Peripheral Reviews

A little history lesson is in order for you young fellas who think of Microsoft as little more than a software juggernaut. In truth, the rowdy bunch from Redmond have been kicking out hardware products for nearly three decades, starting with the formation of "Microsoft Hardware" back in 1982. In the 1990s, Microsoft began catering to gamers with the introduction of the original Sidewinder Game Pad, and the Sidewinder brand would be used to market a series of gamepads, joysticks, driving wheels, and even a voice chat device before the Sidewinder name was retired in 2003.

Four years later, Microsoft revived the Sidewinder brand, first with a Sidewinder Mouse and then with the Sidewinder X6 in 2008. Fast forward to today and the X6 remains Microsoft's flagship keyboard for gamers. With a boatload of macros, backlit keys, a detachable numpad, and several other features, the X6 continues to win accolades and draw gamers looking for a serious plank. But two years (going on three) is an eternity in tech land. Is the X6 still worth consideration? Give us your mouse clicks, and we'll give you the answer.

If there's one thing that chaps our hide, it's lousy drivers. But coming in at a close second are the craptastic speakers that manage to infiltrate almost every notebook on the planet, including the so-called desktop replacements. Would it kill OEMs to shove a decent pair of cans into their laptops?

Apparently that's not a chance many are willing to take, so it's up to third-party peripheral makers to fill the void. Enter Choiix, a company you probably never heard of, but hold your horses before you go gallopping off. Choiix isn't some generic brand you'll find in the clearance section of Walmart, it's actually a subsidiary of Cooler Master, which we're willing to bet you have heard of (and if not, then welcome to the world of computers, junior!). Cooler Master's Choiix division focuses on lifestyle products, including the BoomBoom Slim Travel Speaker we're looking at today.

As Choiix describes it, the BoomBoom is a "cleverly designed" external speaker accessory offering "rich sound" in a slim package. Given our experience with laptop speakers, that sounds good to us. But can they deliver? Let's just see, or hear, as the case may be.

 It appears Rosewill is out to redefine what a "gaming keyboard" is all about. Rosewill's RK-800g doesn't come equipped with macro keys, media keys, or gaming profiles. It does't have any onboard memory, integrated LCD displays, or even a USB connector. Nope, you'll find nothing of the sort on Rosewill's version of a "gaming" keyboard. So what's so special about the RK-800g that earns it the gaming moniker? Good question, and if you're hoping we'll answer it for you, well, you're better off wasting the next few minutes surfing hilarious YouTube videos. But hey, every click counts, so keep reading anyway, we'll make it worthwhile.