HP is targeting gamers with a bunch of new laptops, displays, and peripherals, some of which fall under its enthusiast Omen brand. Among them is a new Omen Photon wireless mouse, a play for the best gaming mouse crown, along with an Omen Outpost mouse pad that can charge the rodent.
Starting with the mouse, HP claims the Photon "is as fast as its wired competitors," which translates to low or negligible lag.
"Say goodbye to input lag. With industry-leading optical-mechanical switch technology, light beam detection enables a 0.2 ms click response time—3 times faster than a traditional mechanical mouse switch," HP says.
Of course, we can't substantiate the claim until we've had an opportunity to spend some hands-on time with the rodent. In the meantime, there are a few other notable specs to share.
The Photon is built around a Pixart PAW3335 optical sensor. It has a dpi range of 100-16,000 to accommodate fast or methodical mouse movements.
Left-handed gamers will be interested to know that this is an ambidextrous mouse. Among the 11 buttons are two on each side of the mouse. It's also somewhat customizable—it comes with removable thumb and pinky finger rests that magnetically attach to either side. In addition, HP includes a pair of covers, in case you only want side buttons on one side or the other.
HP also says the shape and design lend themselves to a variety of grip styles. "Designed to adapt to all hand sizes even with different grips including claw, palm, and tip. With built-in pivot hinges, expect clean, consistent clicks no matter how you play," HP says.
HP claims gamers will see up to 50 hours of battery life on the Photon. It comes with a USB charging cable, though HP is also launching a Qi-enabled mouse pad, the Omen Outpost.
When plugged in, the Outpost provides 5W of charging power to Qi compatible devices, including smartphones. The trick, of course, is proper placement—the Qi hardware is in the top section, above the actual pad, and toward the left. This means the Photon won't get a continuous charge while playing, though you could charge your smartphone when engrossed in a game, and then plop the mouse on the charging section when you're finished.
The mouse pad measures 13.63 x 13.55 x 0.42 inches and will be offered with a hard or soft surface.
Going all-in on the Photon and Outpost combo is a pricey proposition. The Photon is priced at $129.99 and the Outpost at $99.99, so you're looking at nearly $230 for the two. As of right now, it does not appear HP plans on offering a bundled discount.
Both accessories will be available in July.
