Logitech has announced a new range of PC gaming accessories that are specifically designed to be more gender-inclusive and focused on female gamers and tech enthusiasts. While other companies are finding ways to simply create technology that caters to everyone without making things a specific colour, Logitech wants you to have a pink or white headset if you’re a girl. Dubbed the “Aurora Collection” the new Logitech range of accessories mark some of the company’s most expensive gadgets on the market which has led people to believe that Logitech is charging gamers extra just to own pink stuff (also known as Pink Tax). Keep in mind that when the trend of pink accessories was happening, Logitech refused to make and sell products for under-represented groups of gamers. They have just caught up with the world it seems.
The Aurora Collection includes a handful of accessories. There’s a new G735 wireless headset that comes in and off-white and features RGB LEDs. Logitech has included a dimmer RGB LED light on the earcups to give the headset a sort of whimsical glow. Each earcup also includes braille on the headband to act as an accessibility feature.
READ MORE Marvel’s Midnight Suns Gives us a Complete History Lesson on Spider-Man
Logitech says that the G735 Wireless Headset has also been designed to fit smaller heads and can also be worn while wearing earrings and glasses. Obviously, its other headsets are made for larger heads and people with perfect vision. Don’t even think of wearing a “normal” headset if you’re a small-headed girl that likes wearing earring and needs glasses.
The Logitech G735 features dual wireless connectivity that works through 2.4GHz and has a battery life of 16 hours IF you run the RGB on low and volume at 50%(what… that is pathetic). Maybe Logitech reckons females don’t play games for long enough to warrant an all-day battery life like EVERY other gaming headset on the market that costs $230.
There’s also a keyboard in the Aurora Collection that costs $199 for the wireless model and $169 for the wired version. The keyboard is also white and comes with a feint aura glow around the keys. The outer rim of the keyboard also packs aura glow lighting. The G715 wireless keyboard has an expected battery life of 25 hours.
There’s also a G705 wireless mouse that has also been shrunk down in size to accommodate smaller hands. It also comes in the same white shell and features the same aura glow lighting. Logitech says it has a gaming-grade sensor and lasts 40 hours on one charge.
I did mention that the range is expensive and it is. However, apart from the lineup costing well over $500 for one of each item, Logitech is also milking the situation with accessories that cost even more money. The G735 headset comes with a different coloured boom microphone sold separately in pink or neon green at $20. The keyboard has $40 keycaps and $20 wrist rests and the mousepad costs $30. Logitech also sells a heart-shaped case for the mouse (yes that cliche girly object) for an additional $40. The entire range can set you back well over $650.
Don’t get me wrong here, these products look cool but I can’t help but feel that Logitech is milking consumers. These accessories have mediocre battery life, are smaller and pack dumbed-down specs compared to other products on the market but the price tags exceed the rest. While I am all for gamers enjoying nice things, don’t think for a second that Logitech made these to help you. They are simply taking advantage of an audience they clearly don’t understand. There’s honestly nothing worse than a brand thinking “let’s make stuff for girl gamers, slap pink and white on it, leave out features and charge a premium”. This isn’t 2003.
I would totally link you to the official product pages for these devices but the lovely local Logitech PR sent a press release and every single link they had clicked back to a 404 page. Here’s a link to the US site.