Corsair Launches Vengeance Range for FPS, MMO, RTS Gamers

After releasing a handful of gaming products last year, Corsair has returned to the gaming peripheral market in a big way with no less than seven new products marking the launch of the Vengeance series.

Corsair presented its new keyboards, mice and headsets to us at the end of last week in London, so we were able to get up close and personal with the new range of Vengeance gaming accessories.

Headsets: Souped-Up Style

The headsets are still pretty similar to 2010's HS1, although the 2011 models have been updated, improved and beefed up a bit. The HS1300 and HS1500 make a major improvement on the HS1's biggest problem—it's design. The sub-standard materials have been ditched and replaced with brushed aluminium, perforated fabric, etc. and the general product finish has been stepped up too. This brings Corsair's new headsets in line with the competition, even if some high-end headsets like the Sennheiser PC 350 and the Logitech G930 are still one step ahead of the game. The HS1500 connects via a USB cable and has a Dolby audio spatialisation chip.


The HS1 was often criticised for its musicality, but we found the HS1300 seemed to deliver much better audio quality—although we'll obviously have to confirm that in our test lab.




The HS1100 is a behind-the-neck headset with a budget price tag, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a look. For starters, it comes with a USB adapter included and we found it was actually pretty good for gaming, even if the two higher-end models were clearly superior.

Announced RRPs are €39 for the HS1100, €79 for the HS1300 and €99 for the HS1500. UK pricing is still to be confirmed.

Mice: M60 (MMO) and M90 (FPS): Red or Blue?

Corsair has divided its gaming mice and keyboards into two distinct product series: the 60 and the 90 ranges. Corsair's 60-series products are designed for FPS and other fast-action games, and can be identified thanks to red detail on the product. On the other hand, the 90 series is designed for strategy-based games and products all feature blue lighting or detail. Even if the two mice have plenty of features in common, the devices come with different options tailored to different gaming styles.



The M60 has a handy Snipe button under the thumb, located just under the Forward/Back buttons. These can be used to switch the dpi from high to low (and vice versa) quickly and easily, although a regular dpi-switching control is located just in front of the scroll wheel. For MMO gaming, however, the M90 doesn't have a Snipe button but has nine extra buttons that can be programmed using macros.

Both mice use an Avago ADNS-9500 sensor with a native 5700 dpi and a refresh rate ranging from 125 to 1000 Hz. The casing can be adjusted into five different positions and the M90 has an internal memory for storing up to six user profiles. The main body of both mice is made from a single block of aluminium, which has the advantage of being sturdy and light. RRPs are €79 for the M60 and €99 for the M90. We're still waiting to hear about UK prices.

Keyboards: K60 (MMO) and K90 (FPS): Cherry MX Red Mechanical Key Switches

The K60 keyboard has a pretty standard set of controls. It does, however, come with a wrist-rest that doubles up as a handy holder for the red set of WASD and 1-6 keys that are supplied alongside the standard keys. These have a textured surface for improved grip and which helps find them easily without having to look at the keyboard. The K90 doesn't come with a set of interchangeable keys but instead has a selection of macro keys. Corsair has worked with some of the same designers who developed Logitech's G series—and it shows—as the 18 customisable G-keys are very similar to what's been seen in Logitech keyboards.


Both keyboards use Cherry MX Red mechanical key switches, which have a great reputation in the world of gaming keyboards. We found the keys were pretty pleasant to use, with resistance that stays constant for the full length of the press and keystrokes that are detected at half-press points for speedy reactions. Corsair assured us that there are no rollover issues over the USB connection and no key ghosting problems. A maximum of 20 keys can be pressed at once.


Again, both models have a single-block aluminium chassis. We tried out the keyboard and mouse combos in a few games and we were generally pleased with the performances. That said, the wrist-rest could have been more comfortable with a softer, more supple covering than the suede-finish plastic. The K60 will be priced at around €99 and the K90 at €129 and, once again, UK pricing is still in the pipeline.

All products in the Corsair Vengeance range are due to go on sale in October.

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