CES 2016: Corsair

While visiting with the Moving Hazard folks, I was also able to meet with Harry of Corsair to go over the new products that they brought to the show. The one of the biggest releases were their new case lineup that Travis posted about yesterday, with the Spec Alpha, Quiet and Clear series offering a bit of something for everyone. Travis posted the details for each including pricing and availability, but some of the highlights are that none of them contain 5.25” bays any longer, and the quiet models have sound dampening material in them. After seeing them in person, the cases are really well engineered with very logical approaches to airflow, cable management, access points and ease of use. The images below show all three, with the Spec-Alpha shown in the Black, white and red and yellow and black trims.

Although the cases were the centerpiece of the new releases, the two items that really caught my eye were the Bulldog High Performance 4K PC kit and the equally useful Lapdog Corsair Gaming Controller. The Bulldog is a very smart way to create an inline 4K capable PC unit that tucks right in with your existing Home Theater setup. The kit will come in three variations and price points, with the base model including the Bulldog Chassis, Hydro Series H5 SF Liquid CPU Cooler and SF600 600-Watt 80 Plus Gold Power supply for $299. The next setup includes the previous items but ads in the Motherboard with Intel Z170 chipset for $399, with both iterations will be available Feb 2016. The final build will include a full bulldog system and will be available from select business partners (including Microcenter) also in Q1 2016. After taking a look at the build out and the capabilities (it was being demoed on an 80” TV), this may be the simplest way to bring PC gaming directly into your Home Theater setup.

The last item that Corsair had was the Lapdog, which may be the most practical and useful of the bunch. The Lapdog is a lap desk system designed for PC gamers that have integrated into their Home Theater system. It allows you to chill out on the couch, in your favorite chair or pretty much anywhere that doesn’t have a flat surface and still be able to game with your keyboard and mouse. The Lapdog is designed specifically for Corsair’s keyboard from a fit standpoint, but it will accept any mouse while using it. I included an image below so you can see how seamlessly it fits in your lap and allows you to game in the comfy confines of your couch. The Lapdog is currently scheduled for a March 2016 release and will be $99 standalone or $199 complete with the included Corsair keyboard. Details and specs are below, but this looks like a must have for those that utilize Corsair keyboards and have moved your 4K PC gaming into the family room.

Lapdog Specs:

• Large 7” x 11” mouse mat area and keyboard dock.
• Powered USB hub for keyboard, mouse, headset, game controllers, and flash drives.
• Memory foam underside cushion for user comfort.
• Hidden compartment to neatly store cables.
• Fast charging for your smartphone or tablet.
• Available as a standalone station for $89, or complete with keyboard for $199.