E-Sports Entertainment

For those of you that unaware, Nintendo released their newest console just a few months ago. Going by the name Switch, Nintendo’s new console features the ability to be played on the go like an iPad, or in docked mode like a traditional game console, such as a PlayStation or Xbox. Thus far the console has done well, usually being sold out at most outlets. Those who have been lucky enough get one, or pay a hefty price from third-party sellers, there has been a lot of new games to enjoy. One I got to try recently was Arms. Arms is cartoonish boxing game that has players controlling characters that have arms that can stretch across the ring similar to Stretch Armstrong. Utilizing the Switch’s handheld motion controllers, players have to punch the other player, while also attempting to block their punches. I have to say, I am usually skeptical about these sort games, as a usually like to play games that do not use motion as an input. I have to say though, it was a lot of fun, way more th

Just recently I picked up a new case, as I was looking to upgrade to something a little bigger than my previous setup. I was looking for a case that offered a lot of space and customizable options, while not appearing as what I call “gamer design”. By this, I mean products which are overly design to look futuristic and flashy. I was looking for something elegant and a case that would work well with the rest of my furniture. A company by the name of Fractal Design, was able to provide exactly what I was looking for. Based out of Sweden, Fractal Design, offers cases that can accommodate a huge range of sizes, while looking great. I went with the R5 Artic White edition. This case’s main features are its size and customization options. The great things about this case are the modularity and cable management system. This allows for clean organization of parts in the case, making it look very professional and slick. Even better, one this edition is the side panel window, which allows for an

An essential part of competing in online gaming is the ability to communicate with your teammates to coordinate the best possible plan of attack. While this can be achieved through text chat, voice communication is vastly superior in its efficiency and effectiveness. While there many options for voice communication, ranging from simple microphones, such as the one on a pair of iPhone headphones, to studio grade mics, the Blue Yeti microphone will be the focus of this review. Blue Microphones are a well-respected manufacturer of USB microphones. I can speak from prior experience as their entry level microphone, the Blue Snowball, has served me well for just over a year and a half. The Yeti is Blue’s higher end offering for those looking to get great voice clarity and superb quality and craftsmanship. Coming in at around $120 depending on the time of the year, the Yeti is priced well given competitor’s offerings and the list of features that the Yeti provides. Speaking of which, some of

This list looks at the current top games in esports today. Many different genres are represented as esports continues to expand. The criteria for this list is based upon how much money is being rewarded to the players competing in tournaments. None of the top ten dip below one million. So, let us begin, hopefully you see your favorite game, or perhaps a new one that catches your interest. 1.        Counter-Strike: Global Offensive a.        Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is a tactical 5 v 5 first person shooter that tasks the offensive team with eliminating the defense, or successfully blowing up a target. The offense tries to stop the offense by eliminating the team or defusing the bomb before it explodes. The first team to sixteen wins. 2.        Dota 2 a.        Dota 2 is a free to play action strategy game that has players control different heroes as they traverse the battlefield trying to eliminate enemy members and structures. 3.        League of Legends a.

I managed to get my hands on a newer keyboard from manufacturer Corsair. I have been of fan of their products for a while so I was excited to get the K70 LUX RGB and review it. Corsair’s keyboards are geared towards the gaming enthusiast looking for a quality and reliable experience. This particular keyboard is mechanical and is available in three switch types (Blue, Red, or Brown) for a price of $150. For those who are unaware of what a mechanical keyboard is, or what switch types are, here is a brief explanation. Mechanical keyboards feature high quality spring actuated keys as opposed rubber domes in most keyboards. The switch types listed above all vary by how much pressure needs to be applied. The keyboard I am reviewing featured the brown switches, which are around the medium amount of pressure needed. My first impressions of the product were great. The build quality is excellent, featuring a sturdy aluminum body and elegant design. The main attraction of this keyboard is the RG

Quarter 2 of this year saw a dramatic increase in graphics card prices as well as availability issues. This can be attributed to a surge in the cryptocurrency market as Ethereum, a newer cryptocurrency, has grown massively in popularity. For those who unaware of how mining in cryptocurrency works, here is a short summary. The computer, aided by the graphic processing unit (GPU), perform hard tasks (think difficult math equations) that when completed, rewards the user with an amount of the particular coin being mined. This helps to verify all the other transactions surrounding the specific cryptocurrency and gives it value. So essentially, graphics cards are good for completing tasks and paying out a certain amount. Now this is not the first time this has happened. In fact, the last time I was in the market for a completely new PC build in 2013, Bitcoin (The most popular cryptocurrency, which then was valued at $100 each, is now worth around $2,700 each) was skyrocketing in value, lead