March Extreme Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 6

Mouse: Logitech MX500 Optical Mouse

Cost: $37
Months on list: 4
Price Change: $0

Without much movement in the peripheral market, the Logitech MX500 Optical mouse makes another return to the Extreme guide. There is plenty reason why, as it is an excellent corded optical mouse utilizing Logitech's new "MX" technology for optical mice. It has an 800 dpi sample rate, which scans movement quicker, and more often, than before. The MX-500 is also a sleek, very comfortable mouse to work with.

It features two standard left and right buttons, as well as two scroll buttons on top, a scroll wheel, quick switch program selection button, and two thumb buttons to flip back and forth between web pages. Its reaction time is instantaneous, making the MX-500 an instant winner for players of FPS games. Combine all of these features with the fact that it is an optical mouse that never requires maintenance, and it's once again this month's Extreme mouse of choice.

Keyboard: Logitech Elite Keyboard

Cost: $40
Months on list: New
Price Change: N/A

In sticking with the black style of our case and external peripherals, the Logitech Elite keyboard is our natural choice. This is a similar design to the popular Microsoft Multimedia keyboard line, with enhanced function keys, low-profile design and is very attractive to boot. These function keys include one-touch support for web, applications, media files, and documents, and make navigating through the Windows environment much easier.

For those with a wireless taste, Logitech also offers the Wireless Elite combo, which unfortunately, ships standard with a basic mouse. If this unit was available separately (thereby lowering it's $99 price tag), we'd definitely consider it as the front-line keyboard of choice.

Game pad: Logitech Wingman Rumblepad

Cost: $24
Months on list: 8
Price Change: $0

The Logitech Wingman Rumblepad is getting long in the tooth, but this product is still very good, and every gamer should have a game pad, especially for those sports gamers out there. Very few game pads offer such a nice balance of ergonomic feel, excellent button placement, and quality, or at a better price point, than the Logitech Wingman Rumblepad. As the name suggests, the device can function in rumble mode, and will support force feedback in certain games. The game pad has 6 buttons on top, two trigger buttons, two analogue sticks, a digital d-pad, and a throttle switch. This feature packed controller will definitely satisfy the needs of an Extreme gamer.