Computex highlights: Cooler Master's RM100,000 motorised racing station; keyboards from Ducky, Varmilo, and Zalman

Cooler Master's Dyn X includes haptic feedback to create a more immersive experience for players. — Photos: CHRISTOPHER FAM/The Star

TAIPEI: Cooler Master is promising a more immersive experience with the Dyn X racing simulator rig with motorised haptic feedback for racing games.

On the show floor, attendees had the chance to try out the system by racing in F1 22, all while being thrown about by the electromechanical actuators.

The haptic feedback of the rig comes as part of a collaboration between Cooler Master and D-Box, a Canadian company specialising in haptic motion technology.

Aside from the haptic feedback, the other factor that makes this rig stand out from other standard racing simulator mounts is the ability to easily adjust the driving position.

This would allow for even further immersion among players, putting them in the physical driving position of a specific type of vehicle, be it Formula 1, Rally, Nascar, or even a semi-truck.

In total, the rig supports 14 different racing positions.

The Dyn X will be launching sometime later this year and is priced at an eye-watering US$25,000 (about RM115,000).

Orb X is an egg-shaped gaming pod that will similarly be available sometime this year for around US$15,000 (RM70,000).

Right next to it was Cooler Master's Orb X, an egg-shaped gaming pod that will similarly be available sometime this year for around US$15,000 (RM70,000).

It essentially functions as a recliner and monitor mounting combo, capable of supporting up to three 24in displays or a single 34in model.

When users want to get in or out of the pod, a mechanism will lift the monitor arm and upper cover upwards at the press of a button, but the player has to slide the keyboard and mouse table out of the way manually.

Cooler Master's Orb X, which can recline, also comes with built-in 2.1 surround sound speakers.

The booth also included Cooler Master's prior collaboration with D-Box, the Motion 1, a gaming chair that provides haptic feedback based on sound.

It also had additional colour options for its MK770 gaming keyboard, along with the matching MM712 Wired and MM712 Pro gaming mice.

Ducky's wall of keyboards features designs it collaborated on with esports team Faze Clan.

On the topic of keyboards, a number of keyboard manufacturers also made an appearance on the event floor, with Ducky showcasing what can only be described as a wall of keyboards.

The company's booth had its newly announced Project D keyboard, expected to hit markets in the third quarter of this year.

Project D is Ducky's first foray into the enthusiast custom keyboard space and will be sold as a kit (case, printed circuit board, switch plate, gaskets, dampening foam, and stabilisers), leaving users to pick and choose their own set of switches and keycaps.

The keyboard includes a full aluminium chassis, gasket mounting (which uses silicone or rubber grommets instead of screws to mount the circuit board), dampening foam, and alternative plate materials (such as FR4 and POM plastic), which are commonplace in the enthusiast world.

Another keyboard manufacturer, Varmilo, previewed its Shine Kara keyboard, featuring a plastic case and keycaps with a piano-esque aesthetic. The company has yet to reveal the launch date for this.

The Zalman booth was also home to the Korean-based enthusiast keyboard designers at KLC Playground, which was showing off its upcoming prebuilt keyboard, the Nori Spring Rider.

KLC Playgrounds' Nori Spring Rider will be available in our region about three months after the Drop release.

According to KLC Playground, the Nori Spring Rider will bring features of more premium custom keyboards to a lower price bracket, including a sound profile tuned without needing additional acoustic foam, an improved typing experience, and features such as Bluetooth and wireless 2.4GHz connectivity.

It will be available globally on Drop sometime in June for US$179 (RM820), so those keen will need to shoulder a relatively hefty shipping fee.

Otherwise, there's also the option to wait for it to make an official appearance in our region via Mecha.store to save on shipping.

Project D will not come with any keycaps or switches.