Razer, who is known for its PC gaming mice, keyboards, and peripherals, announced at E3 that in conjunction with Star Wars: The Old Republic, they will be introducing a new package which will contain everything you need to play the game in style.
First off is the keyboard, which is light grey and has either a red or blue backlight which you can choose based on your alignment (Sith versus Galactic Republic) or whichever you think looks really cool, and the symbols can be changed as well. The chiclet type keyboard, which is not wireless, is generally a standard keyboard, but without the numeric keypad. In its place are ten programmable keys (set up in two rows) and a touch screen. There is also five extra keys on the left. The SW:ToR keyboard will set you back around $199.99, which is pretty steep, but should be out about the same time as the game, which we believe will be in late December.
The mouse is the part that really shines. The design looks like something out of the Death Star, even though again, you can choose your faction’s symbol. But what is cool is not only the look, but the functionality. 17 buttons, which have been moved to be more comfortable, handle functions in the game and high quality tracking at 5600dpi/1000Hz polling are two of the great features on this input device. The coolest one, though, is the wired/wireless option that it has. Something we don’t see in mice every day. It comes with its own docking station for using it in a rechargeable wireless mode or if you don’t like the wireless or prefer the cord due to interference, you can attach it to the PC that way via the USB port. The mouse will run $129.99 and is said to be coming out at the same time as the keyboard does.
The headset will remind you of something out of the Death Star personnel’s uniform, which is sort of fun, but a bit cheesier than the other things. Despite the look however, these are very functional and high quality. The headphones are 5.1 surround compatible, giving you a full aural experience in the MMO, and a mike that you can bend in or out of the way as needed. Volume and mic mute are all part of the headset’s main portion, rather than on the wire giving you quicker access.
We really liked the matching mousepad with the Galactic Republic logo on one side and the Sith on the other, so you just turn it over to pick which one you are going with. Beyond that though, we would definitely need to hear of something more impressive about this pad to justify its $49.99 price tag. At that rate, you would think the pad was a drawing tablet or something, but it’s not. As of this time, there is no announcement of when the pads will be available, even to say that they are on the same track as the above.
The release date of these PC peripherals are now up in the air because Star Wars: The Old Republic’s opening date is also in flux, so we’ll just have to wait and see, but Razer promises it will be sometime in 2011. At this point, there doesn’t seem to be any word on buying these as a bundle even though they are referred to as a package.
The fan in us is really itching for these though. What would be cool is using these in addition to a case mod, like a Death Star, for the ultimate Star Wars computer. We are sure that the combination would definitely get notice at the next LAN party.
