A year ago, Patriot launched its own line of gaming peripherals, and now it’s expanding that lineup with new mice, headsets and a keyboard.
The Winner Is: Alpha 3
When we visited Patriot’s suite at Computex 2016, I immediately noticed a familiar sight--the Alpha 3 mouse prototype the company showed us at CES earlier this year. Apparently, the brightly-lit mouse won the three-way mouse derby Patriot was running to determine which mouse design it would implement, and it will enter the company’s product stack as a replacement for (and total departure from) the former V530.
The mouse appears entirely unchanged from the prototype we saw at CES, but now it has finalized internals, too. Like the V530 it replaces, this is a budget mouse with an optical sensor (4,000 DPI), and it has seven programmable buttons. Patriot designed it specifically so that it does not require any software. Typically, goes the logic, people who spend less money on a mouse are less interested in busily configuring each and every setting in the software. They just want to plug in and go. Note, for example, the physical switch on the bottom of the mouse that lets you switch lighting on or off.
That’s not to say it doesn’t work with Patriot’s software. Using the software, you can adjust settings including lighting and macros (every button is a macro on the V530).
The New Mouse Flagship: V570
We’ve looked at the V560, the previous flagship mouse in Patriot’s lineup, and although it’s still in the lineup, it’s been nudged down the product stack a bit by the new V570.
Equipped with a 12,000 DPI “Xtreme” laser sensor (it’s the Avago 9800), the V570’s key feature is its 15 (yes, 15) physical programmable buttons as well as nine programmable “virtual” keys. The physical buttons are red, chunky and shiny, and they include a sniper button and a bank of buttons designed for MMO gaming.
Patriot will have an app that can pop up in-game and let you program buttons on the fly. This is designed to effectively give you nine more programmable buttons. Like the V560, it has smooth, rounded ceramic feet for optimal glide.
Patriot did not specify a weight for the V570, but it was certainly no flyweight. In any case, you can add up to 30g to the mouse via weights mounted in the middle/rear of the chassis. There are also 11 lighting zones and full RGB capabilities.
Patriot did not offer an exact date of availability nor pricing, but we expect the two new mice in the August-September timeframe.
| Gaming Mice | V530 | V560 (current) | V570 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor | “High performance” optical | Avago 9800 laser sensor | |
| DPI | 4,000 DPI, 6-level adjustment | Up to 12,000 DPI | |
| IPS | Up to 160 | Up to 150 | |
| Polling rate | Up to 1,000 Hz | Up to 500 Hz | Up to 1,000 Hz |
| Buttons | 7 | 9 physical:-L/R click-forward/back navigation-Dpi switcher-Click wheel-Adjust lift-off up/down -Thumb rest release9 programmable:-R click-forward/back navigation-Click wheel (down/L/R)-Scroll up/down-Adjust lift-off | -15 physical-9 additional virtual |
| Lighting | 6 customizable colors | RGB:-3 lighting zones (front/rear/dpi indicator)-Multiple color options (1 per profile) | RGB, multi-zone customizable management |
| Misc. | -DPI LED indicator-6 customizable profile colors-Large PTFE glide pads | -Onboard memory-Adjustable weights (up to 29.4g)-Ceramic foot pads | -Sniper button-Adjustable weights (Up to 30g)-Ceramic foot pads |
| Availability | Aug/Sept | Now | Aug/Sept |
| Price | TBD | $39.99 | TBD |
Headsets, There Are Four
Patriot has also increased its headset lineup from one to four by introducing the V330, V360 II and V370. Designed to flesh out the product stack at multiple prices, the new entrants offer tiers of features, primarily as it pertains to the speakers and lighting.
Note that only the V330 has a smartphone/tablet-friendly 3.5mm interface--the rest are USB--and it’s the only one with no lighting. Whereas the V360 and V360 II have red LED lighting, the V370 has full RGB. The V360 II and V370 offer 40mm speakers and 20mm subs in each ear, too.
Patriot has not yet set a firm shipping date for these new headsets, nor pricing.
| Headsets | V330 | V360 (existing) | V360 II | V370 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interface | 3.5mm | USB | USB | USB |
| Audio | -Stereo-40mm speakers | 7.1 virtual surround sound | -7.1 virtual surround sound-40mm speakers-Dedicated 20mm subwoofers in each ear cup-Ultra bass response (UBR) system | -7.1 virtual surround sound-40mm speakers-Dedicated 20mm subwoofers in each ear cup-Ultra bass response (UBR) system |
| Mic | Built-in, foldable | |||
| Lighting | N/A | Viper Red LED | Viper Red LED | RGB w/ customizable profiles |
| Misc. | -Ergonomic ear cup design-Soft over-the-head material | Ergonomic ear cup design | -Ergonomic ear cup design-Adjustable ear cup height-Soft over-the-head material | -Ergonomic ear cup design-Adjustable ear cup height-Soft over-the-head material |
| Availability | Aug/Sept | Now | Aug/Sept | Aug/Sept |
| Price | TBD | $39.99 | TBD | TBD |
Seth Colaner is the News Director for Tom's Hardware. Follow him on Twitter @SethColaner. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube.
