Rigz — Battlestation Paradise

The IKEA EKBACKEN Battlestation

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 09:03:36 GMT

For those looking to bring a touch of elegance to their battlestation, the IKEA EKBACKEN countertop might be the ideal solution. Its combination of style and functionality ensures that it stands out in any setting. Let’s explore the EKBACKEN further.

What Is The IKEA EKBACKEN?

The EKBACKEN is a countertop from IKEA known for its laminate finishes, providing durability coupled with a modern look. It’s designed to be both practical and visually appealing.

Available finishes include:

Concrete effect
Dark oak effect
Light oak effect
Marble effect

If the EKBACKEN doesn’t resonate with your style, I’ve written about other countertops in IKEA’s extensive range that can be used as a battlestation desk.

EKBACKEN’s Durability

Given its laminate construction, the EKBACKEN is resistant to stains, scratches, and moisture, ensuring longevity for your setup.

How To Set Up An EKBACKEN Battlestation

Whether you favor the minimalistic Alex drawer units, standing desk legs, or any other foundational options, the EKBACKEN provides a versatile base. Given its array of finishes, you can select the one that perfectly matches your gaming or computer accessories.

Just remember to distribute the weight of your monitors and equipment evenly. Clean cable management, using clips or under-desk trays, will elevate the overall look.

Pairing EKBACKEN with Other IKEA Products

The marble effect EKBACKEN, for example, pairs beautifully with white or black Alex drawers, providing a touch of luxury to your battlestation. As always, use non-slip pads or brackets to ensure stability.

Conclusion

The EKBACKEN is for those who don’t want to compromise between style and functionality. It’s more than just a countertop; it’s a statement piece that can be the centerpiece of your battlestation.

The IKEA LILLTRÄSK Battlestation

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 09:00:48 GMT

When it comes to finding the right fit for a battlestation, the IKEA LILLTRÄSK is becoming an increasingly popular choice. Known for its minimalist and clean aesthetic, the LILLTRÄSK is not just a countertop, but a statement in design and functionality. Let’s delve deeper into this contender.

What Is The IKEA LILLTRÄSK?

The LILLTRÄSK is a countertop offering by IKEA, characterized by its white laminate finish which is both durable and easy to maintain. Its simplicity in design allows it to seamlessly blend into various setups, making it a versatile choice.

For those who may not be taken by the LILLTRÄSK, IKEA’s expansive countertop collection offers more. Check out my other reviews for a comprehensive guide.

Is LILLTRÄSK Scratch Resistant?

Yes, the LILLTRÄSK’s laminate finish is designed to resist scratches and is also resistant to water and stains, making it ideal for everyday use.

How To Set Up A LILLTRÄSK Battlestation

Given the straightforward design of the LILLTRÄSK, setting up your battlestation is quite intuitive.

Pair it with the iconic Alex drawer units or opt for simple legs – the choice is yours. The white laminate also offers a clean slate, allowing your gaming or computer gear to truly stand out.

When mounting your equipment, especially if you have multiple monitors, be mindful of weight distribution to prevent any unwanted sag. Also, cable management is key; use clips or sleeves to keep everything tidy.

Does IKEA Customize LILLTRÄSK Sizes?

LILLTRÄSK is available in standard IKEA sizes, and if customization is required, you’ll need to make the adjustments yourself. Do note that any changes to the product might affect its warranty.

LILLTRÄSK and Alex Drawers

The clean white finish of the LILLTRÄSK countertop pairs elegantly with the Alex drawers. Whether you opt for the white or contrasting gray drawers, the combination always results in a sophisticated look.

Securing the countertop to the drawers can be achieved using non-slip pads or L-brackets for added stability. However, in many cases, the weight of the countertop combined with your equipment ensures everything remains in place.

Conclusion

If you’re seeking a minimalistic yet functional desk for your battlestation, the LILLTRÄSK is a commendable choice. Its laminate finish ensures durability while offering a contemporary aesthetic. Paired with the right accessories, it can elevate your gaming or work setup to new heights.

The IKEA PINNARP Battlestation

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 08:56:23 GMT

With the rise of natural aesthetics in modern battlestations, the IKEA PINNARP countertop is gaining traction. Let’s dive into what makes the PINNARP a unique choice.

What Is The IKEA PINNARP?

PINNARP is a countertop characterized by its ash veneer, combining the beauty of solid wood with the benefits of veneer, making it resilient and authentic in appearance.

It comes in a warm ash finish which complements various setups.

Strength and Resilience of PINNARP

Being an ash veneer, the PINNARP is durable. Its natural resistance to scratches and the thickness of the veneer ensures it stands up to daily use.

Creating Your PINNARP Battlestation

Given the warm tones of the PINNARP, it pairs wonderfully with drawer units or legs in neutral shades. Whether you’re aiming for a rustic look or a modern, clean setup, PINNARP offers flexibility.

Maintaining organized cables is crucial, especially given the countertop’s natural aesthetic. Avoid clutter to let the ash veneer truly shine.

Conclusion

PINNARP isn’t just a worktop; it’s a fusion of nature and design. For those wanting a touch of the outdoors in their battlestation, this countertop is an excellent choice.

Of course, if PINNARP isn’t for you, then there are several other IKEA countertops that make great battlestation desks.

BARKABODA: The Luxe-Look Battlestation

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 08:54:14 GMT

If you’re in the market for a touch of luxury in your battlestation, the IKEA BARKABODA might just be the countertop you’re searching for. Known for its sophisticated walnut veneer, it emanates warmth and richness in every inch. Let’s explore this stately choice further.

Introduction to IKEA BARKABODA

The BARKABODA is IKEA’s offering for those who crave a mix of tradition and luxury. At its core, it’s a particleboard countertop, but what sets it apart is its thick walnut veneer. This rich, deep-grained wood finish provides a sense of depth and sophistication.

Why Walnut?

Walnut is not just about aesthetics. The wood is known for its strength and longevity. BARKABODA, with its walnut veneer, is therefore resilient, ensuring your desk remains scratch-resistant and durable over the years.

Designing Your BARKABODA Battlestation

Given its luxe appeal, the BARKABODA can act as the centerpiece of your room. Pair it with metallic legs or bases to heighten its elegance. Alternatively, combining it with darker toned accessories will further accentuate its richness.

Remember to maintain clean lines and organized setups to let the walnut veneer stand out. Cable trays and cord organizers will be your best friends in this endeavor.

Conclusion

Choosing BARKABODA is choosing timeless luxury. It’s more than just a countertop; it’s an investment in style that elevates your battlestation’s aesthetics. That’s what makes it one of our favourite IKEA countertops.

SKOGSÅ: Embracing Nature in Your Battlestation

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 08:51:39 GMT

For those who dream of a tranquil, nature-inspired workspace, IKEA’s SKOGSÅ countertop brings that dream to life. Let’s uncover the charm and functionality of this unique offering.

What’s Special about IKEA SKOGSÅ?

SKOGSÅ is where nature meets design. It’s a solid wood countertop, not just a veneer, which means every piece you get is unique. The knots, grains, and shades in the wood make each SKOGSÅ countertop a one-of-a-kind and one of the best IKEA countertops for a battlestation.

Benefits of Solid Wood

Apart from its undeniably beautiful aesthetic, solid wood, like that in SKOGSÅ, offers longevity and sturdiness. It can handle the weight of multiple monitors and equipment without the fear of sagging.

Crafting Your SKOGSÅ Battlestation

Embrace a minimalistic approach. The beauty of this countertop is in its natural imperfections and unique grain patterns. Pair it with simple, streamlined legs or bases. Consider plants or nature-inspired accessories to amplify the outdoor feel.

Cable management is key. Since SKOGSÅ offers a serene ambiance, it’s essential to keep clutter to a minimum to maintain the peaceful vibe.

In terms of size, SKOGSÅ is 3.8cm thick and the worktop is available in 246cm, 186cm and custom-made 30-45cm lengths.

Conclusion

SKOGSÅ is for those who seek serenity in their workspace. It’s more than just a desk; it’s a slice of nature that promises calmness and inspiration.

How to Choose the Right PC Power Supply

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:29:09 GMT

Choosing the right PC power supply (PSU) might feel impossible, but with a little guidance, it can be a breeze.

In this guide, we break down the puzzle so you can choose the right PC power supply for your rig.

How to Choose the Right PC Power Supply: A Quick Guide

Your PC power supply should match the wattage needs of your system, be of a reputable brand, and have a sufficient efficiency rating. Easy, right? Let’s explore this further.

Wattage: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold, But Just Right

Every system has its unique power needs. You wouldn’t want to end up with a PSU that makes your PC fall asleep during a game! Generally, a mid-range gaming rig may need between 500W to 700W. To know your PC’s exact requirement, use online PSU calculators or sum up the power needs of each component.

Brands: Familiar Faces Can Be Trusty

It’s comforting to have people we trust in life, and the same goes for PC components. Stick with reputable brands like Corsair, EVGA, or Seasonic. These brands have a history of producing reliable PSUs, which means fewer hiccups for your beloved PC.

Efficiency: Go for the Gold (or Platinum, or Bronze)

PSU efficiency is labeled with cute little badges like Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Titanium. These tell you how well the PSU converts power from the outlet to your PC. For most of us, Gold will do the trick, but if you’re feeling fancy, Platinum or Titanium might tickle your fancy.

Modular vs. Non-Modular: Let’s Untangle Those Wires!

A modular PSU allows you to detach the cables you don’t need, making the insides of your PC look clean and snazzy. If you’re not into cable management (or showing off your PC’s insides), a non-modular PSU will do just fine and is usually more wallet-friendly.

FAQs

What happens if my PSU is too weak for my PC?
Your system might crash or reboot, especially under heavy load. It can also reduce the lifespan of the PSU.

Do I need to consider the physical size of the PSU?
Yes! Make sure the PSU fits snugly in your case. Some gaming or mini cases may require smaller PSUs.

Can I upgrade my PSU later?
Absolutely. If you’re planning future upgrades, consider buying a PSU with a little more wattage than needed.

Does the PSU fan direction matter?
Yep! Ideally, the fan should face downwards if there’s ventilation at the bottom of your case. Otherwise, have it face upwards.

Is a more expensive PSU always better?
Not necessarily. It’s more about the brand’s reliability, efficiency rating, and suitability for your system.

Conclusion

In the vast sea of PSUs, finding the perfect one boils down to understanding your PC’s wattage needs, sticking to reputable brands, eyeing the efficiency, and deciding on modularity.

By now, you’re armed with the know-how to make an informed choice, so go power up!

Are Most PC Parts Compatible?

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:22:29 GMT

When you’re looking to build or upgrade a PC, one question frequently pops up: are most PC parts compatible?

Are Most PC Parts Compatible? A Quick Answer

Not all PC parts are universally compatible. However, many are designed to work together based on industry standards.

But to ensure a seamless experience, you’ll want to double-check each part’s compatibility before making a purchase.

Understanding Compatibility

Let’s start with the heart of the matter: motherboards. Think of them as the central hub where all the action takes place. Depending on its design, a motherboard will support specific types of CPUs, RAMs, and other peripherals. So, if you buy the wrong CPU for your motherboard, it won’t slot in, and your PC might just sit there giving you the silent treatment.

Another example? RAM. There are different types, like DDR3 and DDR4. These aren’t interchangeable, so you’ll want to ensure that the RAM you’re eyeing matches what your motherboard can handle.

Then there’s the graphics card. While most modern graphics cards will fit into any motherboard that has a PCI Express slot, you’ll still want to ensure your PC’s case can house the card and that your power supply can handle its needs.

Common Compatibility Missteps

Now, most people believe that if you’ve got the right sockets and slots, you’re golden. That’s mostly true, but there are other considerations:

Power Supply: It’s not just about wattage. You’ll want to make sure the power supply has the right connectors for all your components.
Cooling: Beefy CPUs and GPUs need effective cooling. Make sure your chosen cooler fits inside your case and works with your motherboard and CPU.
Case Size: Some cases might not have space for larger graphics cards or additional cooling solutions.

FAQ

How do I check for compatibility between parts? Several online tools and websites allow you to input your PC parts and check for compatibility. Websites like PCPartPicker are useful for this.

Is it okay to mix and match brands? Yes, brands generally don’t affect compatibility. However, for components like RAM, it’s often recommended to get identical sticks for optimal performance.

Will any graphics card work with any motherboard? Most modern graphics cards use the PCI Express interface, so they’ll work with motherboards that have PCI Express slots. But always check specifics before purchasing.

Do I need to consider software compatibility too? Absolutely. Ensure that your components are supported by the operating system you plan to use.

Can I trust manufacturer specifications for compatibility? Manufacturers’ specs are a great starting point, but it’s also a good idea to consult user reviews and forums where people might share their firsthand experiences with specific component combinations.

Conclusion

There you have it! While many PC parts are designed to be compatible based on industry standards, it’s not a guarantee. It pays to do your homework before buying components.

Check compatibility, consider the quirks of individual parts, and you’ll be on your way to building or upgrading a machine that runs like a dream.

Always remember: the devil’s in the details, but with a little patience and research, you can avoid those pesky compatibility hiccups.

Why is My PC Loud All of a Sudden?

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:05:58 GMT

We’ve all been there. One day, you’re peacefully working on your PC, and out of nowhere, it sounds like it’s trying to blast off to space.

A suddenly noisy PC can disrupt your workflow and be a cause for concern. But don’t fret, we’re about to break down the most common reasons behind that uproar from your trusty machine.

Why is My PC Loud All of a Sudden?

The most common reasons for a sudden increase in PC noise include a buildup of dust, fans working harder due to increased heat, malfunctioning hardware components, software causing excessive strain on the system, and hard drive issues.

Dust and Debris: Your PC’s Unwanted Guests

Over time, dust and debris can accumulate inside your PC. This gunk can block air vents and clog fans, causing them to work harder (and louder). Regular cleaning, using a soft brush or compressed air, can help keep your PC’s internals dust-free and reduce the noise.

The Fans are Feeling the Heat

Your PC’s fans work tirelessly to keep the system cool. If there’s an increase in the workload, or if there’s a temperature spike in the room, they’ll rev up to dissipate the heat. This can make them louder. Make sure your PC has good airflow and isn’t placed near heat sources.

Hardware Hiccups

A malfunctioning hardware component, like a graphics card or power supply, can lead to increased noise. Sometimes, it’s a sign that a part needs replacing. If you’re not a tech wiz, it might be a good idea to consult with a professional to pinpoint the noisy culprit.

Software Strain

If a software or application is using a large chunk of your system’s resources, your PC might get louder. This is because it’s working harder to keep up with the demands. Keeping an eye on task manager or similar tools can help you spot such resource hogs.

Hard Drive Drama

Older hard drives, or ones nearing the end of their lifespan, can get noisy. It’s their way of telling us they’re tired. Backing up your data and considering an upgrade might be in order if you suspect the hard drive is the source of the noise.

FAQ

Why does my PC make a clicking noise?
A clicking noise usually indicates a problem with the hard drive. It’s wise to back up your data and consult a professional.

Is a loud PC dangerous?
Not necessarily, but it can indicate underlying issues that might lead to component failure or data loss. Addressing the noise source promptly is recommended.

Can software updates cause my PC to be louder?
Yes, some updates might increase system resource usage, causing your PC to work harder and get louder temporarily.

Should I turn off my loud PC immediately?
Not always. While it’s essential to address the noise, abruptly turning off your PC can cause data loss. If there’s no smell or smoke, try a proper shutdown.

How often should I clean my PC to avoid noise?
A general rule of thumb is every 3-6 months, but it depends on your environment. If your space is dust-prone, consider cleaning more frequently.

Conclusion

So there we have it, folks! A suddenly loud PC can be a bit startling, but it’s often a sign that your computer needs some TLC.

Whether it’s dust buildup, a hardworking fan, or a tired hard drive, addressing the issue can ensure your PC runs smoothly (and quietly) for years to come.

Stay vigilant, keep it clean, and remember: your PC is trying to tell you something with that noise, so don’t ignore it!

The Difference Between A Gaming Rig and A PC

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:42:04 GMT

You’ve probably heard the terms “gaming rig” and “PC” thrown around and wondered if there’s any real difference between the two. Well, good news! You’ve stumbled upon the perfect read to demystify that for you.

Read on to discover the key difference between a gaming rig and a PC.

Difference Between Gaming Rig and PC: A Quick Breakdown

A PC, or Personal Computer, is a general term for any computer used by people for various tasks like browsing the internet, working on spreadsheets, watching movies, and so on. On the other hand, a gaming rig is a specialized type of PC, tailored for playing video games.

Unlike a PC, which may or may not have high-end parts, a gaming rig typically boasts high-end components like faster processors, advanced graphics cards, and ample memory to ensure a smooth and immersive gaming experience.

Gaming Rig: All About the Power!

When you think of a gaming rig, think of a sports car. It’s designed to deliver maximum performance. Gaming rigs come with powerful GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) to render high-quality visuals, lightning-fast SSDs (Solid-State Drives) to reduce game loading times, and high-refresh-rate monitors to capture every millisecond of the action.

This doesn’t mean they can’t handle other tasks – they can, and with finesse. But their primary goal is to make gaming experiences out of this world.

Standard PC: The Everyday Workhorse

In contrast to the flashy gaming rig, the standard PC is the reliable family sedan. Perfectly suited for a wide range of activities, be it sending emails, working on documents, or browsing through your favorite websites.

While they can run games, a standard PC might struggle with the latest and most demanding titles, especially at higher settings.

Cost Implications

Gaming rigs, with their beefed-up components, often come with a heftier price tag than your average PC. It’s an investment in high-quality gaming, much like how car enthusiasts might shell out more for enhanced performance and features.

PCs are generally more budget-friendly, offering decent performance without breaking the bank.

Flexibility and Customization

One of the beauties of gaming rigs is the ability to customize. Gamers often love tweaking their systems, adding better components, and decking out their setups with RGB lights and liquid cooling.

PCs, while customizable, are often left in their original state, as everyday users typically have no need to push their systems to the limit.

FAQ

What if I just want to play casual games on my PC?
For casual games or older titles, a standard PC should serve you just fine. No need to invest in a high-end gaming rig unless you’re chasing top-tier performance.

Can gaming rigs be used for tasks other than gaming?
Absolutely! Gaming rigs can handle regular tasks, like browsing or document editing, and often do it faster thanks to their powerful components.

Why are gaming rigs so much more expensive?
They house specialized, high-performance components to offer the best gaming experience. Just like sports cars cost more due to their performance-oriented parts.

Do I need to upgrade my gaming rig often?
Not necessarily. However, to keep up with the latest games and technology, periodic upgrades might be beneficial.

Is it hard to build a gaming rig myself?
It can be a fun project if you’re tech-savvy. There are many online resources to guide you. But if unsure, it might be best to buy pre-built or consult with an expert.

Conclusion

So there you have it! The main difference between a gaming rig and a PC boils down to their intended use and the components they carry. While all gaming rigs are PCs, not all PCs are cut out for the demands of modern gaming.

If you’re just browsing the web or working on documents, a standard PC will suit you well. But if you’re looking to immerse yourself in the high-definition world of modern gaming, investing in a gaming rig is the way to go.

How to Know if a PC Part is Good

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:30:03 GMT

Computers are a complex blend of components. For the uninitiated, picking a good part can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

I’m here to break down the mystery and give you a solid understanding of how to know if a PC part is good.

How to Know if a PC Part is Good: A Quick Answer

A good PC part usually offers a balance between performance and price, has positive reviews from reputable sources, is compatible with your system, and comes with a manufacturer’s warranty.

While brand reputation can be a reliable indicator, independent benchmarks and user feedback are crucial.

Brand Reputation

Ah, the age-old debate: are big-name brands always better? Not necessarily. However, they often come with the advantage of proven track records and reliability.

Researching the reputation of a brand can give you an idea of the overall quality of their products.

Remember, every brand might have a dud once in a while, but consistent positive feedback is a good sign.

Benchmarks and Performance

When in doubt, look at the numbers. Benchmarks provide objective, quantifiable data on how a part performs under specific conditions. Whether it’s a graphics card, processor, or hard drive, there are benchmark tests available.

Just make sure you’re comparing apples to apples – a benchmark for a gaming graphics card might not be applicable for one designed for graphic design.

Compatibility Checks

The fanciest, most top-rated component is worthless if it doesn’t fit or work with your system. Tools like PCPartPicker can help ensure the parts you choose are compatible with one another.

Warranty and Support

A good warranty can be the safety net for your investments. Parts from reputable brands usually come with robust warranties and customer support. If a part lacks these, you might want to reconsider, even if the price is tantalizing.

Personal Recommendations and Reviews

Ask around! Your friends, family, or that colleague who won’t stop talking about their new rig. Personal recommendations can be invaluable.

Online reviews, especially from trusted tech websites and forums, can also provide insights into real-world performance and potential issues.

FAQ

What do benchmarks really tell me?
Benchmarks provide a numerical representation of a component’s performance under specific conditions. They’re a great way to compare similar parts objectively.

Is a more expensive part always better?
Nope! Price doesn’t always equate to quality. Sometimes, you’re paying for a brand name or features you might not need.

How do I check if a part is compatible with my system?
Tools like PCPartPicker are great for this. Also, ensure the specs match your system requirements, especially for power and physical size.

Do I need to stick to big-name brands?
While they often have a track record of reliability, there are many lesser-known brands that offer quality parts. Do your research!

Can I trust online reviews?
Mostly, yes. Look for reviews from reputable tech websites and forums. However, always be wary of fake reviews.

Conclusion

When looking for a good PC part, prioritize performance data, compatibility, warranty, and real-world reviews. Brand names might be a quick shortcut, but they’re not the be-all and end-all.

With a bit of research and a dash of patience, you’ll be well on your way to making an informed decision.

Is it bad to leave your PC on 24/7?

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:17:19 GMT

For most people, PCs are established as part of our daily routines. Whether it’s for work, play, or anything in between, they’re often at the heart of it.

So, if you’re using your PC ever day, should you just leave it running 24/7?

Is it bad to leave your PC on 24/7?

It’s not necessarily “bad” to leave your PC on all the time, but it might not be the best idea either. It can strain the hardware, spike your energy bills, and reduce the overall lifespan of your device.

Giving your computer some downtime can be a good thing. But, let’s dissect this further.

The Strain on Hardware

Whenever a PC is on, it’s working. Even if it seems like it’s idling, there are processes ticking away in the background.

Over time, continuous operation can cause wear and tear on the components. Hard drives, fans, and power supply units can only spin for so long before they start showing signs of fatigue.

Hello, Higher Energy Bills!

Keep an eye on those energy bills! PCs, especially powerful ones, aren’t the most energy-efficient appliances in the house. Leaving it on day and night could mean you’re burning through more electricity than you think.

Potential Security Risks

There’s a thing called “the longer it’s on, the more vulnerable it becomes”. Keeping your PC on constantly exposes it to potential threats. Regular updates and security patches are there for a reason.

If your PC’s always on, you might miss these important updates, leaving you at risk.

When Sleep is Good Enough

There’s a middle ground between “always on” and “totally off”. Sleep mode. This lets your PC take a power nap, reducing energy usage and giving hardware a breather.

When you’re ready to jump back in, it wakes up pretty quickly. So, you get the best of both worlds.

FAQ

What about the argument that turning a PC on and off reduces its lifespan?
While it’s true that the process can cause a small amount of wear and tear, modern PCs are designed to handle thousands of power cycles. Regularly turning off your computer won’t significantly shorten its lifespan.

Does sleep mode use a lot of energy?
Nope! Sleep mode uses very little energy. It’s a handy way to reduce power consumption without shutting down your PC entirely.

Is there a best time to turn off my PC?
Anytime you won’t be using it for extended periods, like overnight or when you’re away, is a good time. This saves energy and gives your PC some much-needed rest.

How often should I restart my PC?
Once a week is a good rule of thumb. Restarting helps with updates and can clear out any pesky background processes that might be slowing things down.

Can leaving my PC on cause overheating?
It can, especially if it’s working hard for long periods without a break. Ensure it’s in a well-ventilated area and consider shutting down if you notice it getting too warm.

Conclusion

Alright, let’s wrap this up! Is it catastrophic to leave your PC on 24/7? No, but it can strain the system, be unkind to your wallet, and expose you to unwanted threats.

If you’re not using it, let your PC catch some z’s or, at the very least, put it in sleep mode. You, your PC, and your wallet will be better off for it.

Why Do PC Players Have an Advantage?

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:09:01 GMT

Ever watched a PC gamer tear through a game with unparalleled precision and speed and wondered why they seem to have an edge? The truth is, PC players do have some inherent advantages. Let’s find out why.

Why Do PC Players Have an Advantage?

PC players benefit from more precise controls, superior graphics settings, and customizable hardware and software. These factors combine to provide an edge in various games, especially when compared to console players.

Superior Graphics and Display Options

Ah, the beauty of pixels! PC players can relish in a world of customizable graphics settings. This means they can tailor their experience to achieve better frame rates, enhanced visuals, or a balanced combo of both. A higher frame rate can lead to smoother gameplay, which can be a game-changer in fast-paced games.

More Precise Controls with Keyboard and Mouse

When it comes to precision, nothing beats the good old keyboard and mouse combo. While joysticks on controllers are great, the pinpoint accuracy of a mouse can give PC players a notable advantage in aiming or making minute adjustments.

Customizable Hardware and Software

Ever dreamt of supercharging your gaming rig? PC players can! They can upgrade their PC components like graphics cards or RAM whenever they feel like boosting their performance. Plus, PCs offer a variety of software tweaks to optimize gameplay even further. It’s like giving your car an upgrade whenever you want more speed!

Expansive Game Mods and Communities

Modding can transform a game from something standard to absolutely out-of-this-world. PC gaming offers a sprawling universe of mods and fan-made content. This not only extends the lifespan of a game but can also give players new tools, abilities, or challenges not found on consoles.

Greater Range of Game Selection

While consoles have exclusive titles, PCs have an expansive universe of indie games, classics, and new titles available on various platforms. This allows PC players to experiment with a broader range of genres and styles, further enriching their gaming experience.

FAQ

Why are graphics better on PC? PCs have customizable components that can be upgraded, allowing for better graphical performance and higher resolution displays than many consoles.

Do all professional gamers use PCs? Not all, but a significant number prefer PCs because of the control precision, customization options, and graphic capabilities.

Is it easier to aim with a mouse than a joystick? For many, yes. A mouse provides pinpoint accuracy, making it often preferable for games that require precise aiming.

Are game mods only available for PC? Mostly, yes. While some consoles support limited modding, the vast and diverse modding communities are predominantly on PC.

Does a more expensive PC mean a better gaming experience? Not necessarily. It’s about the right components and how they work together. However, investing in good-quality components can enhance the gaming experience.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, PC players seem to have the upper hand due to a medley of reasons: superior graphics, pinpoint control precision with a keyboard and mouse, the freedom to customize hardware and software, a vast world of game mods, and a broader game selection.

While each platform has its own merits, when it comes to flexibility and potential performance heights, PCs stand tall and proud in the gaming arena.

So, next time you see a PC gamer showcasing their prowess, you’ll know the secrets behind their advantage.

Is a PC Case Necessary?

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:02:40 GMT

Building your own PC is a labor of love, a delicate blend of choosing the right components and a touch of technical know-how. But there’s one component you might be pondering over – the PC case. Is it just a pretty box or does it serve a deeper purpose?

And is a PC case necessary at all? Let’s find out.

Is a PC Case Necessary?

Yes, a PC case is necessary. It not only provides physical protection to your precious components from dust, spills, and bumps, but it also offers optimal airflow, which keeps the system cool. While some daring souls might run a PC without a case (a practice called ‘breadboarding’), it’s not recommended for everyday use.

The Benefits of a PC Case

Protection from the Elements

Dust, pet hair, and accidental liquid spills are a PC’s worst enemies. A case acts as a barrier against these potential hazards. Plus, it ensures that people won’t accidentally touch (and possibly damage) the internal parts.

A Cooler PC is a Happier PC

Without a case, it’s hard to manage airflow across components. Good cases are designed to keep air moving in specific paths to carry away heat. This means your CPU, GPU, and other parts stay cooler, leading to better performance and a longer lifespan for your components.

Less Noise, More Peace

PC components can be noisy. Cases often come with sound dampening materials or design features that help reduce the noise produced by spinning fans or hard drives.

The Potential Drawbacks

Can Be Pricey

Good cases can sometimes be a bit on the expensive side. But remember, a solid case can last through multiple PC builds.

Space and Weight

If you’re tight on space or need a portable setup, a bulky PC case might not be ideal. There are compact cases available, but they can sometimes come with their own set of challenges.

FAQ

What happens if I don’t use a PC case?
You expose your components to potential damage, reduced airflow, and increased dust accumulation. It’s also easier to accidentally short something with static electricity.

Can I use my PC without a case temporarily?
Sure, for testing purposes, it’s common to run a PC without a case. Just be cautious and keep it away from hazards.

Are all PC cases the same size?
Nope, there are various sizes like ATX, microATX, and mini-ITX, each fitting different motherboard sizes and offering different features.

Can a PC case affect performance?
Indirectly, yes. A good case can improve airflow, which keeps components cooler. Cooler components can perform better and last longer.

Do I need a PC case with a clear side panel?
That’s a style choice! A clear panel lets you show off your components, but it doesn’t necessarily affect the PC’s performance.

Conclusion

So, is a PC case necessary? Absolutely. A PC case is the unsung hero of your setup, offering protection, efficient cooling, and noise reduction. While you can technically operate a PC without one, the risks outweigh the benefits. For the longevity and optimal performance of your computer, investing in a good PC case is a no-brainer. Keep your tech treasures safe and sound, and they’ll thank you with seamless performance for years to come.

How Much Does a Gaming Setup Cost?

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 09:56:20 GMT

The digital age has seen video gaming surge in popularity. Whether you’re chasing pixelated bad guys, constructing virtual empires, or getting lost in expansive RPGs, the right gaming setup can make all the difference. But, how much does it cost to build a gaming haven? Let’s dive right in.

How Much Does a Gaming Setup Cost?

A gaming setup can cost anywhere from $500 to well over $3,000. Basic setups, often sufficient for many games, might cost around $500 to $800. Mid-tier setups range from $800 to $1,500, while high-end, elite setups could set people back $1,500 to $3,000 or more. The total cost hinges on factors like hardware, accessories, and the choice of games.

Factors Determining the Cost

Gaming PC or Console

A significant portion of your budget will go here. A gaming console like PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X will cost around $500. Meanwhile, gaming PCs vary vastly in price. A decent one can start at $700, but top-tier models can soar to over $2,000.

Monitor

A good gaming monitor can be anywhere from $100 for a basic model to $1,000+ for a 4K, high-refresh-rate model.

Accessories

This includes keyboards, mice, headsets, and chairs. These can be as affordable as $50 for basic ones or as much as $500 for high-end versions.

Games

New releases can cost $60 or more, but many popular titles are available for much less during sales.

Saving on a Gaming Setup

To save money, consider buying during sales, opting for slightly older hardware models, or buying second-hand. Many gamers also find it useful to build their PC, as it can be more cost-effective and allows for easier upgrades.

FAQ

How much does a gaming chair cost? A good gaming chair starts at around $100, but more ergonomic and feature-rich models can cost up to $500.

Is a gaming headset necessary? While not strictly necessary, a gaming headset enhances the immersive experience. They can range from $30 to $300, based on quality and features.

Can I game on a regular PC? Yes, but the experience might not be optimal. Gaming-specific PCs have hardware tailored for intensive tasks, ensuring smoother gameplay.

What’s the difference between a gaming PC and a regular PC? Gaming PCs have more powerful processors, graphics cards, and RAM, making them better suited for demanding games.

Are gaming keyboards and mice worth it? For casual gamers, regular keyboards and mice might suffice. But for a more responsive and customized experience, gaming versions are preferable. They often come with additional features, such as programmable keys.

Conclusion

Building or buying a gaming setup is an investment. On average, people can expect to spend between $500 and $3,000 based on their preferences and needs. While the initial cost can seem daunting, the hours of entertainment and joy derived from a well-tailored gaming experience is often well worth the price tag. Remember, it’s not just about playing games; it’s about immersing yourself in other worlds. Choose wisely, and happy gaming!

Can You Replace a PC Case?

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 19:00:33 GMT

Can you replace a PC case? The short answer is, absolutely! Switching out your PC case is not only possible, but it’s also a rather fun and straightforward task.

So, let’s break down how you can do it, what you need to consider, and some FAQ for the adventurous souls venturing into this.

Can You Replace a PC Case: Yes, You Can!

Changing your PC case is like changing the wallpaper in a room—it refreshes the space and gives it a new look. Whether your case is starting to look dated, has poor airflow, or you’re just tired of staring at the same old design, swapping it out is a task most people can tackle. Plus, you don’t need a degree in computer engineering to do it!

Why You Might Want to Replace Your Case

Aesthetics: A shiny, new look can revive the charm of your desktop setup.
Better Airflow: Some modern cases are designed for better ventilation.
Extra Space: New cases can offer more room for additional hardware.
Cable Management: A new case can make the insides as pretty as the outside.
New Features: USB ports, fans, or RGB lighting, anyone?

What You’ll Need

Before you dive in, make sure you have the following:

New Case: Pick one that’s compatible with your components.
Screwdriver: Usually, a Phillips head will do the job.
Workspace: You’ll need a clean, flat surface.
Time: Reserve at least 1-2 hours. You don’t want to rush this.
Patience: Because sometimes screws don’t want to unscrew.

Steps to Replacing Your PC Case

1. Unplug and Prep

Disconnect all cables and peripherals from the old case.

2. Open and Observe

Open your old case and make a mental note of how everything is connected.

3. Start Unscrewing

Remove the components from the old case, starting with add-on cards and then the motherboard.

4. Transfer to New Case

Move your components into the new case. This is like moving furniture, but on a micro-level.

5. Reassemble

Once everything is placed correctly, start screwing everything back in.

6. Power Up and Test

Plug in and boot up. If it works, congratulate yourself. If not, retrace your steps.

FAQ

How much does a new PC case cost? A decent new PC case can range from $40 to well over $200, depending on the features and quality you’re after.

Is it hard to replace a PC case? Not really. If you can handle a screwdriver and follow instructions, you’re good to go.

Can I reuse the power supply from my old case? Yes, as long as it fits and meets the needs of your components, you can reuse your old power supply.

Will my warranty be affected? It depends on the manufacturer’s terms. It’s best to check this beforehand.

Conclusion

Replacing your PC case is a practical and enjoyable task that can breathe new life into your old system. Whether for aesthetic purposes, better airflow, or additional features, a new case can make your computing experience that much better.

You’ll need a few tools, some patience, and a willingness to get your hands a little dirty. But once it’s done, you’ll have the satisfaction of a refreshed PC that looks and feels almost new.

So go ahead, unplug, unscrew, and give your trusty old PC the facelift it deserves.

Is It Better to Leave Your PC Case Open?

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 18:44:52 GMT

Let’s dive into the age-old debate that’s got PC enthusiasts scratching their heads – should you keep your PC case open?

The Pros and Cons of Opening Your PC Case

Before you grab that screwdriver and start opening your PC case, let’s take a moment to weigh the pros and cons of leaving your PC case open.

Pros:

Better Airflow: With the case open, air can flow more freely, potentially keeping your components cooler.
Easier Access: Need to swap out a component? No need to wrestle with panels; everything’s right there for you to access.

Cons:

Dust Invasion: An open case is an open invitation for dust bunnies to party on your components, leading to potential overheating and performance issues. (Dust is particularly likely to settle if your PC is lay on its side.)
Noise Amplification: Your PC’s fans might get a little loud when there’s no case to muffle the sound.
Aesthetic Disarray: An open PC case doesn’t exactly scream “organized workspace.”

Now, let’s tackle some FAQs to cover all the bases.

FAQs

Is it true that leaving my PC case open will significantly lower temperatures?

While an open case might improve airflow slightly, the temperature drop isn’t usually substantial. Modern PC cases are designed with airflow in mind, so opening it up might not make as big a difference as you’d think.

And remember, you don’t have to stick with one case forever. Instead of opening your PC case, why not consider replacing it instead?

Will an open case make my PC louder?

Yes, it can. Without the case to dampen the sound, your PC’s fans and components might be more audible. If you’re not a fan of the noise, you might want to stick with a closed case.

Can dust damage my components if my case is open?

Absolutely. An open case allows dust and debris to settle on your components, potentially clogging up fans and leading to overheating. Regular cleaning becomes even more crucial.

Is there a risk of accidentally damaging my components with an open PC case?

Leaving your case open exposes your components to accidental bumps, spills, or even static electricity. It’s important to exercise caution and ensure a safe workspace.

Will an open case affect my PC’s performance?

In terms of raw performance, the impact is generally negligible. However, factors like dust buildup and potential component damage can indirectly affect performance over time.

The Verdict: To Open or Not to Open?

While an open case might give your PC a modest airflow boost, the downsides, like increased dust and potential damage, often outweigh the benefits.

Modern PC cases are designed to optimize airflow, and if temperatures are a concern, investing in quality cooling solutions is a smarter move. It’s also important to ensure your PC’s vents are positioned on the right side for the best air flow.

So, while it might be tempting to open your PC case to maximize airflow, keeping your case closed generally offers better protection and performance.

Should I Put My PC on the Left or Right?

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 18:31:04 GMT

Should you place your PC on the left or right side of your workspace? If you’re pondering this, fear not! I’ve got your back.

In this article, I’m going to break down the pros and cons of each option, throw in some practical advice, and give you the confidence to make the right decision for your PC placement.

Or should that be the left decision?! Let’s find out…

Left vs. Right: Which Side is Best for Your PC?

Ultimately, the choice between left and right comes down to personal preference and your unique setup. However, there are four key factors to consider:

Right or Left Handedness: Your dominant hand could sway your choice to maximize space and comfort when using your mouse. If you’re right-handed then you may have more space if your PC is on the left, and vice-versa if you’re left-handed.
Cable Convenience: It’s worth checking the location of your power socket before deciding whether to put your PC on the left or right. Opting for the side closer to the socket might streamline cable management.
Heat Concerns: If your tower has vents on one side then it’s a good idea to have that side facing outwards, as this may help improve airflow and keep your PC cooler.
Workspace Dynamics: Take a moment to assess your desk layout. Does one side seem cluttered, while the other side offers a clean slate? It can be a good idea to aim for a balanced, symmetrical look.

Conclusion

As you contemplate the optimal position for your PC, consider the factors that can shape your choice. Your dominant hand, whether right or left, plays a role in maximizing comfort during mouse usage. If you’re right-handed, you might find more space and ease with your PC on the left, and vice versa for left-handed users.

Take a practical glance at your power socket’s location. Placing your PC closer to it can lead to streamlined cable management, reducing clutter and enhancing efficiency.

Ventilation matters, too. If your PC tower boasts vents on one side, orienting that side outward (or upward, if your PC is lay on its side) can improve airflow, potentially preventing overheating issues and keeping your PC running smoothly. (Another solution to the over-heating problem is to open your PC’s case, though this also comes with some problems!)

Delve into your workspace dynamics. A clutter-free and symmetrical layout can contribute to a more organized and visually appealing environment. Consider this aspect as you make your choice, aiming for a balanced and harmonious setup that suits your needs.

By keeping these considerations in mind, you’re better equipped to make an informed decision about placing your PC on the left or right, creating a workspace that is right for you.

Can You Lay a PC on Its Side?

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 11:21:29 GMT

So, you’re in the mood to give your PC a little lie-down, huh? Maybe it’s just feeling a bit tired, or perhaps you’re trying to save space. Either way, let’s explore the ins and outs of laying a PC down sideways.

Can You Lay a PC on Its Side?

Yes, you can lay a PC on its side, provided you consider airflow, disk drives, and the case design. Laying a PC on its side won’t damage the computer, as long as you ensure it remains cool.

Airflow Considerations

The primary concern when repositioning a PC is ensuring it has adequate airflow. When you set a PC on its side, especially if it’s a tower, you might be blocking an intake or exhaust vent.

Always check where your PC’s vents are located and ensure they are not obstructed when placed on its side.

Ventilation can also be a problem if your PC has vents on one side, but you position your PC with the vents on the left or right side close to the wall or in a position that will limit air circulation.

Disk Drive Orientation

For those using traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), the orientation can matter. HDDs are designed to work in a specific position, usually horizontal.

If you’ve been using your HDD in an upright position and then lay your PC on its side, this can potentially shorten the drive’s lifespan. However, if you’re using solid-state drives (SSDs), orientation is not a concern.

Case Stability

Another thing to consider is the stability of your PC’s case. Some cases might not sit comfortably on their side, and there’s a risk of it getting knocked over. Ensure the case is stable and not at risk of toppling, which can damage internal components.

FAQ

Can laying my PC on its side overheat it?
Laying your PC on its side won’t cause it to overheat as long as the vents aren’t obstructed and you maintain proper airflow.

Do I need to worry about my GPU when laying my PC on its side?
No, your GPU will work fine in any orientation. Just ensure it’s securely seated in its slot.

Is it better to lay a gaming PC on its side?
There’s no universal answer. It depends on the design and cooling setup of your specific PC. Ensure good airflow and stable positioning.

Will laying my PC on its side affect performance?
The orientation of your PC doesn’t directly affect performance. However, if airflow is restricted and the components overheat, there might be some performance throttling.

Can I lay my laptop on its side?
Yes, you can lay your laptop on its side when it’s off or in sleep mode. When it’s running, ensure vents aren’t blocked to prevent overheating.

Conclusion

Laying your PC on its side is a viable option for many people, but it’s essential to keep a few key considerations in mind. The most critical factor is ensuring that the PC has proper airflow to prevent overheating.

For those with HDDs, consider the orientation to protect the lifespan of the drive.

Also, make sure the computer is stable in its new position to prevent any accidental damage.

If all of these potential issues are addressed, there’s no reason why a PC can’t be laid on its side.

The IKEA Karlby Battlestation

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 11:11:03 GMT

You have probably heard of the IKEA Karlby, its a popular selection within the IKEA countertop range, and again a popular choice within the battlestation community, were going to run through a few great Karlby setups, and talk a bit about this ever-popular desk choice.

Information

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Table of contents

What is the IKEA Karlby
1. Is Ikea Karlby real wood?
2. What is IKEA Karlby made of?
How to make a Karlby Battlestation
How strong is the IKEA Karlby
IKEA Karlby Quad Monitor Setup
IKEA Karlby Wall-mounted Battlestation
Karlby + Alex Drawers
Conclusion

What is the IKEA Karlby

The Karlby is a worktop sold by IKEA, it’s a particleboard desktop at its core, with a solid wood veneer on the outside, which gives you really great bang for your buck while keeping the solid wood aesthetic for great visuals.

It comes in the following outer materials, and if you were to ask me, walnut is my favourite.

Beech
Oak
Birch
Walnut

If you are interested in the IKEA countertop range, but maybe you dont like the Karlby, you can check out my countertop mega post for more information on the full suite available at IKEA.

Best IKEA countertop for a desk

In Desks By Kieron

IKEA offer a lot of countertops & worktops, but which should you use for your battlestation? Let’s run through them all and go over the pros and cons of each of them.

Is Ikea Karlby real wood?

The IKEA Karlby is a mixture of real wood, and particleboard, that being the core of the desktop is particleboard, and the veneer on the outside is made from real wood.

As mentioned above these are beech, oak, birch, and walnut for the veneer. It’s not your standard veneer either, its a very thick variant, so perfect for the abuse that a desktop can receive.

The thick veneer makes the surface hardwearing, and it saves raw material – a lot of it. From the same amount of wood needed to make one solid worktop, it’s possible to produce five thick veneer worktops.
IKEA

What is IKEA Karlby made of?

The IKEA Karlby is particleboard, so its made of all sorts of pieces (and even scraps) of wood that are repurposed and compressed into the desk you purchase, as IKEA says, nothing is wasted.

Another advantage with this production technique is that you can use the whole tree; the stem as surface, and scrap bits – curvy, bent branches and small twigs – for the particleboard on the inside.
IKEA

How to make a Karlby Battlestation

As with all things IKEA, these desks are simpler than you might initially imagine, as your buying a single slab of a desktop, all you need to think about is what you’re going to put them on.

There’s the increasingly popular Alex drawer combo, which ill cover in more detail further, or you could find a nice standing desk setup to go with your Karlby or some other simple legs- it really is down to your taste.

When you have the desktop mounted, from there you need to think about your cable management, which primarily consists of a mixture of the following:

Cable Management Tray
Cable Ties/Velcro Ties
Grommets

You can do 90% of the fight against cables with these things alone, but if you want to go into more detail about cable management, you can read this post on the subject.

Ultimate Cable Management guide for your Battlestation/PC

In Accessories By Kieron

In this post, we look at all the best techniques for tidying up your cable management on your Battlestation, with these tips you’ll be taking the cable management of your gaming desk to the next level.

Does IKEA cut Karlby?

IKEA will ship in 3 possible sizes, 186×3.8cm, 246×3.8cm, and 45.1-63.5×3.8cm, outside of those sizes, you will need to cut the Karlby down to size yourself, but IKEA will also include 2 additional solid wood edging veneer strips, in the variant that you chose, so that you can refinish the edges you cut.

How do I attach my legs to Karlby?

While particleboard is not as traditionally strong as solid wood, you can still affix your legs to the Karlby using normal wood screws, just ensure you choose an appropriate size screw. Where possible, use as much of the particleboard as you can, with the largest screw that will fit, without coming out the other end!

This ensures if you ever move the desk around, the screws are less likely to rip the particleboard and become loose.

How to make a floating Karlby desk

Here we have a mega build by Ruzrat who really made a whole feature piece out of his Karlby. This floating Karlby setup consists of a multitude of threaded & anchored rods throughout the wall, which are the fixed to the Karlby from underneath, with Alex drawers, pretty much for show at this point, what a great setup!

No flexing at all on the Karlby. You will see how I did the installation which won’t even flex the Karlby. It’s a full floating style Karlby installation. I can take out the two Alex drawers and the Kalrby will be perfectly fine.
ruzrat

Below is the complete setup, RGB and all, it looks great, and the Karlby end piece is a nice touch too!

Ruzrats whole build

186cm Or 246cm Karlby for a battlestation?

The obvious first answer to this is, how much room do you have?! Generally, you should go for the biggest you can accommodate in your space, as you don’t want to get down the line & wish you need that extra space, for those new speakers for example.

If you are limited though, 186cm is still massive by conventional desk standards, so there is plenty of room for activities there, but I think if you have the room, go for the colossus and you wont regret it.

How strong is the IKEA Karlby

For most battlestation’s, the IKEA Karlby is plenty strong enough, let’s do a deep dive into the strength of the Karlby.

Ruzrat isn’t worried about the strength of his Karlby, and even said he probably wouldn’t change for solid wood given the chance, which is a great testament to the Karlby’s strength!

Karlby is pretty thick which was surprising. The material is really good and can’t go wrong for the price. I don’t think I would go for solid wood.
ruzrat

Does the IKEA Karlby sag?

You might be concerned with the idea of particleboard, does it have a weight limit? But its actually much stronger than you would think, it’s certainly not going to buckle under the weight of the average user’s possessions – and for most people, you won’t need any additional support for your Karlby.

Scerstt on Reddit said that he is running 3 monitors mounted singularly in the centre of his Karlby and isn’t even seeing any flex, which is great to hear- a not so weird flex.

Just for peace of mind, I have the 2.4m version with no supports in the middle and 3 monitors on one mount in the middle and it doesn’t even flex. You’re good bro.
scerstt on his Karlby setp

Add Strength with Adils

If you are worried, or perhaps your feeling preventative, you’ll hear the Adils leg mentioned a lot, it’s super cheap, and if you pop one of these in the middle towards the rear, it will give you that additional peace of mind. check them out on Amazon or IKEA UK.

They’re super cheap too, which always helps. u/xElementzx above did this with their setup, however opting for 2 of them, spaced a bit further apart, so you can be confident that desk is not going to flex at all.

How much does the Karlby weigh?

The Karlby weight varies depending on the size, and material that you choose, roughly you can expect the desktop to be within the range of 29-31.5kg for the 186cm variant and 38-41kg for the 246 variant. Here are the full stats.

Material	186cm	246cm
Birch	30.53kg	40.65kg
Oak	31.36kg	41.39kg
Beech	29.81kg	39.16kg
Walnut	29.51kg	38.88kg

IKEA Karlby Quad Monitor Setup

Blues & pinks will always be cool- that outrun/synth style lighting is just great, but more importantly, here we can see the Karlby handling 4 monitors, sure it has additional legs as we mentioned earlier, but still, looks great!

IKEA Karlby Wall-mounted Battlestation

Another nicely executed Karlby here, with a wall-mounted monitor, this is the 186cm Oak variety, and unless my eyes deceive me, this has a stealthy mounting system that likely consists of rails at the two sides, possibly even the back edge, which results in a very clean floating look.

Muzza80 reported the 186cm variant was perfectly sized for this nook in their home!

186cm which unbelievably was mm perfect for the space I have there, didn’t have to cut it at all 🤣👌👍
Muzza80

If Muzza had needed to cut their desk to size, its no problem because they come with additional edge pieces of the solid wood of your choice, so when you’ve figured out the size you need and then attach the new edges!

The grain on the Oak Karlby is so bright and clear, it has a real butcherblock vibe to it.

Karlby + Alex Drawers

We’ve all seen it before, I even have the Alex drawers in my setup. Are we tired of it? No, we are not. 💪

Here we can see Nyquizzle’s quintessential Alex drawer setup, of course, it’s entirely unique for a lot of other reasons, the artwork on the wall looks great here, and those ever-familiar drawers look great.

If wondering how people typically attach the two together, there’s a few ways, you could simply use the small rubber steps that come with the desktop, because in all likeliness the weight you’re going to put on top, gravity will handle the rest for you.

You can also use some L brackets, but then you’d have to drill into your desks, although it will all be out of sight, so maybe that’s OK. Personally, the fixation of my desktop to the drawers is 100% gravity powered.

Conclusion

The Karlby is a great & beautiful choice for a desk, and going for particleboard should never make you worry about it breaking in half suddenly, sure, in some ways, it might not be technically as strong as a solid wood piece- but you’re going to pay for that.

The outer solid wood veneer gives the same visuals of the solid wood and even the same feel to the touch, so for 99% of intents and purposes, you’d never know and will feel just like your sitting at a solid wood desk!

The Karlby is reasonably priced & looks great, ive said it before but my personal favourite is the walnut, that dark colour looks great with a nice grain.

So if you’re looking for a new desktop to take your battlestation to the next level, definitely give the Karlby a look.

12 More Battlestation Accessories

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 17:45:18 GMT

Let’s look at 12 more unique battlestation accessories that you can use to improve your setup in some way! Ranging in price and in function, there’s bound to be something in here that can add something to your setup.

Table of contents

BenQ e-Reading LED Light
Brainwavz Metal Under Desk Dual Headphone Mount
ASUS Ai Noise-Canceling Mic Adapter
VIVIFY RGB HDMI Cable
Anodized Aluminum Computer Case Screws
SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD
ALITOVE LED Strip Neon Light
Blue Compass Boom Arm
Xiaomi LED Nightstand Lamp
Sabrent USB 4 Bay Hard Drive/SSD Docking Station
SubZERO Gaming Wrist Rest Pad
NZXT Internal USB Hub
Reference Table

Information

BenQ e-Reading LED Light

First, we have this BenQ Led bar, which at first glance, sure it looks like a simple light, which along provides benefits for your eyes, its no good sitting in the dark for hours- so a properly set glow & temperature can increase focus and comfort.

The light also features an ambient light sensor in the dial, so can provide you auto-dimming according to the light in the room. With a range of a warm 2700K to the coolest of 6500K, its a versatile light.

Check it out on Amazon here.

Brainwavz Metal Under Desk Dual Headphone Mount

A nice and simple entry here, its a headphone hanger- but why this one?

Well, the brainwavz hanger is made completely made of metal, so it’s super strong, it won’t let you down. Headphones can be big and clunky, so by moving them under the desk you can make your setup look a lot cleaner.

The Brainwavz is small and stylish, and sturdy, and will hold up to 2 pairs of headphones! Check it out on Amazon here.

ASUS Ai Noise-Canceling Mic Adapter

This is a personal favourite of mine, its an inline noise cancellation device, basically, you place this in-between your microphone and whatever you are plugging into, and the device will cut out a tonne of the noise that otherwise might be polluting your recording or conversation.

Its super lightweight and is broadly compatible, so if you find yourself often looking for quieter environments then maybe you could use this, check it out on Amazon here.

VIVIFY RGB HDMI Cable

You know we are in the future when RGB cables have arrived on the scene, now I know this might not be for everyone- I’m not even sure if it’s for me! But for all you RGB lovers out there, you might just have found your new favourite type of cable.

It features a fully customisable light system through the software and can even tie into your games to provide custom light for the games, supporting your standard 4K 60hz HDMI specification too, so it’s going to achieve what your other cables do, and more! Check it out on Amazon here.

Anodized Aluminum Computer Case Screws

I did not know I needed these- a brilliant way to add a bit of life to an otherwise boring component, and you can tie these into your theme to suit your design. They’re affordable and super cool.

Take a look at your PC and consider if they’d be good for you- my setup, for example, has my PC side-on, so I can see the rear of my PC, and I’m thinking a set of purple thumbscrews would look great and match the RGB theme I have going! Check them out on Amazon here.

SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD

If you need a bit of additional space that you can keep in a small form factor, nice and tidy out of the way, a portable SSD might be what you are looking for.

Save yourself some time and space, start storing and transferring data with powerful NVMe solid-state performance featuring up too 2000MB/s read and 2000MB/s write speeds.

This one features a forged aluminium chassis acts as a heatsink to deliver higher sustained speeds in a portable drive that’s tough for just about anything you can throw at it in daily life. Check it out on Amazon here.

ALITOVE LED Strip Neon Light

The beauty in this type of LED Strip is the Neon effect, of course, its not strictly neon, but compared to a typical LED strip which results in scientifically spaced LED hotspots on whatever surface they are pointing at, these are so well diffused, resulting in a beautifully spread light.

Each pixel can have its own colour and brightness & you can control them individually and set them to any colour or animation you want. You could use this to make LED neon letters, under-cabinet lighting, under-bed lighting, night light, or, as your currently reading this on Rigz, TV or monitor backlight! Check it out on Amazon here.

Blue Compass Boom Arm

Next level microphone arms, I know, I know- you can get these for as little as £10/$15- and they still work, but never have I seen an arm as beautiful as the official Blue arm- it really is super clean, and extremely well made.

The arm features premium tubing with a fully internal spring design, including a hidden channel for cable management. With hand-tightened friction-hinges for smooth, quiet operation, it’s designed for the Yeti system by Blue, it is compatible with all standard shock mounts! Check it out on Amazon here.

Xiaomi LED Nightstand Lamp

This lamp is super affordable and feature-packed for the price, I personally have one of these on top of my PC tower, and love it so much I am pondering the idea of buying 2 more to place around the room and take my ambient lighting to the next level.

The Xiaomi bedside lamp is dimmable with fully adjustable colour temperatures, it can achieve a maximum brightness of 400lm, enough to light up every corner of your room. Check it out on Amazon here.

Sabrent USB 4 Bay Hard Drive/SSD Docking Station

With this Sabrent device, you can read and write up to four hard drives simultaneously, and instantly Add Seven USB 3.0 Ports + 2 Charging Ports to any compatible device that you’re using it with.

If you find yourself often plugging in drives internally to check loose drives, maybe its time to upgrade to an external unit for ease of use. Check it out on Amazon here.

SubZERO Gaming Wrist Rest Pad

Sore wrists? Me too. A wrist rest can really soften the impact of those long sessions and allow you to use your PC for longer & more comfortably.

This one is a great size and is very high quality, it also has a non-stick base so it’s not going anywhere- just imagine how this would look in front of your custom mechanical keyboard. Check it out on Amazon here.

NZXT Internal USB Hub

I have this hub in my newest build, and the reason I opted for one- is for Bluetooth, I have a dongle that emits a bright blue light, and also I never remove that dongle as I need it to use my Bluetooth accessories. I know what your thinking- just tape over the light.

Sure I could have done that, but with this hub, that USB dongle plugged into one of the USB 2.0 slots means that Bluetooth adapter truly becomes a part of my system and the light is gone, because the hub is nice and tidy out of the way.

Easy to wire in via the included molex adapter, and also expanding your internal & external USB headers, this is a great device, check it out on Amazon here.

Reference Table

BenQ e-Reading LED Light	Amazo n
Brainwavz Metal Under Desk Dual Headphone Mount	Amazon
ASUS Ai Noise-Canceling Mic Adapter	Amazo n
VIVIFY ARQUUS RGB HDMI Cable	Amazo n
Anodized Aluminum Computer Case Screws	Amazo n
SanDisk 1TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD	Amazo n
ALITOVE LED Strip Neon Light	Amazo n
Blue Compass Boom Arm	Amazo n
Xiaomi LED Nightstand Lamp	Amazo n
Sabrent USB 4 Bay Hard Drive/SSD Docking Station	Amazo n
SubZERO Gaming Wrist Rest Pad	Amazo n
NZXT Internal USB Hub	Amazo n

Well, that’s it. I hope you found something cool here, to enhance your station!

Thanks for reading, if you think I missed something please let me know at hello@rigz.io and I will check it out!

What is the best desk for gaming?

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 18:31:21 GMT

The best desk for gaming is one that provides you with the room to perform while being strong, hardwearing and affordable. There are no real killer features of a desk that will make you a better gamer. That said, there are some recommended avenues to explore, that can make your gaming experience, just that bit nicer.

Information

Space

The final frontier- No that’s something else, what I mean by this is you need room to manoeuvre when setting up your gaming desk- mousemats are getting bigger than ever, the Razer Goliathus, for example, is a whopping 36 inches long, which a few years ago, would have seemed crazy, but now it is normal and more and more brands are pumping out these bad boys, designed to accommodate both your mouse & keyboard.

So much room for activities

You also need space to ensure you can store all of your peripherals and accessories, if you think about a fully fleshed out PC build, you might have a mouse, keyboard, headphone dock, amplifier, speakers, lighting, maybe charging docks, this all needs a place to live, so unless your going for a super clean look & have gone down the minimal route, it’s going on your desk, so you don’t want to end up feeling cramped after you start growing your build!

Your also ultimately going to have to make some room to display a bit of personality, some sort of trinket will end up on your desk, I guarantee it. Mine is a Star Wars hologram light, and some little models of ships again from Star Wars, having room to add personality is important too.

Strong

A good desk is a strong one, in my IKEA countertop roundup, I talk about the differences between solid wood & particleboard, and that rings true here, can you use particleboard desks and be absolutely fine? Yes, totally- but can you reliably mount 3 screens to one of them, with a single mounting point in the centre of the desk, while spreading the weight between 2 drawers? I doubt it, well not in a way that I could sleep easy at night.

If you are doing this successfully, please let me know, hello@rigz.io, I would love to add your experiences to my article. If you want to read about the countertops, that is linked below.

Best IKEA countertop for a desk

In Desks By Kieron

IKEA offer a lot of countertops & worktops, but which should you use for your battlestation? Let’s run through them all and go over the pros and cons of each of them.

As well as the strength of the desk, you need to consider what the top is resting on, I am a fan of using drawers, as they will spread the load evenly across a larger area, and you get a tonne of storage, but you also sacrifice a large portion of leg space this way, my monstrous IKEA battlestation loses maybe 40% of its legroom, to drawers.

With a good set of strong legs, you would gain all that back, at the cost of storage of course, but point being, use something strong, metal or solid wood for the legs of your desk.

Affordability

Your desk should also be affordable, there’s some crazy expensive desks out there, I’m looking at you Thermaltake, but it doesn’t need to be this way, in fact I think 9/10 times you will save money by going the ‘piece of wood + some form of legs’ route, desks don’t need to be complicated, if your building a gaming desk you don’t need multi layered storage nooks for example, you just need a good strong surface.

So my recommendation to keep it affordable is to go down that route, find a nice top you like the look of, and just get it in the air with your leg medium of choice! For example, the IKEA particleboard collection is incredibly affordable, and then all you need to think about is the legs.

Features

There’s no killer feature that you need to look for in a gaming desk, the main thing is just make sure its big enough for your needs, look at the space you have available and get the biggest thing you can afford, that will fit in the space you are willing to give up for it- you will thank me down the line.

A headphone hook has been added to this desk

The beauty of a gaming desk is you can add the features you need. Need a headphone hook? Screw one onto your desk, same with cable management trays, you can simply add them to the underside of your desk, here’s a cheap one, for example, it just screws on to the underside, and you’re away.

I am a big advocate for simply buying a slab of wood, and chucking it on a form of legs because this way you can make it how you want, let’s take, for example, If you need a USB hub, you can attach it, but if you go prebuilt and some embedded USB hub breaks, your probably gonna have a bad time- but if you simply bought one and velcroed it to the front/underside, you can simply replace that part!

Conclusion

For the best gaming desk then, you need to look at the space you have available and get the biggest desk you can afford from the budget you’ve allocated to this project. You need to make sure it’s strong enough to take the load that you’ll be gathering on there, consider solid wood.

If at all possible, avoid prebuilt/flatpack desks with unique features, and just go the DIY route, and add those features in yourself. It’s definitely not as scary as it might seem. 🥳

If you think I missed something, please let me know at hello@rigz.io thanks for stopping by Rigz!

Best IKEA countertop for a desk

Sat, 19 Dec 2020 16:45:17 GMT

IKEA offer a lot of countertops & worktops, but which should you use for your battlestation? Let’s run through them all and go over the pros and cons of each of them.

Table of contents

Why use a worktop as a desk?
KARLBY
1. Oak
2. Walnut
LILLTRÄSK
EKBACKEN
1. Matt anthracite
2. Ash effect
PINNARP
1. Walnut
2. Ash
BARKABODA
SKOGSÅ
SKOGARP
Solid Wood vs Particleboard & Veneer
Conclusion

There are two worktops missing from this list, the HAMMARP & RÅSUNDA, one of which was the original star of my Ultimate IKEA Battlestation post, which you can find here if you wanted to read it.

So without further ado, I have 8 of the offerings here, and we’ll talk about each one, and then we can conclude where your money is best spent for building your own desk from an IKEA worktop/countertop!

Why use a worktop as a desk?

I know what you are thinking, arent these all kitchen countertops? I want to build a desk, not a kitchen. Well yeah, your right, however the solid wood offerings in this list are very robust, a great size, and very easy to finish, so they do make perfect desks!

You may even save some money if you go this route because you’ll have to figure out your own leg situation for the desk, however, I feel that just allows for more options- buying an off the shelf desk you are restricted to whatever that desk comes with, but by getting a worktop, you can put drawers under, you can put legs that match your decor- you can put one side of legs, and one side drawers, the possibilities are infinite!

Well maybe not infinite, but there’s a few that is for sure!

KARLBY

The KARLBY is first on our list here, it’s a particleboard and veneer combination, which helps save some costs, the veneer being a thicker than average layer, so you know that it’s going to hold up to most tasks for years.

I know that’s a kitchen pot, but just pretend its a keyboard.

The KARLBY is available at a size of 246×3.8cm or 186×3.8cm so it’s going to make a lovely large desk, which you’ll easily be able to fit all of your peripherals on. It comes with either an oak veneer, or a walnut one.

Oak

Walnut

Whether you go for oak or walnut, well that is down to preference really, seen as they are both just veneer, you can assume they’re probably as capable as one another.

Despite being a veneer, the thickness allows for sanding and refinishing if you so wish too, so you can keep it fresh for years to come when it’s looking a bit tired!

LILLTRÄSK

The LILLTRÄSK is a laminate & particleboard combination worktop, so the inner core is made from the same strong particleboard technique IKEA likely uses across their range, but the outer is equipped with a laminate, which means its spill-proof basically- but of course, you shouldn’t be eating/drinking at your battlestation.

Heh, that same pot/keyboard on the LILLTRASK here.

It comes in 3 different sizes and is absurdly cheap, the smallest, which obviously you’ll have to measure up and see if its suitable- comes in at just £23 at the time of writing!

You’ll also get side strips included, so if you do choose to cut it down to size, you can finish the edges to keep your battlestation looking clean.

EKBACKEN

The EKBACKEN comes in a couple different colours and sizes, and is another laminate/particleboard combo.

The ECKBACKEN in anthracite

There’s a few variations of the ECKBACKEN, its a little pricier than the LILLTRÄSK, and to be honest, I can’t really see why, but here are some examples

Matt anthracite

Ash effect

Again, very reasonably priced, but remember, its not solid internally, so make sure you fully examine your use case and think through your implementation, to make sure your not going to put too much stress on this worktop.

PINNARP

The PINNARP comes as a particleboard/veneer combo, like the previous entries, however, comes with the choice of either walnut or ash veneer, again it’s a nice thick layer that IKEA prides themselves on, so you can refinish it, (albeit probably not hundreds of times) to your hearts content if you start noticing wear spots.

Pinnarp looks great in walnut

So as mentioned, ash or walnut, personally i like the walnut for this, it looks great in the pictures, and im sure it looks better in person.

Walnut

Ash

BARKABODA

Despite being a veneer/particleboard item, the BARKABODA is one of my favourites in this list, firstly for its awesome name, and secondly for the grain, its beautiful!

Beautiful grain design on the BARKABODA

This grain is very unique and definitely going to make a strong statement with your rig placed on top of it! the BARKABODA comes in a couple of standard sizes which you can see below.

SKOGSÅ

If you’ve ever fancied a desk made from butcherblock, this is about as close as your going to get in particleboard form, with IKEAs standard thick veneer its going to feel the part too, and what a great grain the SKOGSÅ has.

Butcherblock Computer Desk anyone?

It is a pricey piece, but it does look the part, here are the sizes available.

SKOGARP

This right here is the big beefy boy, it’s actually (disappointingly) the only solid wood offering that IKEA has right now, let’s hope that isn’t a sign of things to come.

It comes in oak, beech, or birch, and every single one is going to be a little bit unique, because of the grains, so whilst being incredibly hard-wearing, you’re going to get a unique and beautiful piece of wood for your battlestation.

SKOGARP has a great grain!

Pricing naturally for this is more than our other contestants, and its also custom made on request, which does make me wonder if they are being phased out, given we have already seen the demise of the previous offerings such as the HAMMARP and the RÅSUNDA.

Personally im a fan of the Oak board, but here are all three so you can make your own mind up.

Solid Wood vs Particleboard & Veneer

Its no secret that solid wood is better for our use case, i mean why wouldn’t it be- the only reason I can think of someone ruling out solid wood in favor of particle board is either for monetary reasons, which is fair enough, or for weight reasons, but ease of transportation seems a bit silly when it comes to something like this, your not taking it to a LAN party.

So, if you can afford it, go for solid wood, it’s a no brainer. It’s stronger and more resilient, you can refinish it a significant amount more than you can the veneer offerings, even if IKEA say they are extra thick, and they’re heavy and chunky, so you know it isn’t going to slip on you.

It’s not to say that particleboard is bad, it isn’t, its surprisingly strong, and you’d also be doing your bit for the environment, and IKEA still rates them for 25 years, which means it will still be there for every single one of the 25 yearly battlestation builds you assemble, because you have a problem.

From the same amount of wood needed to make one solid worktop, it’s possible to produce five thick veneer worktops.
Johnny Rietz – IKEA

But that being said, would I take my particleboard/veneer desk, clamp a monitor mount too it, and add multiple screens, eh, I dont think that I would, sure you could add an additional leg for stability, but then youve got a leg right where you want your own legs to go, solid wood solves this issue.

So solid wood > particleboard.

Conclusion

If solid wood is your bag, naturally I can only recommend the SKOGARP from the IKEA range, because it is the only solid wood worktop they offer, however, if your leaning to particleboard, for me I am a fan of the KARLBY or the BARKABODA, I think they have great grains and textures, and you’re getting a great price.

If your looking to cable manage your new countertop, check out my tips below.

Ultimate Cable Management guide for your Battlestation/PC

In Accessories By Kieron

Well, thanks for reading! If you think I’ve missed something, do let me know by emailing hello@rigz.io!

Ultimate Alienware Battlestation

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 19:18:13 GMT

What would the ultimate Alienware gaming setup consist of? Just how far can you go with Alienware alone? Is Alienware worth it?

These are all questions I aim to answer in this article, and more hopefully!

Information

Table of contents

About Alienware
Alienware RGB
Alienware SLI
Halloween Themed Alienware Setup
Triple Alienware Monitors
Are Alienware gaming PCs good for gaming?
Alienware Laptop Setup
1. Alienware M17 R3
2. Area 51M CPU Upgrade
Is Alienware worth the money?
Is Alienware only for gaming?
Conclusion

About Alienware

Now Alienware have been in the game a long time, over 20 years, in fact, specifically, they were founded in 1996, this isn’t going to be a history lesson, but I just wanted to highlight the cool bits for you, Dell acquired them in 2006 but had supposedly been thinking about it since 2002, in other words, Dell were keen.

When I think of Alienware however, my brain does dart back a while, to a time much different to today, where, to be fair, a lot of things in the PC world, looked quite odd.

Alienware RGB

Lets take a look at ridindrrtay’s Alienware setup here, the synchronized RGB standing right at the forefront, featuring a good few of the desirable Alienware components, check out the image below, see if you can spot them all. (see, were interactive here)

ridindrrtay’s Alienware Setup!

The obvious starting point here is the tower, sitting subtly in the corner, well its an Alienware Aurora R11 Gaming Desktop, this one is kitted out with an Intel i7-10700KF, for gaming, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB GDDR6, this PC is naturally running windows, from a 512GB SSD + 1TB SATA HDD, all chugging along with 16GB DDR4 RAM.

For your ocular pleasure, our fine specimen has chosen to use 2x Alienware 27inch Gaming Monitor‘s, I believe they are the AW2720HF, consisting of FHD IPS LED Edgelight Full HD 1920 X 1080 resolution and an eye-blistering 240Hz refresh rate.

If that isn’t enough for you, there now exists the Alienware AW3420DW Curved, which comes in at a whopping 34 inches, with a WQHD 3440 X 1440 resolution, however, you’d have to go down to 120Hz (what a shame). Still, I bet its a great display.

As you can imagine, the Alienware fanfare continues into the keyboard and mouse department, with an Alienware Low-Profile RGB Gaming Keyboard, specifically, the AW510K, which does include Cherry MX keys, so you know you’re getting that good stuff.

Paired then, with an Alienware Gaming Mouse 610M-Light which looks a great mouse with 16K DPI, so definitely keeping up with all the other market leaders in that department.

It wouldn’t be a complete setup without a headset, and it wouldn’t be an Alienware setup if it wasn’t using the Alienware AW988, which is a 7.1 Surround Sound capable unit, with RGB, and the AlienFX Noise-Cancelling microphone!

Which means, we have almost got a winner of Alienware bingo, a setup including an Alienware monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset, and tower! But the chair is missing, so no trophy I am afraid to say.

Note: Alienware Bingo, is not yet a real thing. 😞

Alienware SLI

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any cooler, we bring SLI into the equation, thanks to monahan9 for allowing us to use these pictures of his setup.

This machine comprises of an Intel i9-10900kf (w/ Alienware liquid cooling) 3.7-5.3GHz, currently running @ 4.9GHz, 64 GB HyperX 3200mhz RAM, 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD & a 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6GB/s HDD, and here is the kicker: 2x NVIDIA 2080 Super (SLI). The setup also includes the S5000 Gaming Chair by, you guessed it, Alienware.

Sweet Sweet SLI

I asked monahan9 what they’re favorite component to the setup is, I think mine would be the tower!

This has got to be the aw3420dw monitor. After gaming on my Alienware pc with a 1440p monitor, going back to gaming on PS4 Pro on a 4K TV feels like going from PS5 to Sega Dreamcast (which was my all time favorite console, mind you).
The colors are so crisp, the movement is smooth, not to mention getting 120 FPS on Destiny, it feels like a true ‘next gen’ upgrade.
Monahan9’s favorite piece

We can definitely appreciate that, and it helps that the Alienware monitor looks awesome straight out of the box, and really matches the entire aesthetic of the brand.

I asked the same question, “why Alienware?” and they had the below to say, which is actually again similar to everyone else- it seems Alienware is the brand that people discover

Alienware is the first gaming PC brand that I became familiar with. Buying one has been a goal of mine for as long as I can remember, but a combination of not having the money or space for a PC prevented it.
monahan9 on “why Alienware?”

Of course, the battlestation way, there is always more to come!

I have a 2019 MBP that may be swapped out for an Area-51M R2 at some point. But other than that I’m extremely happy with my setup.
It’s truly never ending.

But the main thing is, I think we have achieved Alienware bingo! Chair, Keyboard, Mouse, Tower, and monitor! If the desired upgrade for the Macbook is achieved, then that is bingo++ as far as I am concerned!

Halloween Themed Alienware Setup

Next we take a look at this Halloween themed setup, by Danny T, making terrific use of a projector to add some drama to the room!

Danny T’s Spooky Halloween Setup

It’s an Alienware Aurora R10, featuring an AMD Radeon 5700xt, AMD Ryzen 3900 which is being liquid-cooled, 16GB 2993 ddr4 HyperX dual-channel memory, a 250GB boot SSD and a 2TB HDD for the games, and an Alienware aw3418dw as the primary monitor!

Those cables I can see though, we need to fix those Danny! Why not check out this article on cable management here on Rigz.

Ultimate Cable Management guide for your Battlestation/PC

In Accessories By Kieron

I asked Danny T what drew them to Alienware in the first place.

I chose Alienware because I wanted to get into pc gaming but didn’t have the time or the nerves to build my first pc just yet. I also really liked the styling and unique looks Alienware offered
Danny T on “So why Alienware?”

This for me is the biggest benefit to a pre-built! That peace of mind that you don’t have to worry about it, but over time you may think “Oh ill upgrade my storage” and your pre-built can help you understand how all of those components go together.

Here’s a couple shots of Danny’s setup, when it isn’t Halloween

I asked what their favorite piece of Alienware they own is, and what they aspire to own next by them!

My favorite piece of Alienware is definitely the monitor it is amazing for ultra-wide 3440×1440 gaming! The keyboard is a very close second. And finally, if I were to get another piece of Alienware equipment it’d be the new monitors they have, but with a discount because again they are definitely a little overpriced!
Danny T on their favorite component

On the subject of pricing, which I will cover down below, as there is a bit more to be said on Alienware pricing, but Danny T had this to say:

I paid roughly $1650 for it back in June and it’s prebuilt so it’s probably a little more pricey than the sum of its parts but not by much when I went on part picker before I purchased back then.
Danny T on purchasing their pride and joy

Triple Alienware Monitors

WeeklyCheesecake6’s Triple Alienware Monitors

Here we have Triple AW2518HF monitors, all mounted on a single desk mounted stand, which really helps to clean up a desk, you never think your monitor stands are taking up much room until you don’t have them anymore, trust me! Thanks for letting us feature your monitors, Weekly C heesecake6!

If you still don’t believe me, check out this wall mounted battlestation post here on Rigz, and you’ll start to get an idea of how clean life is, without monitor stands.

The rig in question here isn’t in fact an Alienware unit, however it is still pretty epic, consisting of EVGA 2080ti XC Ultra, 32gb RAM, and a monstrous Ryzen 9 3900X!

Wall Mounted Battlestation Inspiration

In Get Inspired By Kieron

Are you looking for wall mounted battlestation ideas? Ive rounded up my favorites over the last couple months, and will be running through them below, with some key details.

Are Alienware gaming PCs good for gaming?

Fundamentally, this is an easy question to answer, with that being yes- you can spec them out to the high heavens, and get them on par with that custom build you were going to do for example, so if we don’t bring value into the equation, this isn’t too difficult a question after-all, you get a bunch of high-end components and a capable GPU, you’re going to have a great time gaming on your Alienware PC, and there is no doubt, the cases look great!

Alienware Laptop Setup

They’re not all towers, because the Alienware laptops are so bold & powerful, they too can take center stage when it comes to your battlestation.

Alienware M17 R3

If laptops are your thing, have you seen the Alienware M17 R3, this one linked has a 300hz screen! Check out this sweet Alienware laptop setup, which was all setup because the need arose for a gaming laptop in order to be present with his family while they are doing something else, which is great!

Looks a great portable Alienware setup!

This one is an Alienware m17 R3 i7-10750H, with 32GB DDR4 2666MHz memory, an NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB GDDR6, the screen on this one is a 17.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) 144Hz display, with 1TB (2x 512 PCIe M.2 SSD) running in RAID0, and to top it all off, oktoberrust11 opted for the Alienware AlienFX RGB keyboard, which looks great!

Actually this was my first Alienware purchase. I considered a couple of other brands, but Alienware is a product I’ve always longed after, and I’m now in a position where I can get one. And there is still a “coolness” factor with their products.
oktoberrust11 telling us a little bit about why they chose Alienware

I feel the same way described here, growing up Alienware was always just out of reach and became an almost unattainable piece of treasure, with their obnoxious Lamborghini styling and lighting.

I asked oktoberrust11 what they’re favorite piece of the setup was, and without surprise, they had this to say

Well gotta be my laptop, m17 r3. It can handle anything I throw at it.
oktoberrust11’s favourite part of his Alienware setup

In hindsight, what else would it be! The M17 is definitely a beast, and really looks the part.

Area 51M CPU Upgrade

Lets take a look at another absolutely smashing Alienware laptop setup, now, we have a setup from Luis G, who had a similar sentiment when I asked “why Alienware“, and it really does seem like a recurring theme that we see these when we are young, and we yearn for them until we can get them!

To be honest just like the technology when they started in the late 90’s however at that point as a teenager I wasn’t capable to afford it, now.. I finally can…… and since I needed a mobile/desktop replacement, Alienware was one of the brands with the specs that I needed, and that teenager inside me can be happy as well.
Luis G on Why Alienware?

We all have a favourite piece of equipment, and it seems the Alienware AW34 monitor is definitely a piece worth looking into!

That’s a difficult question, probably it would be my Area 51m R1, but on a close call, I love the monitor (34 inch-ultrawide) and also the chair (and that’s coming from a DX Razer one), but I had massive fun changing the original CPU of my Area 51m which was the i7-8700 to a unsupported by Alienware/Dell i9-9900KS running at 5.1 GHZ on normal load
Luis G on his favourite item.

Changing the internals on a laptop can be a tricky task, with lots of internals being developed specifically for that one machine, however Luis G has even undergone a CPU upgrade on his Area 51M Laptop, from a i7-8700 to a monstrous i9-9900KS!

Sweet sweet RGB!

In traditional Rigz fashion, I asked what was next, for this epic Alienware laptop setup.

I am interesting in getting the Alienware chair full RGB which is an add on to the chair and doesn’t come included in the package, and maybe a travel bag for it, since I am using one that is already 8 years old. On regards non-Alienware parts that I am looking for, if I have luck finding a 3080 RTX Founders Edition, I am hunting for one, as well some components to max out the RAM and more storage
Whats next for Luis G

Is Alienware worth the money?

This really depends on your own personal situation, if your looking for a killer setup and you know how to pick the right parts for your needs using the Alienware builder on the website, and you value the support & warranty you’re going to get conveniently all from one place, then sure, the 10-30% ‘pre-built-tax’ may be worth it to you! Definitely don’t count them out.

Danny T summed it up nicely when I asked for their thoughts on Alienware pricing.

I definitely agree Alienware is overpriced but they always have discounts available so as long as you’re able to find them the price is more competitive. Especially since you get everything built and shipped ready to unpack and go. There’s a convenience and comfort that I should receive it perfectly built and not have to worry about it having any mishaps.
Danny T on Alienware pricing

oktoberrust11, who’s laptop is featured on this post, finds Alienware pricing quite reasonable when you really get down to the details, which is encouraging to hear!

From my research, when you really compare spec for spec and match up to what you’re getting, pricing is pretty comparable to other brands.
oktoberrust11 on Alienware pricing

I think its safe to say across the board, that opinions are fairly similar, monahan9 had this to say on the pricing

Yes and no. In truth, it depends. Mainly on the experience someone is looking for when purchasing, as well as how the pricing is being compared.
Take cars for example, there are millions of people who love working on their own vehicles. Tuning, building the engine, installing a more aggressive suspension or a turbo gives many people a sense of pride and accomplishment for doing it on their own. A sense of pride not reached if bought, rather than built.
I wholeheartedly agree with this method of thinking, but personally it came down to longevity, having a warranty, and being able to send it back to Dell for upgrades.

When compared to building your own, Alienware is definitely more expensive. However when compared to other boutique gaming pc builders, Alienware is closer to the mid-bottom of the pack. Falcon Northwest, Digital Storm, and Origin all make excellent PC’s, but are all more expensive than Alienware.
Monahan9 on Alienware Pricing

Generally, I think everyone can agree that the pricing is largely offset by the convenience and security aspect, how much do you value your own time building the machine and diagnosing issues (if ever they come)?

Or would you prefer to just fallback on the manufacturer here- sure you can do that with each individual component on a custom build, but then your managing 5-10 different warranties, so again, it comes to your preference in the end.

Lets take a look at another take on Alienware Pricing, this time from Luis G, who believes its very important to draw a fair comparison, when you make one.

To be completely fair, it does depend on what you compare it too, most of us, compare directly their laptops to a custom desktop PC, and to be fair, at that point it could be more expensive, however we are not comparing apples to apples, if you compare to the other brands like Razer, ROG and even Falcon Northwest, the price it’s about the same, and Dell most of the time offers discounts and coupons as well their outlet store, on the Alienware desktops vs a custom built PC, definitely I would built my own
Luis G on Alienware Pricing

Awesome stuff!

Is Alienware only for gaming?

Though they are marketed as absolute gaming machines, this works in your advantage when it comes to just about any other daily-life task! By including high-quality components such as lots of memory, a good GPU & CPU, you can rest assured that everything that is ‘less than’ gaming, such as browsing the web, or doing homework, is going to be easy work for your Alienware machine!

So in short, no absolutely not, your new Alienware machine can do much more than play games, but it is going to do that pretty well too!

Conclusion

So there you have it, a few looks into the world of Alienware, and some of its offerings, its clear that Alienware users are a proud and passionate bunch, more than suitably placed within the PCMR- and why wouldn’t they be, we have seen above some absolute monster battlestations, which I would be proud to call my own.

Maybe your next component will be an Alienware one- if you think you’ve got some special Alienware that needs sharing, why not send it over to hello@rigz.io and we may feature it on this post!

As always, it has been a pleasure, why not share the article with a friend if you enjoyed it.

Check out the ultimate Alienware battlestation on rigz.io

Can Gaming PCs be used for other things?

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 18:27:07 GMT

Picture this, you buy all your components of choice, and laboriously put them together, install your OS and fire that bad boy up, and rejoice as you play the latest titles on Ultra graphics, with absolutely no sacrifices, but then you ask yourself, what else can I do with this thing? Am I trapped to an eternity of glorious PC gaming?

I know what your thinking, what a problem to have? Well- no probably not that, but ultimately, it can do many things! Let’s outline the details for our prospective PC Master Race recruits- this might seem an obvious question for some, but remember, we are all learning at some point.

Entertainment

Since gaming computers have advanced video cards and powerful processing units, you will find they work well for your entertainment needs. You can stream live music or sporting events from your gaming PC. You can use your gaming PC for YouTube, Netflix, and any other streaming service you’d access via a regular computer.

Not only will your gaming PC play music for you, but it will also help you create music. You can write, produce, and record original songs or covers of old favourites using the right programs. Even if you don’t play an instrument, your gaming computer is all you need, as many of these programs can accompany you.

Business

If you are a work hard, play hard subscriber, you’ll be pleased to know you can trust your gaming PC with all your business needs. You can check email, sure, but if you need to access large spreadsheets, use a word processor, or shared files for collaboration, your gaming PC is up for the challenge for even the most complex tasks.

Communication

Your gaming PC will not only allow you to communicate with and compete against other video game enthusiasts all over the world, but it will also allow you to connect with others, both personally and professionally, in a wide variety of ways.

You can perform the most simple tasks like sending and receiving emails, and following friends, family members, and work associates on social platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. You can also host small or large group gatherings using video chat applications like Skype or Zoom.

Regardless of your platform, your gaming PC makes communication easy and will meet your communication needs.

Photo and Video Editing

The strong processor, advanced graphics card, and high RAM will come in handy if you use your gaming PC for video or photo editing. Photo and video editing can tax your computer’s hardware resources much as gaming does, so you’ll appreciate the difference between a regular computer and a gaming computer if you expect to do photo and video editing.

A gaming computer can also outperform a more typical computer in the area of graphic design. Like gaming requires a computer that processes high-level graphics and performs complex operations, a graphic designer needs those same features. If your computer’s GPU, CPU, and RAM can handle gaming, odds are it can take on graphic design, too.

Can you use a gaming PC for school work?

More and more, schools are using complex and interactive platforms to educate students. Your gaming PC will work well to conduct research, design presentations, compose papers, complete projects, and protect your work by backing up to the cloud.

It will also support virtual learning by accomodating any video chat or virtual group gathering platform, making it an outstanding virtual classroom for you or any student in your home.

While, for most, schoolwork won’t require the same powerful additions to your system that gaming does, there is certainly no need to have a regular computer for school work if you have a gaming PC because it will more than meet your needs.

Buying and Selling

Just like on a standard computer, you can use your gaming computer for all sorts of buying and selling. You can purchase nearly anything online, from your weekly grocery order to a new car or a home building kit. You can shop from the major retailers, small Etsy shops, or the most well-known sites like Amazon or eBay.

If you can buy it online, the odds are good you can sell it online. Sites like Zillow can help you sell your home. Facebook Marketplace and Craigs List can help you sell your car, furniture, or even your used clothing items.

Buying and selling online can be done efficiently on your gaming PC, adding just one more practical use of your system.

Computer Programming

The same enhanced features that make gaming computers great for gaming also make them well suited for computer programming. If you’re developing a video game, you’ll need to be able to run the game on a gaming computer to ensure all runs properly and to be able to test code changes right away.

While you’ll need specific software for programming, the hardware on your gaming PC will serve you well for any coding you might want to do.

Making Money

Since your gaming PC has all the basic features of a regular computer and then some, you can certainly use it for work in a traditional way. You can also earn money in more non-traditional and creative ways, either as a side hustle to supplement your income or as your full-time job.

For example, you can become a YouTube personality, an app creator, a virtual assistant, a freelance writer, or a blogger. You can blog about anything you have interest and expertise in and monetize your blog in many ways.

In Conclusion

This list covers just a small number of the ways you can utilize your gaming PC for purposes outside of gaming. While you will pay more money for a gaming computer than a general-use computer, you will be able to use your gaming PC to meet all your computing needs.

The more robust CPU, more powerful video card, and increased RAM will ensure your gaming PC is up to any job. There’s no reason to feel you need one PC for gaming only and another for general use.

Your gaming PC will work well for all your business, school, communication, shopping, and entertainment needs.

Gaming Gimmicks – Are Any Gaming Accessories ACTUALLY Worth Owning

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 10:36:11 GMT

The PC gaming industry doesn’t revolve solely around processors, graphics cards, tricked out towers, and RGB lighting.

No, there’s an entire cottage industry of “gaming gimmicks” that gaming enthusiasts spend billions of their hard earned monies on annually that has nothing to do with the hardware that lets you gain in the first place.

Table of contents

Gaming Peripherals
Gaming Monitors
Gaming Chairs
Gaming Glasses
Gaming Drinks
Closing Thoughts

Information

We are talking about gaming peripherals, gaming monitors, gaming chairs, and even things like gaming glasses and gaming energy drinks.

If a company can promise that it’ll help you dominate the online competition or game more comfortably for hours on end you can be sure that someone out there is making, advertising, and selling it!

Truth be told, some of these gaming gimmicks are actually worth owning.

Some of them are 100% legitimate, actually, boost your gaming experience, and will make life as a dedicated PC gamer a whole lot more comfortable. Other gaming gimmicks are decidedly less effective, products pitched to enthusiastic and dedicated fellow elites with a bit of disposable income that wants to pour it into their favorite hobby.

Below we dig a little deeper into the gaming gimmicks worth owning and highlight a couple you’ll probably want to steer clear of.

Let’s jump right in!

Gaming Peripherals

Sometimes gaming peripherals get lumped in with gaming hardware, and it’s not hard to understand why.

Almost as important as your graphics card, processor, and blazing fast memory, you’re going to need keyboards and mice to play your favorite games – and peripherals that are tuned with gaming in mind definitely offer an advantage over more generic options.

Overwatch by Florian Olivo

Some gaming mice and keyboards, for example, offer you a world of customization that traditional peripherals don’t.

You’ll be able to set up macros, reprogram different buttons, and find options that are tuned with speed and accuracy in mind compared to more office focused choices for sure. These are all gaming gimmicks worth spending a bit of extra money on.

On the subject of keyboards, check out our article on some of the best wireless mechanical keyboards.

Best Wireless Mechanical Keyboards

In Accessories By Kieron

When I finished my analysis on my favorite wireless mice, it felt like the natural thing to do next, was cover the keyboards, because when you’ve eliminated that mouse cable, the keyboard cable is your next enemy, and my favorite variety: the mechanical kind, so here we are.

Gaming headsets are another accessories/peripheral that you want to invest in.

Sound is a huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to the overall experience of gaming these days, particularly if you are playing even halfway competitive online against other players.

Great speakers offer fantastic ambient sound and background noise but nothing beats being able to hear opponents footsteps in the distance with crystal clarity the way you can with headphones. Get a good set and you’ll be good to go.

If you’re going to stream a decent webcam isn’t a bad investment, and monster sized gaming pads that take up your entire desk guarantee that your mouse is as precision accurate as possible no matter where or how quickly you move it.

These are the peripherals you’ll want to focus in on for sure.

Gaming Monitors

Gaming monitors aren’t gimmicky at all and should be one of the main areas that you focus your budget on straight out of the gate.

High quality gaming monitors are available in a variety of different resolutions, ranging from 1080p to 1440p and 4K (with 8K resolutions just over the horizon). You’ll get stunning graphical fidelity out of these monitors but you’ll also get picture-perfect resolutions that make your gaming sessions more accurate, too.

One good example would be the ASUS TUF Gaming VG32VQ1B

Combine that with super smooth motion frame rates when you bump things up from the standard 60 Hz nontraditional monitors to 144 Hz or even 240 Hz and all of a sudden your games are running even better than they ever did before.

These smooth motion frame rates guarantee smoother animations, more fluid motion, and a decided advantage for competitive players using them compared to those stuck on slower refresh rates.

Some new monitors are being built with adaptive synchronization technology built right in, too.

These kinds of monitors are very gaming focused, engineered to work well with AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards, and can unleash even better graphical fidelity and smoother gaming experiences than more generic monitors could.

IPS panel technology is another key component you’ll want your new gaming monitors a focus on. Make sure that you spring for that type of panel and you’ll love the way your games look from here on out.

Gaming Chairs

The right gaming chair guarantees that your gaming sessions are a whole lot more comfortable than they ever would have been a standard office chair or (even worse) a folding aluminum or kitchen chair you pulled in from another room.

All in a row

Gaming chairs are designed with ergonomics in mind above all else, offering plenty of support for long gaming sessions. These kinds of chairs are a dream to sit in for extended amount of time, something that’s next to impossible to pull off any more traditional chair set up.

Here is a cool GTMonster gaming chair on Amazon, or check out the mighty Noble Chairs on Overclockers here.

On top of that, good gaming chairs usually have temperature control materials that avoid you getting uncomfortable, too. Even leather gaming chairs usually have perforated materials to help you avoid overheating when you are parked in front of your rig during marathon rounds.

Gaming Glasses

The jury is still out on the overall effectiveness of gaming glasses, but the science is definitely there to show that monitors put out harmful blue light that does a number on our eyesight with a lot of overexposure.

Gamer Glasses with the traditional blue light filter

Certain gaming glasses (especially ones that look like traditional shooting glasses) are engineered to block the damaging blue light without impairing the overall gaming experience. Some glasses do a better job than others – just as some are more comfortable than others – so you may want to experiment with these gimmicky gaming accessories.

If you want to check some out, here are some Gunnar glasses.

Don’t spend a mountain of money on these kinds of accessories, though. Like we highlighted a moment ago the sciences isn’t settled just yet regarding how effective these glasses are (or aren’t).

Gaming Drinks

There are a lot of brands in the energy drink world that bill themselves as gaming focus, and some of these drinks actually taste pretty good and will definitely give you a little more pep in your step than you would have had otherwise.

GFuel Energy

At the same time, a lot of gaming energy drinks out there are little more than caffeine and sugar bombs.

Check out some G Fuel, like pictured above here.

Sure, they will pick you up in a hurry but you’ll be guaranteed a massive crash in an hour or so.

Sometimes the crash leaves you feeling even more wiped out than you did before you popped the top on one of those drinks, too.

Truth be told, you’re probably better off drinking a cup of coffee, keeping hydrated with plenty of water, or making a glass of energizing tea than flooding your body with all that sugar and caffeine. But if you like these drinks you like these drinks, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

Closing Thoughts

At the end of the day, if you’re looking to spend good money on gaming gimmicks and aren’t sure where to focus it you’ll get the most bang for your buck with:

Gaming focuses keyboards and mice
Gaming focused headsets
Gaming chairs

Gaming glasses and gaming energy drinks are (usually) a waste of time and money. But if you’ve got disposable income burning a hole in your pocket and want to spring for either of these they’re not going to really hurt your gaming experiences either.

Hopefully, this guide helps you navigate the almost endless amount of gaming gimmicks out there today!

The Ultimate guide to Battlestation lighting & RGB

Wed, 27 May 2020 20:00:00 GMT

Lighting can be one of the most important parts of your Battlestation or gaming desk, and when used intelligently it can create astonishing results. Transforming the mood of a room completely, often at the touch of a button.

So how do you light up your Battlestation? What are the best products for lighting up your battlestation or gaming room? I aim to answer all of that and more in this article.

Table of contents

LED Strips
Nanoleaf
Smart Lighting
1. Philips Hue
  1. Sync Tool
2. LIFX
RGB Desk
RGB Software
RGB Peripherals
Coordinate
1. Colour Scheme
2. Wallpaper
Too much of a good thing
Your Precious Vision
Conclusion
1. Have I forgotten something?

Information

LED Strips

These are going to be a staple piece in your battle against the darkness, you will likely adorn most surfaces with LED strips as you build on the lighting for your battlestation, there are different levels you can go down, depending on your preference, at drastically different price points, however also with different feature sets that you may find more useful than others.

There are flexible LED strips, rigid ones too, there is RGB, and then there is single coloured, it depends on your needs.

Something like this is relatively inexpensive, and plenty long enough to loop around the base of your desk for example, and it’s probably going to be fine- that is to say, it’s definitely going to provide you with some great RGB under-glow, but keep in mind you’re likely always going to be forgetting to turn it on or turn it off, you can’t typically store profiles in this type of product.

A cookie-cutter example of most cheap RGB strips

You get the idea- it’s going to work, but that’s about it. Then you get something like Hue here, as you can see, the price.. yikes- but with this comes the power of smart lighting, you now have access to profiles, voice control, and much more. You can have your under-glow lights come on when the main room light is turned on for example, which is down to you to decide how much it’s worth to you.

Nanoleaf

This wouldn’t be a post on battlestation lighting if I didn’t mention the Nanoleaf, it’s a very popular product, and with good reason, they are one of the best at what they do, and the battlestation community knows it.

Coordination is key, but more on that later.

So what are they? Well, simply put they are hexagonal panels that light up, and you can link multiple amounts of them together and create any design or layout that you like, achieving a beautiful effect, as near as damn-it to flat on the wall.

When you begin to delve into controlling the Nanoleaf’s and aligning them to the rest of your build, you can see how they can transform a room, lighting up areas you previously considered impossible to illuminate!

There are also touch-sensitive actions you can incorporate into your Nanoleaf, so you could find yourself playing Simon Says, with your wall, if you wanted too. (does sound quite cool actually)

Here are some of the other Nanoleaf setups we have featured in the past. (yes that is a wall of Nanoleaf, and yes it was expensive)

You can find the starter kit on Amazon here, unfortunately, the pricing of the Nanoleaf is not for the faint of heart, and you’ll only really see them in the setups where people want to take their setup to the next level, however when you consider the workmanship involved, it’s a fair price.

There are also other brands popping up here and there, like Yescom with their tabletop variant of the Nanoleaf. Or, if you’d rather not spend money on something like this, you can do as btodalee did, and slap some paper on there.

It’s art!

Smart Lighting

One thing to consider here is your existing Smart Device ecosystem, are you already a Hue-House? Well, your best bet is going to be to continue that way, otherwise, you’re going to need an extra app for that one bulb! Consider the ecosystem when getting stuck into this, both Hue and LIFX for example, do bulbs of many sizes, and LED strips, though this might not be the case with other brands.

There are, naturally more than just Hue and LIFX to this industry, but these are the two I have had exposure, for what it’s worth before I knew about LIFX, I went with Hue, and have been happy with my choice, for the most part, the price can be a bitter pill to swallow sometimes, but the product is robust and reliable.

Philips Hue

I won’t teach you how to suck eggs here, everyone knows about Philips Hue, smart lighting has taken our homes by storm recently, we turn on our lights with our voices now. But did you know you can extend this functionality from just the simple light above your head in the centre of the room right throughout your battlestation, across your desk, and even inside your PC!

I think it is worth mentioning that Hue is still leading the way in out-pricing everyone else, but they do come with an assured level of quality too, and the hub functionality is next level when you compare it to the competition.

Sync Tool

The Hue Sync tool can (as you’d expect) sync up your existing Hue lights, with what is occurring on the screen, so for example if you had an RGB strip illuminating behind your desk, and you are playing a game which is flashing through different colours due to in-game action, well your lights become an extension of your screen.

Engulfed in flames? Well, you’re going to get a beautiful orange haze around your screen, as your character burns to death.

You can find more information about that here.

LIFX

Arguably the biggest competitor to the Philips Hue series and they do come in cheaper, the main difference is going to be the lack of a hub- which might not seem like much but there are benefits to maintaining all your bulbs through one device, instead of one at a time, but they are a valid option for sure!

Here is an example of one, the LIFX BR30, which would do everything you need it to in this kind of application.

RGB Desk

I have to admit, I did not know that RGB Desks were a thing, but Thermaltake made an RGB desk, which initially does seem crazy, however, I suppose it is only like having a large RGB mouse mat, more on that later though.

Admittedly, I don’t know how ‘available’ this product is, even the website is pretty sparse with information, but it is an interesting concept if nothing else, and something that I am sure we will see more of in the future- for now though, you’re probably better off getting a large RGB mouse mat.

RGB Software

So you’ve bought yourself some RGB components, well how do you control what’s going on with them? Why you download the corresponding RGB software of course- this is a tricky area.

It is not as if you can choose your RGB software (but that would be pretty cool- I doubt the manufacturers will standardize anytime soon though), so your choice is most likely made for you purely as a result of choosing your hardware- which I think is probably for the best.

The good news is, none of them is awful, and they all achieve their purpose, I’m not saying this is a comprehensive list of all of them either- just the ones I am aware of

Corsair iCUE

I don’t know what it is about Corsairs offering, it is very good, and it’s probably the most popular one available, but it’s very complicated too, though it has a steep learning curve, so you may find yourself hitting your head against your desk for a bit, but after it clicks in your head, you’re golden.

Download/Info

MSI Mystic Light

As you would expect, the Mystic Link software allows you to control all of your MSI products, including their lighting, a unique component it does offer, however, is direct compatibility with both Hue and Nanoleaf, so you would be able to get all 3 talking with relative ease!

Download/Info

SteelSeries Engine

I have to commend SteelSeries on their offering, it’s clear that effort has been placed into making the software fast and easy to use. It’s going to work with all your recent purchases from SteelSeries, and give you different configuration options depending on the device.

Download/Info

NZXT CAM

The CAM app is ‘sold’ as the last utility app you will ever download, as it is jam-packed with features over and above simple RGB control. It used to get a bad reputation for not being the most stable, but I believe those issues have since been ironed out.

All in all this application is unique in that it’s hardware agnostic- it will report on a lot of your system information even if it isn’t NZXT, so that might be useful to you, as you won’t need to load an additional system monitor on.

Download/Info

Razer CHROMA STUDIO

Razer Chroma Studio, as with the rest of this software, gathers all of your Chroma pieces and lets you adjust the lighting and functionality within them. One of its great features is allowing you to represent your hardware virtually on the screen, for easier management and profile tweaking.

Download/Info

RGB Peripherals

Mouse mat

There is something very alluring about the RGB mouse mat, for example, take the SteelSeries mat from their Neon Rider collection, you can find more info here. Thanks to relodebell for this picture of his, look how great the Neon Rider looks! There is also a plain version available here, but who wants that when Neon Rider is available?!

Corsair also has an RGB mouse mat, the MM800, which is not limited edition as the SteelSeries offering is, however, it is a bit more subdued, which may be perfect for illuminating the edges of your battlestation!

ASUS’ offering comes from their ROG line, and it too is a great looking mat, you can see that here on Overclockers, or Amazon, featuring 15 zone RGB and even a pass-through port, so a pretty good choice!

Headphone Stands

Corsair has a relevant product here, the ST100, it’s a weighted & nifty little headphone stand, with an RGB base, and this is another one of those things where if a couple of years ago you said, “RGB headset stand”, then I would have definitely laughed at you, but here we are, and I must admit, it is just another area where you can place a subtle glow, and it really can amplify the corner of a desk for example.

Here is 10onthespectrum’s ST100 on his desk, you can see the subtle glow, but also how it works well with the other blue accents going on behind the monitors!

Corsair ST100

Speakers

The Razer Nommos is an RGB speaker, I am not going to focus on the speaker aspect, but more so, the RGB! Now these function much in the same way as Corsairs stand, you get a small ribbon of RGB that runs around the base of the unit and can be controlled with the Razor software covered earlier.

Check out this setup by Josh & Becky, with a great dual battlestation, featuring not one, but two sets of the aforementioned Nommos! You can see the subtle yet effective light bleeding from the base of the speakers.

His & Hers, epic!

You can view more about the Nommos, such as current pricing, on Amazon.

Coordinate

It can be tempting to go full rainbow, and turn your battlestation into a nightmare disco (that sounds pretty cool) but trust me, you are better off finding a nice palette and working with that, like greengorilla60 here, has opted for an Outrun style colour scheme, and it looks amazing!

Tell me you don’t want to sit here all night and watch Drive (I won’t believe you) There are RGB Strips involved here, likely a Hue light, and matching wallpapers, that all come together to create a beautiful, but highly coordinated result, and it looks that much better for it.

PS, you can get those wallpapers here.

Colour Scheme

There is a tonne of theory behind the idea of colour matching, I’m not going to go into masses of detail on it, as it’s mostly not relevant, but I want to quickly touch on how you can apply this logic to your battlestation, simply put it’s all about the way you choose your colours.

You can go with accent colours, this might be you picking a general base theme, and then picking one or 2 colours that pop when compared to your base setup, and therefore accent the original colours!

Check out this example by mrjosi94, a smart IKEA base desk, incredible build (that I would love to go into more detail on) and then splashes of orange and purple throughout, beautifully accenting the primary colour of the room, and there is no denying it looks great!

A lovely white setup with orange accents

Or something like this by ItsMehRuby, with a white theme, all contrasting against that beautiful wood grain, very clean!

IKEA setups always look fresh!

Hopefully, you understand the point I have been driving home here, but in case you aren’t here is another example, thank you to GiantRubberRing for this setup, primarily made of black equipment, with an all-white desk, then- again as before, the blue LEDs and a coordinated wallpaper to tie it together, and it works!

Primarily black and white, with a blue accent thrown in!

Here we have another perfect example of using an accent colour, we have a lot of wood as the main detail, then some greys and whites filling in the rest, with the desk drawers and that great slate wall, but then thrown in via the led strips, and a coordinated wallpaper is a beautiful splash of blue, thank you to ViruzPro for this setup, really like the racing corner too!

Great racing setup!

Or if you’re looking for a simpler route, go Monochromatic this is essentially just picking one colour, and using that, or using that and colours that are similar to it, like the outrun style one above, or this setup by obey_sheci who is even incorporating acoustic panels into his colour scheme, killer!

Wow, is all we can say.

Another great example of taking 1 or 2 colours and running with it is mrstonecold‘s ‘midlife crisis’ build, employing heavy use of pink/orange, and it looks amazing, this is another room I would end up in all day if I wasn’t careful.

Another option is taking inspiration from warm/cool colours, this can be as simple as incorporating a warming orange throughout, or a light blue, the benefit of this as a scheme is that it’s safe and you’re going to create an actual feeling about your battlestation.

Below we have TheAvalanched‘s battlestation, this is a curious mix of warm and cool colours, and looks great with the white Nanoleaf/mousepad working as highlights to the colour choices.

Wallpaper

This one is pretty simple, get that coordination going, if your lights are all pumping out white, then go for a light wallpaper, or something that contrasts well, this will allow you to tie in your monitor to the room, which is arguably the focal point of your whole battlestation!

Here we can see Signynt has used a custom made wallpaper, to coordinate with the subtle yellow/pink accenting he has going on. PS, here is that wallpaper!

Below you can see a couple more setups achieving a similar effect by choosing their wallpaper concerning the rest of the build! Thanks again Baecitylights, greengorilla60, and mrjosi94 for these images.

Too much of a good thing

There is a limit to all this, I think. There is likely a reason we say “everything in moderation” and I think that it applies here, don’t go overboard with it, these days it’s so easy to get caught in the RGB hype, a few years ago if I said “RGB mouse mat” you’d of laughed in my face.

But now? Well, it’s becoming commonplace, but if every one of your components is RGB it can become a little… tacky, it’s actually rare and almost shocking now when you see a nice gaming setup that doesn’t have any RGB- it’s refreshing.

Like these setups below, you’ll notice either no RGB, or a subtle hint of it, and they are still amazing setups, so no, a tonne of RGB is not essential, you don’t have to own a Nanoleaf to call your setup a battlestation. (even if they are pretty)

A big thank you to sneakysmokey56 and chequesformike for these pictures of their setups!

Both beautiful builds, folks! Epic antlers!

Both clearly big fans of the IKEA build we all love, if you want to find out more about the IKEA build, I have a post on it:

The ultimate IKEA Battlestation desk setup

In Desks By Kieron

We break down the Ultimate IKEA Reddit battlestation desk setup that everyone is going crazy for.

Your Precious Vision

I know I know, I’m not going to tell you that if you keep staring at that screen you’ll get square eyes, but- let’s be safe. I’m not qualified to tell you about the ins and outs of your eyeballs, but there are a few things you can do, regarding your lighting, to ensure your eyes are going to be comfortable while you’re sitting at your battlestation for an extended period.

Unfortunately, natural light is the best cure, however, that doesn’t fit where we are going with all this, the key, however, is to avoid sharp differences in contrast, so by placing a gentle hum of light behind your screen and throughout the room, you can be helping your eyes, providing you take regular breaks of course.

Conclusion

So there we have it, a handful of ways you can illuminate your battlestation. I think the key takeaway here is to just be smart with it, don’t go overboard, have a plan, and give your eyes a break now and then. Thank you for reading.

I hope you found something useful here, if you did, please share the article or the website with a friend, it helps support the site, and then I can continue to produce content for it.

I just found The Ultimate guide to #battlestation lighting on https://rigz.io

Have I forgotten something?

Do you have a top lighting tip you think would go well here? Please let me know by emailing me at hello@rigz.io or getting in touch on twitter here. Thank you!

What is a battlestation

Mon, 25 May 2020 20:18:38 GMT

A battlestation is a computer setup, typically consisting of a tower, keyboard, mouse, and audio devices, all usually housed on a desk, adorned with accessories and (typically) tidy cables.

In a nutshell, the above is accurate, in its simplest form, its just a PC setup at its core. However under the skin it is so much more than that, encompassing not only beautiful hardware but also the spirit of the all-accepting PC Master Race, whereby anyone is a member.

You need not spend thousands on a single component, in my opinion if you have a computer setup and space, that you are passionate or proud of, you have a battlestation.

Don’t let this dissuade you from creating a truly epic space, this is what feeds the beast, you cannot aim to create your own master piece if you don’t have those who did it before you to inspire you, and that’s the beauty of it all.

Urban Dictionary has the same description, which means it must be true.

Urban Dictionary: Battlestation

A term referring to a desktop computer setup. Includes the tower, monitor, mouse, keyboard, mouse pad (if applicable), Audio playback and recording devices (if applicable), and even wires/cables.

So where do you begin?

Well, if joining the PCMR is your desire, then consider it done, you are in. But to quote them directly:

Anyone can join the PCMR. We are an inclusive community where one’s age, nationality, race, gender, sexuality, religion (or lack of), political affiliation, economic status and PC specs are irrelevant. Everyone is welcome!
https://pcmasterrace.org/history

From there, start building your setup. Remember, respect the journey – It’s not always about the flashiest & most expensive components or the biggest and most custom desks. Do whatever makes you happy and your battlestation will be a great place to be, whether that’s for gaming, programming, producing music, video editing, or anything else for that matter!

If its inspiration you are looking for, then I like to think we have some here to give you ideas, like the below, a colossal project that I aptly coined the battleroom, but inspiring nonetheless.

Teal and Orange Battlestation, or is it Battleroom

In Get Inspired By Kieron

If its that super popular desk you seek- you probably mean the IKEA setup, I detail that below, don’t feel bad about copying, you can take the base configuration for this and really make it your own, besides, there must be a reason this setup is so popular.

The ultimate IKEA Battlestation desk setup

In Desks By Kieron

We break down the Ultimate IKEA Reddit battlestation desk setup that everyone is going crazy for.

Conclusion

Well there you have it, you know what it is- its pretty simple after all. Thank you for reading, and remember, its about your passion for the project, be kind to your battle(station) brothers, and lets all continue creating awesome builds.

Wall Mounted Battlestation Inspiration

Mon, 25 May 2020 12:06:53 GMT

Are you looking for wall mounted battlestation ideas? Ive rounded up my favorites over the last couple months, and will be running through them below, with some key details.

Table of contents

Why Wall Mount?
Vanity Wall & Mount
Different but the same
Triple Monitor Wall Mount

Information

Why Wall Mount?

Wall mounting can be essential for some setups, first of all it looks killer, and if you go the whole way and do your cable management properly then it can look even better, but it also brings you space.

Monitors famously come with big sturdy & safe stands, which sometimes do look good, but that can often be up to 40% of your desk depth! Retake that space and make it usable by wall mounting, somewhere to slide your keyboard back too at the end of a hard days gaming.

You also often gain a new level of adjustment, depending on the mount type you opt for. If you choose an arm based mount, suddenly your monitor can go up, down, left, right, through time/space, all the directions, and all this allows you to have a better viewing angle, which is good for your health!

Then there is standardization of your mount, its pretty much always gonna be VESA, which means generally your safe to swap monitor on the end and your mount is always going to fit your upgrades.

So without further ado, lets break down some of the different types with some amazing examples.

Vanity Wall & Mount

If your really looking to spice up the look and feel of your battlestation, you could change an entire wall quite easily using wall-paneling, it comes in many different forms, PC_Battlestations opted for a geometric style, you can see these ones by Art3d on Amazon here.

Looking at the pictures below you can see the staggering difference that it makes to the setup, like the whole room is a render! also, this is a savage build, featuring a i9-9900K and a EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 to boot! Check out the full build spec here on Reddit.

They have opted for one main monitor to be mounted, the LG34950GKF-B nonetheless, an absolutely killer 144hz monitor. This particular setup is mounted on the studs within the wall which makes for a very strong and secure mounting, and its actually mounted with an articulating arm type, I believe its this one, or its similar. Its primary function is linear movement on the same horizontal axis.

You can see PC_Battlestations original post on Reddit here, and he made a really cool video on the whole mount process which you can view on YouTube, the level of detail gone into the build is really commendable, here’s a sneak peak of the hardware.

Nice touch with the LED strip!

If your interested in the stream deck at the back there too, you can find those on Overclockers or Amazon too.

Different but the same

Next I want to look at a setup by superstrm for these images of his sweet setup! you can see more here at his original post, this is much like the previous setup, we have a single monitor, specifically the behemoth that is the ACER Predator.

superstrm has opted for a very simple mounting solution, namely something like this, which will allow the monitor to sit very far back to the wall, which increases the visual appeal.

Before that I had a monitor arm attached to the tabletop, but I was too heavy and ended up damaging the desk a little – so I chose a wall mounted solution.
superstrm, affirming that wall-mounting is better than desk mounting!

Loving the IKEA vibes here also, if you’d like to see my approach on the Ultimate IKEA battlestation, you can see my guide below!

The ultimate IKEA Battlestation desk setup

In Desks By Kieron

We break down the Ultimate IKEA Reddit battlestation desk setup that everyone is going crazy for.

Triple Monitor Wall Mount

Lets say you want a bit more screen estate, your probably thinking 3 monitors would be nice, well good news- you can definitely mount that, StashBuildsBoards has- so here we have 3 Dell S2716DG 1440p monitors, all mounted perfectly, this is achieved by using 3 individual wall mounts, rather than one, as I don’t think there exists a single-mount-point, triple arm, probably due to the weight.

Like a window to the outdoors

They do however make triple monitor stands, that either clamp to the desk, which lets face it, isn’t as cool as the floating look, but would still give you a lot of extra space, or a leg based system, which is going to take up the same amount of room as having the monitor stand, but you’d only be losing that space below the central monitors, so if you have too, this is an option.

By doing 3 singles, you do get a lot more control too, and as you can see its easy enough to get them all lined up, there’s also been some work done with making sure the cables are hidden.

There is an incredible example of taking cable management to the next level in this build too, the PC is actually cabled up through the wall to the next room! Great effort, and really looks clean. An absurd amount of nano-leaf panels never goes amiss either!

Thanks to StashBuildsBoards for letting me use his setup, you can check out their twitch here where they stream, and also build keyboards!

If you want to read more about cable management, I have my mega post below, where i cover all the main techniques you can employ for a cleaner look, admittedly i don’t mention making a whole in your wall to the next room to power your build, that’s next level thinking.

Ultimate Cable Management guide for your Battlestation/PC

In Accessories By Kieron

In conclusion, wall-mounting = good, reclaim back that desk space, get that killer battlestation aesthetic, reap those health benefits, its all good.

If you have a great looking wall mounted setup, and you think it would sit well on here, let me know at hello@rigz.io

Thanks for reading.

Best Wireless Mechanical Keyboards

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 19:04:06 GMT

When I finished my analysis on my favorite wireless mice, (you can read that here), it felt like the natural thing to do next, was cover the keyboards, because when you’ve eliminated that mouse cable, the keyboard cable is your next enemy, and my favorite variety: the mechanical kind, so here we are.

Table of contents

Corsair K63
Logitech G613
Anne Pro 2
Majestouch MINILA Air 67
anidees Prismatic
DREVO Calibur
Conclusion

Information

Ultimately all these boards are mechanical, so they’re going to have that feeling your used too, the one we’ve all come to love, but wireless introduces battery, which I feel comfortable accepting with a mouse for example, because QI charging has stepped in to negate that issue, but when it comes to keyboard, what is there? You’re going to have to plug it in, which for me leaves a sour taste.

Now, this is a pretty niche space, you have the wireless keyboard camp, which contains thousands(?) of wireless keyboards, all sorts, then you have the mechanical camp, which again, contains a tonne of great boards, but when you try for wireless and mechanical, suddenly those numbers drop a bit, but there’s just enough to get some comparison going, and provide insight. So without further ado, here are what I think are the six best wireless mechanical keyboards;

Corsair K63

Now, I know what your thinking, this isn’t a very big market space right now, still in its infancy, so surely the Corsair just stomps on everything, and honestly it doesn’t, sure it’s probably the one that has the most brand trust, after position 3 in this list, it certainly starts getting obscure, but that’s just the nature of this space: its new.

Corsair K63

The K63 comes as part of a trio really, it’s being marketed as a living room solution for use and is designed to fit perfectly onto Corsairs lapboard, which I’ve got to admit is pretty cool, and the perfect place for your new wireless mouse, that this post can help you decide.

The Corsair Lapboard

The K63 uses either Bluetooth 4.0, 2.4Ghz wireless via a small dongle or a USB wire, but you won’t want to use that one. Securing the wireless connection to your PC is a 128-bit AES encryption, so you can be sure that your keypresses remain between just you and your character on Battlefield.

It promises to be comfortable too with a detachable wrist wrest you can use to keep your hands on level with the board.

Smooth Profile

Lighting

Yes. -just kidding, but the K63 as you have come to expect from a company like Corsair has customisable and dynamic blue backlighting, and by using their iCUE software you can link it in with all your other Corsair products, and get that RGB to the next level, or just B.

If your theme is blue, it’s going to fit right in, however, if you ever change that, just remember your K63 is going to stay blue- but it is a nice blue.

Switches

Exclusively available (at the time of writing) in Cherry MX Red, being the soft quiet switches, I think this was decided with the living room in mind, reducing the clatter of an MX Blue for example, personally I use MX Blues, but I live for that familiar racket, either way, your still going to get that ever satisfying mechanical feel.

There’s 87 keys on the board, and it is tenkeyless, so if that’s a requirement, you might need to keep scrolling, full key rollover means your combos will always register how you planned them too, it also features dedicated media keys, and volume control, along with a windows key lockout, so you don’t tab out when your clutching.

Battery

Corsair says you can expect around 15 hours of wireless use, via its internal rechargeable battery, which is OK, but it’s just that, you can plug the K63 in and continue, but as I said earlier, I don’t know how I feel about this, but maybe Corsair is thinking you’ll take this and your lapboard, along with your Dark Core mouse, sit down on the sofa, have a good session and then it all goes away back on charge, which makes more sense with only 15 hours of battery life, but what about those of us who don’t want a lapboard?

Summary

A solid first board in the list, you know what your getting with Corsair, it’s a brand we’ve all come to trust, the K63 will set you back £113 at the time of writing, and that’s if you don’t want a lapboard, if you want their whole trio, the mouse, keyboard, and lapboard, your looking at around £260, which to be fair isn’t bad.

It’s a good looking board packed with useful features and would certainly make a good addition to any battlestation, the single colour backlighting could be considered restrictive, if you like to mix up your colours, just know your board is always going to be blue.

Logitech G613

I think really, in the same way as Corsair, Logitech is a brand we can trust, not to say that you can’t trust the others in this list, but I feel like when you say a name like Corsair or Logitech, you know what your getting, there’s almost no gamble, and surely the G613 has that on its side.

Its a little bit incognito, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, too often in this golden age of RGB do we fall into the trap of thinking everything must look like a transformer, but there can still be beauty in a more simple and refined design, on the other hand, you might take one look and think its boring. I think I sit somewhere in the middle ground, I don’t think it looks bad by any means, but there’s also no backlighting, so just be aware, shes plain.

Lighting

So, there isn’t really any, this will be a short section, in fact the only light, I think, resides in the battery life indicator and the wireless button, which will allow you to connect to other devices.

Switches

Romer-G is Logitech’s answer to the fact that Cherry MX switches have been around forever, and certainly weren’t made with gaming in mind, though we have come to love them for that regardless, I won’t go into too much specific detail but the general idea is that they travel less and have the same required force, so statistically speaking, they’re... better?

It would be wrong for me to push a certain switch onto a person, its something you should feel for yourself, but perhaps the Romer-G is a good place to start looking, they function the same, and have that satisfying clunk, so they tick the boxes for me!

There is 6 programmable G keys, and dedicated media keys also,

Battery

This is a bit of a shock in this list, as Logitech claims that with just 2x AA batteries, you could get 18 months of use out of your G613, now sure that depends on conditions, depends on type of use and other variables, but still even if it’s half that number, compared to the internal batteries on all the other boards in this list, that is insane, and certainly alleviates my concern about constantly needing to have the cable to hand, arguably defeating the point of going wireless!

Sure you need to buy the batteries, but if Logitech is at all accurate, here is 9 years worth of juice for less than a tenner. Cant argue with that. The battery life indicator will let you know with plenty of time that it’s on its way down, and the software on your battlestation will also kick in if you have it installed.

However, you could view this as a negative, it’s a reach for sure, but if your really against buying batteries when the alternative is no batteries but you have to charge your device a couple/few times a week, that’s something you’ll need to decide for yourself- I can certainly see the value in the AA solution.

G613

Summary

It’s a smooth black keyboard that makes no attempt to announce itself, this means a cool but understated design you may prefer. Youll likely never wear out the keys, as Logitech say each Romer-G is good for about 70 million keypresses, and each of those presses should net you around a 1ms response time.

A very generous Logitech will also ship the G613 with the required batteries, meaning your good for around 18 months straight out of the box, and at just £68, its a bit of a steal.

It also comes with a phone stand, for some reason.

Anne Pro 2

The Anne Pro 2 is a smaller board, specifically a 60% board, with 61 keys, and will set you back around £99 on Amazon, with generally good reviews, in fact, 5 stars across the board. It uses Bluetooth 4.0, so no dongle which is nice, and it has that 1ms response time that we’ve come to expect from our wireless peripherals.

The USB connection on the board is a glorious type C connection which personally I welcome with open arms, one less cable type to keep around but remember we don’t want the wires to be the focus of our review, though, with 8 hours battery, I can’t say with confidence that you’ll be able to put that cable away for a long time.

Anne Pro 2

Lighting

Its RGB backlit, and can show you up too 16 million colours,

Switches

So depending on where you get it, you can get either Gateron switches, or Khail Box switches, the official Amazon link has Gateron Blue, Brown, and Red, and then Khail Box Brown, and White, so you’re still getting that familiar mechanical clack, but from a lesser brand for sure, but still a popular and well reviewed brand of switch.

Battery

Its claimed that the Anne Pro 2 can keep you going for about 8 hours on its 1900mah battery, which depending on your habits is either a few days, or.. a day, which personally I think is a bit on the light side, however, it’s not too non-typical of an internal rechargeable battery.

Anne Pro 2 Side Profile

Summary

It’s a good board and is well liked by the community, though 60% for some people is a bit of a no-no, the obvious reason being that you’re missing a lot of those extra keys, however, the other side would argue that they’re all the unnecessary keys.

The board goes a way to circumvent this being an issue with alternate function keys such as the arrow keys functioning as your back and forth, and a few of the keys have different behaviour when tapped or held. With 16 macro groups, you can set up different actions to aid the fact you’re now missing a few keys.

For me, I don’t think I’m about that 60% life, not to say that I won’t own one eventually, but right now, I’m all about that full-size board life.

Majestouch MINILA Air 67

The MINILA Air 67 is another quite understated board, coming in one variety, black, and the 67 in the name stands for 67 keys, that may or may not be obvious, but you guessed it, its a shorty, so keep that in mind when making your choice, its also on the higher side of all these boards, coming in at £120 on Amazon.

It uses Bluetooth 3.0, and can be paired with up to 3 devices in memory, so it will automatically connect to the nearest device it can, that its seen before.

Minila air

Lighting

The MINILA Air 67 doesn’t feature any transformer-like features or lighting, except those in the status LED in the top right of the board.

Switches

Using the ever familiar Cherry MX switches, available in Blue, Brown, Black, or Red, it’s going to feel very familiar if your coming from another Cherry board but is going to provide that smooth satisfying feel of a mechanical keyboard.

There are also lots of multi-function keys so that technically you can access all the keys of a full-size board, albeit by using function keys, so not quite as easy, but it’s there at least, uniquely using their double function thumb keys that sit either side of the space bar.

Battery

Surprisingly, the batteries in this board can last for a claimed 6 months, if used for 5 hours a day, as it too runs on 2x AA batteries like the Logitech, which again, same as before, that’s a refreshing number amongst this lot, I have to say. Naturally, your mileage may vary, but again if its half that life I’ll be impressed still!

Summary

The board is a solid board, and it’s hard to ignore those battery statistics, but when you’re dealing with hours and then something comes along that deals in months, it’s got to be a game changer.

There’s not a lot going on visually with the MINILA Air, but maybe that’s your thing, perhaps you’ve had enough RGB rammed down your throat to last you a lifetime, it can get tacky if not executed properly, but there’s no risk of that happening with this board, it’d feel just as much at home in an office, then it would at home with your battlestation, but I’m not sure how your coworkers would feel.

anidees Prismatic

Another board with 67 keys here the anidees Prismatic promises to be extra thin and light, and is a looker too, starkly different to the MINILA for example, but with a mostly metal alloy body, it’s going to be strong too. Much like the other boards it can function wirelessly via Bluetooth only or wired, however Micro USB is used here, so points docked for that.

Anidees Prismatic

Lighting

With 13 types of RGB backlighting available your bound to find a layout of colour to suit you, and can even achieve the fabled rainbow effect going across the board in a gradient.

Switches

Featuring Fraly Blue switches, which are as clicky as their cherry counterparts, (blue ftw) and feature a low profile, with just 11mm switch height, which might be a deal breaker, rather than the traditional mechanical keyboard key you are used too, this is much flatter, more akin to what you’d find on a laptop, but with a little blue switch buried under there. That’s not to say it’s not different, it has a unique feel because of this setup, and probably worth trying before you commit.

Battery

The anidees uses an internal rechargeable battery and boldly claims up to 7 hours battery life with all lighting cranked to party mode, and then a respectable 15 without all the lights, which is not bad for an internal battery, but I’m not a fan of ‘reducing’ my devices to lengthen their battery unless I really have too, it feels like if you bought it for a feature like the RGB you deserve to keep that turned on!

Summary

This is a tricky one, on one hand, I really like it, I think it’s brave to do something so against the grain and the board looks great for it, but on the other hand, is a mechanical keyboard lover going to buy something with chiclet-style keys?

Let’s assume the switches are not part of the equation, it’s a good looking board, and probably some of the best RGB options in this list, so if weight and lighting is important to you maybe this should be the board you check out next.

DREVO Calibur

Featuring 71 keys the Drevo sits somewhere in between a shorty and a full size board, you get those ever useful arrow keys back, along with DEL + END, and all those other surrounding keys which admittedly, we do use less off, but it’s good to have them.

It uses Bluetooth 4.0 and is very cheap coming in at around £54 at the time of writing here on Amazon while coming in black or white.

Lighting

The Drevo has 7 different lighting effects available, all with some unique names such as Reactive, or Ripple, and these effects can be used on custom backlighting.

Switches

Outemu switches are used here and they come in the familiar 4 choices, Black, Blue, Brown, Red, and while they are not Cherry, their characteristics do correlate to that of a Cherry switch, I wouldn’t say that these switches are market tested yet, they haven’t had time to do the proverbial rounds and earn their place, but will serve you similarly to a Cherry, though, no o-rings come with this board so keep that in mind.

DREVO Calibur

Battery

Using an internal rechargeable battery, the DREVO will keep going for up to 20 hours, which is certainly on the high side for an internal, and in just 2 hours it can be fully charged, perhaps this is that safe middle ground where you have plenty of time to plan your charges, and don’t have to commit the afternoon to do it- however, your mileage may vary.

Summary

This thing is cheap, sometimes costing less than half of other boards in this list, and while that may be attributed to a lack of quality elsewhere it’s not too noticeable here, the board is plastic but fairly sturdy, and the RGB is full-featured, with colour choices you could equip the board to suit any battlestation.

Conclusion

Board	Price	Switch	Battery Life	RGB
Corsair K63	£113.48	Cherry	15 Hours	Blue
Logitech G613	£68	Romer-G	18 Months	No
Anne Pro 2	£99	Gateron	8 Hours	Yes
MINILA Air	£120	Cherry	6 Months	No
anidees Prismatic	£59.90	Fraly	15 Hours	Yes
DREVO Calibur	£54.99	Outemu	20 Hours	Yes

So, which keyboard is the one for you? They’ve all got their pros and cons, that’s the nature of the game, if battery life is a concern for you, its got to be either the Logitech G613, or the MINILA Air, and of the 2 if you want to feel less like your beta testing the new guy, go with the Logitech, the price is around half which is a killer.

If you are looking for pure brand power, its got to be the Corsair, one of the biggest players in the space you’d like to think they know what they’re doing, and their board shows it, though it’s a bit on the expensive side, and the battery could be better, at least your getting those familiar Cherry switches.

Something different? Go for the anidees with its Chiclet-style keys, and if RGB is a must, the Anne Pro or the DREVO will serve you well, it’s hard to ignore the DREVO price point.

My personal pick would be the Corsair K63, it feels snobby to type it out but I think that’s because if I was spending this amount, I’d like the backing of a large company like Corsair, and a community with a tonne of people all praising them doesn’t hurt when your making these choices.

Thanks for reading, if you’ve got a different wireless mechanical keyboard you think belongs in the running, let us know at hello@rigz.io!

Teal and Orange Battlestation, or is it Battleroom

Fri, 31 May 2019 12:13:58 GMT

Information

An all-around treat for the eyes here, thought up and executed by iismatthew, receiving most of his time throughout the winters, this is an absolute corker of a battlestation, or more accurately, a battleroom, I say that because the attention to detail and prowess extends far beyond the desk on which his computer sits, the whole room appears to have been crafted for this purpose and I think you’ll agree it looks great for it!

Two LG 34UM69G 34″

I recognise that desk set up, could it be? The infamous IKEA battlestation we have all come to love? To find out how to build something like this yourself, you can read this post on exactly that- constructing the ultimate IKEA battlestation.

The ultimate IKEA Battlestation desk setup

By Kieron

We break down the Ultimate IKEA Reddit battlestation desk setup that everyone is going crazy for.

But, back to this beast. I love the acoustic panelling used throughout this wall, they create an excellent texture for a wall we all mostly forget about when you combine that with some ambient lighting, you get all sorts of high spots and low spots, it looks great. This is achieved with Mybecca panels, if you can’t find those, there’s tons of options on Amazon, including these amazing Orange ones, which wouldn’t look completely out of place on another wall in Matthews setup!

Orange Sound Panels

What do Acoustic Panels do?

In short, they prevent sound from moving around or travelling, and while we typically find most soundproofing inside of walls, to prevent noise from getting in, or out of that room- they are hastily being more applied to peoples Battlestations, just like Matthew has- and this dampens the sound in a given room, and in turn removes unwanted noise such as echos, however, there are arguments that the number of acoustic panels we like-minded folk tend to use on a battlestation wall, isn’t all too effective, but I’ll leave that to the experts to debate.

TLDR? They get rid of the bad noises, and leave only the good. 🎶

Peripherals

Corsair K95

Up first, is the mighty popular Corsair K95, and with good reason, scoring 4.5+ stars on Amazon, with Cherry MX Speed switches, and a one-piece aluminium frame, its a solid board for sure!

Corsair M65 Pro

A Corsair M65 Pro, an absolute bargain of a mouse at £37 at the time of writing, it just goes to show, if your OK with a cable, the prices really do speak for themselves, just look at the price of the wireless mouse in my 2019 roundup here, some of them are triple the cost of the M65, and don’t even have much more to offer! The mouse here sits on top of a SteelSeries QCK+, can’t go wrong with that.

Best Wireless mouse of 2019

By Kieron

With a 12,000 DPI sensor, again that familiar aluminium structure, and advanced weight tuning, this is a killer mouse for the cash.

Fractal Mini

Glamour Shot!

EVGA GTX1070 SC Glamour Shot

This beauty of a battlestation is powered by an Intel i5 4690k, which runs on an Asus Z97i-Plus, all housed in a Fractal Define Nano, with an MNPC custom side window, which looks great and does a great job of showing off the supporting components, like the EVGA GTX1070 SC and 16GB of Crucial Ballistix 1600 RAM, this machine plays a bit of PUBG, and some Rfactor 2 mainly, speaking of your sim racing, this guy is into it.

Heres his custom build made from the usual components, a TV stand, a Wheel, seat and chassis, then a TV to finish,

Custom Sim Racing Build

I’ll be adding an SSH shifter and Fanatec handbrake soon!
iismatthew

It looks great and im sure its a lot of fun too. Looking forward to seeing the Sim build finished.

The Elephant- err Beanbag, in the Room

Beanbag!

Yeah, that’s a huge beanbag, it fits in perfectly with this battlestation, and no doubt provides an awesome place to chill out in front of the beautifully mounted TV on the opposite wall, it’s a Jaxx beanbag, 7ft in size reportedly, and here’s a similar one on Amazon too. So, is it good for those long gaming sessions?

Absolutely, just get some sort of head support, a body pillow worked perfectly.
i ismatthew

Cable Management

It’s one of our favourite phrases here, and this rig makes no exception, both inside the PC and out of it, everything has its place.

Cable Management inside Fractal Define Mini

Headphone and Volume Wheel

Cable Management

The Define Fractal series all offer great cable management behind the motherboard panel, but we shouldn’t simply stuff them out of sight and slap the back on, you’ve got to do your build justice, and justice has been done here. Some more of the cable management seen below, featuring adjustable cable clips, which I talk all about in my cable management mega post here.

Ultimate Cable Management guide for your Battlestation/PC

By Kieron

Monitor Arm

Underneath the desk we see a unique part of the Logitech Z337 speakers, that, of course, being the external volume controller which has been mounted on the underside.

Headphone and Volume Wheel

Easy to access behind a USB hub there, though, like a lot of us, the speaker’s aren’t favoured over a headset.

I rarely use speakers anyways, almost always using a headset.
iismatthew

Some of which can be seen here, I spy a Hyper X, a Steelseries and something else I have not yet identified. AKG Maybe?

HyperX, SteelSeries, and an Unknown

IKEA Mad

There’s a lot more IKEA to this room than initially let on, as well the desk itself being our fabled IKEA ultimate setup, the cabinets to the right of the desk are the IKEA EKET collection, stacked in a 2×2 format to house helmets, which make a nice statement in the corner of the room! EKET also features cabinets like the one used here, such as this one on Amazon.

Basement Renovation

You can tell a lot of work went into this whole build, its actually in a basement, and here are some pictures of how it started out, major kudos on the effort involved!

We finished the basement recently and when they did I had them run cat7 Ethernet and hdmi cables through the walls.

This is the way to go, if you’re lucky enough to be able to take a room down to.. not being a room anymore, you can put it all back together and have every option covered, this then makes it super easy when you want to seamlessly mount your TV on the wall like Matthew has, and hide those dreaded cables!

Vizio SmartCast E55-E2

Underneath the TV is a Samsung MS550 Soundbar, which no doubt works great when you’re sat on the beanbag enjoying a movie. I spy a Google Home Mini too, my smart speaker of choice, this is also hooked into those cabinet lights, which are Nexlux light strips, and we agree with him here;

Saying “hey Google make the cabinet lights orange” is never going to get old
iismatthew

Whole Room

Whole Room Shot

Two LG 34UM69G 34″

Vizio SmartCast E55-E2 ft Zelda!

Great artwork on the wall too, it really works well with the other orange accents throughout the room.

There isn’t much more to say on this build, it’s very very cool and I am very jealous, however also inspired to borrow a few elements from it to enhance my own battlestation, but isn’t that what it’s all about!

Thanks again to iismatthew for letting us feature his battlestation, it’s been a pleasure!

The ultimate IKEA Battlestation desk setup

Wed, 29 May 2019 18:24:03 GMT

Table of contents

2021 Update
2020 Update
The infamous IKEA Reddit Desk
1. DIY?
2. How Long?
Components
Cable Management
Give me height
Additional Bracing
Lighting
Conclusion

Information

2021 Update

Well, they did it again, IKEA discontinued both of the solid wood worktops I recommended, but there is a new offering, its called the SKOGARP, and it comes in beech, birch, or oak.

Its a shame, but it does look a nice worktop, and will still work with everything below that I mention, if you don’t want to go solid wood, you can check out some of the best particle board offerings they have, I go over a bunch in the post below.

Best IKEA countertop for a desk

In Desks By Kieron

IKEA offer a lot of countertops & worktops, but which should you use for your battlestation? Let’s run through them all and go over the pros and cons of each of them.

2020 Update

So, 2020 happened- and IKEA decided to discontinue the HAMMARP worktop. “What now?!” I hear you cry- well all is not lost.

You could continue the ultimate IKEA battlestation, with one of the other items in IKEAS worktop selection, these can be viewed here, however you may notice that 90% of them are not solid wood- to quote: “combines the best of solid wood and veneer.“. Its not for me to say if this will work for you or not.

They are still beautiful pieces and it really depends how much weight your planning to put on top of them, for example, wall mount your triple monitor setup behind the desk and you probably wont even know you don’t have solid wood.

Alternatively, if you still want solid wood, I could only find 1 IKEA offering, that’s right, shell out the big bucks for the RÅSUNDA (£150-£200 at the time of writing) and your back on track with everything I mentioned last time.

The infamous IKEA Reddit Desk

There exists a certain set of components, that alone, may not be all too special, but when brought together, form arguably the most popular battlestation around, and it’s all available from IKEA, I think originally popularized by Reddit, and its not very expensive, when you consider in its primary form your getting a solid wood top to finish how you choose, and tonnes of storage throughout, not to mention a tonne of cable management options, which I go into more detail in this post here.

Now, don’t take this as gospel, there are obviously millions(?) of desks out there, but this one for me definitely hits the spot in terms of looks, price, and usability, that’s why I chose it for my own battlestation, and some of the pictures throughout will be of my own IKEA battlestation, mixed in with a few others, so you can see the different styles and finishes, but really, the sky’s the limit.

DIY?

So, this isn’t a ‘one-click order’ kind of project, but at the same time, it’s not a hard job either, I’m certainly no DIY expert and I managed it. If you can put together flat pack furniture, well- super easy IKEA flat pack furniture, and you can swing your arm back and forth while holding either a piece of sanding paper, or a brush, (not at the same time) then your golden, and you’ll be sitting back and looking at your work in no time.

How Long?

The only part of this build that takes a bit of time, is how you choose to finish the wood, so you could absolutely finish this build in a very easy day, if you went with a simple finish- but typically your gonna be putting multiple coats of finish on the wood, so those need time to dry.

I completed it over a couple of lazy days, not being in a hurry helped, however, you can assemble other things while you’re waiting for stuff to dry, so your mileage may vary, but think a couple of days. Factor in IKEA shipping times if you can’t physically get to a store, though they did charge £30 for delivery last time I used them, which can sting a little- even still, delivery can take up to a month sometimes!

Components

At its core, there really isnt much too this, its made up of two items, each containing their own choices:

Table top
Legs/Drawers

And that’s it! Once we decide which of those we want, we are away. Here’s a picture of the 2 components together in a HAMMARP + ALEX format. That’s why this build is a Reddit favorite because it’s so simple, and when you consider your getting a solid wood desk with tonnes of storage in the realm of £200, its a no-brainer, custom solutions will set you back much more and may not even contain solid wood.

The IKEA setup in its empty form

Got Wood?

Assuming you’ve gone for the HAMMARP, it comes in a few formats and sizes, I personally went for the 186cm version, but I have to say that is probably my only (very small) regret, the next version up for only an additional £25, is 246 cm, which is absolutely monstrous, but the more room the better, initially I never planned to put my actual tower on top, but now it is, that takes up a chunk of space, so it wouldn’t have hurt to go the bigger size, I still love it though.

It also comes in Birch, you can see the two below, with Birch on the left slightly brighter and a harsher grain, then Oak on the right, a little bit duller and less detailed grain. Perhaps a wood expert can fill me in on the difference between Oak and Birch, however, I do know I went for Oak and I am very happy.

Build the ALEX Drawers

So the first port of call is to get those drawers built, it’s flat-pack central, you will only need a screwdriver, or get yourself a low power electric one if you’re looking to save some time. The ALEX drawers are great, they come in a few colours but I opted for this grey, as I want a nice dark brown for my top wood piece, and think the two will go well together (spoiler alert, they do).

Alternatively, if you didn’t want to spend the money on the drawers, or you need more leg space, you can go with legs, IKEA does a great selection of legs such as the ADILS here, and you could save yourself a tonne of money this way too. Plus it looks great as you can see below, you can see how Jensen did it here.

Featuring a solo ALEX drawer

Treat Your Wood

The next important step is to treat your wood, as it comes unfinished, it’s going to be very coarse and bright, you can keep it bright if you want, but personally, I stained mine. Find yourself a big space, I opted for a garage floor at a friends house, and we built the same desk over the course of a couple of days, and your going to need some sanding paper, you don’t need to go mad with it, 2 types will do:

250 Grit
150 Grit

Start with the 150 and eliminate most of the rough spots and high flakes, once you’ve done a couple passes with that, go to the 250 grit, and this will finish the wood off leaving it lovely and smooth, the great thing is if you change your mind about the finish or decide you want to fancy it up in 3 years, its just solid wood, so get your sandpaper back out and crack on!

Finish your wood however you like, you can use a stain or a varnish if you like the colour of the raw wood, the varnish will accentuate all the grain, I opted for a dark Danish oil similar to this.

Wood finish being applied

You’ll need to do some sanding between your coats until your happy with the colour, but remember to always finish with another sand, as the finish you apply can dry quite bumpy.

Snug fit, ft T-rex christmas pyjamas

Here we can see my friends desk who did his at the same time (yes, we built the exact same ultimate IKEA setup, because it is that ultimate), which ended with a very smooth and glossy finish, and still has that finish even now. The space my friend had above ended up being a couple of centimeters shy of the total size of the wood, so here the beauty of solid wood came in, it was simply cut to size, and now it looks like a custom fitted piece, which I guess in a way it is!

Combine the two

This next part is easy, we’re going to combine the desk and our drawers, the real easy way is the way I chose to do, because the drawers, or the wood, (I can’t remember which, sorry) come with those little rubber separator objects, they’re very thin and clear, but they do a great job of seating the wood just off the drawers, while gripping it also, I genuinely can’t move mine without really trying too, definitely not from a sitting position if I just lean on the desk, for example, you can see them in action here.

Give it a little lift

You could also go with an L bracket, but you’d have to fix it to the drawers and ruin the lovely finish, I definitely prefer this ‘screw-less’ solution, stick 4 of them on each corner of each set of drawers, your laughing.

Cable Management

Now, I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject, but you can find all about this stuff in my cable management mega post, you’ll find some awesome techniques and tips on controlling the wiry fiends.

Here’s a small sample of some of the cable management techniques you’ll definitely be able to achieve using this desk build as a baseline.

Undernetting
Undertray
Undertray

Again, to check out more about those techniques, have a look at the post below here on Rigz, all about cable management.

Ultimate Cable Management guide for your Battlestation/PC

In Accessories By Kieron

Give me height

If you prefer your desk to be higher, why not set it on top of some risers, like baecitylight’s did on his build, featured on Rigz here. These LANDSKRONA legs are available on Amazon and will lift the desk quite a bit higher, so make sure your chair is ready to go up!

Additional Bracing

Do you need a middle leg with this IKEA set up? Personally, I don’t use one, and haven’t noticed any sagging of any kind in the year+ that I’ve been using this setup, including one monitor all the way to three, depending on how I’m feeling, I think part of it is that the ALEX drawers, reduce the strain because they come quite far into the middle of the desktop, so if you choose legs instead of drawers, you may want to monitor sag on your setup, and counter it with a middle leg, but make sure you put it far back enough so that its not in your way.

Lighting

Without a doubt the best bang for buck in this department, is a cheap light strip, you can get a fairly lengthy reel and even a wireless remote with a tonne of colour choices for a few pounds, and they go up from there in terms of features and apparent quality, but I ran a cheap one that lasted as long as my last desk remained in my possession (years) and it never had a fault!

Simply run the light strip on the underside of the desk, to create an awesome downward glow like this rig.

Lighting strip applied below

sure, from this angle it looks strange, but when we hit you with the money shot, I think you’ll agree it looks awesome! You can even follow suit and run some of that spare RGB lighting strip behind the monitor, for extra glow.

Look at that glow

Got cash to spend? Consider a Nanoleaf setup, don’t get me wrong, they are expensive, but they’re a very high-quality product and produce some awesome results, like how universoul did here, going for a rocket theme, where the colours too have been customized to match the rest of the station, great work!

Or ifred with a crazy amount of Nanoleafs’, you probably don’t need to go this far, but man does it look cool! I can also imagine this can would light up a small street if one were to try.

If you’re already involved in the Phillips Hue ecosystem, there is also the Hue light strip, which you can obviously tie into the rest of the lighting in the room, and get something very custom going on.

Conclusion

So there you have it, its a very popular build because its robust, not too expensive, and open, its easy to alter and make your own, and I’m sure this won’t change for a while as the most popular setup, here is my version of the build, now I know, its certainly not the fanciest build going, but it’s mine, and I have more plans for it.

You’re naturally going to need a chair to go with this, you can read about some of the best gaming chairs for under $200, over at profanboy, here.

This setup really makes the room great for me at least, and I know because its solid wood, it’s going to be great for a long time to come, and I don’t own enough junk to fill the drawers unless I start putting my consoles in there. (that was a low jab)

My personal, IKEA battlestation

Got your own spin on the IKEA battlestation? let me know and we could feature your build next, just take yourself some nice pictures, and tell me all about it at hello@rigz.io.

Thanks for reading!

Best Wireless mouse of 2019

Sat, 25 May 2019 11:10:20 GMT

Table of contents

Wireless mice that will make you ditch the cable, but, are we there yet?
Breaking the mould
Corsair Dark Core SE
1. Main Features
Logitech G Pro
1. Main Features
Razer Mamba
1. Main Features
Logitech G903
1. Main Features
SteelSeries RIVAL 650
1. Main Features
Round Up
1. So, what does it all mean?

Information

Wireless mice that will make you ditch the cable, but, are we there yet?

Are we in that fabled space in time where a wireless mouse is on par with a wired one? What are the best wireless mice? Or are there wireless mice that beat out a wired mouse? Is this still just fantasy? I for one am ready to abandon the cable, I think the next best thing, is hiding that mouse cable, see how you can do that on this post here, but ultimately, I think we would all prefer to use wireless, say there was no difference, and no drawback, its a no brainer right? Well, let’s see if anything comes close.

With all these questions, I hope to do my best to explain and compare the mice I have chosen, but first, we need to identify the issues, and then maybe we can see if there are some mice out there, that combat these troubles we face, and if any of them will make a solid addition, to your wire-riddled battlestation.

The Issues

Batteries

This is a big deal, I think even for me, it’s the biggest of the deals. Nobody likes cables don’t get me wrong, but you what’s worse than cables? Batteries, whether it’s the days-gone-by and we’re talking about keeping a pack of AAA batteries in your desk, or built-in rechargeable batteries, they suck, and there’s no two ways about it.

Rechargeable batteries can go for a long time don’t get me wrong, but what happens when they do run out, your basically SOL, as you will really struggle to operate a PC for most tasks without the mouse, especially gaming. Sure they let you know when they’re nearly dead, but what if you’re in the middle of a session? You have to go find your USB cable, find a port on your PC, plug that sucker in and continue while it charges painfully slowly through your PC’s USB ports, who knows how long it could be until your wireless mouse can resume being a wireless mouse.

You could charge it overnight when your not using it sure, but that means your keeping a cable to hand and then its only a wireless mouse when you’re using it, the rest of your time spent plugging the mouse is of course- the obvious counter to this, is the mice now shipping with Qi technology in them like the Corsair Dark Core, this feels like a game changer, as long as you have a wireless power source. you can charge it simply by placing it onto a wireless charging, QI compatible, pad.

If you combine this with all the wireless charging equipped mouse mats that are coming out now, I think you’re onto a winner- Now, I don’t think this means eternally powered mice, as I think while the mouse is moving around, it probably won’t charge very efficiently, and going off the fact that historically QI coils within wireless charging pads are very small- although every moment that you stop frantically aiming down that tunnel, the mouse will be charging, and that sounds pretty cool to me.

Latency

Also not something to be avoided is latency, because we’re in the business of having an accurate and lag-free mouse, but I think, for the most part, wireless technologies have moved on plenty, in the same way, WiFi is no longer the same thing it was 10 years ago, although most mice still use 2.4ghz wireless, though after googling I did find this 5ghz wireless mouse, however no awe-inspiring specs.

If we exclude competitive gaming from the argument and let’s face it when you see all those machines lined up in a row, nobody’s looking after the Battlestations, there’s cables drawn everywhere, that’s not my scene. Looking more to the casual gamer, even if your hammering Battlefield every day, unless your doing it competitively, I think you come under the casual umbrella, as offensive as it sounds- but anyway: a mouse like the Logitech G PRO and the Corsair Dark Core boasts a 1ms report rate, which begs the question, can that number go any lower?

Cost

Put simply, wireless mice are usually more expensive than their wired counterparts, simply because of that wireless tech inside them, and unfortunately if your a numbers man, the specs are usually worse too, but, again the point I would like to come back to, is that to a casual gamer: does it matter?

Most of the mice I’m looking at are over £100, which ain’t sweet when you think a very good wired mouse is anything from £60, onwards, so that’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself depending on your budget, what is the cost of convenience?

Breaking the mould

Getting into the mice now, these are the ones that for me, break the mould, they take the issues and deal with them as best they can, some better than others, in no particular order, these are the 5 wireless mice, I think are worth considering right now.

Corsair Dark Core SE

I know I said in no particular order, but I think the Corsair Dark Core SE is my sneaky favourite, its definitely close, as they’re all great mice, but for me, it just edges it, I think the price has a large impact, its cheaper than the most expensive in our list, by a long shot, and the only thing your sacrificing is battery life- which yes, is very important, but combine that with a QI pad, simply place the mouse onto it when your not using it, and your probably not going to run out any time soon.

So you get a great mouse for a great price, and by a company like Corsair nonetheless, that would put me in a very happy situation. There are even wings available which can be fixed to the side of the mouse if you prefer something to sit between your hands and the mat.

The Dark Core SE can run on either 2.4ghz wireless via a dongle, bluetooth, or wired USB, so its very versatile, bluetooth is a nice choice too, if your using with a laptop in a non-intense environment, as it does affect the performance and I believe change the response rate to around 8Ms, so for gaming, definitely best to stick with the dongle.

Main Features

QI Wireless Charging
16,000 DPI Optical Sensor
9 Programmable Side Buttons
RGB Lighting
1Ms Response Rate
Bluetooth

Logitech G Pro

The Logitech G Pro is a very clean looking mouse, for me its much better looking than the G903, but then when I think about it, it might be too clean for me, it wouldn’t look out of place anywhere really, which is also a good thing, but you turn the lights off on the G Pro, and you as far as a glance can tell, have a normal mouse, but is that what business was in? Are we interested in blending in? I’m not so sure, your battlestation should be a statement piece, an extension of yourself, and I worry that Logitech has gone beyond clean and into… boring?

Nonetheless, specs-wise, it dominates for sure, the DPI is insane, the battery life is nothing short of impressive, and its the lightest of our offering by a long shot, so if a light footprint is important to you, consider that- It also has plenty of programmable buttons, sure its expensive, but they all are really, that’s the nature of the game.

Main Features

16,000 DPI Optical Sensor
QI Wireless Charging
1Ms Report Rate
8 Programmable Buttons

Razer Mamba

For this version of the Razer Mamba, it’s worth mentioning there is a QI compatible version, or rather Razers ‘Hyperflux’ edition, but at the time of writing I couldn’t see a way to buy the mouse on its own, so I opted to compare against the non-QI Mamba.

Ive always liked Razer, I think they stand out in the community, and the Mamba is no exception with its cool RGB lines running up the profile, it also offers a mammoth 50 hours of battery life, however in the same way as the Pro G, I bet if you were to disable those precious lights, you could stretch it beyond 60.

Main Features

16,000 DPI Optical Sensor
Full body RGB lighting
7 Programmable Buttons
1Ms Response Rate

Logitech G903

Logitech G903 is certainly a bolder looking mouse than its counterpart in our list here the G Pro, for me- I prefer the looks of the G Pro, however you can’t argue with the price difference, a saving is a saving, and lets face it, anything over 10,000 DPI is going to be fine for most people, with a tonne of buttons, and a removable weight you can fine tune the G903 to your liking.

Ultimately you need to ask yourself if 4000 DPI is worth £20 to you? The chances are; it’s probably not, 12K is plenty.

Main Features

QI Wireless Charging
12,000 DPI Optical Sensor
Removable Weight
RGB Lighting
11 Programmable Buttons

SteelSeries RIVAL 650

The SteelSeries RIVAL 650 is a great looking mouse, for me it may even be the prettiest here, it’s expensive though, I don’t know if its too expensive considering it doesn’t have QI charging- but it does feature fast charging of a sort, you get 24+ hour battery life on a full charge or 10 hours from a 15 minute rapid charge, which is pretty insane too, and surely a benefit, albeit one that is shadowed by no wireless charging.

The weight system is also intriguing, SteelSeries says there are 256 configurations that you can have the weight of this mouse, which is pretty crazy and would allow you I’m sure to get it exactly how you want it, fully loaded its about 153grams which is personally too much bulk for me but that’s the beauty of its adaptable weight, you can change that.

Is this the mouse to go for if gaming is your passion, your not a competitive gamer, but you’re in the space of people that’s right before it, perhaps the Rival 650 is for you.

Main Features

Tunable Weight System (256 Configurations)
12,000 CPI Optical Sensor
Fast Charging
8 Zone RGB
7 Programmable Buttons
1Ms Response Rate

Round Up

Here are all the mice we looked at in an easy to compare table,

	Programmable Buttons	QI Charging	RGB	Response Rate	DPI	Cost	Battery Time	Weight	Bluetooth
Corsair Dark Core SE	9	Yes	Yes	1Ms	16,000	£69.99	24 Hours	128g	Yes
Logitech G Pro	8	Yes	Yes	1Ms	16,000	£129.99	48 Hours	84.6g	No
Razer Mamba	7	No	Yes	1Ms	16,000	£72.70	50 Hours	106g	No
Logitech G903	11	Yes	Yes	1Ms	12,000	£99.95	24 Hours	110g	No
Rival 650	7	No	Yes	1Ms	12,000	£119.75	24 Hours	153g	No

So, what does it all mean?

Well, if you’re looking to save some cash, the Corsair Dark Core is the cheapest mouse of the selection and comes with QI charging, but you’ll have to find a wireless mouse mat, or fork over for the official Corsair one. If battery life is a concern, the Razer Mamba offers the best battery life, (however, battery can change if you run without lights, for example, the Logitech G Pro can go for up to 60 hours, if you switch off the lights, but I’ve opted to remain ‘out of the box’).

If buttons are your thing, perhaps your an RPG player of sorts, or MMORPG, perhaps the G903 is more your thing, with 11 programmable buttons, your sure not to run out of macros. Personally, aesthetically speaking, I think the G903 is the weakest, and I do find myself drawn to how the SteelSeries 650 RIVAL looks, and if you’re very serious about your gaming, perhaps its highly configurable weighting system will be for you.

All of these mice use 2.4ghz wireless via a dongle, however only the Corsair has Bluetooth too, and they can all be plugged in as well, should you want to run a wire.

My personal pick: Corsair Dark Core SE. I think the price point is great, and its feature packed, its close though, they’re all great mice.

I hope this has been helpful to someone, there are more mice out there, but these are the ones that stand out to me at the moment- If you feel I have got something wrong or made a mistake, feel free to let me know, hello@rigz.io

Thanks for reading.

Why PC is better than Console, and the PS5 won’t change that

Thu, 23 May 2019 19:55:42 GMT

The gaming news world is rife with announcements to do with the Sony PlayStation 5, about all its great new features, and while they are good features, are they worth writing home about? Has anything changed in a long time in the console world, or are they still playing catch-up with our favorite community?

Information

Before you grab your pitchforks, this isn’t going to be me berating consoles for 20 minutes, on the contrary, I don’t hate consoles at all, I don’t even dislike consoles, I have consoles, but I’m going to highlight the reasons I personally, prefer my gaming to be done in front of a PC.

So, in no particular order, i am going to breakdown those reasons, and hopefully present a valid argument, so without further ado, here you go.

Backwards Compatibility

To be fair to Sony, for years this was a staple come back within the PC community, that nothing is ever really out of reach, you can still load up Transport Tycoon today on a brand new PC, sure, you need to fiddle around a bit, but you wouldn’t get far on a console. For reference, Transport Tycoon was released in 1994, and you used DOS to play it, and it was great.

However sure enough Sony has announced its new backwards compatibility, that you’ll be able to play, even online, with PS4 users, which sounds good, but you can bet there will be all sorts of requirements and probably very few games supporting it, I guess we’ll see on that one, but for now, sorry, got to give it to PC gaming.

Sure, consoles have some level of backwards compatibility, but I think we can all agree that it pales in comparison to PC gaming.

Battlestations

The PC community has created a topic here that remains unparalleled in the console world, and that’s the customization of your battlestation, if you buy yourself a nice new PS5, you take it home, open it, pop it on your counter under the TV, and that’s about it- don’t get me wrong, I can see the appeal if you don’t care, maybe you want a set it and forget it kind of gaming device, your not into RGB or fan controllers, I understand.. I think.

Sure you can customize the room to your heart’s content, but that’s where it ends, whereas, in the wonderful world of PC gaming, your battlestation becomes an extension of yourself, you are often forced to craft it one component at a time, and because of that we end up with a wonderful situation where no 2 rigs are the same, sure we share components and peripherals, but the way in which we display them is always unique.

You put your rig together (unless you buy a pre-built, which is still ok, but your at the mercy of the sales company here, and you can definitely get a better build for the money, if you build it yourself), then you start thinking about everything, the mouse you use, the keyboard, the very desk the two items sit on, the speakers, the monitor, when we think of all these components it’s no wonder there’s a thriving community on the topic, it does start to sound expensive though.

Not a one trick pony

I feel like this one could be considered reaching, but I’ll roll with it, your PC is far more than the sum of its parts, and far more than a gaming machine, for me, it’s the tool in which I write these posts, it’s my music listening center, it allows me to do work, and so much more. Now sure, consoles have come a long way, but ultimately the line stops at Media, they’re great for consumption, but that’s where the usefulness ends, and a PC consumes your favorite media, and then some.

Take your PC and do some cryptocurrency mining if you like, or start your own website, or learn to code, or make your own game, watch a movie, I could go on but that would really change this article a lot, point being, no console is as versatile as a PC, the PS5 included.

Upgrades

Picture this, you fire up Battlestation 5, and you notice your not getting 60+ FPS, but your only getting 45FPS, the horror, point being, you slap yourself a new GPU in there, (probably for less than the cost of a new console) and your away, providing it fits in your case- GPU’s are getting big. Contrast that with a console, and you find yourself in the previous compatibility discussion, e.g can you even play this new game at all without upgrading your console, and are you getting a full experience?

You could get 6 years easy out of 90% of a PC build, and still find yourself playing new games, whereas consoles are replaced every what, 2 years? As soon as the next Xbox comes out, people will happily jump ship, because their own console now feels inferior, but you don’t get that with PC, because your 980Ti is still a kick-ass card, even if the new 1080 comes out the next day.

Exclusive What?

Some console games are restricted to a single console, and this is bad, and some people even go as far as buying more consoles to combat this, but if your a PC gamer, then your probably never going to face this. Sure there is always exceptions to the rule, but it’s unlikely you’ll miss out by being a PC gamer, pretty much all AAA titles end up on PC eventually, and usually cost less to boot.

Think Microsoft, and then remember that 99% of Xbox exclusives, will be available on Windows 10 eventually anyway, and even Sony has a system in place called PlayStation Now, which brings tonnes of PS3/4 titles to the PC too, which for me, puts another solid point in the PC scoreboard.

Sales

Have you heard of Steam? They’re a small company that runs the biggest and best video distribution platform ever, with something like 20,000 games available, your not going to run out of games, and some of them are free, and however you might feel about free to play games, there is no denying they feel like they’re dominating at the moment.

But the best part of Steam, and to be fair, all the other PC Gaming stores is the sales. Admittedly they have gotten less crazy over the years, but you can find some crazy deals around Christmas and the like, so get your wish-list full of everything you can’t afford, and ride that train to the next major holiday- see if you can grab a bargain.

And don’t forget Humble Bundle, you can buy multiple games and, here’s the kicker, you can pay whatever you want! Although, dont do that, its for charity so your supporting a good cause and often getting multiple games at a time, it’s the sole reason I have so many games on Steam that Im probably never going to get around to playing.

Hidden Genres

Some genres just really lend themselves to PC, and while its probably unrealistic for me to call them hidden, there may be games you previously couldn’t play, take Real Time Strategy games, sure there’s some on consoles, but this type of game was meant for PC, and only by playing them on PC do you get the most out of them.

The same can be said for MMORPG games, take World of Warcraft, such a behemoth of a game, but only possible on PC really, use extra macro pads to execute complicated commands, your PS5 won’t be able to you here.

Bigger Numbers

There’s a couple of important numbers that PC brings the potential to have higher, these numbers being Frames per second, and resolution, these days, console games are proud to be running at 30FPS, which is… okay. But how about 120FPS? I don’t need to tell you that one of those numbers is bigger than the other.

Resolution is the other, and while consoles are getting there, the Xbox can now play certain games at 4K which I’m sure is nice, but how about 8k? how about 16k? Both possible- but it’s an honorable mention that supposedly 8K has been surrounding the PS5, which… I’ll believe it when I see it.

Not too mention while pumping out these numbers, your PC will probably be quietly powering away, meanwhile in the world of consoles, those things are pushed to their limits when a AAA title comes out, and always have limited graphics because if they weren’t done that way, they simply wouldn’t work very well- PC’s your free to run them as high as you like, just make sure you have the hardware to back it up.

Controllers

If you like the look of a gaming pad, like the Xbox controller, for example, you can take it, and use it on your PC, it’s that simple, you can use just about anything to control your PC, and consoles might not be so forgiving. Don’t like the way a game is controlled? You can probably map those controls any way you like, and even use macros to perform complicated functions if the game calls for it.

Or, just find literally any Bluetooth controller and connect that thing to your PC, with a £5 Bluetooth adapter (because you can), and your cooking, but I would really recommend powering through with a keyboard and mouse. Not to mention that a keyboard and mouse makes for a better player, it gives you far more control than a game-pad is able to provide, and it shows. Gaming mice are so fantastically accurate these days, that the little joystick on a typical game-pad, just can’t compete at all.

Learn Something New

People used to say that PC’s had a learning curve to gaming with them and using them, but who are we kidding, kids grow up on computers now, and use this to their advantage when something on the PC doesn’t quite go right, though this isn’t being highlighted to say that PC’s go wrong- everything can go wrong, even consoles, they can hang, freeze, all sorts.

With a PC, you have to look after them, you have to care for them arguably a bit more than a console, which means stuff can go a bit stray, this can sometimes require a bit of intense googling to find out what drivers best to use with your new device, or what that error code means, but the great thing is you can probably find your answer pretty quick, as people tend to document these issues when it happens to them along with the fix.

Wont somebody think of the mods?

Picture this, you get your new game on your console, you play it, you finish it, you’re done with it, now what? Pop it on the shelf to give you something to clean once a week? Maybe- but on PC you take that experience and you mod the living hell out of it, take Skyrim, people have modded in thousands of additional hours of fun out of a game that was released in 2011, can anyone say they are still playing a console game that was released in 2011?

You only have to look at something like GTA5-mods and you immediately see the plethora of varied and interesting mods, again this is a game that was released in 2013 sometime, but the PC community is still thriving- and mods do this very well, many games live on because of the community outdoing themselves to allow it.

Pay to Play

What’s that all about? If you’re a console gamer, you’re probably used to paying for the privilege of playing your games with other like-minded folks, which does not fly with me, if you buy your game on PC however, you can play that puppy on multiplayer for no extra cost! It’s worth mentioning the advent of game passes are swaying this notion somewhat, given that you can join say Origins Access program and pay for your games monthly or yearly, but, this is still just for the game itself, not the ability to play it online.

It’d only be fair to mention this isn’t always the case, some console games don’t have an additional multiplayer cost, but I feel that enough of them do employ this (quite expensive) cost, that it’s worth mentioning for sure, a membership on top of the console cost, and the game you just spent £59.99 on, just feels plain wrong.

Price

So there’s often a notion that PC’s are much more expensive than consoles, and this can get a bit woolly here, because PC’s as a statement is incredibly broad, sure, if you get the absolute most expensive of every component, your going to end up with an expensive PC, but the same goes for the opposite of that, and I’m not saying buy the cheapest thing available- but time and time again people have put together builds that match consoles for the same price, so really it depends what you want to get out of the experience.

People like to include your monitor and speakers etc when fighting this corner, but nobody ever includes their £800 TV when they are pricing up a console, but you’d not get very far in console gaming without a TV, so go ahead and include that monitor in your argument, you deserve it. You can build a comparable PC for around the same price as a console, but throw another £100 on top of that, and you’re already beating them, and this means you can surpass them- and ultimately your games will look better for it- who knows, maybe this will make you a better player too.

Consoles are just restricted PC’s

Take apart your brand new Xbox one X, and you will see some familiar components, they are after all just ‘computer’s that run different software, even the x86 architecture that is found in present-day PC’s runs on consoles like the PS4, which begs the question, why would you choose the more restricted of two choices?

Choice within PC’s is a great part of the debate, you can have absolutely everything your way, you want your favorite picture as a wallpaper? You got it, or maybe you always wanted the Matrix pattern trickling down your screen, go ahead and do that, want to fill your PC with 8 RGB fans and illuminate your entire room? You can totally do that.

Community

Is there a community built around people posting excellent pictures of their Xbox’s for all to review, and draw inspiration from? I’d like to see it. But here, we have the PC Master Race, we have the bastion /r/battlestations, we have, even if I do say so myself: Rigz, what I’m trying to say is when you build your battlestation, and you ascend, you’re joining something great.

Fin

I feel I’ve exhausted everything there and made a pretty good case for the PC master race and Battlestations alike- remember, it’s your life, do as you please, hopefully, this didn’t come across as a console bashing session, more so a few valid reasons on why come upgrade time, you may consider ascension.

Think I’ve forgotten something? Let me know by emailing hello@rigz.io.

Thanks for reading.

Ultimate Cable Management guide for your Battlestation/PC

Wed, 22 May 2019 18:38:22 GMT

In this post, we look at all the best techniques for tidying up your cable management on your Battlestation, with these tips youll be taking the cable management of your gaming desk to the next level.

Table of contents

Under Desk Management
Cable Ties
Keyboard and Mouse Hole/Grommet
Go Wireless
Pick your spot
Conclusion

Information

Once you’ve conquered the beast that is your actual rig, with PSU shrouds, cable clips, SSD mounts, internal spaces behind the motherboard panel and all the rest of those internal tricks that make your rig look as epic as it does: its time to turn your attention to your surroundings, to the keyboard and mouse cable that trail flimsily across your desk, to your primary power cable that runs hastily along the floor to a socket and all those other things you have been ignoring, until now.

There are many ways to tackle this, you can achieve a lot by only doing sort of 75% of the work, what I mean by this, is you don’t need to go insane hiding every single wire, sometimes its just not possible, but by taking the bulk of them and zipping them out of the way, you’ve already won half the battle.

Its worth noting this probably wont help your bench-marking, or improve your shot in CS:GO, but we spend a lot of time in these places, the cables might as well be nice.

Under Desk Management

The number 1 technique that I can advise, is to get yourself some method of lifting everything that typically falls against your back wall, up, to the top of your desk. You will lose your webbed footrest with this, but to clear up that back wall is the first big step to enlightenment, and there are a few techniques you can employ.

Netting

Like below, we can fix a net of some sort to the underside of our tabletop, go here to see the other cable management techniques employed in this battlestation. Netting is probably the direction I would take if I were to do mine again. You can also see that even tape is made use of on the below. If it works, it works!

A cable management net

Don’t get me wrong, this looks like a fairly fancy net, you might even say built for purpose, but you don’t need to go that far, literally any form of netting, take it and screw it or stick it to the underside of your desk, and you have arguably the most flexible underside catchment area going, where you can sling everything in, and not worry about it.

Undertray

There is under desk cable management, which is essentially putting a sort of cage or under-tray on the underside of your desk, this is actually my personal technique of choice, there are hundreds of these available on Amazon, they all do the same thing at the end of the day, they hold the cables.

My Undertray

Mine is a fairly thick one because you can see in the left-hand side of it, I choose to keep my primary power block on it, and though I haven’t done the left-hand side very well, you see that clean wall? That’s what its all about, plenty of room for me to put my feet and ultimately make a mark.

Mine cost less than £20, and is screwed into the desk, so I know i can fill that thing and its going to cope, it also has top covers that try to keep everything contained, however the wires are scheming, they do bulge out in locations, but the point being, what momma’ dont know, cant hurt her, from a seating position or simply stood in the doorway, this whole thing is invisible, and that is what were going for.

Cable management under tray

See this post for how baecitylights’ did his undertray, even employing a drill to make a hole, for his mouse and keyboard

Sticky back loops, with cable ties

I won’t lie, this is definitely the most ghetto solution, and if you’re under there inspecting it, it’s not going to be the prettiest either, but, its also probably the cheapest, and makes use of things you’ve probably already got laying around.

Now, there are a few different variations of this, but ultimately it’s going to look the same, don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t matter because you aren’t going to be able to see it, but its worth thinking, what if you change something? What if you add an item of the cabled variety to your battlestation.

Maintaining something like the above is going to be difficult, you have to either cut them if you’ve used regular old cable ties, or perhaps you went for adjustable ties of some sort, you’ve still got to route that cable through every single one, so factor that in.

If the cost-saving outweighs the effort for you, then I say go for it, remember, the important thing to remember is you won’t see it 99% of the time unless it’s really good, then you might find yourself staring at it more than your sitting at your rig.

Cable Ties

Now, when I say cable ties, I know what your thinking, your imagining those little plastic items that click along as you tighten them, and remain there for the end of time, until you take something sharp to them, when it comes to making an adjustment.

Don’t get me wrong, a plain old cable tie is still going to do the job, but come on its 2019, time to upgrade. The biggest favour you will ever do your battlestation is to get a pack of velcro cable ties, these things are great. Plenty strong enough for our applications, and you don’t have to commit! Don’t like the positioning? rip em’ open, get something new you need to weave into a group of cables? rip em’ open, you get the idea.

They come in all shapes and sizes, my personal favourites are these, the Fisuals, they come in a pack of 20, and they’re £3.99, but heres some more on Amazon. what else can you get 20 off for less than 4 quid?! Nothing! They’re a solid investment, use these guys to wrap up your core cable situation, or maybe you wanna bunch everything up that leaves the back of your PC, these are good for it.

Allergic to Velcro? fear not, there is a happy middle ground for you to enjoy, the world of adjustable cable ties, now these are going to be strong, probably even stronger than their Velcro counterparts, but have the benefit of an easily accessible clip, that you can unlock and unroll the tie!

Adjustable cable tie

You could take any of these cable tie methods, and go to town on your battlestation, suddenly 6 cables coming out of the back of your rig, become one. It’s like I always say, United we stand, divided we fall. Same for the cables.

You could even go as far as wrapping up the cables in your newly acquired and implemented undertray, but that’s just being plain fancy.

If you’ve got an area of cable that cant be managed easily, and there’s more than one cable, you could wrap the cables together to create one albeit larger, cable, but it certainly looks better than loads of them strung along together.

Keyboard and Mouse Hole/Grommet

Not for the faint of heart, this one will involve you finding the nearest drill, attaching a pretty sizable bit, and attacking your desk, it’s that simple, but what results is something that cannot be underestimated. There are ways of tackling cables simply sagging off the back of your desk, but this is the most effective way.

Keyboard and mouse drilled hole

That’s right, simply drill a hole large enough for a USB cable to fit through, and you’ve got yourself a very sneaky keyboard and mouse, cable exit hole, then simply route that toward your under desk cable management of choice to join the pack, and you’re in heaven.

Look ma! No cable!

As you can see above, the cables simply fall off just short of the mouse mat here, and what a result, no longer are you faced with that straggly line leading to the edge of your desk, or meeting up with your monitor and joining those cables.

it’s worth noting that this method is worth thinking about, certainly the position of your cable hole being the most important, do you place it somewhere just short of your monitor stand? Do you line it up perfectly with your mouse mat? There are a few choices, but all I’m saying is, think before you drill, you only really get one go at it. You could also tart’ it up a bit with a cable grommet to make the exit slightly more appealing.

It’s not worth a category on its own, but another unique way of tidying your mouse cable up is with a Razor Mouse Bungee, which is designed to simply hold your cable up, personally, I don’t think its the best way to go, but that’s up to you.

Razor Mouse Bungee

Go Wireless

It sounds a bit silly, especially in an article about cables, but without a shadow of a doubt, the best way to hide cables is going to be to simply remove the cables from the equation, and i think we can confidently say we live in a time where wireless no longer dawdles behind wired, well unless were talking about WiFi.

Wireless Life

There’s no denying it, certainly cleaner, and there’s no shortage of wireless peripherals today, you can get performance mice and keyboard all with really great specs, I’ve got my eyes on the Corsair Dark Core wireless mouse currently, there’s even a keyboard counterpart and lapboard, but that’s more aimed at living room gaming with a PC.

A wireless headset is an option too, I still use a Corsair Vengeance 2100 wireless headset, it works great and has surround sound, and most importantly, sounds amazing with no lag. Speaking of wireless headphones, I reviewed my Sony WH-1000XM3 recently, and so you can see what I think about Bluetooth headphones here.

Point being, don’t let the word wireless scare you away, those days are gone.

Pick your spot

This is a quick one, but choose your location well, if the room only has one power source, pop your desk in front of it, better yet, if your using large items as legs, like the IKEA Alex drawers, put those in front of it, this way, you won’t be forced to trail a power cable along the floor, and you can have nothing visible, as it will go from behind the drawers, into your new cable tray.

Battlestation situated in front of power

See above how the desk is in front of the power, this is certainly better than it being on a different wall entirely, but if the geography of the room allowed it, a better technique would be to place the drawers in front of the power source.

Not using drawers? Using some ties of some variety, stick the power cable to the legs of your desk, and route the cable up, again into the underside cable management. If you absolutely have to have a wire across the room, consider using trunking of some sort.

Use trunking

Trunking will allow the cable to run along the wall, all while blending in perfectly, it doesn’t have to be that horrible rectangle stuff, you can get very slim trunking or rounded stuff like I have gone with above, on my battlestation.

To take it a step further, you could even run your cables inside the wall, this obviously steps into a different realm here, and I don’t advise you to go hacking your wall apart unless you know what your doing, but with a stud wall certainly, this would be easy and make a great impact like the TV does below

TV Cables in the wall

A full write up on the above battlestation is also coming soon!

Conclusion

So, the main takeaways from this are that you just have to get that stuff out of anybody’s eye line, that’s half the battle, you can go as far as you like with the rest of it, but the key requirement is to make it invisible.

Wrap/tie/subdue your cables in some way, channel them smartly and efficiently, and use some sort of underside cable management on your desk, to do the brunt of the work for you.

Finally, sit down and enjoy your hard work.

6 Unique Battlestation Accessories

Sun, 19 May 2019 15:20:34 GMT

In this edition we are going to take a look at 10 ‘essential’ battlestation accessories, from tiny hoovers to coffee warmers, there’s probably something here for you.

Table of contents

1. COZOO Headphone Holder
- Fast Charging
2. Anker 4 Port USB Hub
3. VOBAGA Cup Warmer
4. Corsair ST100 RGB Headset Stand
5. Max Keyboard Falcon-8 Macropad
6. Qi Wireless Charging Mouse Mat

Information

1. COZOO Headphone Holder

The first item I have here is in its simplest form, a headphone holder, but with another extra feature that for me, makes it super useful. It’s the COZOO headphone stand/holder, but also a 3 port USB charging station.

COZOO Headphone Stand

Fast Charging

The USB charger aspect of the COZOO outputs 4A (20W) and will automatically identify the correct current for the device, and fast-charge it where possible.

It will also hold just about any headphone on the planet, or, as the above picture depicts, a smartwatch, if your the kind of person that wants to hang their watch under their desk, I won’t judge.

But hey- I think it looks pretty slick and would sit well under any battlestation! Plus it scores a cool 4+ stars on Amazon.

2. Anker 4 Port USB Hub

Speaking of things that go under your desk, its the Anker, 4 Port, USB 3.0 hub, and boy is she sleek, the unique slim design of this hub makes it a great contender to be mounted underside, on the front edge of your battlestation, making it super quick and convenient to plug in your USB devices.

Slim, right?

Boasting super speed USB ports, capable of 5 Gbps data transfer speed, you’ll certainly not be longing for more, and an extra durable cable means it’ll probably outlive you.

Its currently priced at just £10.99 on Amazon, get yourself some velcro, slip it under your desk, and your laughing for less than 20 quid. It can also with gaming consoles like your Xbox one. but be wary, it’s not a powered unit, so don’t try and ask too much of this little guy, but if you work within its limits, you’ll be very happy at the price point, plus it has 4.5+ stars on Amazon, 2000+ people can’t be wrong, can they?

Into VR? one user, uses the dongle to plug his HTC Vive trackers into:

I purchased this specifically to plug HTC Vive Tracker dongles into and it’s worked perfectly.
Well isn’t that good.

3. VOBAGA Cup Warmer

This one is definitely unique, and its as simple as that title ^ puts it, its a cup warmer, and is capable of heating up to 65℃, which is pretty mad when you think about it; its the VOBAGA Cup Warmer.

With the right mug you can brew hot tea from cold water
Yes that’s right, one reviewer even uses this puppy to brew his tea

So, full disclosure, this is not a USB device, so you will need a plug, but your only going to be using this thing at your battlestation, so there should be one left in your 8 way multi-block.

Cup Warmer

The VOBAGA features a multilevel control system, allowing you to choose from 3 different choices for heat, 40, 55, or 60 degrees C.

Its made from heat and fire resistant materials, and draws a very small amount of power making it safe and stable and is also waterproof, so if you spill your coffee on it, that you just scolded your mouth on, it’s gonna be fine. It again gets a hot 4+ stars on Amazon.

It’s worth mentioning that different kinds of mugs can work better than others, but I’m sure you’ll be able to figure out which of your many mugs, works best with it.

Its £19.99 at the time of writing, which isn’t cheap, but I think it has some excellent features and good build quality.

4. Corsair ST100 RGB Headset Stand

Yeah, I’ve put 2 headset stands in the same list, deal with it. But this ones special, it has RGB, end of message. But not just one, this thing has 9 zone dynamic RGB lighting.

Its the Corsair ST100, it’s not under mounted, its a self contained free standing unit, and does bring some additional features with it, like its iconic design and durable aluminium construction it’s not going to look out of place on anyone’s desk.

Even the logo is RGB?!

There she is, and there’s no denying she is beautiful, it features dual USB 3.1 output with fast charging, so you can charge a headset for instance, and your phone too, and a 3.5mm Virtual 7.1 input, for your AUX pleasure.

It sits upon a non-slip rubberised base and uses the CUE software to interface with your PC, and other Corsair RGB devices, it also has 4.5+ stars on Amazon

Great item if you have the money
Yes, its not £3.99 stick-to-your-desk-job off eBay, for certain.

Coming in at £56.99, it’s probably the most expensive thing on this list, but its also got that Corsair tax and is exceptionally well made, if RGB is a requirement, you can’t go wrong with the ST100.

5. Max Keyboard Falcon-8 Macropad

Let’s do it /r/mechanicalkeyboards style, this little beast is an 8 key, totally programmable macro pad. Its the Max Keyboard Falcon-8 Programmable Mini Macropad, and it comes in Brown, Cherry MX Brown that is.

So, it’s an 8 keypad, with white LED’s, and 9 levels of backlighting available, and comes pre-programmed with media keys in mind, even up to 6 key rollovers. It’s built from a CNC’d aluminium plate so you know shes sturdy.

6. Qi Wireless Charging Mouse Mat

The GAZEDESK Qi mousemat, is a beautiful looking mat on its own, throw in Qi charging, now you’ve got yourself a product.

It features 3 coils instead of the traditional one, for a faster rate of charging, and a bigger surface area so you wont have trouble finding that sweet spot. Its no small mat either, coming in at 14.1 x 8.6″ its larger than traditional, and its crafted in leather.

Gazedesk

Two different USB type C (woo, let’s forget micro!) ports to adapt for whether you want a side exit cable or rear exit. It comes in 4 colours, black, Grey, Brown and Midnight Blue, you can see them all here on Amazon. I’m into that classic leather brown. They’re more expensive than your typical mousemat, coming in at £35.99, but what can you expect, it’s not your typical mouse mat.

Another solid 4+ stars here, overall a solid mat, and a price not too far from a high-end wireless phone charger on its own.

Thanks for checking these accessories out!

The Unproductive Productivity Battlestation

Wed, 15 May 2019 13:35:56 GMT

Aptly titled the Unproductive Productivity Setup, this battlestation features a great build, combined with some awesome desk features that you’ll want to add to your own setups asap, including but not limited too, awesome cable management, and a power button extension.

Information

Thanks to myk_o for letting us feature his battlestation, as you can see below it looks great, and the RGB tax is paid in full, what we see here is, well as myk_o put it when I asked if this was his office;

More like my entertainment area

And rightly so, I could see myself browsing Netflix, and ultimately deciding not to watch anything, for many an hour at a time here, while eternally scrolling my steam library of 100+ games but complaining there is nothing to play… Anyway, back to this battlestation;

Mr award winner over here. The room looks great, and a good length on the desk, something often overlooked I believe. this is 98 inches of birch, you guessed it, it’s an IKEA Karlby.

We see a tonne of Battlestations sourced from IKEA, and you can see why, get yourself a large piece of wood, stick it on top of 2 sets drawers or legs and your away, most of the time, you make a saving.

It looks like from here one side we have a traditional desk leg, and on the other, a set of KALLAX shelves in a 2×2 format, from.. IKEA! You really can do it all IKEA!

Sweet Sweet RGB fans

This build features an Intel i7700K, housed behind the NZXT Kraken x52 Liquid Cooler, all sitting on top of an Asus Prime z270-A, with GSkill Trident Z RGB Ram, and an MSI GTX 1080 Gaming X, which he’s customised to be white! All of this goodness, sits inside the NZXT S340 Elite, in white.

My memory might be wrong but I’m sure the first ever build i did, was in an NZXT case, they make some good stuff, the S340 Elite being no exception, even claiming VR access, which basically means there is an HDMI port on the top, because that’s the world we live in now! it also comes with a PSU shroud which you can see in the above picture, which improves build visuals by around 9000%.

You can find the build on PCPartPicker here.

There’s a theme here, it’s white, and it’s cool. For some more white builds why not check out these other, white, battlestations.

Custom Anti-sag GPU Lego

If it works, it works! A piece of Lego here stopping that delightfully heavy 1080 from bending, it even fits the theme. Did you know people make whole PC cases out of lego? yeah, that’s a thing.

Corsair K70 | Logitech G602

Proudly displayed on a Glorious PC Gaming Race mousemat there, we have the Corsair K70, equipped with Browns, and a Logitech G602, a faithful mouse that does very well on reviews, however potentially its had its better days, I asked what he would like to do next;

Probably a better mouse or a badass mic

So there you have it, the mouse is on its way, I’m a fan of the Blue mic’s, they’re badass for sure, and definitely not overkill for the occasional VoIP that I do with mine.

Custom Shelf Work

I like the raised Kallax here, it creates a nice separate space within a space on the desk.

Took off the Top of the Kallax shelf and placed it on top of the Karlby tabletop. I didn’t want my Karlby to be too high, so this was the option I took. Added drawers for storage.

Klipsch Subwoofer

Here we see a USB3 hub, hidden under the desk, I need to do something like this for mine, currently it sits on the top and for the most part, they ain’t the prettiest things in the world, just boxes with USB ports on, so the more hidden away, the better I say.

Here is my favourite bit, and it’s my favourite every time, screw the custom builds, the epic specs, its all about that cable management, and this one includes my favourite things ever, velcro cable ties. I love these little guys, no more will you have loose clips of plastic littering the floor when you cut a plain old cable tie to size.

Cable management is a mess, but you wouldnt know it unless you crawled under. The net saved alot of headache too.
With you on that one.

No more will you need to dig the cable ties out of your tool bag when you add an extra cable to the bunch, simply rip that velcro open and slide that puppy in. I also like the net here, a great idea if its custom, or a great buy if it’s not!

An article on cable management is in the works.

Steelcase Chair

A Steelcase chair sits proudly beneath the desk, not much to say on chairs, you can get ’em flashy and you can get ’em clean, this is a clean one. Another view of the cable management net below, a not-often-used technique but certainly carries a lot more cable than your typical setup.

This picture here contradicts my guess on the leg situation, the table spans over a pair of legs, and then onto the Kallax 2×2.

The Hyper X Cloud II Headset, going for around £84 on amazon UK right now, over 2000 reviews and 4.5 stars, you cant go wrong with that, for your money you get 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound and Memory Foam headpand and ear cushions. Nice.

There are lots of variations of headphone hooks these days, this simple adhesive one is only £3.99 on Amazon, or you can get those trendy 2 sided ones if you’re so blessed as to have two pairs of headphones that is.

Speaking of headphones, check out this review on the Sony WH-1000XM3’s,

Extended Power Button

So its fairly obvious whats going on here, and i applaud him for it!

The power button was too far so I made one within reaching distance xD

But as he says, unless myk_o were to start booting up using his toes, its a nice addition, id be guessing but I imagine the wires correct directly to the board, much in the same way that the case’ power button does, to trigger a power on! Creative!

Thanks for letting us feature your build!

Sony WH-1000XM3 Review

Thu, 09 May 2019 17:33:02 GMT

Table of contents

Active Noise Cancellation
Bluetooth
Design
Battery Life
NFC
Assistant
Summary and tl;dr

Information

The Sony WH-1000XM3‘s have been my headphones of choice for a few months now, so I thought it best to get some thoughts about them down. I don’t consider myself an audiophile by any means, you won’t see me analysing highs and lows, or too much on technical specifications in this review, but hopefully, I touch on some areas you find useful.

Firstly and most obviously, they sound great, I have no complaints ever with the quality of noise that comes out of them, combined with the active noise cancellation, I don’t need them terribly loud- something I’m trying to work on in general, so my ears work a bit better for longer.

I will typically listen to anything from 320 kbps MP3, right up to 5 Mbps FLAC, although I won’t get into whether there is any difference between the two, to an average listener like me. Point being, whatever my source, these things sound great, even when compared to my other headphones.

I purchased my pair for £329.99, from Currys, although as of writing, they’re available for a painfully-cheap, £269.99 on Amazon, although ultimately, I think they’re worth every penny, even if I am bitter they’ve come down so much. I use them almost every day, whether its at work at my desk for a while at a time or if I’m walking the dog. (insert dog here)

A Sleeping Zeuz

Active Noise Cancellation

This is a feature not to be underestimated, they really do give you a strange feeling when you switch them on and suddenly all the ambient noise around you just dies away, and you’re left with a sometimes freaky, but welcome silence.

I recently took the headphones with me on a holiday to Greece, using them on the plane, barely taking them off the entire flight, I found that these headphones are marketed with aeroplane travel in mind and they do an excellent job of removing the drone of an engine, I was able to listen to tonnes of songs, and watch some TV all over Bluetooth from my phone, while remaining completely comfortable.

The touch feature on the headphones allows you to temporarily amplify your surroundings, so if you hear the faint rumble of an announcement in the background, as simple as placing a couple of fingers over the right-hand cup, will boost the noise around you, using the external microphones on the headphones, channelling it all into your ears, then as quickly as you release your hand, the ANC kicks back in, and your on your own again.

The ANC is quite customisable too, using the Headphones app by Sony, you can tweak your profiles to change the behaviour depending on your activity; cycling through a busy set of streets? Have a sensible amount of your surrounding noise, sent through the ANC, keeping you safe.

Want to bring through the noise from your right-hand side? Just set it in the app and noise from that direction will be cancelled less harshly, allowing some through.

But overall, I know confidently if I suddenly need to be in the quiet, for example at the office, I can turn them on without even having music on, and just kill all the noise in that room.

Bluetooth

So, this is a gripe for sure, but the Sony WH-1000XM3, do not support more than 1 active Bluetooth connection, but this is only annoying if your someone who swaps devices a bit, I for example at work will connect to my computer, however, all of the time I am not connected to the computer, I will connect to my phone, but when I get to work and turn them on, they will typically connect to my phone, as its probably what I used last.

It only takes a couple of seconds to disconnect the headphones from my phone (note, I do not unpair them, just disconnect) and then connect to my previously paired, laptop, its not the worst thing in the world, definitely a first world problem, but it’s worth mentioning

I’ve also noticed a few times, if I am out and about walking with the WH-1000-XM3’s, and this is a quite specific scenario, but if I turn my head sharply to look over my left shoulder, the connection drops for less than a second, initially I thought this was just a random drop, but I’ve had it happen more than once, each time when I look behind me to the left – I could have a bad unit, but it happens so rarely I have opted not to do anything about it.

Design

I don’t have much to say on the design, they are very pretty, but they ought to be for the price, I looked at the most obvious competitor, the Bose QC35’s, and while its clear that one was certainly inspired by the other, I feel like the Sony’s are just a bit sleeker, especially in black with those copper like accents.

Prior to owning these, I mostly used a pair of Custom Can’s Modified, Sennheiser HD 25-1 II, and while they are an entirely different beast, they had a much more rugged and technical look about them, whereas the Sony’s are all about being sleek- and they do it well. For reference here were my HD25’s;

Sennheiser HD 25-1 II

If your into it, there is silver to go at as well if that’s more your thing, looking at images alone, i am happy i went for the black, but it might be something you need to see in person.

Sony WH1000-XM3 in Silver

Regularly having long sessions without removing the headphones, I can confidently say I don’t experience any major discomfort, though after some hours you can sometimes start to get a bit hot around the ears, this is easily alleviated by taking a quick break.

Although a bit of warmth is not exclusive to the WH-1000XM3, if your wearing over-ear headphones, eventually you’re going to get warm ears- plus with the cushioned headband, they feel great around the neck when you do drop them down, to cool off, and no wires means nothing is getting tangled.

Sony WH1000-XM3 Comfy Cups

Battery Life

The battery is great, Sony report they should get around 30 hours of use, which I would say is accurate, I definitely feel like I don’t charge them often, there may be some weeks where ill only listen to a couple of hours of music a day, and those weeks they certainly seem to go on forever.

If you do somehow run out, you can get a few hours of life out of a measly 10-15 minutes of charging, with that sweet sweet USB-C Quick Charge.

NFC

I use the NFC to switch quickly to my mobile, if I’m heading out of work for a walk at lunch, a quick tap on the side will connect the headphones from my phone, even if they’re currently connected to my laptop.

Assistant

I’m an Android guy, so my assistant of choice is Google Assistant, the Sony’s work great with the Google Assistant, at the touch of a button on the base of the headphones, which I have remapped from functioning as a Noise Cancelling on/off, into the assistant button using the Sony Headphones app, and the Assistant will start reeling off my notifications, you can even reply to messages using the microphones on the headphones.

Summary and tl;dr

A great pair of headphones, I love the sound of them, and all the useful features, the battery life is nothing short of amazing, so in my eyes, definitely worth the premium price, they fit right in amongst my battlestation, and I hope to enjoy them for a long time to come, unless the XM4’s bring something completely new to the table.

Desi_player’s Ultrawide Work & Play Station

Sat, 08 Sep 2018 17:20:28 GMT

Information

So, 2018 happened, I’ve been very lazy and not attended to anything for quite some time, so hoping now to get back into the swing of things, any way you know the drill by now, image-heavy here, and we like it that way.

Leading nicely into December, I have elected for an ultrawide setup, brought to us by desi_player, some really good shots in this post, so read on.

The screen… Oh, the screen. We all dream of ultrawide I think, I do at least. Its an ASUS PG348Q Ultrawide and it is stunning. Playing your favourite first-person shooter using this curved 34-inch screen is a unique and fully immersive experience. The 21:9 display will lave your friends and family wondering if you are playing on an HDTV as opposed to a regular monitor. The appeal of this monitor goes well beyond looking good. It is also jam-packed with some incredible features that are a must for any dedicated gamer.

The best feature of this monitor, besides looking good is it’s ASUS signature eye care technology. This technology is flicker free and has a blue light filter to protect your eyes from becoming fatigued during long sessions of gaming. Additionally, it breaks the 144Hz barriers with a 165Hz refresh rate. The ASUS PG348Q Ultrawide also has NVIDIA G-SYNC technology for a continuous and high-quality gaming graphics experience.

In this rig set up, it sits on the end of an Ergotech Freedom Arm, it’s not your grandmothers budget monitor arm, but when you’re hauling a screen like this, you want to know it’s going to remain upright and stable. This fantastic product is easy to install and gives your desk a seamless look. This extremely robust monitor is ideal for securing your monitor versus leaving it on its stand.

I needed something that supports the weight of the PG348Q (~24lbs), options were limited.

Ya did great. The monitor looks super slick given the arm comes from the side, allures to a sort of floating effect which is very appealing.

Lovely vanity shot here, and we love the mouse mat of the world. It is a great way of keeping track of the places you’ll never be able to afford to visit because of the money you spent on your incredible battle station; but isn’t that what it’s all about?

Here’s another look at this beautiful rig. The accent lighting on the front panel was taped Phantek’s RGB strips in the centre behind the front panel.

Also, this super popular wallpaper is available for download at the end of this post. it really is everywhere!

Here’s the look of the case. It is a Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Computer Case and it is the Tempered Glass Edition in Satin Black. This gorgeous case is a winner. The case combines sandblasted aluminium with tempered glass panels.

Anyone who is a water-cooling and system builder enthusiast can present their rig build in its entire beauty. Not to mention it comes equipped with numerous innovative features including a fantastic water cooling potential with RGB illumination.

If you like to game in the night or dark, then this is definitely the rig for you. It boldly shows that you are ready for battle with a vibrant red glow; as is the theme of the century, we all love RGB.

I spy some sort of secondary workstation here, looks like an IKEA desk setup too, maybe this is a partner work area, or maybe desi_player likes flowers, either way, we are sensing some serious yin and yang vibes coming through maaan. We are impressed with how good it actually all looks together.

Ikea plants are the best, completely artificial but give you that sometimes a much-needed injection of life! Even though they can be a little pricey, you can’t put a price on a calm environment which the added touch of this Ikea plant does. It’s a nice little addition to this particular battle station. oh and nice bokeh.

This little android guy completes the aesthetics of Desi_Player’s gaming rig. It is a nice mix of professional and fun. I have one to the left of my head, being a big android advocate.

Here’s the opposite view of the ying-yang vibe of the workstation and battle station concluding our review, to show us he has the best of both worlds.

Thanks for letting us feature your station!

If you like that wallpaper, you can find it here: Wallpaper

Sebofdoom’s Scandinavian Autumnal Battlestation

Sat, 04 Nov 2017 12:33:38 GMT

Information

Sebofdooms Battlestation

Welcome back to Rigz- self-titled home of the Battlestation.

Today we have a battlestation all the way from, you guessed it- Scandinavia, brought to us by sebofdoom.

Its simple and clean, a user on Reddit put it very eloquently; and I’m inclined to agree;

Just imagine the satisfying clunks of that keyboard on a muffled, snowy evening ?

A very clean looking rig, with some hidden gems along the way, and some IKEA goodness, so let’s start with that, the desk here, what exactly is it?

It’s the IKEA Galant table with A-legs 🙂

Ahh, ever faithful IKEA- and A legs are a lesser done combination, but they look great nonetheless and the battlestation looks to be placed snugly in the corner of a room nicely.

Display wise, we have a Dell U3415W here, a lovely curved monitor, including cable management routing for the cables, leaving everything clean, which is not an option for such a battlestation

The computer case here, is a lesser seen, Jonsbo VR1, looks great in the corner there

What do you think of the case?

Incredible build quality. Terrible airflow.

We can also see a Corsair mousemat here, I need a new mousemat, my SteelSeries one is getting a bit faded. What’s the deal with the keyboard?

It’s a custom hand-soldered keyboard with a B.87 PCB and diffuser case 🙂 The keycaps are GMK Hydro

Well, what is a battlestation without a mechanical keyboard, really? If you would like to learn more about mechanical keyboards, keycaps and boards, and have a strong desire to have no money ever, I would recommend checking out /r/mechanicalkeyboards, seriously, wallets beware- I’m dreading the day my trusty G710+ dies for fear of going onto that subreddit for inspiration on what to get next!

Those of you on the lookout for the keycaps, beware

They are just wildly expensive.

Cool wrist wrest, what is that?

I got it off Massdrop a little time ago. Though I think I’ve seen it on Aliexpress as well since then.

the “Royal Glam Resin & Ebony Wood Wrist Rest” Looks great next to the custom keyboard here.

In the sound department, sebofdoom has gone with some Edifier Luna Eclipse speakers, and they suit the setup and battlestation perfectly.

The wallpaper, a cool winter scene with a nice fox, can be found here. Though I was unfortunately not able to find the original artist, maybe they can let me know so that I can credit them properly.

If your interested in how sebofdoom has centred his windows icons, you can find out more about that here

Those of you who are interested in mugs, or more specifically sebofdoom’s mug 🙂

It’s a Poul Pava mug. Though I think they are pretty hard to find outside of Denmark

So there we have it, I have got some bits to add to this write-up, but I’m waiting for sebofdoom to get back to me.

seb, if your reading this, check your messages 😉

Again thanks to sebofdoom for letting us into his world a little bit there, a very pretty rig indeed.

Until next time!

Perfect Portal PC, the cake is a lie

Sat, 28 Oct 2017 13:29:57 GMT

Information

Portal Build

Welcome back, this time there’s a definite theme going on, its portal. Pretty obvious though- if you didn’t know that you probably won’t be interested in this. its built by /u/heytjm, and its done so very well.

Now, I’m not going to be including all of the work that has gone into this, as I would be writing for days and you, in turn, would be scrolling for days, there’s a lot of work gone into it, I will, however, be highlighting cool behind the scenes stuff along the way, such as this blueprint for the original design.

But first, what do you mainly use this thing for?

I’m mainly into Mass Effect Andromeda and some rocket league on the side right now. I really like Andromeda and I’m surprised it got a bad wrap from everyone on the internet.

below you can see how heytjm planned for it all to go, and a preview into his water-cooling setup.

Below is a great show of heytjms water-cooling setup, the finished product with the side removed. These coolant tanks are beautiful, but this ain’t momma’s first rodeo;

This from a guy who’s built over a dozen PCs over the past 15 years.

Tricky to tell, but the case was originally a Thermaltake View 27, which he was unhappy to find out they have since started making in white, due to the amount of time spent modifying and painting the case!

Behind the scenes here, are the soft tubing junctions, as you can see there is no room to spare and I really commend his efforts here in what he has achieved.

Desk

Here is the PC finished on the desk, with plans for whats next;

I plan to replace my monitors and speakers soon.

Definitely agree, though it’s going to be difficult to bring everything to the standard of your PC here, I hope you have deep pockets! 🙂

I asked what his favourite piece of equipment was, and the answer comes as no surprise.

Favorite piece of equipment is definitely the PC, followed closely by my new audio setup

And it would seem there are plans underway for a screen overhaul!

I’m really waiting for HDR monitors to come out that support Gsync. I’ve heard awesome things about the picture quality of HDR and matching that with a high performance panel for gaming sounds awesome… it’s just that no one makes one yet.

Another one here of the PC sat on the desk, complete with Portal wallpapers.

Above is the backlit logo in the dark, a really cool feature, and shows the attention to the detail put into the build. Is anyone else really getting an urge to jump on Portal at this point or is it just me?

The lettering is a decal that I printed. The Aperture logo was a big pain in the @$$. I painted it with a custom mask so I could get the back lighting to work.

^ Better you than me.

Above here you can see the water block on the GPU, which is an EVGA 1070, should be plenty enough for Portal, I mean what else are you going to play on this really?

Thanks!! It was a lot of work to paint everything and I messed up the Aperture logo and had to sand back to plastic once. I used Mayhems Pastel premix coolant because of the opaque look, which I thought was cool.

Super cool.

So, whats next?

My next two upgrades are the monitors and a new keyboard. I already have a Corsair K95 mechanical keyboard, but I plan to make my own keyboard with a 75% layout and mechanical switches. That’s probably my next big project as I’ve never built my own keyboard before.

Ah yes, the tricky world of mechanical keyboard which we all & our wallets, know too well.

Water Cooled Portal Perfection

Just look at the reservoirs and beautiful bends. How long do you think this has taken?

I really wish I would have kept track of the hours. I’m guessing north of 100 hours for the construction. Probably another 100 in research. Both would be significantly reduced if I had any experience watercooling, I put way too much time into it. I’m sure my wife is happy it’s done 🙂

I don’t know why someone would have a problem with this build! 😉

Definitely, go and check out these sped up GIF’s of the tanks being filled here; GPU / CPU. I’ve never done a water cooled build, they have always intimidated me a little bit, but the fill-up process looks very appealing!

Hiding under the CPU cooler there is a 7700k, on an ASUS Z270 board, a killer combo indeed, even utilising a 960 EVO SSD, which will no doubt make for some killer read/write.

Can you imagine painting a motherboard? No me neither.

Couldn’t agree more. It was a pain to paint!

There we have it, quite a short one here, my apologies, but the focus was more on the actual PC system itself, I invite heytjm to get in touch when he’s done his planned overhaul on the rest of his gear!

Thanks for building this beautiful rig and thanks for allowing me to feature it. Remember, if you want to read the whole log you can do so here.

Update

I have since heard from heytjm, and he has completed some of his wanted upgrades, focusing on the sound system, and as you can see below it is looking much better than before!

I just upgraded my audio setup to a pair of wall mounted JBL LSR 305 studio monitors with the matching 310S subwoofer. All are connected to a Lexicon Alpha DAC via XLR cables.

So, how does it sound, much better than before I imagine?

Sound is miles above anything I’ve had before and is my first experience with professional audio. Pic of the speakers is here (I also got a new desk lamp that matches my PC.

Looks great! & sure it sounds great too. Thanks again!

And thanks again all for reading!

This was a triumph, im making a note here. Huge Success.

Jensens Office Setup; Clean, white & well equipped

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 07:30:00 GMT

Information

Introduction

Here is Jensen’s setup, its a beauty, in fact, his whole office is, let’s get into this rig.

Welcome back to Rigz, if you don’t know what its all about, feel free to read the welcome post or our about page! we’ve reviewed a couple rigs so far, with our latest being u/jensen0288, but we’ll just call him Jensen, so without further ado; his station.

First thing I see is a lot of white, Jensen obviously had a theme in mind here, or a happy accident, either way, it has come together very well.

The great wallpaper, you can grab that here, this monitor setup has never been something I have thought about doing, being uncertain about how it would end up looking, but if produced something half as cool as what Jensen has got in his setup, I would be very happy. I know what your thinking, the monitor setup, its… different;

To be honest, it’s not as bad as people think. I’ve positioned everything to my liking, and with the way my chair leans back, it doesn’t strain my neck.

Setup

The desk comprises of the classic IKEA deal, a Linmonn & some Alex drawers, a very popular combination, but you can see why the IKEA stuff looks very clean. From here I would recommend Jensen aims for something like the IKEA HAMMARP, they’re quite pricey, but they are solid wood. The only downside is you have to finish the piece yourself, so getting gloss white may be easier said than done!

Leading us to the monitors in place here which are obviously the focal point of each shot, are equally as impressive, with an LG 34UM56 34″ up top, running at 2560 x 1080, and then two LG 25UM58 25″ monitors on the bottom, again running at 2560 x 1080; He had this to say on the monitor layout also;

Video editing is handy with this setup. Ex. Timeline on bottom two monitors, and the main screen can hold your sequence stuff. Another one is photography editing/design. Main monitor for lightroom/photoshop, and the bottom monitors to use the browser, surf, display cpu info, etc, etc. In terms of gaming I use the top monitor as my main, and the bottom two for surfing, and other misc stuff. It would be the same for any other triple monitor setup, no?

Up next at the heart of this build, sits an i7 6700k, cooled by an NZXT Kraken X61, all of this sits on top of an ASUS z170-A board- with Ripjaw DDR4-3200 RAM, as you can see below, its very a well put together setup.

NZXT – S340 (White) ATX Mid Case

Theres even a RAM cooler in there, to the tune of a G.Skill Turbulence III Memory Cooling Fan, which as Jensen says, is overkill, but still awesome.

Haha, complete overkill. Not necessary, but still awesome!!

dat glow…

Which brings us to the graphics card here, which is a custom painted MSI Radeon R9 390 8GB, and beautiful white sleeving to match the whole theme. I love cable sleeves like this, and still, need to get round to doing it to my own build- it definitely polishes off a setup.

Custom painted MSI – Radeon R9 390 8GB

Leading us to the bottom of the case, here you can see the storage of choice for this battlestation, a Samsung 850 EVO, (wise choice) and a Seagate 1tb 7200RPM, presumably for storage! The attention to detail here is great, for too long have SSD’s merely hung in the hidden side portion of cases, they should be proudly displayed like so.

Keyboard

Really nailing the angles here, Jensen.

Pictured above is Jensens RGB Strafe, a fine choice of board, which apparently got 9/10 on IGN India if that means anything to you… Either way, solid board. of course, the lighting set to a clean white, because anything else would just look weird at this point, if you’re going to do stormtrooper, you ought to do it right, as Jensen has done!

Mouse

Mad Catz R.A.T 9 Wireless

Now Mad Catz is an interesting one, on one hand, I remember receiving some quite disturbing player 2 controllers,t and I’ve always thought they were from them, but that was a long time ago, maybe I should let my stigma go, it is a pretty out there looking mouse, like a Lamborghini- striking lines and I’m sure; equally good performance.

The chair featured is a VIVO High-back Mesh office chair, from the photos it looks great, almost like a slightly stripped out Herman Miller, however, Jensen thinks its a bit plasticky. looks good from here though and certainly compliments his setup.

It’s a great looking chair, and quite comfortable! Although there are lots of plastics, and build quality is a bit meh.

As you probably know, chairs are tricky, a long time ago I was looking to buy my first office chair, I saw a reasonable looking chair at a good price, but then saw another, before sitting on the second one to try it out, I saw the price, I shouldn’t have even gone near the pricey one because I knew if I were to sit on it, id be leaving with the expensive chair… and well I’m sat on it now, so the lesson is to never try anything. 🙂

Sound

Corsair VOID Wireless Headset

I found what Jensen thinks of the VOIDS

I have had no issues with that mic. Sounds awesome, no weird humming, battery life is fantastic, simple plug and play, and most importantly…RGB! lol.

Im currently in the market for a new headset myself, actually, and i hadnt heard of these! Ill be checking them out.

KANTO Ben Passive Speakers

Blue Yeti Microphone

Excellent colour matched microphone holder here, but don’t get too excited, the white is just a happy coincidence.

I wish it was custom, lol. I purchased it off ebay, a no-name brand.

Certainly looks like its doing the job fine though. The speaker setup here is great, having them out at the side at head height probably makes for some great listening too- the speakers are KANTO BEN’s, no not that Kanto- but as if they would have been any other colour; looking great in white; find them below on Amazon. What do you make of the speakers Jensen?

Love them! Although I don’t have the kanto sub, so it is missing a bit of bass. Hope to buy it in the near future!

S.M.S.L SA-50 Mini Amp

An amplifier to drive better sound & a USB Hub to plug stuff in, just a couple of essentials.

TP-Link UH720 USB 3.0

Conclusion

This whole setup must all get dusty though right?

Sigh, it does get quite dusty. Need to invest in a great air purifier or something.

Finally, the pièce de résistance here, the money shot. also a sneak into the cable management behind this build. I’ve really enjoyed featuring this one, and the photos are of excellent quality!

Thanks for allowing it Jensen, your rig is lovely. once again if you want the wallpaper, you can grab that here.

I hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing, why not let me know what your favourite part of the build is?

Featured Rig: jah_blub’s Watercooled War Table Battlestation

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 09:02:42 GMT

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The Water Cooled War Table

This is a battlestation by jah_blub, and this one is a bit of a beast, and this post is very image heavy, so mobile WAP users, beware.

A custom build is one thing, but building your rig into your desk is on another level, but this one has been executed perfectly. With excellent equipment and designed to a high standard this is not one to be missed.

The Battlestation

What we have here is a PC and NAS Combo, on the PC side of things, it’s rocking an Intel Core i7 4770k @ 4,50 GHZ, with 32 GB of DDR3 Dominator Platinum RAM, he’s gone with 2 X MSI GTX 980’s. Storage on this side is a Samsung 950 PRO 256GB, for Windows 10, and then a Samsung 750 EVO 500 GB, and a Seagate 3TB for his games! All this powered by a Dark Power 11 850W!

Feast your eyes on this, Gaming PC and NAS combo.

Most of all, I just have to say what an office this is. The desk alone has so much presence in this build, it is the focal point 100%, but the computer is a part of the desk, well actually both of the computers are part of the desk! What a feat.

Upon asking how jab_blub plans to upgrade this beast, I was surprised to hear its the GPU and CPU/RAM, oh, nothing too major then.

Server Side

Leading us now to the server side of this build, which has around 12tb of storage, jah_blub could run his own personal Netflix from this thing- you’d certainly get the cinema experience just sitting here.

The CPU and SSD used in this build can be found below!

Internal storage housing Arduino temperature control system

An Arduino seen above controls the pumps for the water-cooling, and the RPM for the fans also, a very different way. Long gone are the days of a simple slider on the front of your i/o panel! You can see some more crazy things you can do with an Arduino over at /r/Arduino I am not sure of the complexity involved, however, so probably not a click for the faint of heart.

The AK Racing chair

Some more great shots here. This chair is new to me, but it certainly looks comfortable, and plenty of lumbar support. Which you would need as there is no way you’re doing less than a 12hr shift of enjoyment at this battlestation!

The mighty MXL 990

Friends don’t let friends use bad mic’s, the MXL 990 is no exception here. We’re sure it provides top notch audio, this product too can be found below!

The War Table

A few of the parts listed here, be quiet! intel, Aqua Tuning and more, even a custom badge for his build. Does your battlestation have its own badge? No, I didn’t think so.

Logitech G710+ at the helm

This leads us to an insight to the water cooling loop involved in this battlestation, with a very bold and loud red variant chosen, which really sets off the loop, not forgetting the Logitech G710+ mechanical. This also happens to be my personal choice of a keyboard- I dig it. Check it out on Amazon below.

I asked our featured friend what would you say your battlestation’s primary purpose is?

Work first then gaming

More Shots of this Battlestation

Pretty

Hitting them all important angles here, and what a comfy home office this looks like. I’d certainly enjoy a few hours here and forget all my responsibilities.

I/O Panel

You can’t put your feet on the floor in a build like this

The money shot

Moving us onto the cooling, the water-cooling loop here with the digital display readout really look the part. For now, let’s have a look at some more pictures of this battlestation.

12GB of glorious content

Iiyama Prolite Display

A very handy storage tray

Arduino for temperature control, fan and pump RPM.

Display reporting on each side of the war table

Even the chairs a pro

Attention to detail here

A look at the cable management

Leading us to something that simply must get a mention, the cable management- it’s great. Everything looks modular and designed, everything has its path, all the cables are tied as soon as there is more than 1. They are all fixed in place using velcro, plenty of airflow to be seen here too!

A final look

I asked jah_blub what his favourite bit of his battlestation is- and well the answer is no real surprise.

The liquid cooling

If you want to see the original post on Imgur, it can be found here.

Consequently, don’t forget to check out the previous post if you haven’t already.

Again thanks to jah_blub for letting us feature his battlestation, it’s truly a sight to behold!

Check out his Instagram here & Facebook here!

Featured Rig: Baecitylights Battlestation Upgrade

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 17:21:47 GMT

Information

Baecitylights Desk Upgrade

Desk – IKEA Hardwood Counter

Starting us off, I have got Baecitylights upgrade to show you, and what an upgrade it is. Though to be fair, I dont know what it was upgraded from, judging by the quality of this rig, hunches say the previous battlestation probably was not that bad! This is Baecitylights rig, and what a beauty to start us off with.

This rig is a home office, where Baecitylights does IT support work, and the rig is also for his personal use, which sounds ideal, you would never have to leave your battlestation at the end of the day.

Starting out with the desk, it consists off the ever loved IKEA Alex drawers (is there anything that they are not good for) and then a solid oak stained counter top, with some adjustable kitchen legs; as a result of these, the desk sits at a custom height completely tuned for the user.

My favorite piece is the desk. I had never sanded and stained furniture before this and I like the way it turned out.

Well, Baecitylights , I can confirm it looks great, the dark colours really set off your white gear.

IKEA hardwood counter, with Alex drawers

The IKEA Alex drawers are a very popular option out there, being affordable and, well its IKEA so they fly up when your ready to build, there is plenty of custom ideas for IKEA stuff, including the Alex drawers on IKEA Hackers; because of this, there is no limit to what you can do with your IKEA hardware. These also available on Amazon.

Coolermaster keyboard, and delicious RGB

Peripherals

The keyboard here is a CoolerMaster Masterkeys Pro L- a gaming focused mechanical keyboard, with enough RGB to satisfy all.

This keyboard is great and suits well, with the RGB lighting perfectly matching the setup, this board has custom white key-caps purchased from mechanicalkeyboards.com

This Rig’s is lead by a Logitech G502 mouse, an excellent choice, with Kanto Yumi’s powering the audio with optional Bluetooth connectivity.

Display, we have a HP Omen 32, a 1440p beast that sits perfectly centered in the setup, this monitor stand is especially unique with a two legged wide base, sitting perfectly in this home office.

Loving the initial D prints.

NZXT Represent, this battlestation utilises a NZXT S340 Elite

A sneaky Silvia

This simple yet comfy looking chair is an Office Depot Verismo, which has been customized to remove chrome parts- no chrome for this gaming desk.

Case is an NZXT S340 Elite

So where do you go from here?

Next upgrade will probably going back to a dual vertical stacked monitor setup.

Be sure to send us some updates when you get those installed.

There is also a bonus cable management album for you to peruse here.

As you can see, good use of RGB and the ever great IKEA cable tidy trays, bonus points for cutting a hole to feed the mouse and keyboard wiring, this really sets off a build, and it takes guts to drill through your brand new desk!

Thanks to Baecitylights for letting us feature his office setup, I loved it. I hope you have enjoyed reading about it. A beautiful combination of excellent specifications, good design, and great photography, you can check out his original imgur album for his battlestation here

Wallpapers

If you want to check out these wallpapers, he has very kindly put them all together here

Let us know in the comments what you think of this rig!

Welcome to Rigz – Battlestation Paradise

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 18:30:43 GMT

Welcome to Rigz

I dont expect anyone to read this- I probably wouldn’t- but its just a small introduction- so welcome to Rigz, the home of the battlestation.

There are plenty of places to look at cool computers and battlestations, but i really want to flesh peoples builds out, get into the nitty gritty and find out what makes them special, that’s why Rigz, well also because Rigs wasn’t available.

We alI love looking at peoples battlestations, every one station is different, has its unique flair, you can even submit yours, just send a message in here and i will get back to you, theres only 2 requirements: take some decent photographs, nobody likes looking at potato cam, and be prepared to answer questions about your Rig!

Here’s some of the stuff that’s coming up;

Netflix n Chill

Portal.. enhanced

Clean and white

RGB Goodness

So anyway, that’s the introduction, lets get some battlestations looked at.

Check out our first Featured Rig here