As PC gaming becomes more popular and affordable, gaming desks adorn more bedrooms and offices than ever before, with a focus on creating the perfect environment for a long and comfortable session. Whether covered in tastefully minimalist decor or vibrant retro memorabilia, the space where we game has increasingly come to symbolise our style and personality, with the peripherals we choose forming a major part of that vision.
Creating that perfect stream backdrop may be important to you, or you may just want to feel at home when you play, with sights and sounds that help you achieve your best. With many gaming computers and desk areas doubling as work-from-home spaces, you’ll want every peripheral on hand to be sleek, sophisticated, but with a little splash of excitement.
Just because the aesthetic of a space is important to you shouldn’t mean you sacrifice performance, however. Luckily, Razer specialise in smart and high-quality gaming peripherals that look and act the part, perfect for all kinds of usage – from streaming to immersing yourself in a virtual world. Built for gamers, by gamers, their mission is to deliver the winning advantage.
We’ve put together a complete guide for the perfect Razer setup, so you can be sure each feature is complementary and each item will enhance your gaming performance.
Sound and vision
Trying to find a great headset can be a confusing experience full of indecipherable stats and wavering reviews. Fortunately, Razer’s Blackshark V2 headset comes with endorsement from a variety of top esports stars, offering everything you could possibly want in a neat package.
These sleek headphones come in several skins, but the classic black complete with Razer’s logo is an instantly recognisable sign of quality. Using patented Triforce Titanium 50mm Drivers for crisp and clear sound across any frequency, and titanium-coated diaphragms for vocal clarity, you’ll be able to react to even the smallest noise in an instant. Along with noise cancellation, a removable optimised Hyperclear Cardioid Mic, and breathable soft foam ear cushions, the Blackshark V2 supports cross-platform compatibility between console, PC, and mobile.
At this point your friends, subscribers, or viewers can hear you clearly and you can pick up every single whisper with crystal clear audio – but the set up is not yet complete. For many gamers who wish to share their game with others, a professional-quality webcam is just as important.
The Razer Kiyo Pro combines advanced imaging technology with adaptive low-light performance, for a beautifully clear picture in any situation. Using a high pixel size and reactive light sensor, the camera offers exceptional visual clarity and eliminates unwanted glare from invasive light sources. If your streaming could do with a colour boost, you can even activate HDR mode at 30FPs, which will colour-correct and heighten the dynamic range of the image. Using Razer Synapse, the field of view can be adjusted to show more or less of your background with a simple click.
WASD
If you play games with any kind of enthusiasm, it’s time for an upgrade to that keyboard. A reactive keyboard can make all the difference when gaming, giving you that split-second advantage, or merely adding to the tactile effect of a solo game. Razer has come forward with a slightly revolutionary offering with the Razer Huntsman Mini, a 60% gaming keyboard with all the functionality of a full size.
Not only can you keep your setup looking streamlined and sleek, the Huntsman uses clever key combinations to give you the full functionality of any other keyboard while sitting pretty on a desk of any size. Available in two colours with full RGB backlighting, the keycaps of the Huntsman also have a silky textured quality that protects them from wear even with intense usage.
The Huntsman is also a solid option for gamers on the move, as its size and detachable USB Type-C cable couple with a sturdy aluminium casing to protect it from scratches and damage while offering a portable experience.
Mouse-like reflexes
When looking for the perfect gaming mouse, it would be wrong of us not to recommend the spectacular Razer Viper V2 Pro. This ultra-lightweight wireless mouse is packed with features despite its small stature. At only 58g, over 20% lighter than others on the market, the Viper V2 Pro is perfect for any gamer looking to get serious.
The benefits of a lightweight mouse are many, but with one this weightless you’ll be sweeping to victory in no time. The ability to have full movement at all times will allow you to build up speed even as you focus your aim. Again, recommended by multiple high-profile esports stars as a reliable and responsive addition to their peripheral arsenal, the Viper V2 Pro should be on everyone’s desk.
The mouse can be programmed to set a lift-off and landing distance at which to automatically cut off, uses smart tracking to identify the surface it’s being used on and act accordingly, and is equipped with the latest in motion sync technology.
Back to basics
If you’re looking for a more portable or slimline option when it comes to gaming, a powerful laptop could be the answer. Gone are the days when a smooth framerate and quick response time were only available on a hulking desktop PC – these days laptops like the Razer Blade 15 give you all the performance for less of the bulk.
This new design offers an Intel Core i7 or i9 processor, 1TB of DDR5 memory, and the choice of upgrading to a 4K display. The laptop will support cutting-edge graphics with the GeForce RTX 3080, meaning it’s capable of gorgeous ray-tracing and advanced AI. Somehow, Razer has managed to give this laptop a sleek and slimline frame, despite all the tech its packing.
Configure with Synapse
All of the above are compatible with yet another way to maximise your performance – Razer Synapse 3. For the uninitiated, Synapse is a cloud-based hardware configuration tool that allows you to condense complex strings of button presses into a single click, allowing you to perfect moves in any game with advantageous speed.
Check out more of Razer’s high-spec gaming peripherals on their website and build your perfect PC setup.
