If I had to name gaming peripheral brands off the top of my head, Alienware would be quite far down the list. While its PCs, laptops, and gaming monitors are hard to ignore, the attention given to peripherals has been an issue. With the introduction of the Alienware Pro Wireless mouse and keyboard, this could be about to change.
In truth, Alienware hasn’t been anywhere near the discussion when it comes to the best gaming keyboard or best gaming mouse for some time, and I’m very keen to see how this changes with the Pro Wireless peripherals.
Starting with the Alienware Pro Wireless mouse, what first jumps out to me is the battery life. 120 hours at 1KHz polling, or 32 hours at 4KHz. Anyone who has tried high polling rate mice, particularly the Razer Viper V3 which can reach 8KHz, will know that it is a massive battery drainer, so 32 hours at 4KHz is quite a high number.
I’m also curious about how well the built-in battery will hold up because the Alienware Pro Wireless mouse is advertised at less than 60g. The previously mentioned Viper V3 uses an AA battery, which offers greater long-term reliability, but with the Polymer Li-ion option, there is the risk of degradation over time.
Once I look past the battery life and weight, it’s the Alienware-exclusive magnetic-force keyplates that stand out next. These optical switches are said to promote a faster return to neutral following a click, as well as improved double-clicking. Pair this with an esports shell, designed to sit in the palm naturally, and I can see how this mouse is going to cause some headaches for other brands.
Onto the Alienware Pro Wireless keyboard, a 70% form factor product with Alienware’s linear mechanical switches. I don’t expect this to challenge the top end of gaming performance and response times like the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini, but as a wireless option, I expect it to be a cat among the pigeons.
As a wireless keyboard, battery life is key, and you can expect 72 hours with the default lighting settings. Remarkably, you can expect up to 798 hours with the RGB disabled (no, that’s not a typo). More impressive still is the 1,800 hours – equivalent to 75 days – of battery life if you connect via Bluetooth instead of 2.4GHz.
Finally, a hot-swappable design falls in line with keyboards like the Drop CSTM80 and Razer Blackwidow V4 75%. Customization is important and the ability to swap both your switches and keys is crucial for long-term appeal.
The Alienware Pro Wireless keyboard will cost $199.99 and the mouse will cost $149.99. Both are available in Lunar White and Dark Side of the Moon color options and will be released on Thursday, January 11 in North America, Brazil, and EMEA.