Review - Orb Accessories GX Rumble Headset

This review will look at the intriguingly named GX Rumble Headset for Xbox 360/PC from Orb Accessories.

The headset has a retail price of £49.99, but is often available at between £25-30 at stores such as Sainsburys and Argos.

It is a wired headset, and is connected via the normal USB/Audio Input routes.
Its main feature is the fact that it has a Rumble effect that reflects in game sounds. This effect can be adjusted by the integrated volume control on the wire connecting the headset to the console. Here, as usual, you can also adjust game and chat volumes and mute the mic.

So what is the Rumble effect like? Well it took a little getting used to, especially in Multiplayer games. In campaigns/single player, it is very immersive, and creates a new audio element to story lines/experiences. The rumble effect differs dependant on different sounds that are going on around you, with things like explosions being given maximum effect!
In mulitplayer games, I found myself turning the effect down slightly in favour of listening for enemy movements etc..However, you still get a good effect, especially at key moments.

The headset itself looks good with its green trim reflecting the Xbox colour scheme too. It is also exceptionally comfortable, even against headsets twice as expensive! How do I know this? I have just finished using a well known brand of headset that was quite frankly terrible for comfort, and made my ears sore after a night of gaming. The Rumble headset however, despite being half the price of the other headset, always sat comfortably on my ears, and I never felt I need to adjust it to make it sit better on my head.

Another nice touch is the mic stork. Its made from a very adjustable metal flex, and seems really sturdy yet can be positioned really easily, again at the side of other more expensive headsets, I found this really nice.

The sound quality is really good, and at no point did I feel let down by this aspect of the headset.

All in all an absolutely terrific, value for money headset. You simply do not get quality and features like this from similarly priced headsets.

Highly recommended, give this a look if you're after a first gaming headset, or simply after something that offers great features at a superb price!




 
My Rating 9/10 - Superb value for money that isn't matched by higher priced items!


So give Orb a visit at www.orbaccessories.com or on Twitter at @ORB_Accs

Let me know your thoughts people, and feel free to get in touch -
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Old_GrumpyGamer
XBL - NastyNeil WR

Peas out chaps! 
Neil 

1st Review - Orb Accessories Magnetic Induction Charger

Here is my first review of a product that I got sent recently from Orb Accessories.


Orb are a supplier of console accessories across lots of different platforms, and their products can be bought in some major outlets like Sainsburys and Argos as well as online at Amazon.

This product is a Magnetic Induction Charger. It comes complete with 2 rechargeable battery packs and normally retails at between £20-£25 depending on where you get it.

 It basically takes the principle of the Charge and Play kit, and takes away the wire connecting your controller to the Xbox! You can either leave the battery pack in the controller and lay it on the charger, or have a spare battery sat on there charging while you play on.

The magnetic element means you simply pop the battery/charger onto the plate, and it is magnetically drawn into position and starts charging. A red light indicates charging in progress, a blue light indicates charging finished!

It really is that easy. The charger plugs via USB into your Xbox, and is very slim and easy to hide away when not in use. It really is a doddle.

I found with my old play and charge kit, I constantly had to get up and down to plug in, and got a nasty buzzing noise whilst being plugged in. Well none of that now! I have a battery on charge and one in my controller, so I'm always good to go! 

With a play and charge kit usually costing around £12, this is also excellent value for money as you get 2 battery packs and less inconvenience! What more do you want?

So give Orb a visit at www.orbaccessories.com or on Twitter at @ORB_Accs

My Rating 10/10 - The perfect charging companion - couldn't fault it.

Let me know your thoughts people, and feel free to get in touch -
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Old_GrumpyGamer
XBL - NastyNeil WR

Peas out chaps! 
Neil 

NEWS - Link up with Orb Accessories & Jmods + Youtube/Facebook

 

I am delighted to announce that I am partnering with Orb Accessories and Jmods Custom Controllers to do reviews of their products.

Orb Accessories:
Orb produce a range of accessories across multi platform consoles. This includes headsets, charging accessories, thumb grips and controllers, as well as other accessories.
They are working hard at the moment on new products for Next Gen consoles, and these will hopefully be looked at in due course!

Jmods Custom Controllers:
Jmods offer 2 different groups of products. Firstly they sell all sorts of items for customising your controllers, such as buttons, thumb sticks and all sorts of lighting/LED modifications!
Secondly they customise controllers to your own design/specification. This can be done on a new controller or one of your own.

I'll explain more about the companies in details as and when I do the individual articles/vlogs.

For now, here are their details so please give them a look and show them some love!

Orb Accessories:
http://www.orbaccessories.com/
@ORB_Accs

Jmods:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JmodsCustomConsoles/154655494587690?fref=ts
@JmodsCustomCons

Remember to subscribe to my new Youtube site here - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS1bxmAaXM7WqtviRGp822g/feed

Also I now have a Facebook page here - https://www.facebook.com/TheGrumpyOldGamer

Let me know your thoughts people, and feel free to get in touch -
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Old_GrumpyGamer
XBL - NastyNeil WR

Peas out chaps! 
Neil 

Esports and Trash Talk - A Hot Topic?

 

First Published - 28/10/13

We are just days away from the release of Call of Duty: Ghosts, yet there is a burning issue tearing at the heart of CoD Esports – Trash Talk.

After some much publicised recent events, the subject of player behaviour and Trash Talking in CoD Esports has been brought very much into focus within the community.

There are definitely fluctuating opinions on the subject, and especially with regards to what is deemed acceptable whilst trash talking in game.

When talking to individuals from within the CoD Esports community, there initially seems almost universal condemnation of the levels and content of comments made between players and teams during matches. However, this is not to say that all of these personalities want this type of ‘banter’ to leave the game altogether. Indeed, as TCM team member MarkyB says “there’s a difference between telling someone how bad you think they are, to how good their mother is in bed!”

Another point that is put out as an explanation of this behaviour is that a lot of the comments are made in the heat of the moment, and this is some sort of mitigating factor. Again, MarkyB had a great analogy for this – “In football for example, players do things in the heat of the moment, but get punished by red and yellow cards. As soon as this behaviour is cracked down on, it will no longer be part of the regular behaviour of these players”.

Generally speaking most opinions put forward were in agreement that anything personal and insulting should be severely clamped down on in some way. CoD Esports caster Alan Brice has been particularly vocal in his dislike of these types of comments, although in general, no consensus seems to have been reached on what form of punishment should be taken against offenders.

With CoD: Ghosts just days away, the future of Esports for the franchise is again firmly in the spotlight, and many people that I have spoken to about this subject feel that the ‘scene’ is at an important juncture in terms of how Esports is viewed. Indeed Ben ‘Benson’ Bowe stated that “after speaking to the developers about this exact topic, I can tell you, it needs to stop”.

Not only this, but that all those involved in CoD Esports – Teams, Players and Event Organisers, should all agree to moving forward with any improvements in player behaviour for the good of the future of game in general.

Thanks to all those that helped contribute to this article:

@TCM_MarkyB

@Benson_EU

@Bricetacular

Let me know your thoughts people, and feel free to get in touch -
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Old_GrumpyGamer
XBL - NastyNeil WR

Peas out chaps! 
Neil 

Scuf Classic - A Review by an Average Gamer

 I’ve never considered myself particularly good at gaming and FPS games in particular, and of course I’d heard all about other brands of controllers other than the standard Microsoft ones.

It would be fair to say that for the extra cost, I was dubious as to whether any of them would make a difference to an ageing gamer such as me! So when a friend offered me a Scuf Classic to try, I did so with a little bit of trepidation as to what it might bring to the table.

I had solely used the original Microsoft Wireless controllers for my whole Xbox gaming life prior to this, and this Scuf was wired, although given that I sit quite close to my TV, this wasn’t really a problem!

The first new feature that I had to get to grips with was a domed right stick, not much to write home about you probably think, but I immediately felt at ease with it, and found myself moving with ease especially when aiming. All in all a small yet incredibly useful addition.

The major feature of Scuf controllers is the paddle system – either 2 or 4 paddles on the underside of the controller that allow you to use them as you would the A,B,X and Y buttons, but without moving your fingers from the natural grip of the controller. My Scuf had just 2, mapped to replicate the A & B buttons. This was an area of the controller that I had most apprehension about; would I even use them, would it feel odd, what advantage would I gain? After all, I very rarely drop shot and as for jump shots…..well lets say I leave that to Halo players! However, given that I mostly used the pad on Black Ops 2, the ability to use the B Paddle to dolphin dive onto Capture Points/Flag Points, and to use the A paddle to easily jump up to areas whilst on the move proved to be a really handy thing over a standard controller.

Another major benefit of the Scuf Pads are the addition of ‘Trigger Stops’. These are inlays in the Left and Right Triggers that stop any unnecessary movement of the trigger and saves split seconds in getting a shot off in a game such as Call of Duty. My pad however, did not have these on, so I will not comment on this, suffice to say any saving on time in a CoD firefight would be massively welcomed by me!

Complimentary to this feature is the Adjustable Hair Trigger mechanism. This allows the user to adjust small screws on the pad that alter the sensitivity of the triggers, again a highly useful feature for the FPS player.

So, I hear you ask, “Did the Scuf Classic Pad make you a better CoD player?”  I’m not sure I’m in a position to answer that, but what I will say is that all the features rolled into one package, makes playing games a more intuitive and confident process. I felt more in control and felt that I had more of an edge than I had with my previous standard controllers.

I now even use it for playing Fifa with! OK so I might not use the paddles, but the unit as a whole just feels so nice to game with, that it would be stupid not to use it.

So, in summing up, well done Scuf Gaming! At roughly £50 for the base version, it’s not even that much more than an official Microsoft Wireless pad, so decent value for money too!  Scuf might not have improved my meagre skills as a gamer, but you have certainly given me a chance of achieving more than just mediocrity when gaming! A top quality product for ANY gamer.

Give them a follow on Twitter too! @ScufGaming

Let me know your thoughts people, and feel free to get in touch -
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Old_GrumpyGamer
XBL - NastyNeil WR

Peas out chaps! 
Neil