • SafeSlot 
  • 5-Way Optimization : Fan Xpert 4  Elevates customized cooling to new heights, with the ability to detect PWM/DC fans on all headers, utilize high-amperage fans and control water cooling pumps in software and UEFI
  • Crystal Sound 3 

The best motherboard for any gamer out there, it can be used to make the best new generation PC and many more things. Taking all the things in consideration this motherboards price is justified as it is $399.99.

BEST BUY – Gigabyte X99P SLI

Another great high end Gigabyte motherboard. This motherboard is similar to the Z170X UD3 Ultra, in many aspects it is a LGA1151 socket package, structure wise it is the same, with the main difference being that this motherboard supports Intel’s extreme processor edition. The X99P SLI motherboard has M.2 connector, one SATA Express connector, six  SATA 6Gb/s connectors, eight Dual Channel DDR4 slots(up to 128 GB), 1  PS/2 keyboard/mouse port, 1 USB Type-C port, with USB 3.1 support, 1  USB 3.1 Type-A port, 3  USB 3.0, 4  USB 2.0.

The most important feature it shares with the Z170 X UD3 is the Thunderbolt 3, providing swift 40gb/s speed.

In summary this motherboards features are:

  • World’s First Intel Thunderbolt 3 Certified X99 Motherboard
  • Supports Intel Core i7 6950X Processor Extreme Editionbestbuy
  • Support Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0
  • M.2 interface with up to 32Gb/s Data Transfer 
  • Supports New Intel Core i7 Processor Extreme Edition
  • Quad Channel DDR4 3400 MHz (128 GB max)
  • 4-Way Graphics with Premium PCIe Lane
  • Realtek ALC1150 115dB SNR HD Audio 
  • Independent Right and Left Audio Channel PCB Layers
  • High-end Nichicon Audio Capacitors
  • Audio Noise Guard with Multi-Color Choices of LED Trace Path Lighting
  • All Stainless Steel connectors on rear panel
  • SATA Express support for up to 10 Gb/s data transfer
  • Gigabyte UEFI DualBIOS
  • Long lifespan Durable Black Solid caps
  • APP Center including EasyTune and Cloud Station utilities
  • Safer Design Around Screw Mounting Holes

A mobo that made it’s reputation as the best buy mobo of 2016 as it supports up to 128 GB of ram, is quality made and costs $234.96.

BEST SELLER – Asus Z170 PRO Gaming

This motherboard supports the LGA 1151 Socket.  Many motherboards with this socket only support DDR4 ram, and so is the case for this motherboard. But truly this is a great motherboard as it has many features that can prove useful to a gamer of a high caliber. This motherboard can boost the performance of your DDR4 RAM which can be useful for running games like Rust as it is a game that requires a lot of ram to run, due to the bad configuration of Rust. This motherboard has 4 RAM(up to 64 GB) slots. The Z170 PRO Gaming supports crossfire/SLI(3x PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots). This board from the back has a PS/2 keyboard/mouse combo port, 3 Display ports(HDMI, VGA, DVI) a USB 3.1 Type-A + Type-C, 6  USB 3.0 ports(2 at the front and 4 at the back), 8  USB 2.0 (6 at the front and at the back), Intel Ethernet GameFirst IV LANGuard.

The board contains 6  SATA 6.0 Gb/s, 1  M.2 slots (PCIe 3.0 4 and SATA 6 Gb/s) and one SATA Express port.
In summary this motherboards features are :

  • LGA1151 socket for 6th-gen Intel Core Desktop Processorsbestseller1
  • Dual channel DDR4 3466 (OC) support(64 GB max)
  • Easy and stable overclocking
  • SupremeFX 
  • Sonic Radar ll: Scan and detect your enemies to dominate
  • LANGuard
  • GameFirst IV
  • RAMCache
  • USB 3.1 Type-A/C & M.2
  • 6 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s, 1 x M.2 slots
  • 3x PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots(2 CPU, 1 PCH), 2 Way SLI & CrossFire Multi-Graphics Support

It’s the most sold motherboard and offers many new ways to make a PC, probably one of the best cheap motherboards as it costs $157.95.

Asus Maximus VIII Ranger

Maximus VIII Ranger is obviously equipped with an LGA1151 socket, and supports only DDR4 ram (4 slots supporting up to 64GB of Dual channel RAM with speeds up to 3400MHz). It supports crossfire/SLI (3x PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots). There’s also a single M.2 socket supporting both SATA and PCIe with support for speeds up to 32Gb/s. The board features Intel Gigabit LAN and the latest version of Asus’ SupremeFX. This board has many ports: PS/2 keyboard / mouse combo port, 8 USB 2.0 ports(4 at the back and 4 at the front), BIOS Flashback Button, Intel Anti-surge LAN, HDMI port, 6 USB 3.0 ports, USB 3.1 (Type-A)Port. USB 3.1 (Type-C)Port and Gold plated Audio Ports.And contains 6  SATA 6Gb/s port(s) and 2 SATA Express port

In summary this motherboards features are :

  • LGA1151 socket for 6th-gen Intel Core Desktop Processorsranger
  • Dual channel DDR4 3400 (OC) support(64 GB max)
  • Easy and stable overclocking
  • LANGuard
  • RAMCache
  • GameFirst IV
  • USB 3.1 Type-A/C & M.2
  • 6 USB 3.0 ports
  • 8 USB 2.0 ports
  • 3x PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots(2 CPU, 1 PCH), 2 Way SLI & CrossFire Multi-Graphics Support
  • 6  SATA 6Gb/s port(s) and 2 SATA Express port

Another great motherboard that is cheap considering how many pros it has. And costs about $199.95.

I have reviewed high end motherboards Gigabyte released, including the Gigabyte Z170X Ultra Gaming and the GA X99 Ultra Gaming. The thing these boards all have in common is support for upcoming technology, such as devices that connect via U.2, USB 3.1 Type-C, and Thunderbolt 3. Gigabyte also has made some notable aesthetic improvements with LEDs that illuminate. The Gigabyte Z170X UD3 Ultra offers nearly identical hardware support to the Gigabyte Z170X Ultra Gaming. But where the Ultra Gaming uses red LEDs, while the Gigabyte Z170X-UD3 Ultra lights up blue. So the Z170X UD3 Ultra is probably one of the best releases from gigabyte. This motherboard has a USB 3.1 Type-C port that can also serve as a Thunderbolt 3 port after you install a simple firmware update. Thunderbolt 3 offers a bandwidth of 40Gbps, a significant boost over USB 3.1’s 10Gbps. The Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.1 Type-C port also supports Power Delivery 2.0, which allows it to provide 100 watts of power to connected devices. Gigabyte made sure that anyone can utilize Thunderbolt 3 to it’s fullest extent.

The rear panel also features a USB 3.1 Type A port, 4 USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, and a PS/2  keyboard / mouse combo port. Beyond the good looks of the Gigabyte Z170X-UD3 Ultra it also has all the tools you will need to build an outstanding gaming rig. There’s support for SLI and CrossFire setups, and you can install up to 64GB of DDR4 3866 memory.

In summary this motherboards features are:

So overall this is great motherboard that can be used to make a high end tier PC, which can run any game out there. The good part is that it isn’t that expensive as it is $166.99.

Asus Rog Maximus VIII Extreme/Assembly

The Rog Maximus VII Extreme/Assembly comes with improved looks and a lot of features compared to it’s predecessor. It is one of the best Z170 motherboard out there at the moment if you ask me. As it has 4 USB 3.1 ports, multiple M.2 slots and many more features. Multiple M.2 slots and the fastest DDR4 support, the product will shock the socks of your feet. These motherboards are paired with new Skylake-S series processors. The best Skylake processors are the Core i5 6600K and the Core i7 6700K processors for the desktop, I have tested both of the processors. Both of these processors are Socket 1151 and perfect for gaming. The quad core CPU has 8 MB L3 cache and an integrated memory controller that supports both DDR4 and DDR3 memory. The Z170 and H170 motherboards only support DDR4. For the gaming community these two processors are the most important, the Core i7 6700K has four CPU cores with Hyper Threading, 4.0GHz frequency, 4.20GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency, then there is the Core i5 6600K with four cores, 3.50GHz frequency and a 3.90GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency, both are based on the new LGA1151 socket package.

In summary this motherboards features are:

  • LGA1151 socket for 6th-gen Intel Core Desktop Processorsextr
  • Dual Channel DDR4 3866 (OC) support(64 GB max)
  • Easy and stable overclocking
  • Bundled gaming gear – SupremeFX Hi-Fi & 10G Express
  • 4 PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (3CPU and 1 PCH)
  • LANGuard
  • 8 x SATA 6Gb/s (4 shared with SATA-E), 2 SATA Express, 1 U.2
  • 4 USB 3.1 (3 Type-A and 1 Type-C)
  • Best gaming performance 
  • Best gaming protection 

One of the best motherboard out there at the moment as it has so many advantages then the others out there at the moment. If you are making a high end gaming build then this is the motherboard for you and it costs $487.12.

Gigabyte X99 Ultra Gaming

A great release from the Gigabyte crew, an extremely good mobo that is described as being one of the most stylish mobos out there. There’s dual M.2 ports, U.2 support, USB 3.1, a USB Type-C plug, Dual LAN,6  USB 3 ports 10 SATA 6Gb/s connectors and the list of the features goes on and on. Thankfully, Gigabyte’s X99 Ultra Gaming is a little more affordable compared to the triple SLI focused Gigabyte X99 Designare Ex. It’s one of the cheaper X99 boards around at the moment too, because of the price increases from Asus and MSI, making this a go to mobo.

The PCI-E slots are clad in steel covers, with a smattering of chrome and white and red colored shrouds and heat sinks making it a really attractive motherboard. But it still has some cons as there is no on board Wi-Fi, although there is a dedicated M.2 slot for an M.2 Wi-Fi card. LED lighting is of course one of the  main features of the X99 Ultra Gaming as you can switch the colors to your wish.

In summary this motherboards features are:

  • Supports Intel Core i7 6950X Processor Extreme Editionasdf
  • Support Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0
  • Quad Channel, Registered / Non-ECC Unbuffered 8 DDR4 3600+MHz (OC) slots
  • USB 3.1 with USB Type-C Support
  • Best 3-Way/ 2-Way SLI & CrossFire Support Spacing
  • NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 22110 M.2 Interface & U.2 Interface for Intel SSD 750
  • SATA Express Connector for Up to 10Gb/s Data Transfer
  • Killer E2400 and IntelGbE Gaming Networks
  • Supports up to 10 SATA 6Gb/s
  • Ambient Surround LED with RGB Multi-Color Choices
  • Ultra Durable Metal Shielding over PCIe and DDR Slots
  • Ultra Durable Anti-Sulfur Resistors for Longer Lifespan
  • Ultra Durable Anti-Rust Rear I/O Connectors
  • Dual Hybrid Fan Headers with Precise PWM / Voltage Control for Water Pump & Fan
  • Gigabyte UEFI DualBIOS with Q-Flash Plus USB ports
  • APP Center Including EasyTune and Cloud Station Utilities

Great structure, awesome LEDs and more features then you can imagine a mobo to have. It is quite a nice mobo and costs $267.89.

Overview

Many of these motherboards are considered to be gaming motherboards. Saying so, you will need a gaming processor. The current 6th generation processors are beyond many people’s expectations. So depending on which motherboard you choose to buy, we will give you the appropriate processor choice. We will be looking mainly at four processors the Core i7 6700k, Core i7 6800k , Core i7 6900k and the best for the last the core i7 6950X. Besides the processor you will need another thing which we have included down below. It’s a liquid cooler which is pretty much the most recommended type of cooling currently out there. Granted many people know what processor they will buy but this is our guide and advice to you. So you can make a better choice in choosing the perfect setup for yourself.

Intel Core i7 6700K

This processor is number one seller on Amazon at this given time.core Thanks to our knowledge of Skylake architecture, we can make a detailed review of the i7 6700K. The i7 6700K is a quad-core, eight-threaded processor with 8MB of L3 cache, much like the older generations. Skylake parts are manufactured on Intel’s 14-nm fabrication process with tri-gate transistors. Skylake  brings a new CPU microarchitecture. As usual, this architectural refresh is meant to improve clock-for-clock performance through various clever enhancements to the processor’s efficiency and throughput. Intel claims the 6700K is 10% faster than the Core i7-4790K.

In fact, the Core i7-6700K replaces the 4790K at the exact same price. The 6700K’s peak clock speed is down a little bit, at 4.2GHz instead of the 4.4GHz Turbo peak on the 4790K, but the 6700K can run all four cores at 4.2GHz under load. Intel has pushed a little on the power front in order to deliver higher performance in recent generations. The top Ivy Bridge quad core topped out at 77 watts, while Haswell moved up to 88 watts, however, Skylake nudges the limit up to 91 watts.That added CPU power draw could be offset at a platform level by the transition to a new memory type, DDR4. Skylake supports both DDR4 and DDR3L type memories, for lower voltage operation and power savings.

If you are a gamer with a budget looking for a new rig this is the right processor for you, this processor is supported by all of the motherboards named (except the X99 Deluxe II) above and costs $319.99.

Intel Core i7 6800K

The Core i7 6800K is the best value six asdfgcore processor currently out on the market. The extra $60 you’d be spending on the 6800K over the 6700K actually makes sense. For high end gaming rigs, sporting multiple graphics cards, the Broadwell-E chip is a great choice especially in terms of extra future proofing for your build. When you’re talking about a full system build, with a pair of Nvidia Titan x’s doing the graphical work, that six-core price premium becomes far easier to swallow.

If you have any interest in video editing, or other creative exercises requiring a lot of CPU power and memory bandwidth, the 6800K is worth the extra 60 dollars, even if you don’t do such thing, it is still worth it. X99 motherboards are generally more expensive than their Z170 compadres, though the price of DDR4 memory has dropped in recent times. When you want something a little more special from your gaming rig, or want to build something seriously high-end, with multiple GPUs and memory performance, Intel’s 6800K is an extremely viable solution. This processor is supported by all of the mobos above.

If you want your build to last a bit more then this processor is perfect for you, as it is worth the extra 60 dollars. This processor is of course better then the i7 6700k and is useful for animators. It costs $379.99

Intel Core i7 6900K

The biggest issue with the i7-6900K is thati7-6900k it’s not really all that different from it’s predecessor the i7-5960X, a processor that was released over two years ago. That was Intel’s then best Extreme processor, with a starting price of $1000. Two years later, the i7-6900K is slightly faster and still includes most of the same features, and if you were hoping prices would come down you will be disappointed. On the contrary actually, as the price is increased, even though they are really similar processors. So if you bought the i7-5960X when it launched, this isn’t the upgrade you’re going to be looking for- that would be the 10-core i7-6950X, or wait for Skylake-X. But if you are in need of an 8 core processor with 16 threads which is fast as hell then look no further.

The average clock of this processor is 3.2 GHz, while in turbo mode you get up to 3.7 GHz. It is a beast to say the least as probably the best part of this processor is the fact that it’s gonna be viable for the next 5 years or so, perhaps even more. This processor is supported by all of the mobos above.

If you want the best rig out there, then this processor should be considered as it satisfy all of your needs and more. It costs $1,049.99.

Intel Core i7 6950X

One of a kind processor, 10 core CPU, goldthe i7 6950X, this processor should be considered one of the best of the latest gen of processors. But this is the first 14nm HEDT part and should be smaller than an equivalent Haswell-E design. Intel will state that enthusiasts have been asking for more in the overclockable high end consumer space, so here it is. This processor has 10 cores, 20 threads a base clock speed of 3 GHz and a turbo speed of 3.5 GHz.

The 10 core i7 6950X costs $634 more than the 8 core i7 6900K. We all know that once you reach the high-end, the price/performance curve goes off in a somewhat foolish direction. The i7-6950X also gets a unique retail box compared to the other processors, in a sleek black box with gold lettering. This combination of colors tends to go down well with whoever loves gold, perhaps indicating that Intel is looking at a new kind of premium customer. Basically if you got the money you got the honey.

This is the end tier processor and it is extremely expensive and extremely good. It can out perform anything. It is supported by the X99 Deluxe II, X99 Ultra Gaming and the X99P SLI(these are the mobos we covered). It costs a whooping $1,579.99.

H100i v2 240MM Liquid Cooler

This is just a simple cooler. It is also the number one seller on Amazon.

The features of this cooler are :cooler

  • 240mm dual fan radiator
  • Improved cold plate and pump design
  • Advanced SP120L PWM fan design
  • Built-in Corsair Link: monitor CPU and coolant temperature, adjust fan speed
  • User replaceable inserts: Change the color of your cooler

There is no review for this item as it is just a simple liquid cooler. It is simple and it is necessary for your PC. It costs around $102.89.

Advice

My personal advice for all of you is the following- if you are just a simple gamer and want to play the new games that are coming out, get the X99P SLI and the i7 6700K, as you will be able to run any game out there, and can freely upgrade your build any time you want as you have 8 ram slots and multiple VGA slots, which enables you crossfire/SLI. If you are a hard core gamer and want the absolute best and want to have 999 FPS on each game, then you should get the i7 6950X, because let’s face it, this is going to be a processor which will be able to run any game you wish for the next 5-10 years, I can guarantee you that for certain. Alongside that, you should get the X99 Deluxe II motherboard, due to it’s many features, you will be able to get the most out of each game. And that can be extremely useful if you have a 144Hz monitor, or perhaps something even higher. Looking on the opposite side, the i7 6950X and the X99 Deluxe II build alongside some Titan X’s is ideal for a designer as it provides rendering speeds out of this world.

You could render a 10 hour video with extreme edits in less then 60 minutes. My point is that this processor and the mobo are just overpowered and can be useful to other people besides gamers. It can also be used to host servers and similar. Nevertheless, you can buy the Z170 PRO gaming and a 6th generation processor which would let you get more then enough FPS in these days, but it is not worth it due to the following. It might be cheaper, but processors that are locked are not worth your money, simply said like this I went on a game with my friend same configuration on the game everything to high. Similar VGA and similar, but different processor I had the i5 2500k overclocked to 4.5 GHz and he had a i5 6600 3.3GHz , a generation 2 processor vs a generation 6 processor. Sad to say this, but his generation 6 processor had a worse performance then my generation 2 processor. How, you might ask yourself? Heck, you might even say that I had my cores unparked and he didn’t. That wasn’t the case though. I had around 330FPS on the game while he had around 280 FPS. Which game was that, you may wonder? Well it was CS:GO granted not the game to go to, but nevertheless, everything was set to high and my processor beat his. So all in all, the unlocked version from the second generation could still preform pretty decently compared to the locked versions of the 6th generation. However, this processor is pretty good overall. It is nowhere near to give you the best possible experience out there because it will only be able to run the newest generation of games on medium or so at best.

Spend the extra dollars on the i7 6700k. It is pointless to buy a locked generation 6 processor as you will see later on, when you will need a new processor which will cause you to spend another $300 plus the new motherboard $100 and the new power supply and similar, which will make you end up losing money then staying in the positive. So spend the extra money if you have it, if not, I guess other generation 6 processors can do or even consider buying an older generation with an older motherboard.

Why didn’t you include any AM3+ socket motherboards?

Well that is a long story. With the addition of the AMD processor supporting motherboards it gets a bit tricky to define what motherboard you should buy for what purpose. Granted the AM3+ socket motherboards and the processors are pretty powerful and in many cases are cheaper then the rivals. A quick summary of AM3+ motherboards would be as following: AM3+ motherboards are quite good like the ones I named today, but it gets tricky mostly due to the fact I have been using only motherboards that support Intel processors and because of that I can not give you a detailed description about them or suggest what you should do. However, if you are considering of getting a motherboard which is AM3+ I will not stop you but I can not help you either, as I lack the experience to help you out.

If you want to build an AMD oriented PC, then I can give you a few suggestions. To get the maximum performance out of your PC you should get a high end AMD processor no matter what. It is much cheaper then Intel processors, but it can do a lot of damage. When buying an AMD processor you should look up the detailed review on that processor as it could not satisfy your needs. As for motherboards, you should get a motherboard that supports 3 way crossfire/SLI as you will need it later on, mostly because if you wish to run the newest games on the best possible experience you will need it. But you probably already know this.

Why didn’t you include any ASROCK or MSI motherboards?

Well this is a long story to say the least. Many years have passed since I last used a product used from MSI. When growing up, MSI is the easiest way to go as it is cheap due to that fact the products can be quite.. bad, to put it nicely. They lasted up to a maximum of 1-2 years and would either explode or die over time(many things do die overtime but only 1-2 years is not enough). So how do I know this? Well I used a lot of MSI products from power supplies to motherboards. In the most cases, it would do OK at the period when I bought the product, but after 1-2 years it would break or even worse, explode. A personal friend of mine had many issues with his MSI products. He had a lot of MSI power supplies and his main motherboard was an MSI. His power supply unit exploded which caused many issues regarding the price of the computer he had to change out and the fact that he had to actually re-paint the wall because it was black. OK, so he changes out the parts and once again bought another MSI power supply unit. The best part is this time it did not last for 1.5 years now it lasted for 3 months and exploded as well. Now, what are the chances of that happening? Well, they’re actually pretty high as MSI to PCs is the Notepad 7 to phones. This is only my personal experience though. I did check the reviews though. The MSI mobos are starting to improve and become better. They are getting good reviews but on an aspect of truly being the best, they are not even close to Asus or Gigabyte.

You might have an MSI motherboard or products and they are preforming extremely well, but personally I trust Asus and Gigabyte more and deem them to make better products than MSI.

ASRock has pretty well made products and I did own a few of them they performed nicely, but the reason they couldn’t get on this list was the fact that these are the top boards currently out there. And there was no more place remaining to place in an ASRock mobo. You might disagree with this, but lets face it, if I put five mobos that are legit the same motherboard but different makers, what would that look like? Granted I could be wrong though, it is mostly due to personal experience.

So basically there was no more place to put Asrock products and I still stand strong on the fact that MSI is not good enough to make it to the best motherboards out there at the moment. Will it change?  Maybe, but I can not say for certain.

Conclusion

So whether you use a Gigabyte, Asus, ASRock or similar produced motherboard, it is important to keep in mind that you might want to upgrade it at one point in your life. There are many motherboards which can future proof your build,  and many of these motherboards do fit in that category.

To put everything in perspective. These motherboards and processors are all top of the line at this given time and if you wish to buy one go ahead I am merely trying to give you suggestions and to guide you what to do.

I hope this article helped you out and made you pick the right motherboard for yourself. Good luck on your build and may Talos be with you.

Nedim SabicBest motherboards for gaming 2016/2017
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