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jbhifi.com.au
014
SEPTEMBER
2017
visit
stack.com.auTECH
FEATURE
Putting
the
G
in
Logitech G
The Chiefs are one of Australia’s oldest – and most well-known – esports clubs. It makes
sense, then, that they’d partner with Logitech G for their peripherals.
Words
Alesha Kolbe
F
ounded in 2014, the Chiefs
started as members of ex-
League of Legends squad
Team Immunity. Now, with both
League and Counter-Strike: Global
Offensive teams, the boys are
taking Oceania – and the world –
by storm.
Brandon ‘Swip3rr’ Holland
is their LoL team’s top laner.
His entire kit is comprised of
Logitech peripherals; he uses the
G903 mouse, a G610 mechanical
keyboard with blue switches – “I
prefer the sound, but some of my
teammates think it’s a bit loud,”
he laughs – and the G933 Artemis
White headset.
The Chiefs are an ambassador
to wireless gaming peripherals (if
you couldn’t tell from Brandon’s
setup), and Holland has never
noticed a difference or a lack of
reliability in using wireless tech.
“I think we all had that stigma
way back in the day about wireless
– in particular the battery being
an issue,” offers the top laner. “I
personally have never had an issue
with battery in my mice, and I
never forget to charge it. Even if I
did, it charges really quick; you can
plug it in for 15 minutes and then
be able to play for the rest of the
day with no dramas.”
Of course, Logitech have now
removed the need for charging
wireless mice, together with the
Powerplay Wireless Charging Mat.
Essentially, it uses electromagnetic
resonance to charge the mice
while they’re on the surface of
the mat, virtually
removing the
need for charging
ever again. For Holland
and the Chiefs, the group was
super excited to get to try it out.
‘We got a sample sent out to
us. Wireless, for us, is something
that we got on board with about
mid-last year. The Powerplay mat
is something we’re genuinely
really excited for, and it’s the next
step in wireless tech. Having the
Powerplay would be really helpful
for a lot of the guys in the team
who might forget to charge their
mice.”
The Chiefs’ LoL team live
together in a gaming house –
something that is slowly becoming
the norm for Australian esports
teams and, as Holland suggests,
something unique to this
particular sport.
“You don’t really get
that in any other sport.
You might have dorms
or teammates rooming
together, but nothing on
this scale.”
Naturally, there are pros and
cons to living in such a confined
space with those you work with.
“You get to build this great
synergy with your team, you
can practise together and
review together and do a
lot of team bonding,"
notes Holland. "At
the same time,
with everyone living
under the same
roof it can be hard to
get privacy at times.
We’ve recently moved
into a bigger house, though, so
everyone has their own bedroom.
It’s improved our wellbeing and
made it a lot easier to deal with
things when it gets rough.”
The Powerplay mat
is something we're
genuinely really
excited for
G610 Orion
G933 Artemis
PowerplayWireless Charging Mousepad
Top lane meta
“In terms of top meta right now, it’s been one of the better metas
so far. People know me as the tank top – they call me a ‘potato
tank’ player - but I do like playing a variety of things, like Kled,
Jarvan IV, Galeo. I think tanks are strong at the moment, but
moreso bruisers who can be a threat to the backline; that’s the
playstyle I like to play.”
G900