As is the case with any living room-based PC, you’ll need something to control it from the couch. Usually, that means either a small remote or a game controller. In the case of Corsair’s Bulldog system, the answer comes in what Corsair calls the Lapdog, a chassis which sits on your lap and holds your keyboard and mouse. During our meeting with the company at CES, we were able to try it out.
The first thing I noticed about the Lapdog was the change in width. The initial reveal at Computex showed the chassis with a tenkeyless keyboard, specifically the K65 RGB. However, the new model featured the K70 RGB, which includes a numpad. It seemed that Corsair played it safe and added extra space for those who might need the extra keys. Above the keyboard area was a small compartment where the wires for the K70 were stowed. The area for the mouse stayed the same, but the actual surface wasn’t similar to traditional mousepads. It felt closer to a texturized surface on top of the aluminum chassis, but the mouse (a Scimitar RGB) was able to perform well on it. Corsair actually talked about the idea of being able to switch the default surface with other materials such as cloth or rubber.
The bottom of the Lapdog had memory foam, which makes it comfortable on your lap. You can also remove the foam, if you prefer, so that the Lapdog lies flat on your lap.
I played a few rounds of Survival on Star Wars Battlefront with the Lapdog while sitting on Corsair’s couch, and for the most part, it didn’t feel any different compared to playing on a traditional desktop surface. My biggest concern was running out of space for my mouse, and so I kept my right pinky finger somewhat outstretched so I could feel the edge of the pad. As I continued to play, I eventually realized that the mouse wouldn’t fall off because the mousepad has more than enough space for it to move around.
The overall weight wasn’t an issue, and even with the keyboard and mouse in place, the Lapdog doesn’t exert too much force on your legs, so you can play for longer periods without feeling the need to constantly move the Lapdog around.
With the Bulldog billed as a living room gaming PC, it makes sense that Corsair built the Lapdog. Some PC gamers prefer the keyboard and mouse over a gaming controller, and the Lapdog provides the same desktop experience on your lap. Its wide base means that there’s more than enough space to keep it sturdy on your lap so that it doesn’t tilt at all.
Corsair set the price at $89 for the chassis alone. A full package was initially set at $199, but with the tenkeyless design replaced with a full keyboard, that price could change before it comes out.
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