ASRock unveils Ultra Quad M.2 x16 PCIe add-in-card Compatible with up to four M.2 SSDs

ASRock has unveiled its Ultra Quad M.2 x16 PCIe add-in-card, which is a daughter-board that can be equipped with four M.2 SSDs. We have already seen a similar card from ASUS however the the differences are subtle but significant.


The card is covered with a brushed-aluminum heatsink which features a 50mm centrifugal fan. The PCB sports four M.2 sockets and a power connector. It's not the first time that we see a PCIe add-in-card compatible with up to four M.2 SSDs. Compared to the ASUS Hyper card, the ASRock Ultra Quad comes with a larger fan and it takes power from a 6-pin power connector. Furthermore the M.2 sockets are placed in a different way.
Last but not least another advantage of the Ultra Quad is that it supports M.2 SSDs with up to 110mm length, whereas the ASUS card only fits M.2-2280.

According to ASRock, the arrangement of the M.2 sockets should be better since the distance from the sockets to the PCIe slot is smaller. The back panel of the card shows activity lights for all four sockets. Furthermore, the company includes a software that you can use if you want change the rotation speed of the fan. 

Like the ASUS card, the Ultra Quad might not work fully in most desktop motherboards. At this time there isn't more informations, however if the card works in VROC (Virtual RAID) mode you might need a VROC activation key from Intel. According to Techpowerup, ASRock Ultra Quad will costs $70 USD.

Razer's New Wireless Mouse Charges Through The Mousepad

Batteries are a pain in the arse, especially for gaming mice. But what if you charged your mouse through ... the mousepad?

It's called HyperFlux, and it's basically a way to keep wireless mice powered with the hassle (and weight) of an in-built battery. The Firefly mousepad, which comes with a cloth surface on one side and a hard surface on the other, supplies "indefinite power" to the mouse through a magnetic field.

Apart from not having to worry about charging a battery, a key advantage here is that Razer's wireless mice shouldn't be as heavy anymore. The Razer Mamba HyperFlux is quoted at 96g, which is roughly the same weight as a wired Deathadder Elite and a good deal less than the original Mamba.

Another positive, although one that might not be appreciated by people who aren't pedants when it comes to gaming mice: the Mamba HyperFlux also has a new optical sensor, rather than a laser one. Optical sensors are hands down preferred for gaming, since they have less issues around accuracy and mouse acceleration, but there's been plenty of good optical sensors flying around for over a decade.

The real breakthrough here is the fancy new wireless tech. The downside is that you'll pay a high premium to get on board: US 249$  to be exact.

Razer's site says the Mamba Hyperflux and the Firefly mousepad will ship from March, internationally and in Australia. Both have RGB lighting courtesy of Razer's software suit as well. There's no price on how much it'd cost to buy the Mamba Hyperflux or Firefly Hyperflux separately yet, though.

CORSAIR AX1600i Digital ATX Power Supply - The World’s Best PSU Gets Better

CORSAIR introduces the AX1600i enthusiast-PSU that features Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors, delivering superior efficiency, in a smaller form factor with only 200mm length size. 1600W of ultra-stable, ultra-efficient power with 80 PLUS Titanium efficiency, complete digital monitoring and control using CORSAIR LINK software.

SteelSeries Presents Rival 600 with TrueMove3+ Dual Optical Sensor System

SteelSeries introduces a new technology in gaming sensor technology at CES 2018, the TrueMove3+ Dual Optical Sensor System. It will be exclusive to the new SteelSeries Rival 600 gaming mouse. The TrueMove3+ Dual Optical Sensor System is the Rival 600's primary sensor with a secondary optical sensor that exclusively tracks lift-off distance. This technology offers the most accurate sensor for gamers offering unlimited physical and technical customisations. The dual sensor system removes all possibility of jitter and cursor disparity on liftoff movements and offers the lowest lift-off distance in the market.

The TrueMove3+ Dual Optical Sensor System :

The Rival 600 is the most precise and customisable mouse that gives gamers unmatched precision and increased accuracy. The TrueMove3+ combines the first true 1-to-1 tracking sensor with a second Pixart sensor exclusively tracking the liftoff distance. The TrueMove3 is a 12,000 CPI, 350 IPS optical sensor that SteelSeries built with sensor industry leader, PixArt. TrueMove 3's 1-to-1 tracking from 100 to 12,000 CPI delivers true esports performance. The TrueMove3 was first introduced with the Rival 310 and Sensei 310 gaming mice. The custom-engineered TrueMove3 SROM dramatically reduces response time and greatly increases accuracy. 

The second sensor allows gamers to adjust their lift-off distance like never before. Gamers can customise when the sensor stops and starts tracking when the mouse is lifted off its mat. This eliminates extra movement when gamers pick up and put down their mouse. The second sensor also features linear optical detection for true depth perception for the world’s most precise lift-off detection down to 0.5mm.

SteelSeries Rival 600 :

The Rival 600 features the TrueMove3+ Dual Optical Sensor System along with customisable weight and balance options for up to 256 different combinations wherein weights are placed on the sides for a more customised weighing system. The Rival 600 weighs just 96g without weights and comes with eight included 4g weights. For durability, the Rival 600 uses SteelSeries’ exclusive 60-million click mechanical switches ensure every type of press is executed with precision.

The Rival 600 is also an ergonomic right-handed mouse. Whether gamers use a claw grip or palm grip, the shape will provide perfect comfort for long and intense gaming sessions. It also features pure silicone grips and an ultra-durable soft touch finish. Inside it has a powerful 32-bit ARM processor that allows gamers to save CPI settings, button remappings and macros and lighting effects on-board for software-free use at LAN events and tournaments. The Rival 600 is also compatible with SteelSeries Engine Software.

Corsair releases a new wireless mechanical keyboard and a mouse pad that doubles as a wireless charger

On the first day of CES, Corsair announced a whole new range of wireless gaming peripherals, including a new mechanical keyboard and a mouse pad charger hybrid. So, in case you haven’t quite arrived at the perfect gaming setup yet, some of these accessories might be for you.

The K63 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard, which was a CES 2018 Innovation Award honoree, has the classic Cherry MX Red mechanical keyswitches. The keyboard can connect either via a 1ms 2.4GHz Bluetooth connection or a wired USB connection.

Corsair claims that the K63 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard has up to 75 hours of rechargeable battery life. The keyboard has per-key customizable blue LED backlighting. The keys can also be programmed for macros if that’s how you game. The keyboard includes 128-bit AES encryption to prevent against keylogging. It also cuts out the usual numeric keypad for a minimalist setup. The keyboard can be combined with the K63 Wireless Gaming Lapboard (sold separately or as a bundle) for some couch gaming. The lapboard holds the keyboard in place with memory foam cushion, and it comes with a replaceable mouse pad that provides room and pixel-precise tracking. The keyboard costs $109.99, and the lapboard costs $59.99. You can purchase them together at a discount for $159.99.

Corsair also announced a new Dark Core RGB Wireless Gaming Mouse that has the same Bluetooth and USB connectivity as the keyboard. It has a 16,000 DPI optical sensor, which is unnecessarily high, but the new standard for premium gaming mice. The mouse has a contoured shape and can be customized with two magnetic side grips. The mouse also has nine programmable buttons.

Like all trendy gaming gear, the Dark Core mouse flashes in customizable RBG lighting that can be set in different patterns and effects to match all the other RBG gaming gear you might have. Corsair claims its mice have up to 24 hours of battery life.

Corsair also announced today that the Dark Core RBG mouse will be compatible with Qi wireless charging, and there’s a new Corsair MM1000 Qi wireless charging mouse pad for this exact purpose. The Dark Core mouse and the MM1000 mouse pad are available later this month. The mouse costs $79.99, or $89.99 if you want Qi wireless capabilities.

The mouse pad can also double up as a charger for the Galaxy Note 8s and iPhone 8 and X. For those who don’t have Qi compatibility, the mouse pad also has a USB Micro-B, Type-C, and Lightning Qi charging adapters.

It’s a pretty big mouse pad, at 10.2 x 13.8 inches, which can be annoying if your gaming table is small and narrow like mine is. It’s also priced at a whopping $79.99. With that amount of money, you can already buy a nice mouse pad and separate wireless charger, so you’ll have to weigh whether a mouse pad charger hybrid should be worth much more than its parts. Maybe, the convenience is worth the splurge.

Alienware announces AW3418HW WFHD monitor

Alienware has expanded its monitor lineup with another model, featuring a 34-inch VA panel with 3800R curved display and 2560 x 1080 WFHD resolution. The grey-to-grey response time is 1ms and the refresh rate 144Hz. Apart from that this monitor will be available with NVIDIA G-Sync support built-in.

As we already mentioned the AW3418HW monitor have been equipped with a 34-inch panel and 2560 x 1080 pixel resolution. There is one HDMI 1.4 connector and one DisplayPort 1.2 port. Furthermore there is a USB3.0 hub with two ports and next to that there are headphone jacks. 

Alienware is marketing this display as a gaming monitor and it comes with NVIDIA G-Sync support. At the moment isn't clear what kind of value of contrast and brightness we will find on this display. Alienware programmed three gaming presets, which might come in handy. Thanks to the ultra slim bezel multi-monitor setups won't have a thick frame in-between then displays. 

The panel is being kept in position by a solid stand, which allows for pan, tilt, swivel and height adjustment. Furthermore it should be compatible with VESA mounts making this display ideal for multi-monitor configurations if required. At the moment there are no additional details about the global launch.