For anyone looking to get into gaming for the first time, it can be scary. Do you go console or PC? If PC, what kind of monitor do you get? What peripherals do you need? Why are there so many to choose from? What is the difference? Why am I asking so many questions? Well, Sandberg aim to make getting into PC Gaming a little easier for you by offering the Gaming Starter Kit.
Available in three versions, UK, DE and Nordic, the Gaming Starter Kit is part of the Sandberg Esports Equipment range and offers not just a keyboard and mouse, but also a headset and mousepad. Now we’d normally score our reviews out of five based on various elements such as functionality and value for money, but since this pack offers so much, let’s just take a look at each piece of kit.
Headset
As this is a starter kit, the items that come packed inside aren’t top of the range like Sandberg’s Derecho headset, instead, they’re more budget end products. But when you’re starting off, you might not be quite sure what it is you want, or if you’re going to stick at this gaming malarky, so it’s actually probably better to start with the equipment that is provided in a kit like this. Because, despite being budget, the headset still feels solidly built and has impressive stereo sound, whilst also being comfortable to wear too.
I wouldn’t say it’s the best headset I’ve had, but it certainly is better than some budget ones I’ve tried out in the past. The sound is clear and the mic (which is adjustable) picks up your voice nicely, although I did have some feedback that it was quite sensitive to picking up a bit of background noise. But, for someone starting out, this would be an ideal headset to use because you can still pick up on things like footsteps of your enemies, just maybe not as detailed as some other more expensive headsets.
Keyboard
The keyboard is essential for any PC Gamer, not always for playing games because some people may prefer controllers, but just for being able to type into chats, setting up streams and other bits. Without one, you’re gonna find yourself stuck. When it comes to the keyboard provided in the Gaming Starter Kit I was expecting it to resemble the old Sandberg Thunderstorm, which in all honesty, I didn’t like because of the cracked lighting design.
However, the one provided is actually more elegantly designed. I particularly like the multi-coloured background lighting which also shows on the multimedia keys too. It just looks a lot cleaner and more professional, especially with the nylon braided cable offering better protection than a standard rubberised one. The keyboard feels really sturdy too, some budget keyboards often feel cheap and flimsy, but not this one. It’ll definitely survive a few rage quits where you end up banging your desk.
Mouse and Mousepad
Since these two go hand in hand like Ant and Dec it seemed appropriate to bundle them together in this review. The mouse itself has been optimised for gaming with stylish lighting, high resolution and extra shortcut keys added on too. This should be sufficient for any starter gamer, offering some easy access buttons for you to map actions to so you can find your best combination when playing games. Like the keyboard and the headset, it too has been given a nice nylon cable with USB connector to allow you to hook it up to your PC.
But no mouse would be complete without a suitable surface beneath it. It’s not quite as stylish as the RGB Mousepad that they do, but it is a nice simple black design with a small Sandberg Esports Equipment logo in the corner. The mousepad is a decent size and it is flexible too, making it is easy to roll up, store and take with you to LAN events. The mousepad also has a non-slip coating underneath to offer you better control on a steady surface.
Overall Score – 5/5
The Sandberg Gaming Starter Kit is the ideal pack for anyone who is looking to get into gaming. It offers all the peripherals you need to enable you to get on and play, whilst also offering the equipment for you to chat to friends and keep the sound to yourself so you don’t annoy family, friends or roommates.
The equipment is all budget, and over time may be worthwhile upgrading if you’re serious about gaming, but to start you off, you couldn’t find a better bundle. Literally, you would have to shop around and buy different pieces from different places and well, you can save all that hassle right here. Don’t get me wrong, you may save a couple pennies doing it that way, but the time and effort you’d save, for the price of £64.99, you’re getting yourself a great deal. Especially when you take into consideration Sandberg’s fantastic five-year warranty.
For more information on Sandberg’s Gaming Starter Kit, click HERE. FULLSYNC does not make profit from this referral link, but if you choose to purchase this product, thank you for supporting companies that support us!