SteelSeries invited us up to their suite at the Aria during CES to show off a few new products that will be coming on the market this year.
The Flux demonstrates SteelSeries’ desires to get into more mobile technology. While not as large and bold as their other audio offerings, the Flux does have portability and potential for customization on its side. The headset folds down to a compact form-factor so you can drop it in a bag or pocket. The Flux has an audio jack on each ear, so that you can plug in on whichever side you prefer. In addition, the other jack can be daisy-chained to another headset to share your tunes.
Currently there are two base models planned, in black/grey and black/purple, with ear cups and outer plats being able to be swapped out for other colors. Coming ion Q2 of 2012, a customization tool currently dubbed the “Flux Capacitor” will be released to allow you to customize a Flux to your liking before purchase. No pricing information was available for the Flux.
While the Siberia V2 may already be out, the Siberia V2 Frost Blue edition will be along shortly to add a little flair to the party. The ear cups now have an external glow via Super Bright LEDs controlled by the SteelSeries Engine. The Frost Blue edition is just about looks as there is the addition of active noise canceling on the microphone to clear up any undesired background noise. The Siberia V2 Frost Blue edition also brings the on-cable USB sound card similar to the Siberia V2 USB. While final pricing information is not yet out, there was an estimated figure around the $119 mark floating around CES.
Small but powerful, the SteelSeries Ion wireless controller is roughly the size of a deck of cards and, in keeping with the new theme of mobile devices, connects to PC and mobile devices via Bluetooth. Fully customizable inputs include a dPad on the left, dual analog sticks, two shoulder buttons and a standard 4 button layout on the right. The rechargeable internal lithium-ion battery holds about 20 hours of use and recharges over USB. SteelSeries is currently looking to bring the Ion to iOS/Mac devices when an agreement with Apple is reached. No pricing information was available for the Ion.
The lessons SteelSeries learned from putting together the Sensei, the best performance gaming mouse I have had the chance to review, are incorporated into their new releases:
First up are the Kinzu V2 and Kinzu V2 Pro. Built with the input of professional gamers, the Kinzu V2 can track up to 3200 CPI (counts per inch), stable up to 65 inches per second, and features a multi-level CPI switch button, a tournament grade optical sensor, Teflon slides and the same perfect-fit curve as the higher end models. The scale of the Kinzu Vs models is likely more advantageous for gamers with smaller hands. The available Kinzu V2 colors are yellow, orange, white and blue (this one was not on hand at the moment). If you bump up to the Pro edition, you also get improved tournament grade Omron button switches for enhanced reliability and performance. The Pro version colors are red, black, and matte silver. Both are compatible with the SteelSeries Engine for customization. The Kinzu V2 has a MSRP of $39 and the Pro, $45.
A step up from the Kinzu V2 line is the Kana. The Kana features many of the same accoutrements that the Kinzu V2 line brings with the addition of a slightly larger body size, two side buttons, tracking up to 130 inches per second, and an improved optical sensor. The Kana comes in a white with black accent color scheme and a customer chosen, via FaceBook feedback, black with orange accent color scheme. The MSRP for the Kana is $49.
As an additional note, there are plans to finally get the SteelSeries Engine available on the Mac this year.