Razer Turret for Xbox One Gears 5 Edition Impressions
It should really be no surprise Gears 5 has been a huge success for Microsoft. But let’s face it, they needed this. After a slew of disappointing Xbox One exclusives, it is great to see Vancouver studio, The Coalition, deliver that homerun blast the console needs. Sure, Gears 5 is a rock solid experience but part of that success can certainly be credited to its aggressive marketing. Not only have the trailers generated some buzz but some fancy hardware like the Gears 5 Xbox One X console is eye-catching. Razer has also jumped on the Gears 5 bandwagon with several peripherals of their own that’ll surely capture the attention of Gears fans and those looking for some high-end gaming accessories for their Xbox One or PC.
The Razer Turret is certainly a sharp-looking package, yet it arrives with a rather hefty price tag. Coming in at around $300 before taxes the Razer Turret includes the Razer Huntsman keyboard, the Mamba wireless mouse and a huge Goliathus Extended Chroma mouse mat. While there is no doubt there are many more affordable options out there, I can safely say these sexy high-end gaming accessories should last you for years and they perform exceptionally well.
A Nice Touch
As a nice bonus, you do get some added Gears 5 DLC with the package as well. Sure, it’s just cosmetic stuff that doesn’t give you any in-game advantage but it’s certainly a nice little add-on for fans of the game looking to equip their character or weapon with a rare skin.
First thing, I unboxed was the Razer Mamba Wireless mouse. Immediately, I was impressed with the design of the mouse. The trademark Phoenix Omen logo lights upright on the top of the mouse. There is also lighting at the front of the mouse and an overall paint design that looks really sharp.
You can rack up that Swarm killcount with this Razer 5G Advanced Optical Sensor that boasts 16,000 DPI and a 99.4% resolution accuracy. Needless to say, this mouse is silky smooth and feels great in your hand. It’s one of the most responsive mouse I’ve ever used. However, the best part is up to 50 hours of battery life. Granted, you’ll have to kill the LED lights while using the mouse, but even if you don’t you are looking at around 35 hours battery life which is more than enough. Just get in the habit of re-charging your mouse every week and you are good to go. The included braided cable for re-charging the mouse is of excellent quality and is the perfect length.
The Gears 5 Turret package also includes the Razer Goliathus Extended Chroma mouse mat. Just like the mouse, it is aesthetically pleasing and it’s powered by Razer Chroma RGB lighting. The size of the mat allows you to place it over your lap and hang off to one side while you play on the couch or in any large chair. Most of my friends play their Xbox One on a couch, so the extra-large mat really makes sense. My mouse glided nicely on the mat with ease. Granted, dog hair seems to stick easily to the mat but as far as the look, design, and feel of the mat, it is simply superb.
Last but not least, the Razer Huntsman keyboard performs just about as well as any keyboard you will find. Razer’s Opto-Mechanical Switches deliver speed second to none. The design of the keyboard is pretty sweet too as the backlit keyboard colors really pop. It’s a fairly heavy keyboard and super sturdy. At least much thicker than other generic keyboards I have used. The addition of the battery and wrist rest built into aluminum frame likely weighs down the keyboard. The keys have a tactile and clicky feel, which is a Razer trademark. Razer takes their keys seriously and fans of their products are well aware of this.
Not Just a Pretty Face
A wireless keyboard isn’t something you’ll see competitive gamers use; however, more casual gamers like myself will love the fact this keyboard is wireless. There are ports on the top of the keyboard that allows you to plug in a USB to re-charge. You can also recharge your mouse into the keyboard as it has a micro USB port as well. A thoughtful little addition indeed. There is also a light that shows how much battery you have left on the keyboard. So you should never run into a situation where your keyboard dies without notice.
Speaking of light, there over 16 million lighting color options with the keyboard and the keys themselves are incredibly durable. Razer says they can handle over 100 million keystrokes.
While PC gamers will love the Turret, I am not convinced Xbox owners need to hop onboard the keyboard and mouse train. At least not right now. Mainly because there isn’t a ton of games that support a keyboard and mouse on the Xbox One. Last I checked, there are somewhere between 20-30 games that support it. Sure, Gears 5 supports it and Modern Warfare will when it is released later this month, but as it stands the current library is rather limited. That being said, the list of games that support it is growing. Bottom line, I understand if Xbox owners want to pass on the Turret and wait until that library grows a bit more.
Long Lasting
The battery life of the keyboard runs around 11 hours but you can get over 40 hours of battery life if you don’t turn the lights on. Over the course of the past week, I didn’t need to re-charge the mouse (other than the initial charge-up) or keyboard once, but I will update this article if the battery life isn’t as advertised.
The keyboard and mouse software allows for a plethora of customizable options. You can adjust such things as mouse sensitivity, RGB lighting (keyboard and mouse), power and sleep options, macro recording, button remapping and the software gives you access to the Chroma Studio where you can select some rad custom effects. This is all pretty standard stuff for most quality gaming keyboards.
There is no denying the Gears 5 Razer Turret is an awesome package for Gears fans who prefer gaming on a keyboard and mouse set up. This ideal Christmas gift does have a rather hefty price tag, but you are getting top-notch accessories that will surely stand the test of the time. This isn’t a disposable keyboard and mouse that will only last you a year or two. This is an investment and one that should meet your gaming needs for several years. Granted, Xbox owners may want to hold off until more games become compatible for mouse and keyboard use as the library is a little limited. That said, PC owners have unlimited options and can purchase this sweet combo with confidence.
***The Gears Turret was provided to COGconnected by Razer***