One of the most passionate PC accessory companies in the business is Steel Series, and at CES 2010 they had a handful of new products on display. We got the scoop on all of them, so come check 'em out!

Gaming mice and peripherals are pretty standard fare for MMO enthusiasts these days. Every mouse manufacturer seems to have a product that could be utilized in one of our games, but only a select few companies have the real passion to deliver mice, keyboards, headphones and other products that really put an emphasis on what’s best for the competitive PvE or PvP player. One of the most passionate companies in the business is Steel Series, and at CES 2010 they had a handful of new products that exemplified this focus.

First on our docket was the newly enhanced and upgraded Siberia headset. Those of you who previously tried or purchased this product will find that the comfortable ear cups, lightweight design and elastic-like headband are still a part of the design, but 25% larger drivers have been added, along with additional noise cancellation material lining the cups, to accentuate the gamer’s immersive experience. Another enhancement to the headset’s design was the addition of a retractable microphone rather than having a separate microphone; an adjustment that many gamers will appreciate.

Another debut product at CES was the Steel Series professional gaming mouse dubbed the Xai Laser. This mouse may not be the best option for World of Warcraft (or other MMO) gamers – the Blizzard-licensed product is probably more in line with what we’d like offered in a mouse – but the Xai Laser certainly has a list of features that gamers will drool over. Here’s a sampling of what’s included in this simply styled, but highly functional mouse:

- Ambidextrous shape
- 100-5001 CPI, 12,000 FPS & 150+ IPS
- High definition sensor sporting 10.8 megapixels per second
- Advanced on mouse menu system on built-in LCD display
- Use the same settings as pro gamers with gamer profiles
- Advanced macros through 8 programmable buttons, with the option of 10 total programmed macros

So what do these features mean for gamers? Steel Series’ Chief Marketing Officer, Kim Rom, was on hand to help answer that question. According to Rom, the Xai can be customized for every gamer’s particular style using the onboard mouse menu system on the built-in LCD display on the back of the mouse. Since the settings are built into the mouse, users won’t have to worry about software errors when their mouse is being used, which is particularly useful to pro gamers.

Another intriguing new product is the NP+ Mousepad. Sporting a high friction surface, this mousepad is made of extremely compressed fibers that allow the surface to be almost entirely waterproof and stain resistant. Couple that with an immense surface area and you have an accessory that’s certainly useful to any gamer.

We ended our meeting with the Steel Series’ execs with a quick look at their brand new World of Warcraft-branded March of the Scourge mousepad. This QcK Limited Edition features similar specs to the normal QcK pads, but offers the heavy, super-thick pad with an exclusive print of the March of the Scourge emblazoned upon it. Couple that with a World of Warcraft mouse and a Wrath of the Lich King Zboard, and you’ll have a complete set of WoW Steel Series products.

But that’s not all we saw at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. Make sure you check back with us over the next few days to see the rest of our CES experience!