The Top Tech of 2013

The Top Tech of 2013 - Peripherals

Qpad QH-90
Qpad QH-90 Review

An essential tool for any competitive gamer, and even for the more casual among us, a good gaming headset can really make the difference in the heat of battle. But perhaps more than any other fighting tool a headset wants to sit in the background simply doing what it does without drawing attention to itself. In other words it must be comfortable, and there are none more head-cushioning than the Qpad QH-90. Its huge, thick and squishy earcups and headband make this headset an utter pleasure to game in for hours on end.



As well as being comfortable the QH-90 offers great sound quality for its price and has a cracking feature set with a detachable mic and a simple and easy to use cable system. All that and it looks fantastic too.

Func MS-3
Func MS-3 Review

Picking a favourite mouse is always a highly contentious issue as people's preferences for them vary so wildly. Some prefer tiny, svelte designs while others like something chunky to get hold of. Equally some prefer a simple feature set while others want all the bells and whistles.



Well, the Func MS-3 falls decidedly into the latter of both camps, sporting a large, highly contoured design and a hefty feature set with ten buttons!

It stood out for us simply because of its incredibly comfortable shape, excellent button layout and superb performance, plus the customisation software is excellent. It may not be for everyone but for those it suits it's perfect.

Corsair K70
Corsair K70 Review

Corsair has had a stellar year when it comes to keyboards, churning out not one, not two but three of our favourites. There was the tiny Corsair K50 with its simple tenkeyless design and the the humongous Corsair K90, with its vast array of macro buttons. But the winner in our eyes is the middle of the bunch, the K70.



An update to last year's K60 it, like the rest of the keyboards mentioned above, sports a full array of mechanical keys available in a range of switch options including Cherry MX red, blue and brown. These are backed up by a great set of simple multimedia keys, full backlighting and of course the Corsair signature brushed aluminium finish. It really is a superb bit of kit.

Nvidia G-Sync
Nvidia G-Sync Review

G-Sync is one of those technologies that once invented you instantly find yourself asking 'why didn't someone think of this before?' The answer is of course that they probably did but it took the mighty push of Nvidia to bring it to market.



The technology aims to improve the visual experience of games, no matter what framerate your getting, by eliminating tearing and stutter that results from using monitors with fixed framerates. By passing control of monitor refresh speed to the graphics card it allows for a much smoother experience.

Unfortunately Nvidia has chosen to launch the technology with a sub-par monitor, in terms of picture quality, limiting its impact but as a technology it is definitely a highlight of 2013.

Oculus Rift

Yes, after controversially topping our Best Games of 2013 chart the Oculus Rift is back with another mention in our top hardware list. It may not be fully available yet and is really still a work in progress but for its sheer future-facing awe-inspiration it more than deserves its place among the hardware highlights of 2013.



As we mentioned in our best games article, it's the sheer ability to bring not just a fresh perspective but a whole new experience to existing games, as well as its potential for future use, that is so exciting. It is quite simply the most exciting technology innovation in PC gaming for donkeys years.


So that's it for our pick of the top tech of 2013. Now we can't wait to see what 2014 has to offer.

Agree with our choices? Let us know in the comments.