SteelSeries

Nine 'SteelSeries' stories January 2014 - April 2016

Giveaway: SteelSeries Apex M800 Mechanical Keyboard

Jeff Benjamin Apr 22 2016 - 7:31 am PT

Last week, we reviewed the SteelSeries Apex M800 Mechanical Keyboard. The review was largely positive, citing the keyboard’s Mac-centric keycaps, individual LED lights and tactile key switches.

The SteelSeries Apex M800 is one of the more unique keyboards that we’ve tried, as each individual key can be customized with key bindings and LEDs. With SteelSeries’ Engine 3 software, customization is only a few clicks away.

We’re giving away this $170 keyboard to one of our fabulous readers. Check inside to learn how to win.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Review: SteelSeries Apex M800 mechanical keyboard with individual key LED illumination

Jeff Benjamin Apr 8 2016 - 9:45 am PT

17 Comments

SteelSeries is well known around Apple circles for its iOS and Apple TV gaming controllers, but the company specializes in other gaming-related hardware ventures as well, such as mice, headsets and keyboards.

After browsing SteelSeries’ site to find some information on its popular Nimbus controller, I stumbled upon its keyboard line. Anyone that knows me understands that I have a special affinity for mechanical keyboards, and that’s exactly what I found on the SteelSeries website.

The Danish hardware manufacturer’s marquee mechanical keyboard, the SteelSeries Apex M800, is not your ordinary mechanical keyboard. It’s a fully customizable, gaming-centric experience that lets you assign an overwhelming variety of functionality and colors to individual keys. While the Apex M800 ships configured for Windows, it’s fully compatible with the Mac, and even comes with OS X key cap replacements.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Hands-on: SteelSeries’ Nimbus is the first Made For Apple TV game controller, but should you care?

Jeremy Horwitz Oct 27 2015 - 8:31 am PT

19 Comments

For the moment, the new Apple TV’s accessory compatibility can fairly be described as “confusing.” It’s confirmed that Bluetooth speakers and headphones — previously unsupported by older Apple TVs — work with the new model. On the other hand, Bluetooth keyboards, which previously worked with Apple TVs, do not. And Bluetooth game controllers… well, if they were Made For iPhone (or iPad), they work with the new Apple TV. But contrary to some erroneous early reports, if they were made for other devices (say, the PlayStation 4), they don’t.

So even though SteelSeries’ Nimbus ($50) has been pitched as the first “gamepad controller for Apple TV,” it’s kinda not. The company’s earlier Stratus (now only $40 refurbished) works with the Apple TV, as do Mad Catz’ nicer C.T.R.L.i and Micro C.T.R.L.i controllers. However, Nimbus is launching with newer technology at a not-insane price point. It has a Lightning connector built in for recharging an integrated 40-hour battery, a Bluetooth 4.1 wireless chip, and a design that was apparently — despite obvious similarities to many other controllers — co-developed by Apple itself. It also is the first accessory to ship with Apple’s new “Made for Apple TV” logo on the box. Here are some early thoughts on the Nimbus based on my hands-on experiences…

Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Last Call: 11-inch MacBook Air $730, 3-ft. MFi Lightning Cables $5, Jawbone Mini Jambox $50, more

Sep 1 2015 - 9:11 am PT

0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple 11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (newest version): $730 shipped (Reg. $899)

Your choice of MFi Apple-certified 3-ft Lightning cables from Anker and Spigen for $5 shipped
Jawbone Mini Jambox Bluetooth Speaker in Blue Diamond: $50 shipped (Reg. $87)
Harman Kardon Nova 2.0 Bluetooth Stereo Speaker System $150 shipped (Orig. $200)
Neato details its new iOS/Android connected robotic smart vac
EA announces upcoming Star Wars Battlefront beta, new gameplay modes and companion app
Home: Dyson AM07 tower fan $270 (Reg. $320), Philips Norelco men’s shaver $120 (Orig. $280), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/638803451682664453 align=’center’]

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/638798805673115648 align=’center’]

Ringke iPhone 6/Plus Cases from $5 shipped in multiple colors/styles, more

Apple AirPort Express Dual-Band 802.11n Wireless Router (refurbished): $50 shipped (Orig. $99)

Amazon Gold Box – up to 45% off gaming gear: SteelSeries iPhone controller $45, ViewSonic 28″ monitor $187, much more

All-Inclusive iOS 9 & Swift 2 Course Developer Bundle: $49 (Orig. $398)

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

13.3-inch MacBook Air (early 2014) 1.7GHz/8GB/512GB: $1,249 shipped (Orig. $1,849)

Giveaway: $400 Belkin WeMo bundle including the new Lightify Starter Set, multiple winners

More new gear from today:

Healthkit-supported Bluetooth Smart Bathroom scale with BMI, more: $49 Shipped

Games/Apps: Borderlands Handsome Collection $35, 1TB Xbox One Halo bundle $360, more
Nintendo brings new smaller 3DS to North America, Zelda Tri Force 3DS, opens digital store on Amazon
Pandora celebrates its 10th anniversary by nixing ads for all listeners
D-Link PowerLine AV500 Mini Adapter Starter Kit: $20 shipped (Reg. $35+)
Fitbit Charge HR Activity Tracker in multiple sizes/colors: $120 shipped (Reg. $150)
Kindle First Books for September: The Prettiest One, Pale Queen Rising, Still Waters, more
Daily Deals: Logitech K350 Curved Wireless Keyboard $30, Urge Basics Bluetooth Speaker $19

More deals still alive:

Brother All-in-One AirPrint Wireless InkJet Printer $50 shipped (Reg. $85+)

Gift Cards up to 20% off: Sports Authority, Domino’s, Jiffy Lube, Steak ‘n Shake, TGI Fridays, Michaels, more

Western Digital 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive: $130 shipped (Orig. $200)
GoPro HERO4 Silver waterproof action camera: $319 shipped (Reg. $400)
Motorola SURFboard Cable Modem + Wireless Router: $90 shipped (~$109+ value), more
Monitors: Acer 23″ $100 (Reg. $140), Dell 23.8″ UltraSharp w/ HDMI $210 (Reg. $240)
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB 2.5-inch Solid-State Drive: $150 shipped (Reg. $175+)
Audio: JBL Micro Bluetooth speaker $28, V-MODA M-80 headphones $80 (Reg. up to $120)
Home: home/office laminator $15, LED desk lamp $35, electric kettle $20, more
App Store Free App of the Week: Nighty Night Circus kids’ bedtime story app ($3 value)
MFi Lightning Cables: 6-ft. Braided Nylon $9.50 (Reg. $14), 2-ft. Retractable $9 (Reg. $13), more
Philips Portable Bluetooth Speaker in multiple colors for $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $20)
Power Banks: Anker PowerCore 15600mAh w/ dual USB ports $25 Prime shipped (Reg. $33), more
MicroSD cards: Silicon Power 64GB $20 (Orig. $36), PNY 128GB $51 (Orig. $80), more
REI extra 20% off: Columbia Fleece Half-Zip $24, Marmot Down Jacket $104, more
Home: Best selling Roomba robot vacs up to $100+ off, Electric Fondue Maker from $37 (Orig. $80+)
Timbuk2 bags, backpacks, and rollers 25% off: Command Messenger Bag $112 shipped (Reg. $150)
Gaming apparel/collectibles 20% off: Fallout 4 hoodies $48, official PlayStation gear from $10, more
Bose SoundTrue on-ears in black $80 (Reg. $120), much more
AirPrint Printers: Canon Inkjet All-in-One $90 (Reg. $110), more
Griffin ‘Twenty’ Digital Audio Bluetooth Amplifier: $120 Shipped (Orig. $150, CA Tax Only)
MLB.TV is down to just $10 for the rest of the season
Hot Java Android Coding Bundle: 5 app development courses for $29 (Orig. $657)
Free Xbox Live Gold Games for September: Tomb Raider Definitive Edition, Battlestations Pacific, more
Free PS Plus Games for September: Grow Home, Super Time Force Ultra, Twisted Metal, more
Doxie Go Wi-Fi Scanner: $175 Shipped (Orig. $229, CA Tax Only)
Google Play offers free downloads of Buddy Guy’s Born To Play Guitar album (Reg. $10)

New products & more:

Leica partners with an Italian auto designer to create a marvelous set of limited edition binoculars

Microsoft details new Xbox One Elite Bundle w/ upgraded SSD, new special edition controller

Release dates/special editions announced for Uncharted 4 & Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Set the clock back to 1875 with the new Tesla Watch from ThinkGeek
Netflix September Preview: The Walking Dead Season 5, Gotham Season 1, and more
SmartHalo adds simple smartphone-connected navigation to your bike’s handlebars
Gears of War creator reveals the first gameplay footage for his new gravity-defying FPS
Back to school gift guide: essential tech gear every student should be using
Here’s how you can play Forza 6 nearly a week before its release plus pre-order discounts
Lara Croft GO hits iOS and Android with puzzle-based gameplay
Logitech’s new Artemis Wireless Gaming Headsets focus on features and compatibility
Samsung introduces new multi-room speakers alongside an improved Android and iOS app
Amazon’s new Underground app for Android delivers over $10,000 worth of free apps and games
Sensel’s Morph is an ultra sensitive Force Touch Trackpad look-alike
These mesmerizing auto-Mario Maker levels will take you on the ride of a lifetime
Rise of the Tomb Raider Collector’s Edition features a 1-foot Lara statue and more

SteelSeries announces full-sized Made-for-iPhone/iPad bluetooth game controller

Jordan Kahn Jun 9 2014 - 8:32 am PT

9 Comments

We previously reviewed the first Made-for-iPhone/iPad “Stratus” controller launched by SteelSeries and today the company announced a full-sized version with the introduction of Stratus XL:

The Stratus XL Wireless Gaming Controller features a console-style layout with a pressure-sensitive directional pad (D-pad), 4 pressure-sensitive action buttons along with a total of 4 shoulder buttons – 2 pressure-sensitive top shoulder buttons and 2 analog trigger bottom shoulder buttons. In addition to dual analog sticks, Stratus XL includes a dedicated pairing button to connect to iOS devices via Bluetooth and a convenient on/off switch to save on power. The Stratus XL will deliver an estimated 40 hours of gameplay with two standard AA batteries; a battery life indicator is located on the underside of the device.

The controller also includes red LED indicator lights that show up to 4 controllers connected to a single device for multiplayer.

The Stratus XL controller is coming later this year but there is no word on pricing yet. Here’s to hoping the larger size improves on some of the issues we had with the last controller. You can see a size comparison of the two controllers to the right.

Price war! Logitech drops iPhone MFi game controller to $70 in response to Steelseries’ $20 cut

Jan 27 2014 - 6:01 am PT

2 Comments

It appears that lukewarm reviews and less-than-stellar demand is creating fierce competition amongst early-entrants into the MFi game controller space. Just last week SteelSeries knocked $20 off its Stratus controller, and now Logitech is going even further and slashing $30 off its PowerShell controller. The news follows our in-depth look at the MFi game controller program where we talked to companies about complaints over pricing and the less than stellar reviews of the controllers.

Despite the well-documented shortcomings of the PowerShell, we didn’t hesitate to recommend it for casual gamers. The deal is only scheduled to last until February 1st, but something tells us other discounts and promotions can’t be too far off.

Review: SteelSeries ‘Stratus’ Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod Bluetooth game controller

Jordan Kahn Jan 10 2014 - 1:00 pm PT

7 Comments

I previously reviewed the first two Apple authorized game controllers to hit the market under Apple’s new Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod touch program from Logitech and Moga. Both used Apple’s form-fitting design that docks an iPhone or iPod touch directly into the controller via a Lightning connector. However, Apple’s program also allows another breed of standalone controllers that connect over Bluetooth and therefore also work with iPad and Mac. Unveiled at CES, this week I’ve put one of the first Bluetooth, non-form-fitting designs to the test with the new Stratus wireless controller from SteelSeries.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Signal announces first full-size MFi Bluetooth games controller

Ben Lovejoy Jan 8 2014 - 4:51 am PT

7 Comments

iOS gamers are not going to be short of options when it comes to choosing a games controller for their iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. After earlier dock-based controllers from Logitech and Moga, and Monday’s announcement by SteelSeries of the first Bluetooth controller, Signal has just announced the first full-size Bluetooth controller in the shape of the RP One …
Expand
Expanding
Close

SteelSeries announces the first MFi Bluetooth game controller for iPhone, iPad, & iPod touch

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2014 - 12:58 am PT

5 Comments

Today we get a look at the first Apple authorized Bluetooth game controller for iOS devices with the Stratus Wireless Controller announced today by SteelSeries.

We’ve already reviewed the first two Apple authorized game controllers to hit the market since it introduced its controller MFi program alongside iOS 7 earlier this year: Logitech’s PowerShell and Moga’s AcePower. Those two controllers used Apple’s form-fitting design, which lets an iOS device dock directly into a recess in the controller and connect via a built-in Lightning connector. The new controller from SteelSeries is the first standalone controller that connects to any iOS device over Bluetooth, which means it will also support iPads. It uses Apple’s extended layout, which gives you dual analog joysticks and an extra set of shoulder triggers on top of the d-pad, face buttons and single set of triggers on Apple’s standard layout.

Expand
Expanding
Close