For many, Speedlink is an unknown brand. In fact, the German-based peripheral company just made its way into the North American market in March 2015, but it's apparently been around in Europe since 1996. The company showed up at Gamescom to show off two new keyboards and two mice.
Welcome To The Mechanical Age
Speedlink had three gaming keyboards in its lineup, but none of them have mechanical switches. That changed with its two new keyboards, the Velator and Ultor. There are a few similarities with both models: They utilize a braided USB cable for connection, and they have Kailh blue switches, a USB port, a button to lock the Windows key, and the ability to store five profiles.
However, the differences between the two are more significant. The Velator includes a numpad, 10 macro-enabled keys and eight feature keys that are accessed by pressing the FN key. It's also the cheaper of the two, priced at €69.99 (about $76 USD).
The Ultor is considered to be the top model, featuring LED backlighting. The WASD keys will be prominent with white lights, while the rest of the keyboard will have blue lights, and users can also adjust the brightness. Another noticeable difference is the lack of a numpad, but Speedlink says it's been removed to make the keyboard compact. It has 12 feature keys, four more than the Velator, but it only has six macro-enabled keys. The grand total for the high-end keyboard is €99.99 (about $109).
A Mouse Upgrade And Teaser
The company also upgraded its currently existing top-of-the-line Decus mouse with improved ergonomics. Specifically, the surface has been redesigned and a one-piece rubber coating was also included, and both should improve grip during gameplay. The mouse sensitivity can be changed within the range of 400 to 5,000 dpi. It includes LED lighting, seven programmable buttons and stores up to five profiles.
But the more interesting news is a bit of a tease. There are two unnamed mice in the works, which seek to take the top two places in the company's lineup. The first mouse features eight keys, six of which can be programmed. However, its unique feature comes in the form of an adjustable resistance.
Users can fine-tune it to the point where they have to use an extra 150 grams (about five ounces) of force to push the buttons. Some players like the light touch required to push down a mouse button, but this feature might interest those who don't want very sensitive buttons.
The second mouse seems to be the high-end replacement for the Decus, with 15 programmable keys. Players can adjust mouse sensitivity up to 12,000 dpi, and there's even a hint of an adjustable weight system inside.
Coming Soon
With the exception of the upgraded Decus, all of Speedlink's new products are slated to arrive in the first quarter of 2016. Granted, it would have been better to enter into the North American market next year instead of this year, especially with its first mechanical keyboards and new adjustable mice already released. However, it seems that the company wants to build a bit of hype in anticipation of its new devices, while showing off its current stock to new customers.
Follow Rexly Peñaflorida II @Heirdeux. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.
