ENTERPRISE

The World At Your Fingertips

3/30/2013 4:23:43 PM

From budget accessories to stylish PCs, there’s world of fascinating products at your fingertips

Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt HD-PATU3

Price: $233

Ratings: 4/5

Web: www.kikatek.com

Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt HD-PATU3

Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt HD-PATU3

The Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt HD-PATU3 is a sturdy and portable hard drive that’s attractively designed. It also comes with a USB 3.0 connection, so even if you’re on a computer that doesn’t have Thunderbolt, you’re still going to see the benefit of a faster connection. It only comes with one Thunderbolt port, however, so if you’re daisy chaining Thunderbolt devices this will have to sit at the end. USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt cables are included, which is a nice touch as we’ve seen Thunderbolt devices that don’t do this.

Of course, what really matters is the speed in which the Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt HD-PATU3 transfers data. In our real world tests we sent a 1.36GB file in just 36 seconds. It’s impressive, but doesn’t blow USB 3.0 out of the water, despite the Thunderbolt drive’s potential. This is mainly due to the fact that the Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt HD-PATU3 contains a mechanical hard drive, so no matter how fast the connection is, it’s still being held back by the spinning drive. There’s also an SSD version of the HD-PATU3. This would increase the speed, but also the price while decreasing the capacity.

Logitech t400 Zone Touch Mouse

Price: $48

Ratings: 3/5

Logitech t400 Zone Touch Mouse

Logitech t400 Zone Touch Mouse

The Logitech t400 Zone Touch Mouse is another entry in Logitech’s range of peripherals that are aimed at making the switch to Windows 8 more palatable for those of us that don’t have touch-enabled devices. As ‘Zone’ suggests, rather than the whole face of the mouse being touch responsive, as it is with another Logitech mouse – the m600, only a small part of the Logitech t400 Zone Touch Mouse is touch enabled. This helps prevent problems we’ve experienced with the Logitech m600, where the mouse scrolls or flips through documents when the top of the mouse is accidently brushed. The touch sensitive part of the t400 is confined to the middle button, and it’s nice and responsive, letting you scroll both horizontally and vertically. Clicking the middle button brings up Windows 8’s Start screen, which is a nice touch. The t400 won’t win any design, awards, but it’s an improvement on previous touch-enabled mice, but doesn’t quite replace the need for a touchscreen.

SoundBlaster Tactic3D Rage

Price: $100

Ratings: 4/5

Web: www.dabs.com

SoundBlaster Tactic3D Rage

SoundBlaster Tactic3D Rage

The SoundBlaster Tactic3D Rage is the latest gaming headset from Creative and it’s sturdily designed and comfortable to wear. The cushioned cups feel fine even when the headset is worn for long periods, and they do a good job of noise insulation, so you can block out the world and not disturb others too.

Sound quality is very good, with a rich and full sound even at default settings. The SoundBlaster Tactic3D software is once again included and from here you can adjust the equalizer settings, add effects and alter the surround sound levels. The Tactic3D software also lets you change the color of the pulsating LEDs in each ear cup, a nice but ultimately pointless feature.

The microphone is good quality, and the arm is easily adjustable. However, the foam covering the mic often fell off. The headset also has no automatic power saving feature, so if you close down your PC, the headset can remain on draining the battery. Overall, though, this is a solid headset that comes with some of Creative’s best innovations.

Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Keyboard

Price: $90

Ratings: 4/5

Web: www.johnlewis.com

Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Keyboard

Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Keyboard

If you do a lot of typing or gaming then you can do yourself a lot of good by getting an ergonomic keyboard. These are keyboards specially designed to reduce stress in the hands when typing, making for a more comfortable experience and reduced risk of RSI. Microsoft has a long and distinguished history of creating ergonomic peripherals, and the new Sculpt Comfort Keyboard continues this legacy. The curved design keeps keys close to the fingers while typing, and the padded wrist support is comfortable to use.

This keyboard has been released to coincide with Windows 8, so along with a redesigned Windows logo on the Windows key, some function (or ‘F’) keys double up as keys for Windows 8-specific tools and charms. These keys can be toggled by a switch, and when used with Windows 8 make the new operating system a lot easier to get used to. The keyboard is wireless and it also comes with a split spacebar, which is designed to improve typing efficiency, though we didn’t notice much difference. Overall this is an excellent ergonomic keyboard, however.

Logitech t650 Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad

Price: $98

Ratings: 4/5

Logitech t650 Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad

Logitech t650 Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad

It’s no secret that Windows 8 is an operating system that’s geared towards touchscreen devices. This means if you’ve not got a touch-enabled device, then you’re going to be missing out on quite a few Windows 8 features and shortcuts. Logitech’s t650 Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad is a solution to this, as it allows you to perform Windows 8 gestures no matter what you hardware is. Connecting it up to a PC is perfectly simple, and it comes with a Logitech Unifying USB dongle, which lets you connect up to six compatible Logitech devices, such as the Logitech t400 Zone Touch Mouse, to a single dongle.

The glass top makes scrolling through Windows 8’s Start screen nice and smooth, and the touchpad is pretty fast and responsive. Gestures such as flicking from the right hand side of the screen to bring up the Charms Bar work well, though tapping to select and app or file wasn’t always accurate. Overall this is a fine peripheral to connect to your PC if you’re having trouble adjusting to Windows 8.

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