Maono, a leading global professional microphone brand, today announced the availability of the PD500W Hybrid Microphone, a professional dynamic microphone system designed to support modern creators across podcasting, streaming, video production, interviews and live content creation. Combining 2.4 GHz wireless, USB-C and XLR connectivity with optional 32-bit float internal recording and safety-track backup, the PD500W offers a flexible audio solution for a range of production workflows.

The retail launch follows a successful 60-day Kickstarter campaign, which concluded on August 30, 2026, with 279 backers pledging US$100,124—more than double its original US$50,000 funding goal. The PD500W was developed around a practical challenge facing modern creators: a single recording session may begin at a desk, move to an on-location interview and later transition to a mobile or studio setup. By combining three connection options—USB-C, XLR and compatible 2.4 GHz wireless—with internal recording, the PD500W gives creators the flexibility to adapt to different devices and production environments without switching microphones.

Beelink today announced the Kickstarter launch of the ME Pro, a modular NAS available in two-bay and four-bay configurations. Its swappable motherboard design lets users upgrade performance or add drive bays as their needs change. The ME Pro uses cooling and vibration damping to help reduce operating noise and comes with Fygo OS preinstalled for file sync, backup, and remote access.

Modular Hardware for Flexible Upgrades and Quiet Operation

• Swappable motherboard modules. A slide-out design supports compatible Intel and AMD motherboard modules. The same module can move between compatible two-bay and four-bay enclosures in either direction, so users can keep their existing motherboard when expanding storage.
• Compact, one-piece metal chassis. The enclosure takes up about 50% less space than NAS systems with the same number of drive bays, making it easier to fit on a desk or in a living room or studio.
• Cooling and vibration control. Thermally conductive silicone and aluminium brackets draw heat away from the drives. A vapor chamber and internal blower distribute and dissipate heat, while a tightly secured assembly helps reduce vibration noise. The ME Pro is designed for round-the-clock operation, with noise levels as low as 34 dB.

The Vantex V1 is a new mechanical keyboard project that recently launched on Kickstarter. It takes the columnar stagger ergonomic layout found on split keyboards, like the Corne or Silakka54 and builds it into a more manageable aluminium unibody chassis, replete with a central trackpad, for an all-in-one input solution. The Vantex V1 is available in both a tri-mode wireless (2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and USB-C wired) version, starting at $159 on Kickstarter ($159 MSRP) or in a wired version that starts at $129 on Kickstarter ($259 MSRP).

The Vantex V1 has a fairly compact, but adaptable 60% layout, although it uses only 1u or 1.25u keys for all but the long key under the trackpad, which should make it easy to get used to for newcomers to the ergonomic keyboard space, and it has three shortcut keys above the trackpad for custom mouse keys, navigation, macros, or other user-defined functionality. The central trackpad, arguably the star of the show, is a 45 × 45 mm unit with multitouch gestures, and Vantex says that the keyboard has four programmable layers, one of which can easily be set up as a mouse layer, depending on the included firmware, which has yet to be disclosed.

Mchose, a brand known for making affordable high-performance gaming peripherals, has officially launched the Ace75, a new Hall effect gaming keyboard with a 75% layout and a focus on both aesthetics and gaming performance. Mchose hasn't specified what the keyboard is made from, but the images on the Kickstarter page suggest an aluminium case that's been anodized to color-match the keycaps for various colorways. On Kickstarter, the Mchose Ace75 starts at $109, but the MSRP will be $149 when it eventually launches out of the Kickstarter.

The Ace75 offers the choice of two switches, depending on what keyboard color you choose: the Moon Rock Grey keyboard will come with Berserker Magnetic Switches, while the more exciting Mecha Green, Navy Blue, and Midnight Purple versions will come with TTC Royal Steed switches. The Moon Rock Grey colorway will also be the only one of the lot to ship with opaque PBT keycaps, while the other three colorways come with translucent polycarbonate, instead. Aside from the fairly minimalist case design, the Ace75 comes with a few tricks up its sleeve that may make it particularly useful as a keyboard that's both a daily driver and a gaming accessory.

Following the recent launch of its low-profile metal keycaps, Awekeys has officially announced a new shine-through variant of its metal keycaps for full-height MX-style switches. The Awekeys RGB keycaps are not yet available for purchase, but Awekeys has revealed the design, layout options, colors, kits, and eventual pricing for the keycaps. The Awekeys RGB shine-through metal keycaps will soon be available on Kickstarter in three different kit options: $169 for the 83-key base kit, $199 for the 98-key kit, and $229 for the full-size 116-key kit. The quoted MSRPs will increase to a claimed $269, $319, and $369, respectively, after the end of the Kickstarter campaign.

[Editor's note: Our hands-on review of a previous set of Awekeys metal keycaps is available]

The keycaps, like the company's other designs, will use a recycled alloy called cupronickel, and they will be available in six different colors in both brushed and satin finishes. The available colors include gold, copper, silver, titanium black, obsidian black, and a special glow-in-the-dark neon variant. Some of these colors and finishes will likely cost extra when they launch, and there will likely be specific combinations of colors and finishes, rather than both finishes being available in all colors—this was the case with the low-profile keycaps and Awekeys's other metal keycap products. The Awekeys RGB keycaps seem to follow OEM profile, rather than Cherry, and they will be compatible with both ISO and ANSI keyboard layouts.

Pexar, a smart device brand powered by Lexar, today launched its Kickstarter campaign for the PexarBolt Ultra TBT5 Dock, a 5-inch touch control dashboard designed with a simple goal: see your workflow, control your desk. Powered by Thunderbolt 5 and compatible with both macOS and Windows systems, the PexarBolt Dock provides up to 80 Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth, with Bandwidth Boost delivering up to 120 Gbps of transmit bandwidth for display-intensive workflows. A single Thunderbolt 5 cable connects to all 22 ports, including 10GbE, an NVMe slot, and CFexpress Type B.

The world's first touch control dashboard on a Thunderbolt 5 dock
The PexarBolt Dock integrates a 5-inch touch control dashboard that displays real-time status for every connected device. Users can monitor connection status, transfer activity, storage information, real-time power readings on supported ports, and the dock's temperature and fan status at a glance. Keeping this information directly on the dock makes it easier to check device activity and identify unexpected transfer slowdowns without interrupting the workflow. A precision metal dial enables tactile navigation and, within AI Status, lets users approve or reject requests from supported AI coding agents directly from the dock.

Ugreen, a leading global consumer technology company, hosted the Ugreen Smart Living Launch Event on Sept. 1 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. At the event, Ugreen unveiled HomeAgent and the new MagFlow Series and named New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez its Global Brand Ambassador.

This launch marks Ugreen's AIoT debut and a broader vision for what intelligence in the home should do. Home cameras have traditionally focused on recording risks, while meaningful everyday moments can be overwritten before families recognize their value. Ugreen HomeAgent is a groundbreaking agentic AI local hub unifying local storage, computing, and control into one device. It is designed to activate household data, provide proactive assistance, and keep users in control through a trusted local-first architecture.

With an ever-growing selection of Hall effect gaming keyboards to choose from, it seems as though e-sports brand RAWM has opted for optical switch tech for its next keyboard, the Nyx60, which it has announced will launch on Kickstarter on September 3. The only other major player in the PC peripherals market still relying on optical switches is Razer, and even Razer recently launched the Huntsman V3 HE to complement its optical keyboard line-up. The RAWM Nyx60's current listed MSRP is $199, but it will launch on Kickstarter with an early bird price of $99 for those who sign up with a $1 reservation.

RAWM argues that optical switch tech provides more stable actuation detection than magnetic switches and sensors, and it claims to be the first gaming keyboard to offer "light-guided optical switches in a full aluminium keyboard. It's currently unclear what, if anything, sets RAWM's switch tech apart from the prismatic designs we've already seen in Wooting and Razer's switches, but RAWM claims that the optical switch tech will offer 0.01 mm precision for both actuation and rapid trigger, and it says that the optical switches offer other benefits over HE, while offering all of the nifty analogue features, like RT, DKS, SOCD, and Mod Tap.

In early August, the Piston V appeared online, shrouded in mystery, but ran the gauntlet in a video by ETA Prime. Now, the Piston V has officially launched on Kickstarter at a surprisingly early bird price. The Kickstarter campaign also fully reveals the mini PC's specs and bundled accessories. The Piston V launched on Kickstarter with a super early bird price of $559, and, at the time of writing, is available starting at $590. However, the post-Kickstarter MSRP is expected to be around $799. The creators of the mini PC and its crowdfunding campaign tout the device as a hybrid mini PC and game console "in a gadget form factor," with the Bazzite/Windows dual-boot and a 4-inch touchscreen on the front adding to the HTPC experience.

As was shown in the pre-launch hands-video, the mini PC will feature the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 APU with its built-in AMD Radeon 880M iGPU, which should deliver reasonable performance for most non-AAA games. All models available in the Kickstarter come with 16 GB of DDR5-5600 memory and a 500 GB PCIe Gen 4×4 M.2 SSD, but the specs are upgradeable 24, 32, 48, or 64 GB of memory and up to 4 TB of SSD storage. One thing that wasn't mentioned in the original hands-on was the presence of an OCuLink port for eGPU support.

Following the split from Xbox as a result of the gaming giant's year-long "reset," game studio Double Fine will be hosting the first Amnesia Fortnight event, a game jam event in which is pitches ideas and lets the community vote on which will eventually get made into a game.

This will be the studio's first Amnesia Fortnight since 2019, when the company was acquired by Microsoft. This time, the Amnesia Fortnight event will be accompanied by a Kickstarter campaign that Double Fine says will "help support our newly (re)gained independence," and backers will vote for four finalists to become a game prototype, one of which will "become a real (small) game."

Keychron previously teased the V6 Ultra Hybrid, a new wireless hybrid keyboard that is compatible with both magnetic and mechanical switches, and the company has now officially launched the new keyboard on Kickstarter with a pledge goal of $30,000. Merely a day after launching on the crowdfunding platform, the V6 Ultra Hybrid has managed to accrue over $166,000 from 926 backers.

The Keychron V6 Ultra Hybrid is compatible with both regular MX-style 3- or 5-pin mechanical switches and more modern, gaming-oriented magnetic switches, thanks to its TMR sensing tech. The keyboard has a built-in mechanism to automatically detect whether mechanical or magnetic switches are installed in a given socket and automatically switch between mechanical or magnetic mode without human intervention.

Cabletime, a design-driven digital connectivity brand, today announced the Kickstarter launch of Cabletime ScreenDock, an 8-in-1 USB-C docking station with an integrated 5.5-inch 720p companion display. ScreenDock is designed around a growing desktop problem: users are connecting more devices and working with more windows, but the available space on their main screen has not grown with them.

Traditional docks primarily add ports. ScreenDock adds ports and creates a dedicated place for information that users want to keep visible without allowing it to take over the main workspace. App windows already running on the connected computer can be moved onto ScreenDock just as they would be moved to an additional monitor. The result is a simple working principle: the main screen handles the primary task, while the companion display keeps supporting information in view.

Airship Syndicate, the indie game studio behind Wayfinder, Darksiders: Genesis, and Battlechasers, has officially announced its next project, a sci-fi game called Dust: Origins (stylized as "DUST: Origins"), with a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to fund the game slated to start on July 28. Not much has been revealed about the upcoming game aside from a brief teaser and the tidbits on the game's Kickstarter page. The game is set on an orbital prison station in a state of disrepair, and players will take the role of a character recently freed from cryo-prison and have to "fight their way through a murderer's row of violent criminals and horrifying monsters before the station tears itself apart."

The game is touted as a "handcrafted sci-fi action game," while the catchphrase "there are no saints—only survivors," teases that choices matter and suggests that there will be a morality system that will affect how players experience the game's story. Some of the other hints of the game's content on the Kickstarter page include that it will be a "dark and immersive isometric action title." Its visuals and atmosphere appear to be largely inspired by Dead Space, which means we're likely to see some horror elements and claustrophobic fights. The official Dust: Origins teaser follows.

We previously covered the announcement of the GPD Box, a new Panther Lake mini PC that features an MCIO 8i port and dual USB4 v2.0 ports for expanded connectivity with eGPUs and other high-bandwidth applications. Now, the GPD Box has finally launched on Indiegogo with a starting price of HK$11,377 ($1,452.25 converted). The base configuration is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 356H with 32 GB LPDDR5-8533 RAM and a 1 TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD. The next level up upgrades the CPU to the Core Ultra X7 358H for HK$12,020 ($1,534 converted), and the bundles with the Box mini PC and the G2 MCIO eGPU Dock come in at HK$14,394 ($1,837 converted) for the Core Ultra 7 356H version and HK$15,036 ($1,919 converted) for the X7 358H variant. The biggest difference between the Core Ultra X7 358H and the Ultra 7 356H is the significantly more powerful Arc B390 iGPU in the former—importantly, there is no MCIO connection on the Core Ultra X7 358H version of the Box, leaving it with only USB4 for eGPU connections.

Despite its compact chassis, at just 175 × 134 × 39.5 mm, the GPD Box has decent I/O capabilities, with the highlight of the show being the MCIO 8i port that allows for eGPU expansion with minimal bandwidth loss compared to USB4 and Thunderbolt connections. According to GPD, the maximum bidirectional bandwidth of the GPD Box's MCIO port is 512 Gbps, which effectively matches a native PCIe 5.0 x8 cable connection. Notably, while the G2 eGPU dock does include a PSU with an 800 W ATX 3.1 PSU with two GPU power cables, you will need to bring your own GPU if you buy the bundle with the dock. The G2 dock can also be purchased separately via Indiegogo at a starting price of $385. The GPD Box itself also features dual 2.5 GbE RJ45 ports with link aggregation support. For wireless support, there is Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E, while the physical I/O includes 2× USB4 V2 Type-C ports, 2× USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, and a 3.5 mm audio combo jack on the front. The rear I/O has a DP 2.1 UHBR20 port, 1× HDMI 2.1 FRL ports, 2× RJ45 ports with 2.5 Gbps speeds, 2× USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, and the MCIO 8i port.

ACASIS, a leading provider of high-performance Thunderbolt storage solutions, will officially launch its crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter on May 15, 2026, at 9:00 AM (ET), introducing the FlowCore series of 80 Gbps Pro Storage. The new series is designed to address a growing storage bottleneck for AI developers, on-premises LLM users, video creators, and professionals managing large-scale local data workflows.

Built for the Demands of AI and High-Resolution Creative Work
With the rapid growth of large AI models, on-premises LLMs, massive datasets, and 8K video production, storage speed and capacity have become critical limitations for modern professional workflows. Traditional multi-bay storage systems typically rely on shared bandwidth architectures, often resulting in slower speeds as more drives are used simultaneously.

LincPlus has officially unveiled LincStation E1, a compact and versatile 4-bay network-attached storage (NAS) solution designed for creators, home labs, and modern households. The device will launch soon on Kickstarter, giving early supporters access to exclusive early-bird offers.

As subscription fatigue grows and concerns around data privacy increase, more users are reconsidering traditional cloud storage services. LincStation E1 aims to provide a compelling alternative by allowing users to build their own private cloud while maintaining full ownership of their data. "LincStation E1 is built to give users the freedom of the cloud with the control of local storage."

Zondision, a leader in light-field 3D display tech, announced its flagship ZIMO1, a 27-inch glasses-free 3D display for consumers and creators. It will launch on Kickstarter on April 21, offering an immersive display that combines high-performance 3D visualization, real-time interaction, and an open ecosystem.

ZIMO1 offers high-definition stereoscopic visuals without headsets or glasses. Backed by over a decade of optical engineering and AI eye tracking, it switches between 2D and 3D modes while maintaining image quality.

Lofree is no stranger to peculiar peripheral designs, with the brand having previously released devices like the Hypace wireless gaming mouse and the Lofree Flow 2, with all its ergonomic quirks. It seems as though Lofree's next release, the Hyzen keyboard, may be even more unique than even those examples. The Hyzen is a futuristic, but otherwise unassuming 65% keyboard made out of CNC-cut aluminium, but its design conceals a few nifty features and an entirely new switch design that supposedly combines the best of both mechanical and magnetic tech. The Hyzen will be a wireless keyboard with a gasket mount design, and Lofree claims that the 10,000 mAh battery can last up to 80 hours. It will launch on Kickstarter on April 23, but early bird reservations are available on the Lofree site ahead of the official launch. Kickstarter pricing plans include the tri-mode wireless version priced at $189 with a $299 claimed MSRP further down the line or a $169 wired version that will later retail for $279.

The Nexus switch is a hybrid mechanical switch, designed by Lofree in collaboration with Kailh, that features both a magnet in the stem for TMR functionality and metal contacts and pins for traditional mechanical operation. Lofree says that the new switch design, which it claims is the first of its kind, combines the tactile feedback of mechanical switches with the low latency, customizable actuation distance and analog features of TMR switches. Aside from the new switches, the keyboard also has a physical toggle that switches the number row to a function row, with the function indicated by a row of LEDs above the num row when the function row is active. The Hyzen also has a knob on the back edge for volume control and a switch to select between 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and wired operation. It will also be powered by a Nordic nRF54L series MCU and be capable of 8 kHz polling.

Gaming has largely been split into two camps: mouse-and-keyboard gamers and controller gamers, and while devices like the Lenovo Legion Go and the new Joy-Cons on the Nintendo Switch 2 blur those lines, the Phase project, recently shown off by a new startup called Pixelpaw Labs, is attempting to blur those lines even further. The Phase is a split game controller that combines using magnets and pogo pin connectors to become a standard PC mouse. The goal behind the project is to "bridge the gap between a mouse, a mobile gamepad, and a controller," all in one device that can be carried with you when you might do both work and play away from home. Phase has not yet launched, although Pixelpaw Labs aims to launch the project as a Kickstarter, and it is currently offering a $20 refundable pre-launch deposit, which also guarantees a 15% discount when the Phase launches on Kickstarter. Kickstarter launch pricing is slated to start at $159 or $188 with the Phasegrip accessory.

Given that this is Pixelpaw Labs's first product and the fact that there is an inherent risk to Kickstarters, it would be impertinent to not mention that there is non-zero chance that the project never makes it to production. That said, the design and concept are interesting, as are some of the workarounds that the designers behind the project came up with for some unexpected problems. For one, the Phase doesn't have a scroll wheel when the two controller halves are in mouse mode—instead, the whole left click button is a touch-sensitive surface. The mouse connects wirelessly or via USB-C while in mouse mode, and it features a 16,000 DPI sensor—likely something like the PixArt PMW 3389 or PAW 3335, both of which are commonly found in gaming mice, even if they are somewhat outdated.

Awekeys, one of very few companies making metal keycaps for mechanical keyboards, has just announced the Awekeys Air as its latest addition to the line-up. The Awekeys Air keycaps are low-profile keycaps designed for slim mechanical keyboards, like the Iqunix Magi65 Pro, NuPhy Air series, and even split ergonomic keyboards, like the ZSA Voyager and MoErgo Go60. The Awekeys Air series is available for both cross stems—for Choc V2 and Gateron switches—and Choc V1 stems, which are common on niche low-profile split keyboards, and Early Bird Kickstarter pricing starts at $109 for a 68-key DIY kit, $139 for a 95-key 80% Base kit, and $159 for a 113-key 100% kit. These prices are only for the Ivory White and Obsidian Black, with the Titanium Black and Satin Copper coming in slightly more expensive and the limited edition Satin Silver and Satin Gold costing as much as $249 for the 80% Base kit. These prices will also increase when the keycaps hit retail. The Kickstarter campaign lists MSRP of the Ivory White and Obsidian Black 100% kit colorways as $249, but keyboards and accessories often cost less than anticipated when moving from a Kickstarter to regular retail.

The Awekeys Air keycaps come in six different colors—Titanium Black, Ivory White, Obsidian Black, Satin Copper, Satin Silver, and Satin Gold—and Awekeys is offering a hand-finished brush finish on the Gold, Silver, Copper, and Titanium colorways. The keycaps themselves are made from a recycled alloy called cupronickel, which is predominantly copper and nickel, which resists corrosion, offers some anti-microbial benefits, and is considered low allergy risk—although you may want to avoid it if you have a known nickel allergy. The keycaps are also available with legends or as blanks, and the profile has a uniform height with spherical tops and a total height of 5 mm.

Darkhaven, a new multiplayer online ARPG that makes some pretty bold promises, has officially gone live on Kickstarter to raise its $500,000 funding goal, managing to raise $79,906 halfway through the first day of funding. Darkhaven's developer, Moon Beast Productions, explains that the game will have a fully procedurally generated, destructible sandbox world with "Diablo-style progression, skills, and itemization," and free, open exploration with a high degree of mobility in and out of combat. The Kickstarter will run until March 20, 2026, giving the developer a little over a month to garner funding. In addition to the Kickstarter, Moon Beast Productions has published both a development timeline and a pre-alpha demo on Steam.

The pre-alpha demo is touted as the foundation of the game, and it admittedly lacks polish and serves only as a way for players to test out the gameplay mechanics of Darkhaven. Moon Beast claims that the pre-alpha is an "unfiltered version of what we're building, not a watered-down teaser," suggesting players will be able to explore much more of the game world than a traditional demo would allow. The developer has also published a timeline explaining what it had been working on in the time the game has been in development as part of its Darkhaven timeline, in the process revealing that Darkhaven should launch in Steam Early Access close to Q4 2026. The studio also explains that the Kickstarter funding will go towards developing more character classes and skills, adding to the mob roster, building out the game's lore, NPCs, and quests, and adding more biomes and environmental events.

ATK Gear showed off its latest Ghost gaming mouse at CES earlier this year, but the brand is apparently stepping into the less gamer-focussed peripheral scene as well with the new Yogo 75 low-profile mechanical keyboard. The Yogo 75 is, as the name suggests, a 75% mechanical keyboard, but it uses a new all-POM low-profile switch designed in collaboration with Kailh and features some unique design touches, making it a competitive option at its expected $100-130 price point, depending on sales and the specific model. ATK is currently wrapping up the Kickstarter campaign for the Yogo 75, and the keyboard will soon become available on the ATK Gear online store. It will be available with both silent linear and regular linear switches and in black, silver, or yellow (which looks more like a creamy color).

The ATK Yogo 75 has an all-aluminium chassis with a silicone gasket mount, while the Pro version has a built-in pixel display with a frosted cover, and a rotary encoder, and both models feature the retro-future aesthetic that's going around at the moment. Much like the Wooting 80HE (review here), the Yogo 75 has detachable feet for typing angle adjustment, although they are magnetic on the Yogo, where they are simply press-fit on the Wooting. The Yogo 75 will be available with two switch options, and it will have universal-height dye-sublimated PBT keycaps that look like they have the same profile as the keycaps from the similar Iqunix Magi and MQ series keyboards. In terms of connectivity, the standard tri-mode affair—Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and USB-C connectivity. ATK has put a 5,000 mAh battery into the Yogo 75, and the brand says that it will be able to run for as long as 2,500 hours on a single charge. This is likely tested without the north-facing RGB backlighting enabled.

Darkhaven is a new, upcoming dark fantasy ARPG developed by gaming veterans who previously worked on genre legends, such as Diablo and Torchlight. The game was officially announced on January 29, 2026, with a launch trailer that gave us a glimpse of what to expect from the new game. The main draw of Darkhaven is that it takes place in procedurally generated, fully destructible dynamic environments. The developer also promises dynamic exploration and a high degree of freedom in that exploration. As with classic ARPGs, it features an isometric view, and interactions are highly dependent on mouse clicks. There will also be online co-op and PvP game modes, and the trailer makes mention of "massive events that threaten your entire world," suggesting that the game borrows elements from the MORPG genre. Darkhaven's main premise is that you, and perhaps your party, must step up to save a "dying world" being preyed upon by malevolent forces, facing off against all manner of monsters and otherworldly horrors. The studio also touts its combat as being tactical, and its movement as "truly open," granting users the freedom to fly, swim, climb, and jump to get around, through, and over obstacles and even enhance combat.

Darkhaven is "coming soon" to Steam via Early Access, although an exact launch date is unclear, and it will seemingly be at least partially funded by a Kickstarter campaign. The developer and publisher, Moon Beast Productions, specifically calls itself an ARPG developer, so it seems as though the Darkhaven will be the newly formed studio's main focus for the time being. The studio was started by ex-Blizzard talent, Erich Schaefer, Philip Shenk, and Peter Hu, who worked, in various capacities, on Diablo 1 and 2, and it features artists, designers, and devs who worked on the likes of Diablo 4, Marvel Heroes Online, Torchlight 1 and 3, and Nox.

Abxylute is known for its mobile gaming controllers, with models often featuring TMR joysticks and triggers, and the company's latest projects, which are yet to launch, bring its designs and tech to the Nintendo Switch 2. The N9C is a retro-themed game controller based on the design and layout of the Nintendo GameCube. It features a wired USB-C connection that plugs into the bottom of the Switch 2, and it has traditional capacitive joysticks and mechanical micro switches for the face buttons, Alps tactile switches for the shoulders, and mechanical micro switches for the triggers. There are also two customizable rear buttons on the back of each controller side, and it has a 9-axis gyro input. Interestingly, the N9C has a built-in stand and BLE, although it has no built-in battery. That's because the BLE is designed to be used exclusively for customization and reprogramming. It also features on-board macros and customizable vibration and mapping for the rear and face buttons.

The N6 is a more modern take on a Switch 2 controller. It also connects to the Switch 2 via the same bottom USB-C port, but this time the focus seems to be on comfort and customizability rather than the retro looks of the N9C. The N6's grip design is reminiscent of the Steam Deck, although Abxylute has opted for a more traditional Xbox-style layout, with the offset joysticks. While the N6 is also fully customizable, it only features one rear button per side instead of the dual rear buttons of the N9C. The N6, however, uses Hall effect sticks, which are resistant to drift, and the joysticks have an anti-friction ring around the joysticks to avoid sticky movements. The ABXY face buttons on the N6 are silicone rubber domes, which are likely to feel somewhat softer than the Alps switches in the N9C, and the D-pad uses tactile switches. The triggers, meanwhile are digital triggers. The N6 has a solid tray back panel, but Abxylute has designed the back panel so that it redirects the sound from the Switch 2's down-firing speakers directly towards the user's face. Anxylute claims the audio chamber delivers "10% stronger bass," than the stock Switch 2 configuration. Both the Anxylute N9C and the N6 are launching on Kickstarter "soon," and pricing is not yet available for either controller. You can follow along on the shared Prelaunch page if you're interested.

Angry Miao, the peripherals brand typically known for its premium mechanical gaming keyboards, has announced a new version of its first wireless mouse. The Angry Miao AM Infinity .97 is a smaller version of the company's first gaming mouse, the AM Infinity, which launched in March 2025. Aside from the magnesium shell, the original AM Infinity mouse's claim to fame is its hot-swap battery system that Angry Miao markets as "infinite battery life." As was revealed in a recent X post, with the Infinity .97, Angry Miao has shrunk down the original design by 3%, which has resulted in a minor reduction in weight as well as size. The main goal of the smaller version of the Infinity mouse seems to be comfort for players with slightly smaller hands who otherwise like the shape of the Razer Viper V3 Pro. A previous project log published by Angry Miao explained that almost half of the people the design team polled preferred the smaller size, while those who had hands measuring 17.5-18.5 cm in length found it to be the ideal size. The new design also reduced discomfort caused by the hump design of the previous model.

After the reduction, the AM Infinity .97 weighs in at 47 g, which is around 2 g less than the original Infinity mouse, and it seems to be using the same capacity battery as the original, meaning 340 mAh, which should deliver 43 hours of use at 1000 Hz polling or 17 hours at 8000 Hz polling while used wirelessly. If you're striving for even more weight reduction, you can run it wirelessly, which should drop another 10 g. It will feature the same PixArt 3950 sensor as the original version, as well. It also stands to reason that the Infinity .97 will use the same TTC Optical Micro switches as the original. One of the other changes coming to the .97 mouse is the addition of a transparent plastic panel that covers the large hole in the rear of the mouse and provides a little more support for palm and claw grip players. In a similar vein, the sides of the .97 version will also be solid, instead of honeycomb. The Angry Miao AM Infinity .97 mouse is slated to officially launch on February 26 on Kickstarter. Pricing is as-yet unknown, but the original AM Infinity mouse starts at $129 with the 2.4 GHz receiver and two battery packs.