IOGEAR Gear Hands-On
Recently, we here at COGconnected were provided with a hand-on experience with a suite of products from IOGEAR, including the MMOMENTUM Pro, the HVER PRO X, and the KeyMander 2. If you are unfamiliar with these product names, let’s introduce them briefly before we talk about them some more. The MMOMENTUM Pro is a mouse designed for MMORPG and MOBA games, the HAVR PRO X is an optical-mechanical switch keyboard, and the KeyMander 2 is a mouse/keyboard/controller adapter.
Starting off with the MMOMENTUM Pro mouse, the first thought I had about the mouse was that it was noticeably heavier than other mice, but that didn’t affect the performance. To quickly go over some key specifications for the mouse, it has an adjustable dpi of up to 16,000 with 5 different settings, 12 programmable buttons, that sweet RGB lighting, and customizable profiles.
Going back quick to my comment about the weight of the mouse, it turns out that the MMOMENTUM Pro mouse is roughly 50g heavier than my current mouse. While it did feel heavier, it also felt sturdier. The trade off is fine, as the weight did not really affect performance with the ability to adjust the dpi setting. Overall, the experience with the mouse was positive. It was easy to set up, keys were programmable as advertised, and the customization factors worked as intended.
Perhaps the most interesting product of the batch is the KeyMander 2. The KeyMander 2 is a controller adapter that allows for the use of a keyboard and mouse on the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. Furthermore, this product will also allow you to use the various controllers of each system on other systems. For example, you can use an Xbox One controller on the PS4 with this device. Unfortunately, the product does require you to download a specific app in order to pair the device with your smartphone, customize settings, and change configurations.
I tested both a keyboard and mouse setup as well as a DualShock 4 on an Xbox One X, without any issues. Inputs were responsive for both setups, without any noticeable differences. This device works as advertised, allowing players to customize their gaming experience as they see fit. While most are unlikely to have a mouse and keyboard setup for their couches and living rooms, this device feels targeted towards those who game on consoles at a desk or a second-monitor setup. While I personally have no strong preferences of controllers or using keyboard/mouse on a console, the KeyMander 2 allows those who swear by a certain controller or by the keyboard and mouse to use what they want, where they want.
For more on the HVER PRO X keyboard, we have a review here.
*** IOGEAR provided products for impressions ***