Stuart, Author at Thumb Culture

20Mar

By StuartNo Comments

ThunderX3 Flex Pro Mesh Chair Review

Chairs, whether it is gaming or office, we spend almost 50 days a year sitting in a chair. Well, if you have a typical office job that is. So of course you want to make sure that where you're sitting is both relaxing and comfortable. This is where the ThunderX3 Flex Pro Mesh chair comes in. Retailing at a pretty lofty £419.99 MSRP, it is by no means cheap. But can you put a price on comfort? Let's find out. Let the buttocks, see the chair I know what you're saying, that all chairs are the same. This is where you're wrong. They really aren't, each chair has its own merits. Chairs are as individual as people, and we all have different preferences. This is why this review is just going to give you an overview of the features. Featuring maybe a couple of witty comments here and there. It's g...

19Mar

By StuartNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Moza Racing CM2 Dash Review

If you are into Sim racing, then you no doubt have a decent wheel. What you might not have is a digital dashboard. MOZA Racing recently sent us their latest model to hit the online store. The MOZA Racing CM2 Dash. Well the CM2 HD Racing Dash to give it it's full moniker. Give Me All The Stats Costing around £155 is this bit of tech really going to make a difference to your sim racing gameplay? Read on to find out. Design Taking the MOZA Racing CM2 Dash out of the box, I was instantly impressed with the build quality. It felt sturdy to hold and look at. With a high-resolution, 5-inch 720p touchscreen with a 60Hz refresh rate. Ensuring that all the data you get to see is clear and precise. You can also swap between dash layouts by just swiping the screen. With an aluminium alloy casin...

Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot Wireless Smart Controller Review

13Mar

By StuartNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot Wireless Smart Controller Review

Controllers. Where would we be without them? Well, we'd be surrounded by keyboards and mice for a start, which presents a whole different problem. Speaking of problems, the one I often find with controllers is that generally they are all similar. Turtle Beach is set to change that, with the Turtle Beach Pivot Controller. You Spin Me Right Round You can tell something is different straight out of the box. There are two rotating modules with different buttons on each side. The Pivot Controller is a new beast. Does it live up to the other more important areas? Let's find out! Design The Turtle Beach Pivot Controller has the traditional Xbox layout. With asymmetric joysticks, and the A, B, X and Y buttons on the face. With the standard Xbox buttons in the middle. It is all very familiar...

7Mar

By StuartNo Comments

Previews & Early Access

Atomfall Exclusive Preview

Unless you've been living under a large rock you will have heard of Atomfall, the latest game coming soon from Rebellion. The game is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England. Inspired by the real-life event. You have to explore the quarantine zone, barter with people as well as survive to find out just what is going on. Follow The Leads We were incredibly fortunate to be invited to a special press screening and playtest recently. This is what we experienced. Playtest So, a number of other members of the gaming press were introduced to the game through a short presentation by one of the developers. Once that was all done, we were invited to control a PC running Atomfall remotely. Starting my game a bit further into the game than perhaps I should have....

Razer DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed Mouse Review

6Mar

By StuartNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Razer DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed Mouse Review

The Razer mouse lineup is vast, with literally something for everyone. One of the more popular lines is the DeathAdder. Released in February 2023, the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed is still a staple among pros today. Coming in at £100 on the Razer store, this is no ordinary mouse. Hyperspeed Engaged An ultralight mouse has incredible response time. But what else does the mouse bring to the table? Design The DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed isn't anything ground breaking to look at. What it does have is a sleek design, with a smooth texture finish allowing a natural grip and greater feel. Weighing 55g this mouse is one of the lightest on the market. Which aids with precise movements, especially if you are looking at an esports-tested device. Featuring a ridiculous 26k DPI optical sensor gi...

5Mar

By StuartNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Razer Kraken V4 Pro Headset Review

After checking out the standard Kraken V4 headset back in September last year, we were incredibly fortunate to get sent the Pro version recently. Thus I present to you, the Razer Kraken V4 Pro Headset. Coming in at over double the price, is it worth it? I will endeavour to help you decide. It's a Kraken piece of kit! With great price comes great judgement. Quite often Razer get a hard rap by audiophiles but I honestly love the sound scape that Razer provide with their headsets. I've always been a fan, and my reviews on the site will show you that! Comparison Rather than go into the design details of the Kraken V4 Pro headset, especially as I've already covered them in the link above, it's probably better to let you know what's been upgraded in this Pro version. Firstly, let's start ...

5Mar

By StuartNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Razer Kishi Ultra Review

If you are a true gamer, then you probably play the odd game on your mobile device. Whether that's a phone or a tablet, there are a multitude of devices designed to make it easier. The Razer Kishi Ultra is one of those devices. God-Tier of Mobile Gaming So what exactly is the Razer Kishi Ultra and at a price of £150 from the Razer store, how does it enhance your mobile gaming? Let's take a look. Design Imagine a controller split in half. Then add a retractable area that pinches your devices between two bits of rubber. Then you kinda get the Kishi Ultra. At least that's my poor description of it. With thumbsticks set out in the Xbox asymmetric layout, and face buttons that mirror the A, B, X and Y. The mobile controller ticks a lot of boxes. With bumpers and triggers that feel great to ...

4Mar

By Stuart3 Comments

PlayStation Reviews

Rugby 25 – PS5 Review

Rugby is a complex game with rules upon rules upon rules. Thankfully Big Ant Studios have given it a go. Now I've been waiting for a decent Rugby game since Jonah Lomu Rugby in 1997. Can Rugby 25 bring back some of the highs I felt? Let's find out. Crouch, Bind, Set There have been so many Rugby games released over the years. Even EA got involved a couple of times. This is the first foray, however, for Big Ant Studios. Albeit in the Union code, having previously released a Rugby League game and even an AFL game. Surely this only bodes well for the Australian developer? Gameplay If you have ever watched or played Rugby, then you know its complexities. It's such a hard and dynamic game to bring into the video game world. Especially to ensure that the flow of the game is well represented ...

28Feb

By StuartNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

ThunderX3 LAB-X Desk Review

I'm usually found building LEGO rather than desks. But when we got an email from ThunderX3 asking us if we wanted to check out a desk, the answer was a resounding Yes! Following on shortly the box was delivered and I found myself the owner of a new ThunderX3 Lab-X height adjustable desk. I was like a proud parent. I was also wondering where on earth to build this behemoth. Bring Your Gaming To New Heights Armed with some trusty tools, a charged drill, and some fancy white gloves that came in the box, off I went, into the building zone. Otherwise known as the floor in the office. Building Time First things first, you will need a lot of space to build this desk. Thankfully the office at TCHQ has a decent floor area. And so it was time for the old desk to move out, replaced by all the pa...

26Feb

By Stuart2 Comments

Hardware & Tech

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro Keyboard Review

The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro keyboard has been out for some time now. The question is, how does it stand up against more recent releases? We got a nice little care package from the amazing people at Razer. So let's see if we can answer that question. Sneki Snek Saves Trees Yes, you read that right, that little Sneki Snek in some of our pictures saves 10 trees. Razer's commitment to sustainability means that for every Sneki Snek you purchase, 10 trees will be planted. I'd say that's worth checking out. Much like this review. See what I did there? Design Like most Razer products, the BlackWidow V4 Pro has a beautiful black finish. A strong sturdy keyboard, with plenty of features under the hood. Fear not though, if black isn't your colour, it does come in white too! Featuring a com...