What you need to know
- Alienware has a new high-end gaming mouse and headset, revealed at CES 2022.
- Both are "tri-mode" with both wireless and wired connectivity options.
- Availability is set to begin from February in global markets.
Among the many Dell and Alienware launches at CES 2022 are a couple of new peripherals that, actually, show that Alienware is taking things a little more seriously. The brand has had good mice and headsets before, but these latest additions to the family are pushing into the high-end and going much further than other recent efforts.
Collectively they're the "Tri-mode" siblings, with both a wireless gaming mouse and headset boasting this moniker (and some forgettable letters and numbers as well). We should be seeing them from the beginning of February in global markets, and they're sounding pretty tasty.
What does Tri-mode actually mean, though? Exactly what it suggests. There are three separate connection modes on the headset and the mouse, including a dedicated wireless connection, Bluetooth, and wired operation. For the headset, in particular, this is great to see, as wireless cans have an increasingly common habit of removing a wireless connection altogether.
First up, the mouse, the AW720M. Underneath, Alienware has packed it with a whopping 26,000 DPI sensor, while up top you find optical switches, an ambidextrous design, and magnetically-sprung, independent L/R keyplates. The end result is a promise of reduced debounce time, a boost to precision and accuracy, and up to 50G max acceleration.
The mouse has a sculpted design for a little extra in the comfort department, and despite being fairly slim, still packs eight programmable buttons in total. In those three connectivity modes, you get Bluetooth 5.1 alongside the wired and 2.4GHz wireless, and with the latter two, you also find 1000Hz polling as well. Not too shabby at all.
Charging is taken care of with a magnetic cable that attaches to some pogo pins at the front of the mouse, so while it's a proprietary connection, it's infinitely better than having to feed a cable in there and you'd presume it'll detach if you get a bit carried away rather than drag across your desk and rip out the back off your PC.
Battery life promises to be pretty good, too. In 2.4GHz mode, Alienware claims up to 140 hours between charges, while on Bluetooth that leaps to a whopping 420 hours. But with a five-minute fast charge good enough for up to 20 hours of use, you're also never going to have to wait too long if it does die on you.
The headset, the AW920H, is equally as impressive. Again, you get three connectivity modes, with 2.4GHz wireless joined by Bluetooth 5.2 and a 3.5mm cable connection. The AW920H also boasts Dolby Atmos support, 40mm Hi-Res certified drivers, and active noise canceling (ANC) to block out the world and allow you fully focus on your games.
The design is very definitely Alienware, but instead of awkward buttons to jab at on your ear, the AW920H has touch controls for a more intuitive experience. Along with RGB because audio definitely sounds better with RGB.
The microphone also boasts noise cancellation, with AI smarts helping to filter out unwanted background noise so your buddies can hear only you, and not your PC fans. Or your dog.
The boom microphone is detachable allowing you to use the headset with a mobile device as headphones more easily, but it also has an integrated mic so you can still communicate with teammates or take a phone call. The quality isn't as good, but the AI noise cancellation tech applies here also.
Like the mouse, the headset boasts fast charge, with a quick 15 minute top-up good enough for 6 hours of use, with a total of up to 30 hours per charge possible.
Both the mouse and headset will be available in two colors, Lunar Light and Dark Side of the Moon, though the latter won't be available until April. The mouse is slated to cost $150, while the headset is $200, and both should be with us on February 9.
