CES 2007: Part 1

Razer is well known in the gaming community for their wide range of products, but they are about to add another addition to their arsenal, the 2.1 Mako. This is a great looking set that has plenty of power, 6 channels at 50W each. What makes these speakers cool are the design. We will get a lot more into this in our future review, but the general concept is that the sound is directed out of the speaker in such a manner that irregardless of where you are in the room, it will sound natural and not off-level.

We performed a few different tests to prove this fact. We placed the satellites in various positions, including directly against the wall. Then we cranked an Audioslave song and walked around the room and kneeled down to see if there was any difference, and there was not. Of course selective listening tests at home will have to be performed before we have a conclusion, but so far we are impressed. Very impressed.

When we approached Zalmans booth, we were immediately asked, “Are you ready to see something you’d never expect Zalman to release?” Of course, we were intrigued. Lo and behold, a computer monitor! This is not a normal monitor though, but is designed with gaming in mind. It’s touted as being the first 2D/3D convertible monitor, so that your games will seem more immersive and realistic.

The monitor uses the NVIDIA driver extensively, so at this point ATI is out of the question. This is the fault of a lack of a technology. Basically this tech overlays two images in such a way that when used with 3D glasses, it makes it look 3D. It’s hard to explain without having it in front of me again, but it really has to be seen; It was a cool experience. Although I am still uncertain of the actual effect on the game and how much more fun it will add is yet to be seen. We will have a review when they become available and give you the scoop.

Last, but not least, is another Zalman product. I am unsure of the model number of this front panel, but it’s a 4-fan controller that has a great looking interface and is easy to use. The reason I like the panel so much is the fact that it has an on-screen display of the current wattage being used, as you can see in the picture. To my knowledge, this has not been done in a panel before, but it’s a great thing to have. If it’s accurate, that is. It would be great to stress your PC to the max and easily see how much actual wattage is being used.

These are only 10 cool products we’ve passed by over the last couple days. As the days progress we will keep you updated and plan on continuing our coverage after CES is over to make sure you know all you need to know. Stay tuned.