If you roam around any social media or even YouTube, searching for the best gaming setups, you'll notice that most of them have one bright thing in common: RGB lighting. The best-looking setups don't just have top-end gear, the best setups have some of the best RGB light shows coming from every part of the setup: the keyboard and mouse, the PC, and sometimes even the headsets.
If you’re looking to brighten up your setup, check out some of the best RGB-highlighted peripherals you can pick up now.
Best RGB Keyboard
Corsair K70 RGB TKL
Potentially one of the best overall ten key less (TKL) boards in the market now, the Corsair K70 RGB TKL is a great addition to any RGB-dedicated setup, let alone any gaming setup period. From its numerous features that Corsair somehow managed to fit onto the board and an 8,000Hz polling rate, this is one of the fastest and highest performing keyboards you can pick up today.
Then there’s the RGB side, which Corsair did extremely well. The RGB backlighting of the board comes through sharp and can be adjusted through both Corsair’s software and through a tournament switch at the back to avoid distractions. The lights shine bright behind the doubleshot PBT keycaps and can be customized through Corsair’s extremely user-friendly iCue software. The K70 features 8MB of onboard storage, allowing you to store up to 50 profiles and customize your lighting with 20 different lighting layers, one of the most amongst all of the major brands. The K70 might be one of the best decisions you make for your setup that gives you the sharp look and strong performance that a top keyboard can bring.
HyperX Alloy Origins 60
Considering the amount of 60-percent keyboards out in the market now throughout numerous price points and brands, HyperX’s first plunge into the 60 percent space was an immediate success. The Alloys Origins 60 is the perfect compact keyboard for gamers on a budget that brings the same level of high performing expectations that you would expect from a HyperX keyboard. Its Cherry MX red linear keys are incredibly responsive and it features a strong build quality that you would not only expect from a HyperX board, but from a premium keyboard as well.
However, if there’s one visual aesthetic that the Origins 60, and any HyperX keyboard has, it's the incredibly bright and sharp RGB backlighting. This thing is bright, plain and simple. The backlighting can be customized through HyperX’s NGenuity software to give you the vibe that you want on your desk. If you want to go a bit further with the Origins 60’s lighting, pick up HyperX’s white doubleshot PBT pudding keycaps for an even stronger glow with this board. All in all, between its consistent performance, strong build and beautiful backlighting, this is a 60 percent board perfect for any desk and a great fit for any RGB focused setup.
Best RGB keycaps:
G. Skill Crystal Crown Keycaps - If you want your keyboard's RGB backlighting to shine even more, the G. Skill Crystal Crown keycaps are an incredible fit. They work with any Cherry MX stem switch and their clear underside allows for RGB backlighting to shine at its brightest. They come in either black or white keys, allowing for full customization of most mechanical keyboards.
Razer Phantom Keycaps - If you want a bit of a filtered, maybe darker type of shade to your keyboard's backlighting, the Razer Phantom keycaps bring a unique, darker design to your setup. It's the first set of pudding keycaps to feature blacked out, legend-less tops, giving your board an extremely clean look when the RGB and the board is off, and its dark underside gives a diffused look to your keyboard's backlighting.
Best RGB Mouse
Endgame Gear XM1 RGB
The Endgame Gear XM1 is one of the best, and newer, esports-level mice in the market now. Performance aside, instead of just adding small RGB nodes to the original already solid XM1, they improved the entire mouse by giving it new feet, switches and a new scroll wheel. Although the newly improved XM1 is a bit heavier than the previous iteration with all of the upgrades, it still holds its own as one of the best gaming mice out there now.
Then there’s the RGB side of it which, as its label suggests, is the focus of the new XM1 RGB. The Dark Frost and Dark Reflex models take full advantage of what the XM1 RGB has to offer lighting wise, while the regular model features RGB underglow. This mouse, just on the RGB lighting alone, can stand out on any RGB focused setup. Toss in the fact that it's actually a high quality gaming mouse, and this is a great pickup for any gamer out there.
Razer Basilisk V3
The newest member of the Razer Basilisk family of gaming mice might not just be one of the best and newest releases, it is definitely the brightest of the bunch. The biggest difference in the V3 compared to the rest of the Basilisk mice is with its RGB lighting. It features 11 lighting zones toward the back of the mouse as an underglow to give the V3 a floating type of effect. The lighting can be customized through Razer’s Synapse software to match the color scheme of your setup.
Performance wise, while the V3 doesn’t follow the trend of lightweight wireless gaming mice (weighing in at a “whopping” 101 grams), it feels great in the hand with the traditional Basilisk form that most Basilisk users, along with any Logitech G502 users are familiar with. It also features 11 programmable buttons, Razer’s Focus+ 26K DPI sensor and Razer’s Optical mechanical switches. The newest and brightest member of the Basilisk family will not only help your K/D, it will brighten up your setup easily.
Related: 2021’s 5 Best PC Cases for Gaming
Best RGB Mousepad
SteelSeries QCK Prism
An RGB mousepad may seem like overkill, as would a review about a mousepad. Don’t worry, I get it. However, if you’re going to go after an RGB setup, why not go all the way? Right?
The SteelSeries QCK Prism Cloth isn’t your typical cheap mousepad. However, alongside its bright and customizable RGB lighting that surrounds the mousepad, it is one of the top mousepads in the market, providing precise and accurate movement.
Asus ROG Balteus Qi
If you want another RGB mousepad option, the Asus ROG Balteus Qi features an underglow type of RGB lighting that gives the mousepad a floating kind of look. It has 15 individually customizable RGB lighting zones with ASUS Aura Sync available for it.
The Balteus Qi is also one of the few Qi charging mousepads in the market and also features a USB 2.0 pass-through port towards the top of the pad. All of the features of this mousepad make this a bit more expensive than the QCK Prism, however considering its lighting and functionality, the investment is well worth it and adds value to your setup besides just the lighting factor.
Best RGB Headset
Steelseries Arctis 5
The SteelSeries Arctis 5 brings the sleek Arctis design we’ve come to admire while featuring the same strong sound performance that we’ve come to expect from the Arctis lineup. Oh, and it features RGB lighting on the outside borders of the earcups that’s customizable through SteelSeries’ Engine software adding the RGB element of the setup to … well … you.
Alongside the pretty lights on your ears, the Arctis 5’s feature solid sound quality and a chat audio amp alongside easy customization and usability. If you’re willing to shell out a little more cash, the Arctis Pro features similar lighting with better sound customization and quality.
Logitech G733
While not as bright compared to the Arctis 5’s as far as RGB is concerned, the Logitech G733 is also a very viable option if you’re looking for a headset to match your RGB setup. While it's not the best headset of the Logitech family, it still features solid sound and needed customization through Logitech’s G Hub software and it features a detachable, high-quality boom microphone that could be the biggest surprise of the headset overall.
Lighting wise, it is a lot more subtle compared to the previously mentioned Arctis 5’s. The G733’s feature RGB lighting toward the front of the headset which could be a distraction for those who wear glasses as the lighting would reflect off of the edge of the frames. If you’re looking for a solid, customizable wireless headset with some RGB lighting, the G733’s would make for a great fit to go with your setup.
Best RGB Lighting
Corsair iCue Lighting Node Pro
The most important part of any RGB setup is, obviously, the lighting. The Corsair iCue Lighting Node Pro comes with four RGB LED strips that all work independently to give you full customization to your desired lighting effects. The lighting can be controlled through Corsair’s LINK software on your desktop with the base of the lighting connecting directly to your PC via USB 2.0.
Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip
If you don’t want lighting connected to your computer, the Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip works independently of your PC, instead it works via Bluetooth and the Philips Hue app on your phone for full control of the lighting. Depending on your setup and your lighting theme, this could actually be a better option overall. Although it may be a bit more expensive than the Corsair lighting, having fully separate control and customization through the Hue app is a better move in the end.
Best RGB Controller
Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma Pro
The Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma is one of the best alternate, pro-style controllers for the PC and Xbox (for this list we’ll focus on the PC side of it). Although it needs to work wired on PC (compared to wireless on the Xbox), it features Razer’s signature chroma lighting adding a cool lightshow to the controller on the insides of the grips.
Performance wise, you get more than just a cool, light-up controller. The buttons have the same mechanical type of feel that made the Wolverine V2 popular and the grips feel grippy and feel full in your hand. The pro-triggers in the back are in an interesting spot though as they’re stacked on top of each other in the middle of the controller. In ways, it works, but compared to other pro controllers that we’ve become used to from the likes of SCUF and the budget brand PowerA it is a unique, yet refreshing change. Overall, if you’re looking for that one peripheral to complete your RGB setup, this is it. Easy.
For more Hardware Guides, check out Best Keyboard and Mouse for Xbox Series X/S on Pro Game Guides!
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Published: Oct 31, 2021 04:32 pm