Velocilinx: Boudica Premium PC Gaming Peripheral Line Up... Reviewed!

Before jumping into this review, I just want to give a shout out to Velocilinx for providing the tech!

I just want to say that this review will be a tad different from the standard reviews because the Velocilinx: Brennus Line Up was... reviewed recently. So what i'll do this time around is give you the breakdown on the differences between each collection (I promise... you'll still be able to take something away from both reviews)... but first, time for an unboxing!

I gave you a little backstory behind the name Brennus, so I'll do the same for the "Boudica" collection. According to Velocilinx, Boudica was a Celtic Queen who solely led a revolt against the Romans with a win or die mentality, she was not going to live or die as a slave. So they utilize the name of the collection to represent leadership, power, and perseverance... which is a perfect fit for gamers that refuse to sit back and take an L from the competition.

Here you have the Velocilinx: Boudica gaming headset. It's just like the Velocilinx: Brennus when it comes to the specs, and build. Both are lightweight, and deliver nice audio. The Boudica gaming headset, just like Brennus version... lack the customizable LED lighting options of the mouse and keyboard (which made me sigh)... but they get the job done.

Even if the specs are the same for both the Boudica & Brennus gaming headsets... I like the color scheme on this gaming headset a lot more. The Brennus version has a been there and done that... over and over and over again color scheme (mainly the black on black), where as the Boudica adds a fresh pop of white in the mix. This isn't a diss, but the Boudica headset catches my eye more... that's all.

You get the same features:

Sound: 7.1 Surround (Virtual)

Frequency: 20Hz-20KHz

RGB backlit: 7 colors

Connector: USB 2.0

Cable length: 2.2m

OS: Windows 7 or newer

Adjustable mic boom

Inline control: Volume, microphone, backlight on/off

Speaker size: 50mm

Speaker impedance: 21

Microphone type: Omnidirectional

Microphone size: 6*5MM

Microphone sensitivity: -42DB+3DB

Having different color options is common, and it doesn't take from one or the other... but Velocilinx should strongly consider different specs the next go round to mix it up. Brennus could've been the entry level with 7.1 Virtual Surround, while the Boudica could have been 7.1 True Surround with customizable colors, a detachable cord, detachable mic, and swivel ear cups for easy travel. If they want to keep the cost down while switching things up for one... they could always make one bluetooth instead of 7.1 True Surround.

Just like the Brennus gaming headset, the Boudica also retails for $69.99... and other than the color there is nothing really jumping out as different to rate these differently than the Brennus.

Comfort 4

Sound 4

Features 3

Price 5

4 out of 5 Cool Points

I just want to say that I love these mice, there are no extra's on that... I just love the way they feel and function.

  The Velocilinx Artemis Pro Gaming Mouse from the Boudica collection is just like the one from the Brennus collection... and that's not a bad thing. This version is silver on top of the metallic base and... that's the only difference, the specs are the same for this 5 button 10,000 DPI gaming mouse. It feels good when used on a plain surface or a mouse pad. $52.99 is a steal.

You get the same features:

Six color RGB lighting

High precision optical engine

Chipset: A3325

DPI: 1000-2000-3000-5000-7000-10,000

Frame rate: up to 3600 fps

Programmable buttons: 5

USB interface

Metallic bottom case

1.5M braided fiber cable

I don't know what i'd add to make the Boudica different from the Brennus, possibly bluetooth instead of wired but wired is still better... even if its by a little bit (no potential interference to worry about... or batteries). If the Boudica headphones were to take a turn to bluetooth... it could be fitting to do the same with the mouse and even the keyboard (we could still have the ability to connect them via a detachable USB or something). Not saying its in the cards, but... i'm just thinking of what would deliver some variety to the product offerings.

It's the same mouse... so i'm giving it the same 5 out of 5 rating!

Comfort 5

Usability 5

Features 5

Price 5

5 out of 5 Cool Points

Last but not least... you have the Velocilinx: Boudica Mechanical Gaming Keyboard! The other products may have mirrored eachother, but... the Boudica keyboard is quite different from the Brennus. I saved this for last because you definitely have a different type of keyboard and price.

The Boudica Mechanical Keyboard, is also aimed at gamers... and comes in silver and white.

I don't see a lot of keyboards with this color and it actually matches an old silver and white laptop tucked away in the office storage somewhere. Here is a visual comparison of both keyboards (seen below), the Boudica has a bit more style to it... but I will say that the Brennus gives you a bit more of those "out of the box" features.

Off the bat, you see these silver cap-like circles closer to the upper sides of the keyboard, and an RGB color strip sandwiched between the white base of the keyboard and the keys. Very appealing, and I love the ability to customize the keys to exactly the way you want them (so I had to represent SDGT Entertainment!).

The Boudica keyboard also comes with a palm wrest if its something you desire to attach. This keyboard also includes a Veloci Key programmed to give you access to 8 preset color options, but when you access the app... you get access to 26 lighting effects vs 14 with the Brennus.

The Brennus felt good to use... but the Boudica feels better (especially when I place the keyboard on my lap). I do give the Brennus more credit in the functionality department, even if you can customize the keys on the Boudica. You get all the secondary keys you can want on the Brennus, they're already spelled out via the icons... where as the Boudica does not.

So if you're a serious gamer with a need to get non-gaming related tasks done (and you don't feel like programming keys), the Brennus keyboard may be the way to go... but if you're a fan of fully customizable keyboards... you may want the Boudica. I'm not saying that the Boudica doesn't have hotkeys... but nothing is listed for things like "Stop", "Play", "Calculator", and things of that nature.

 I do think that Velocilinx missed out on an opportunity with this keyboard based on the design. Going back to the silver cap-like circles... they could have totally placed a volume knob with a mute button in the center and something useful on the other one. So if there were a volume knob on the right side, there could've been something like an accessible USB port on the other side or something.

Both keyboards get the job done... even though i'd probably walk into a tournament with the Boudica Collection. Speaking of eSports... you don't get the game mode keys preset with the Boudica, but this keyboard is a lot more customizable so you can simply light up the keys you need to use in any colors you desire.

You can't easily switch out the colors of keys in the Brennus keyboard with a variety of customized colors (and believe me... I tried). You can use the same color on the keys using the Brennus, but I ran into a snag when I tried to add additional colors. This is not a problem for the Boudica (as seen below).

The feature that the Boudica has in common with the Brennus are as follows:

Built-in anti-ghosting technology
Outemu Blue mechanical spring keys (e-sports standard)
Flash memory EEPROM
WIN key lockout for gaming

The differences the Boudica has from the Brennus come with a different price tag, but... it's not far off. The Boudica is $109.99 compared to the Brennus which currently retails for $99.99... so compare, contrast and see if either of these mechanical gaming keyboards works for you.

Some of you may scratch your head at the score because of how much you can customize... but those secondary keys go a long way and they just aren't presented straight out of the box.

Comfort 5

Usability 5

Features 4

Price 4

4.5 out of 5 Cool Points

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Velocilinx: Brennus Premium PC Gaming Peripheral Line Up... Reviewed!

It's safe to say that I was surprised when this package arrived because Velocilinx... dropped the entire Brennus Line Up on us for review and the products left me quite impressed. Let's go ahead and dive into the specifics after an unboxing... shall we?

The inspiration behind the black and gunmetal in The Brennus Collection actually derived from the historical legend of the Gallic King Brennus. Brennus was a warrior that invaded and defeated the Romans, so I thought that I'd tuck this bit of information in the review to give you an idea of where the name came from. Now apply that to this collection... in terms of gaming, and... it fits.

The Velocilinx: Brennus - Artemis Pro Wired Gaming Mouse

First up in the Brennus Line Up... is the Velocilinx Artemis Pro Gaming Mouse. I've utilized some pretty cool mice before, but this tops the list of cool thus far (I love using this thing).

I like the way this mouse looks with the metal base and siding, not to mention how it also feels. It feels great, it doesn't just look the part... I really like how this mouse feels for both standard office work and especially gaming. I've been able to use the gaming mouse on a desktop with & without a mouse pad.

The top of the mouse has a rubber textured slip + sweat-resistant coating (in matte black)... which allows for some good dexterity. As you know... dexterity goes a long way when it comes to precision gaming.

The sides are cool (literally)... thanks to the metal and... the mouse slides smoothly with the wide feet. On top, you get the usual right and left mouse buttons, scroll wheel, and a DPI button. On the left side of the mouse, you get forward and back buttons... which come in handy as long as you aren't hitting them by mistake (while writing an email or something in a browser). Also, I can't overlook the sturdy 1.5M braided fiber cable... because you need a little something extra for those potential snags.

You get a high-precision optical engine in the Velocilinx: Brennus - Artemis Pro Gaming Mouse along with a frame rate up to 3600 fps, and an A3325 chipset.

You may be wondering what DPI means. DPI is short for "Dots Per Inch", and according to Battle.net... it's a measurement of mouse sensitivity. If the DPI of the mouse is high the further the cursor will go... which a lower DPI does the opposite. Duh of the day: You'll have to move the mouse itself further in order to get the cursor to move further with a lower DPI.

The color on the mouse wheel changes based on the selected DPI... so that you know exactly what you're working with. This mouse has six DPI options.

Red 1000 DPI - Blue 2000 DPI - Green 3000 DPI - Aqua 5000 DPI - Neon Green 7000 DPI - Purple 10,000 DPI... I've gotten the most use out of the 3000 DPI setting... because it flows well without zipping too fast around the screen. If I need the speed it'll be there.

Other features include your ability to customize the buttons via the VX Mouse app... which includes being able to switch up the mouse lighting, and even a Macro Editor.

You get multiple options with the RGB lighting. Of course, you get the DPI Setting's colors... but you also get the lighting section in the app to decide the effects like LED OFF, Steady, Breathing, Colorful Breathing, and Neon.

In those individual settings, you can select from the number of seconds you want the colors to remain before they change or options like in Steady, where you decide the brightness... and the color you want from the color picker. So you get plenty of color options based on if and when you want to switch things up. Based on the design... and how bright you set the color to be, you will also see it shine more or less on your hand and desk.

This is the Colorful Breathing setting.

You also get the Mouse Parameters that you can customize... such as Mouse Sensitivity (1 - 20), Scrolling Speed (1 - 10)... including the ability to scroll one page, and Double-Click Speed (900 - 200).

The USB Polling Rate(Hz) ranges from 125Hz to 1000Hz... so based on the way you want this mouse to work for you, there are plenty of options for gaming... and otherwise.

Last but not least in the app... you get the Macro Editor seen here. Macros allow you to do things like... create rapid-fire buttons and other key shortcuts after setting them up in the lists.

Price wise... you can get this pro wired gaming mouse for $52.99. After using this peripheral... the price is sweet because it's not just a gaming mouse (in name)... it actually helped me step things up by being a really dope mouse (mainly dexterity + the smoothness of movement). It doesn't give you the skills to game (clearly)... but it helps you wield what you have... better! Easily a 5 out of 5!

Comfort 5

Usability 5

Features 5

Price 5

5 out of 5 Cool Points

The Velocilinx: Brennus - Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Second up is the Velocilinix: Brennus - Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard... and I think I unconsciously placed this product next because it's the second mechanical keyboard I've reviewed.

I immediately noticed the weight of this keyboard, it's nothing to be messed with, and it just feels like quality. Even if it's hard to be... quiet with a mechanical keyboard, I've thoroughly enjoyed using them thus far. I appreciate the aluminum finish as the base below the keys... because it reflects the led light show well, and it just looks clean.

Comfort-wise... the Velocilinx: Brennus - Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard works and gets the job done, can't say it really has anything that jumps out to me making it more or less comfortable than the other mechanical keyboard I've used... but it does differ in the feature department.

A thing that jumped out to me are all the dual-purpose keys + other features. All you need to use is your trusty FN key in combination with these keys (some seen below)... in order to access the secondary function of that key and boost your usability.

Some of the secondary key functions include:

Calculator (for the business professionals, students, and bill payers in the room)

Home (accessible through your designated web browser)

Media Keys: Play, Stop, Back, Forward

Volume Up, Volume Down

"This PC" Folder Key

Power Button... and more!

Now the "more" is really cool... because you can use your FN key to access the other keys in order to light up the key layouts of popular games that are compatible with keyboard. Like CF, COD, LoL, Race (which is short for racing games)... and other customizable options.

Accessing other colors can be done with a combination of keys like FN + M1 or M2, and if you still get confused by all that... no problem, just open the VX Keyboard App.

(Scroll up to see the Macro Editor UI + the available color picker option)

In the App you get 3 different profiles, a Macro Editor, and the Lighting options for you to select for your profile (not to mention the speed for the PRISM Lighting technology).

These different lighting options include:

Rainbow Row

Slow Wave

Shadow Color

Sine_wave

Solid COLORS

Rainbow Breathing

Fading Color Morph

Rainbow Row Splash (which is very cool)

Lighting Dance

Color Slide

Starburst Splash

Twinkling Stars

Frozen Stars

LED OFF

Game Mode... which are the key lighting options mentioned above.

You also get WIN key lockout for gaming and... fast uploading Flash memory EEPROM (short for electrically erasable programmable read-only memory).

According to PC MAG's encyclopedia, the EEPROM is a rewritable storage chip that holds content without the need for power. You may ask yourself why you'd need cutting-edge fast uploading Flash memory in a keyboard... but the first thing that comes to mind is the Macro & Key Lists. This would be most beneficial (in my opinion) for those of you in and out of eSports tournaments. You don't have the time... and you probably don't have the patience to continue setting the same things up again, so having your settings ready is a plus.

I used the keyboard to play... Slime Rancher, and got reactions that were quicker on the draw than ordinary membrane keyboards. It didn't make me run faster or anything like that... but it's quicker on the draw, which may not seem like a big deal... unless you're more of a core gamer and eAthlete. I really noticed that reaction time while playing Battery Jam... even if I don't really like playing that particular game with Keyboard & Mouse. My dodging, smashing, and other moves happened as soon as the keys were hit (or the delay was so small I didn't detect it or have to adapt to it).

Price-wise... the keyboard comes in at $109.99, which fits when comparing it to the price of some other mechanical keyboards... but I did find more secondary key options on this keyboard than others I've seen (which some are $40 or more than the Brennus). So I can't really argue with the price... although it would increase the impulsiveness to buy at $99.99, which isn't far off.

Overall, the Velocilinx: Brennus Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is a nice reactive keyboard... with a solid price. I would recommend this for gamers, students, and business professionals based on the secondary keys. One thing I would like to see in an update... are exclusive volume controls on this keyboard so that you don't have to utilize secondary buttons (those are more primary for me), other than that it gets the job done without the need to set up shortcuts on your own. I definitely salute the on-board options to switch up the PRISM Lighting patterns... and especially the VX Keyboard app that allows you to customize things as well if you just aren't getting the hang of what combination of keys do what... to get the desired effect.

Comfort 5

Usability 5

Features 5

Price 4

4.75 out of 5 Cool Points

The Velocilinx: Brennus - 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset

Last but not least... is the Velocilinx: Brennus 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset.

Looks can be deceiving... and I say that to say I thought these headphones were a lot heavier than they appear. They're quite light, the memory foam earpads are soft and fit around my ears nicely... versus pressing against them, I like that.

The headphones have a metal headband with a leather-like band beneath it that rests on your head housing wire ropes used with the inner tension controls (this helps them fit without the need to adjust). They remained comfy around my ears even after an hour or so of gameplay, and some of you know how sensitive my ears can be... so that's a good thing. One of the things that tops my list when shopping for headphones is... comfort, which rivals sound quality for me... because if I can't wear them it doesn't matter how good they sound. On that note... these headphones check out.

Anyway, the Brennus gaming headset comes in silver & black, just like the mechanical gaming keyboard and mouse from the same collection. It has a clean look and has pretty good sound for the price (which I will get to shortly), but one thing that's different with the headphones compared to the other products... is the VX Audio app.



It's expected to be different because you're dealing with audio instead of buttons on a keyboard and mouse, but I'm talking about the LED Light options (there aren't any). You don't have access to LED lighting controls other than the on & off switch found on the headset's controls. The app doesn't let you customize anything in that regard... and based on my experience with the other products in the Brennus lineup, I double-checked just to make sure. That was a little disappointing, but (I'm totally guessing) that decision was probably made for the sake of the price... while trying to provide quality 

sound in a nice package. It would've been worth paying a little more to customize the lighting.

The Velocilinx Brennus 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset gives you:

20Hz-20KHz (the standard range of human hearing)

50mm neodymium drivers

21 Impedance

-42DB+3DB sensitive omnidirectional mic

The headset has 7.1 virtual surround sound vs true 7.1 surround sound.

Virtual surround sound utilizes the processing techniques to simulate surround sound versus multiple speakers in the headphones (i.e. Center/Side/Front/Rear/Subwoofer). The techniques vary by company... so you may get a different experience from one to the next.

The Velocilinx Gaming Headset... does "virtual" surround sound good. I can tell the difference... but they made virtual surround sound a solid experience with this headset. Going back to the software... you're able to set up individual profiles to tweak your sound for individual games and one thing I did notice is the difference between not having EQ & 3D on vs off (so hit those buttons because it enhances the audio for sure).

Outside of the audio, there were no complaints while live streaming gameplay using the mic.

Price-wise... I can't argue with the price, this is a nice headset and a true 7.1 would run a lot more than $69.99 (I was surprised at the price of other headphones with 71. virtual). There are other headphone options out there with virtual surround that cost more... based on the name brand and their proprietary audio software (some aren't even brands that I'm aware of). The bass and mids with this headset sounded the best for me, and I enjoyed using the headset while playing COD:MW 2019.

Overall, I got a surround sound-like experience that I knew was virtual surround... and was fine with. I might not care for the lack of LED lighting options for the headset (I just think that would've been a nice addition to maintain the theme of the line up), but overall... its a nice headset that sounds good for the price.

Comfort 4

Sound 4

Features 3

Price 5

4 out of 5 Cool Points

Overall, I think this is a solid PC Gaming Line Up... that I feel comfortable giving two thumbs up.

Pricewise, I've already spoken about the individual prices of each product... but I think they should consider selling the lineup also as a bundle that boosts the incentive for gamers to purchase the entire lineup.  If you have a Brennus PC Gaming Bundle for $199.99... that would work. I know it isn't exactly music to a company's ears to take a $30 cut, but... the bundle would be great for gamers and Velocilinx. 

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HyperX Cloud Stinger... reviewed!

HyperX Cloud Stinger is easily one of the more popular headsets in the $50 range... and there is a reason why; it's an awesome headset!

When this package arrived at the office... all I could think is “It's go time!”. So I grabbed the scissors... after multiple attempts to slice the tape with a pen.

Opening this bad boy up... I knew what to expect (like duh) but, it was still exciting because I'm a bit of an audiophile. You can find me sleeping with headphones on... often. Which is why my avatar has them.

Anyway, even though these headphones are presented on the lower end of the price scale... they are presented in packaging that's surprisingly better than others I've come across in this range. Granted some companies want their headphones seen through the packaging at retail stores (or being creative with the cheaper packaging), it just doesn't feel like a higher quality presentation (to me). So I was pleasantly surprised.

These headphones were made with quality in mind... while also keeping them in the realm of affordability as far as the average Joe is concerned. There are nice touches to these headphones like the adjustable steel slider... that didn't have to be added, but they went the extra mile. This adds to the quality of the product... which doesn't feel flimsy.

In addition, this headset is lightweight... and doesn't feel like I'm lugging something around on my head. The 90-degree rotating ear cups are also a plus for me... because if headphones are not on my ears, they're on my neck or close by. It allows me to place one cup on my ear if they're around my neck or allows for full movement of my head when both cups are laying flat on my shoulders... which doesn't seem like a big deal, but (again) these are being reviewed by someone that uses headphones nearly every single day. When it boils down to it, when I want to multitask or get the headphones off my ears... when I'm not home or in between online matches, this comes in handy. I don't want to feel like my head is trapped in between ear cups pressing against my cheeks.

The earcups are comfortable also. When wearing them on my head... I have been able to keep them on for hours without needing a break, and they aren't pressing against my ears... they fit fully around them. That's a plus for me because my ears are sensitive and don't feel too well if something is pressing against them for a long period of time; if you have your ears pierced up top... this is a plus). This sensitivity with my ears has caused me to cycle through multiple headphone types in search of comfort that allows me to enjoy my love of quality audio.

If the comfort isn't there... I really don't care how good they sound (although its a sad day whenever that happens) because I need a combination of comfort and quality audio to help up the enjoyment of my experience. FYI: Noise cancellation is pretty good too.

The HyperX Cloud Stinger headset has simple controls... that get the job done. I have another headset with various controls on the cord, but it feels like an anchor at times. While this headset on the other hand... has a volume slider under the right ear cup... and a mic on the left earcup that you merely swivel down to turn on and up to turn off. That's all there is to it, and... that's fine by me... especially with what I am seeking when gaming on the go. Members of HyperX know that my alternate headset has a USB connector, it's cool... but heavier and remains in the office because I can't connect it to multiple devices. This headset on the other hand... gives me multi-platform compatibility, and this versatility puts a smile on my face because you know what time it is from that point.

The HyperX Cloud Stinger has 50mm direction drivers... which have given me excellent sound playback in games like Nex Machina (which I've been playing the crap out of), movies and music. The music surprised me... the headphones deliver some nice bass and the sounds of the instruments consumed me for the duration of the tracks I listened too.

I mention these non-gaming-related options... because I get my worth out of headphones to a serious degree. Gaming is obviously a major factor also, and this headset gives you the option to go from PC gaming, to console gaming to mobile... and back again.

As far as the mic is concerned, the recording is pretty clear... but I'm going to go ahead and use this to usher in the cons for an even better version.

The headphones are great, but when the mic is swiveled up... I get concerned about it being hit and going back too far, ending in a damaged mic. If it were me, I would've added something on the side to block it from going back to the point of no return. When it comes to the cons... that's the only one I have with these headphones, so feel free to rejoice now.

This isn't a con... but I believe that if HyperX had another set of these Cloud Stingers that had a detachable cord and mic... for maybe $15 more, those would likely be the more popular version (it decreases the concern of a damaged headset in the event of snagging).

Overall, this is a great gaming headset, especially if you want to get an affordable pair that doesn't feel... cheap. I recommend the HyperX Cloud Stinger for online multi-player, multi-platform gaming, gamers that present commentary & eSports team action. Discord & TeamSpeak are just a number of compatible programs that will work with this headset... so you're good to go. What's also included in the box is an extension cable that has separate 3.5mm headphone and mic jack plugs.

Design: 4
Quality: 5
Comfort:5
Price: 5
Usability: 5 

I rate the HyperX Cloud Stinger headset a 4.8 out of 5.

You can get the HyperX Cloud Stinger headset... for $49.99, and for what it's worth... if you were looking for a nicely priced headset for gaming, etc. might as well get something with some oomph (that's realistically portable). That said... thanks for checking out this product review, game on!

Brought to you by... HyperX!