Are Premium Gaming Peripherals Worth Your Money?

Mouse: Razer Lachesis

As part of a broad line of Razer gaming mice, the Lachesis stands out for its higher-end specs and high degree of customizability. The model has a smooth, curved design that rises to meet your palm and dips where your fingers rest, almost cradling them right over the pressure sensors for the left and right buttons. The top of the mouse is a single molded sheet of textured plastic, giving it an elegant look.

The Lachesis delivers reasonable performance along with its good looks. The laser sensor boasts up to 4,000 DPI sensitivity, and you can toggle the sensitivity on the fly using the buttons just under the mouse wheel. The Lachesis also sports programmable buttons on both the left and right sides of the mouse, so they work as thumb buttons for left- and right-handed users, as well as macro buttons for your favorite games. Razer designates the left and right mouse buttons, two DPI selector buttons, and the scroll wheel as "programmable buttons." However, just because you can do something doesn’t mean customers will rush to program buttons that already have a commonly-used function.

Razer adds on-board memory so that you can create up to five profiles specifying DPI and button commands. This way, if you want to give one of the DPI selector buttons a specific job in your favorite game, you can do so, hop into game, activate your profile, and change the buttons to their default configurations when you leave the game. For example, I programmed the lower button to cast a specific spell in World of Warcraft, and then programmed it again as an instant jump to my melee weapon in Team Fortress 2. 

The mouse wheel clicks when you scroll with it, and both it and the Razer logo at the bottom of the mouse glow either blue or white, depending on the specific Lachesis model.

The Lachesis is one of the most elegant mice I've ever seen, and would be one of my favorites if it weren't for one nagging problem: the laser sensor on the bottom of the mouse is housed in a very shallow opening at the center of an area that's not smooth and is busy with lines and stickers. In other words, it's a dust magnet. I found myself frequently flipping the Lachesis over to blow dust away from the sensor.

Aside from that, the Lachesis is competitive with the Logitech G5 and G9 in almost every way. The fact that it's also programmable gives gamers the freedom to configure the buttons as they choose. Unfortunately, it's easy to lose track of which profile you're in, so you might find yourself using the wrong DPI setting for the wrong game. Even so, like many other high-DPI gaming mice, I found myself picking a "sweet spot" and sticking to that DPI for most activities.

  • liquidsnake718
    Ive been looking at the G19 for some time now, ever since it came out, but I am not sure if I should just go for the Sidewinder x6 or the G15 which is still good and at a reasonable 80-100dollars where Im from....
    Should I get it or wait for my next build..... x6? g15?
    Reply
  • scorc25
    I recently just purchased a Saitek Cyborg keyboard. Very impressed with it, loving it the moment we touched. Ive used the first Saitek Eclipse, and then the Eclipse 2. The Eclipse 3 is out there; the Cyborg is basically just the gamer edition of it.
    Reply
  • Keyboard: SteelSeries MERC Stealth
    Mouse : Roccat Kone
    Mousepad: Roccat Sota
    Headset : Roccat Kave
    Reply
  • volks1470
    bah on fancy gaming peripherals. I'm still using a roller-ball PS2 port mouse and keyboard and they work great. Price? Free, because nobody wants cheap stuff like that!
    Reply
  • fleeb
    I am waiting for Logitech G110. Looks nice and will not cost $200.
    Reply
  • JimmiG
    Since I'm a flight simmer, I own both a CH Yoke+Pedals and a Saitek X52 Pro. I also bought an "A4Tech" laser gaming mouse - a discount brand but the mouse itself compares to any Logitech or Razer rodent...for half the price. For keyboard, I'm using a $10 no name corded keyboard :)
    Reply
  • Fortunex
    I don't need the $100+ keyboards or anything, what REALLY makes a difference in my playing is how smooth the feet of the mouse are, and how comfortable the mouse is.

    I had a $10 cheap ass mouse, was the most comfortable mouse I've ever used, but then the cord wore down and it stopped working, and I lack the skills to fix it. Bought a Microsoft Habu, didn't like it at all. Bought a Logitech G5, love it. Bought a steelseries mousepad, OH MY GORSH. My KDR in games (particularly sniping in TF2, where headshots are near essential) nearly doubled. EVERYTHING is so much smoother when compared to my (what I thought was smooth) desktop. It just glides, no more rugged, scratchy mouse movements, it's amazing.

    For keyboards, I have a Razer Arctosa, which I bought because I LOVE the flat keys, and the low profile. No need for fancy backlighting or macro keys, I just want it to be easy to type with and the keys to not be curved.

    I'd advise ANY gamer who doesn't already have a mousepad to get one.
    Reply
  • IzzyCraft
    Are they worth it eh not really

    Are they pretty just about every time.
    Reply
  • cyb34
    I got a G15 v2 and a G9. They are worth every penny.
    Reply
  • anamaniac
    Preiphereals are worth it.
    Full 7.1 sounds, 7000 DPI mouse, 9x 2560x1600 monitors, G(insert number here) keyboard, soft leather chair with fully adjustable tilt, proper desk...
    You could have a boring powerhouse, or a crappy computer but with all the fixings. It's nice having the extras.
    Reply