Discover how the new PowerA Fusion Pro Wireless, Nanoleaf Blocks and Belkin BoostCharge Pro could be worthwhile new additions to your setup.
Looking for some new purchase excuses that’ll help improve your gaming setup or boost your productivity. Well here’s a solid mix of both that’ll likely see you reaching for your wallet. Can’t say you weren’t warned…
PowerA Fusion Pro Wireless Controller With Lumectra for Xbox Series X|S
Price: $199.95 via Gamesmen
Where PlayStation gamers tend to gravitate towards the DualSense due to Sony’s internal tech, if you’re an Xbox gamer you’re absolutely spoilt for choice with gaming companies aplenty vying for your attention and wallet. Now PowerA has entered the ring with its new Fusion Pro Wireless and it might be one of the flashiest options so far.
Yes, the first thing you’ll notice about the Fusion is its bold design. Thanks to the inclusion of Ghost RGB LED Lighting, the Fusion Pro Wireless allows you to choose when and where to reveal a bevy of lights underneath the controller. There are 6 lighting modes with 4 customisable zones so you can tweak how intense the controller actually gets, but you are ultimately at the mercy of the fundamental design. Honestly it’s not 100% my thing, but I have to respect PowerA for trying to be wholly different in the market.
But PowerA doesn’t want to just wow you with its lighting, there’s plenty of internal wins as well. As to be expected from a ‘Pro’ device, you’ve got Hall Effect sticks that can have their height adjusted, 4 mappable buttons and 3-way trigger locks for the more FPS inclined. It all feels exactly as you should and there’s a great amount of give and spring to both the buttons and the sticks while feeling comfortable in the hand. The Fusion Pro Wireless might not might not feel as premium as the Xbox Elite 2 controller (mainly around the back where the mappable buttons are plastic as opposed to removable paddles), there’s arguably more customisation at play here, making the debate between the two a potentially fierce one.
Love Gaming?
Get the latest Gaming news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
What I appreciated most though was that the Fusion Pro wireless doesn’t only come with its own protective travel case, but a magnetic charger that acts as a display stand as well. Whenever you’re done gaming, the Fusion Pro Wireless simply snaps snuggly onto the unit, similar to Apple’s Magsafe technology. It’s a great move from PowerA and honestly only adds to the value proposition of the controller considering you can pick a unit up for $299 – $50 cheaper than Xbox’s own Elite 2 controller.
If you’re in the market for an Xbox controller, the Fusion Pro Wireless may be the answer.
Nanoleaf Blocks
Price: From $299.99 via Nanoleaf
When it comes to smart lighting, Nanoleaf has been a major player for quite some time, utilising all manner of shapes, sizes and formfactors to help elevate game rooms all over the world. Now, the latest in the line-up is Nanoleaf Blocks and it’s arguably the company’s most considered and practical offering so far.
The name of the game with the Nanoleaf blocks is flexibility, so as a result there are a number of starter and add-on kits available that’ll alter the types of blocks you start your journey with. I tested out the largest kit on offer, the Combo XL kit (priced at $429.99) which packs in the biggest mix of large & small panels as well as a light pegboard and shelf. It’s clearly an expensive proposition, but if you’re going to commit, the larger kit allows for a wider variety of designs to play with on your wall which I appreciated.
What I appreciated even more was the implementation of the shelf and light pegboard, which can be installed to house vibe-setting knickknacks or your daily pair of headphones. Having multi-purpose tech work in your favour is always a big win in my eyes, but it is worth noting that due to the extra weight they are required to hold you will need to actually drill the panels that support those elements into the wall, which may be a deal breaker for anybody hoping to simply use double-sided tape like much of Nanoleaf’s other offerings.
If you are prepared for a bit of handywork though the Nanoleaf blocks are my favourite of the company’s line-up yet and I’m keen to see more blends of flash and function.
BoostCharge Pro 3-Port Laptop Power Bank 20K
Price: $159.95 via Belkin
If there’s one thing I hate most about gaming on the go, it’s managing your battery levels. And with games like Balatro, Pokémon TCG Pocket and Marvel Snap sapping away at your devices, there’s never been more essential time to have plenty of juice on hand. That’s where Belkin has come in handy with the BoostCharge Pro 3-Port Laptop Power Bank 20K.
The new offering is substantially beefier than Belkin’s own magnetic chargers, but that’s because the BoostCharge Pro 3-Port Laptop Power Bank 20K is packing some serious power inside its shell. The 20k battery means you’ll be able to utilise up to 65W of power to recharge your MacBook or laptop via one of the two USB-C ports on the unit up to about 50% in just over 40 minutes.
Alternatively, you can hook up a bevy of devices at once thanks to the additional USB-C port and single USB-A connection. Hell, I even connected my Nintendo Switch to this thing and was shocked about how easy it was to stay up and running. But while this flexibility is great and helped fuel my addiction to the new Pokémon TCG Pocket or extend a game of Mario Party, it is a bit heavier to carry with you on the go, so become more of a backpack addition rather than trying to squeeze it into my back pocket.
That said, I was thrilled to have the BoostCharge Pro 3-Port Laptop Power Bank 20K in my arsenal, especially thanks to the on-device LCD screen that is able to give you a battery indication at all time, and display the exact wattage outputting to your devices. Highly recommended if you frequently game on the move.
Ultimate Ears Miniroll
Price: $99.95 via Ultimate Ears
Ultimate ears have been doing some serious overtime lately it seems, and that pace doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon because now we have the brand new Miniroll – another tiny wonder packing a big punch.
Interestingly, the Miniroll is now in direct contrast with the Wonderboom, but I’ll have to admit that I prefer this new kid on the block. Its flatter structure might lead to a slightly less rounded sound, but it also makes it infinitely more portable, capable of sliding into a suitcase or backpack. Plus there’s also a built-in strap that allows you to hang it from various hooks or quickly strap it to a bag.
Once you boot up the Miniroll, you’ll likely be taken aback by its performance. For a device that measures in at a measly 122mm x 105mm, the bass is particularly heavy. In fact it’s so noticeable that during my testing I found it to cause a little bit of ratting when left on a particularly noisy surface. I’d suggest leaving the strap on to help absorb some of that vibration.
But the Miniroll is designed to be used all over the place, hence its IP67 rating and flotable nature, meaning its ready for all the elements. My one gripe is that the Miniroll doesn’t have a smartphone app that allows you to adjust equaliser settings like most of its siblings. It feels like an oversight, but even with that in mind, the Miniroll is still an attractive offering for budget speakers – retailing for $99.
Belkin BoostCharge Pro 140W 4-Port GaN Wall Charger
Price: $189.95 via Belkin
In a supreme Belkin double up, the 3-Port Laptop Power Bank pairs wonderfully well with its new sibling, the BoostCharge Pro 140W 4-Port GaN Wall Charger. This one stop shop of a charger is arguably all you ever need for your bedside table, trip away or even in the office. That’s because of the sheer flexibility the Pro’s 4 ports provide. It all starts with a 12W USB-A port, followed by 3 USB-C ports capable of delivering 20W, 45W and 65W respectively.
The fact that you have 45W and 65W option on the one charger is an absolute game-changer, especially when so many more devices demand up to 65W for fast charging. If you’re in the Pixel ecosystem for example, Google is now charging for its own 45W charger but that only offers a single port. The BoostCharge Pro 140W on the other hand feels like a more sound investment, despite being the pricier option.
The one thing to keep in mind is that not all devices can handle higher wattages, so you may have some devices that are locked down to a single port. The other is that this charger is on the heavier side, so you’ll need to make sure your power points are strong enough to keep it in place. In one instance during testing the charger began pulling away from the actual wall, stopping charge to the four devices attached to it.
Resolve those minor quibbles and this is a handy device to throw into the backpack.
For more on this topic, follow the Gaming Observer.
