Roccat Sova
Would you Roccat that!
PRICE $ 299 roccat.org
There
is obviously a market for couch based peripherals for lounge-room PC gaming. Corsair has already released their Lapdog keyboard enclosure and now Roccat has released theirs. Rather than being a stable table with space for a keyboard and some cables, the Sova is an all in one unit with a built-in membrane keyboard (there is a mechanical version available in other territories but it hasn’t reached Australia as yet), and ample room for a mouse.
The lapboard connects to a PC via two 4m breakaway USB cables. The cables are joined near the lapboard with PS/2 style connectors ensuring that anyone who trips over the them is far more likely to break themselves than anything valuable. These two USB cables power the keyboard and an additional two USB slots – one for a wired or wireless mouse and the other for a USB headset.
It’s a pretty nifty setup. The membrane keys are surprisingly good. They’re not as tactile or accurate as mechanical, but there is a good amount of resistance for gaming and typing. The cushioning on the lapboard is excellent and doesn’t slip when you shift around or change position. This is a good thing because the unit is neither small nor light, measuring 646x280x37mm and weighing in at 2.35kg.
If you’re looking for a lapboard, the Sova is definitely the way to go at the moment, but considering that most games seem to have controller options nowadays, you might want to opt for a much cheaper wireless controller. DANIEL WILKS