Peripherals

Promise Launches TD-300 9-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock: GbE, HDMI, USB 3.0, TB3 Charging & More
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Promise Launches TD-300 9-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock: GbE, HDMI, USB 3.0, TB3 Charging & More

Promise has introduced its first Thunderbolt 3 dock designed primarily for Apple’s latest MacBook Pro laptops, but also compatible with any systems featuring a TB3 header. The Promise TD-300 dock carries a variety of modern ports and targets media professionals (who also happen to use Promise’s external storage solutions), but can also satisfy needs of mainstream users as well.

Nowadays a lot of people replace desktops with laptops and use them accordingly: plug in external displays, keyboards, storage systems, various peripherals, even external graphics cards. Therefore, when Apple launched its latest generation MacBook Pro notebooks with only four Thunderbolt 3 ports, many of such people were upset with the absense of popular USB Type-A connectors. Apple promised them that upcoming docking solutions would solve their needs, but it has taken developers a little less than a year to design solutions that would offer something more than a couple of USB Type-A headers, a GbE and a DisplayPort. Recently OWC launched its 13-in-1 ‘one dock to rule them all’ solution and this week Promise releases its 9-in-1 dock.

When it comes to general ports that are used by everyone, the Promise TD-300 (DOCK1TB3US) is equipped with five USB 3.0 connectors (one supporting 5V/1.5A charging) — two on the front and three on the back. Docks with five USB headers are rather rare, but since there are people with loads of external USB peripherals (a keyboard, a mouse, a printer, a scanner, and a spare one for a USB drive), demand for such adapters clearly exists. People who use laptops for stationary work obviously prefer the fastest and the most stable Internet connection possible, so the TD-300 has a GbE port, which will be handy in business/corporate environments as well.

Moving on to more specific I/O connectors, we notice that the TD-300 comes with an SD 3.0 card reader, a feature that will be greatly appreciated by professional photographers, which happen to be among Promise’s regular clientele. To display photos or videos, the TD-300 has an HDMI 2.0 connector and another TB3 header that carries two DP 1.2 streams (the header can be used to daisy chain other TB3 devices too). HDMI ports are rare guests on TB3 docks because manufacturers need to install DP-to-HDMI bridges to enable them (adding to BOM), so Promise deserves a credit for installing one. Meanwhile, the TD-300 lacks basic DisplayPort connectors, possibly because of design complexity. Keeping in mind that most high-end displays usually feature both HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, the lack of DP is hardly a problem. Meanwhile, if someone needs to plug two monitors to the TD-300, they will have to use an HDMI output and a TB3-to-DP cable that costs from $10 to $20. Jumping from video to audio, the TD-300 also has 2.1-channel-supporting TRRS connector that can be used to plug in speakers, a headset and other audio equipment.

To add convenience, the Promise TD-300  can deliver up to 60 W of power using its Thunderbolt 3 input cable to the laptop, eliminating any need to use the notebook’s own charger. Larger and more powerful PCs (such as Apple’s MacBook Pro 15”) will charge slower because they are designed for more powerful chargers (85 W in case of the MBP).

One interesting thing to note about the Promise TD-300 is its design. Unlike most of Thunderbolt 3 docks out there, this one does not match design of the latest MacBook Pro computers. It is black, its front side is tapering, it even has two LEDs (one indicates power, another indicates TB3 connection). In fact, Promise aims its TD-300 primarily at its own customers, including those who use the Pegasus3 TB3 external storage solutions or other products, so it wanted to match its own devices on the first place. Furthermore, black just fits well in any home or office environment.

The Promise TD-300 will be available for $249 from November 22 directly from Promise, from Amazon as well as from other retailers. The TD-300 comes with a 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable and is covered by a two-year warranty.

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Razer Announces BlackWidow Ultimate Keyboard: IP54 Dust & Splash Resistant Mechanical Keyboard
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Razer Announces BlackWidow Ultimate Keyboard: IP54 Dust & Splash Resistant Mechanical Keyboard

Razer this week introduced a new version of its popular mechanical BlackWidow keyboard that is splash- and dust-resistant. The BlackWidow Ultimate will be among a few IP54-certified mechanical keyboards on the market, and will offer similar gaming features as other keyboards from the same series sans without RGB backlighting. A good news is that it will also be cheaper than some of its RGB-enabled counterparts.

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate keyboard uses Razer’s Green mechanical switches with a 50 g actuation force that are used on many other products from the company. The Green switches will be the only option for the keyboard, so it is not possible to customize tactile feedback or reduce travel distance, as in the case of the flaghship BlackWidow Chroma V2. Meanwhile, the main feature of the BlackWidow Ultimate is of course its IP54-rated resistance against dust and splashes of water. Under the classification, the keyboard is rated to be able to survive an accidental spill and limit the ingress of dust, but it’s not so sealed that can be submerged or subjected to extreme dust conditions (e.g. a sandstorm).

From general features points of view, the BlackWidow Ultimate promises to offer the same look and feel as other BlackWidow keyboards available today: it has programmable keys (on-the-fly macro recording is supported), it supports 10 key roll-over anti-ghosting and features 1000 Hz polling via USB. The only contemporary feature that the BlackWidow Ultimate does not have is RGB backlighting — the new unit only has green backlighting that supports programmable lighting effects that can be customized using the Razer Synapse software.

Razer’s BlackWidow Ultimate is available directly from Razer for $109.99/€119.99 (depending on the region), which is lower than the price of the BlackWidow Chroma V2 with RGB backligting (around $150) and only slightly higher than the price of the BlackWidow X Ultimate keyboard without the IP54 rating (around $100). The company’s retail partners will start to sell the splash- and dust-resistant keyboard later this quarter.

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Corsair Launches Glaive RGB Mouse: 16,000 DPI, Interchangeable Grips, LEDs
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Corsair Launches Glaive RGB Mouse: 16,000 DPI, Interchangeable Grips, LEDs

Corsair this week released its latest flagship gaming mouse, the new Glaive RGB. The company’s latest right-handed mouse incorporates a new sensor, interchangeable grips, programmable RGB lighting as well as on-board storage for profiles. And, as you’d expect for such a mouse, Corsair is aiming solidly at the high-end market, going after gamers looking for a high-end wired mouse.

With the rise of PC gaming in the recent years, multiple companies have entered the market of gaming peripherals with mice, keyboards, headsets and other gear. As a result, the choice of gaming hardware in general and mice in particular became a complicated task as various devices feature different ergonomics and performance. With its new flagship Glaive RGB mouse, Corsair decided to somewhat simplify the choice: the Glaive RGB uses a rather advanced and sensitive IR sensor, and pairs that up with three interchangeable magnetic grips. The smooth, the rubberized and the wide thumb rest grips were designed to allow the mouse to be used with different types of hands and usage models, enabling the Glaive RGB to compete against various rivals with diverse shapes. To customize the look of the mouse further, Corsair equipped it with three RGB LEDs that can be programmed using the company’s proprietary software.

The Corsair Glaive RGB is based on a custom version of Pixart’s PMW3367 gaming sensor with adjustable sensitivity and up to a 16,000 DPI resolution (acceleration supported at that DPI is unknown). The microcontroller of the sensor supports USB report rate of up to 1000 Hz (programmable and requires support from the OS) and the mouse comes with a braided fiber cable. Just like any other high-end mouse for gamers, the Glaive RGB has programmable buttons that can be completely remapped using Corsair’s CUE software, and then used on different computers as button configuration is stored inside the mouse. Besides, the onboard storage is used to store DPI, macros and RGB LED settings.

As for the build, the Glaive RGB mouse features metallic skeleton and is made of rubberized plastic. Depending on the version of the mouse, parts of the metallic skeleton that go outside the body are either painted or not.

Corsair’s Glaive RGB mouse is now available directly from the company as well as its resellers worldwide. In the U.S., the Glave RGB costs $69.99, whereas in Europe gamers will have to pay €79.99.

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Corsair Launches Glaive RGB Mouse: 16,000 DPI, Interchangeable Grips, LEDs
  • Comments are Closed

Corsair Launches Glaive RGB Mouse: 16,000 DPI, Interchangeable Grips, LEDs

Corsair this week released its latest flagship gaming mouse, the new Glaive RGB. The company’s latest right-handed mouse incorporates a new sensor, interchangeable grips, programmable RGB lighting as well as on-board storage for profiles. And, as you’d expect for such a mouse, Corsair is aiming solidly at the high-end market, going after gamers looking for a high-end wired mouse.

With the rise of PC gaming in the recent years, multiple companies have entered the market of gaming peripherals with mice, keyboards, headsets and other gear. As a result, the choice of gaming hardware in general and mice in particular became a complicated task as various devices feature different ergonomics and performance. With its new flagship Glaive RGB mouse, Corsair decided to somewhat simplify the choice: the Glaive RGB uses a rather advanced and sensitive IR sensor, and pairs that up with three interchangeable magnetic grips. The smooth, the rubberized and the wide thumb rest grips were designed to allow the mouse to be used with different types of hands and usage models, enabling the Glaive RGB to compete against various rivals with diverse shapes. To customize the look of the mouse further, Corsair equipped it with three RGB LEDs that can be programmed using the company’s proprietary software.

The Corsair Glaive RGB is based on a custom version of Pixart’s PMW3367 gaming sensor with adjustable sensitivity and up to a 16,000 DPI resolution (acceleration supported at that DPI is unknown). The microcontroller of the sensor supports USB report rate of up to 1000 Hz (programmable and requires support from the OS) and the mouse comes with a braided fiber cable. Just like any other high-end mouse for gamers, the Glaive RGB has programmable buttons that can be completely remapped using Corsair’s CUE software, and then used on different computers as button configuration is stored inside the mouse. Besides, the onboard storage is used to store DPI, macros and RGB LED settings.

As for the build, the Glaive RGB mouse features metallic skeleton and is made of rubberized plastic. Depending on the version of the mouse, parts of the metallic skeleton that go outside the body are either painted or not.

Corsair’s Glaive RGB mouse is now available directly from the company as well as its resellers worldwide. In the U.S., the Glave RGB costs $69.99, whereas in Europe gamers will have to pay €79.99.

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