Today's review roundup spans five very different products, from a $179.99 military-themed Corsair Warthog case to a $400 Thermal Grizzly DeltaMate MPII water block. The Corsair scored on airflow and styling but was held back by pricey GPU cooling, while the Thermal Grizzly block matched the best-in-class Alphacoo despite a platform mismatch. Two input devices took opposing approaches: the Ducky Cushion 98's quiet, cushiony feel won an 87% Recommended rating, but GMK's adjustable TriggerKey keycaps drew criticism for narrow compatibility and no real analog gain. Topping it all off, igor'sLAB gave Fractal Design's Refine 2 gaming chair a strong first impression, though durability remains unproven.
Today's Hardware Roundup: A $400 Water Block, a "Cushion" Keyboard, and a Fractal Gaming Chair
New reviews landed this week from Tom's Hardware, TechPowerUp, TweakTown, Guru3D, and igor'sLAB. The spread runs from a modest €49.99 set of keycaps all the way up to a $400 flagship CPU block and, believe it or not, an office chair.
Five more hardware reviews hit the web recently, covering more ground than most weekly roundups do. You've got a flagship water block from Thermal Grizzly, two input devices from Ducky and GMK, a rugged Corsair case, and, yes, a gaming chair from Fractal Design. The prices range from €49.99 for four keycaps to roughly $400 for a single CPU block.
Let's get through them.
Big ticket: a $400 block and a rugged case
Thermal Grizzly is mainly known for thermal paste, so its move into water cooling is a genuine departure. The German brand, founded in 2013, got into blocks with help from former EKWB staff. The DeltaMate MPII is its flagship piece, and TechPowerUp ran it through a fairly rigorous loop: a 360mm radiator, a D5 pump, an environmental chamber held at 25°C, three separate mounts for statistical accuracy, and a 30-minute Prime95 load.
The result? It landed within error margins of the Alphacoo Apex 1, which sat at the very top of the list. That's notable given the block was tuned for a newer LGA 1851 socket but tested on an older LGA 1700 platform. The nickel-plated brass and copper base apparently distributed heat well enough to paper over the mismatch.
Not cheap. At €349.90 (roughly $400 in the US), it costs more than many full-length GPU blocks. There's also a higher-than-average flow restriction, and installation takes a touch longer than the average. If that price gives you pause, the reviewer points to the cheaper Thermal Grizzly Mycro Pro as a saner option. Still, it's arguably the best cooling block currently on the market for the enthusiast chasing an extra sliver of performance.
TechPowerUp: Thermal Grizzly DeltaMate CPU Block - MPII Review
The Thermal Grizzly DeltaMate MP11 is a flagship, no-holds-barred CPU water block that uses premium materials and engineering to put out a socket-specific cooling engine for Intel or AMD platforms. It promises top-tier thermal cooling while keeping coolant flow restriction reasonable, but this does come at a price.
Corsair's Warthog took the other side of the spend spectrum at Tom's Hardware. Joe Shields spent time with a mid-tower that deliberately evokes a military fuel canister. It's the spiritual successor to the 2012 Vengeance C70, which looked more like an ammo box, and the Olive Drab colorway is what got reviewed here.
It scored well on airflow and fitment, ships with a GPU support bracket, and the front panel IO looks decent. However, the noise-normalized GPU cooling came in below average, and you can't fit radiators on both the front and the side at the same time. At $179.99, it's on the pricey side for what it offers. It's a striking chassis for buyers who value rugged styling over thermal leadership, though the very top of the class is eluding it.
Tom's Hardware: Corsair Warthog case review: A rugged, military-themed chassis with plenty of airflow
Roomy, rugged, military-style chassis trades flashy RGBs for a jerry can look
Corsair Warthog case review: A rugged, military-themed chassis with plenty of airflow
Tuning the feel: from keycaps to a chair
Ducky and GMK each approached keyboard customization from completely different directions this week. TweakTown's Kosta Andreadis called the Ducky Cushion 98 "as comfy as a nice couch," and he wasn't far off. It uses what the company calls a "Nest Mount," a foamy pad under the PCB that mutes keystrokes and gives everything a pillow-like feel. It scored 87% and picked up a Recommended stamp.
It's luxuriously quiet at 40 dB and comfortable for long typing sessions. The catch is that the cushiony feel is exactly what wins some people over and turns others off. Enthusiasts chasing a snappy, clacky response may find it too mushy. You also get hot-swap switches, tri-mode connectivity, and a 4,200mAh battery for around $159.99.
TweakTown: Ducky Cushion 98 Keyboard Review - As Comfy as a Nice Couch
The Ducky Cushion 98 is a solid mechanical keyboard that blends the brand's impressive build quality with a standout, cushiony feel.
GMK's TriggerKey is a narrower play. Instead of cushioning, it replaces four keycaps with units you adjust physically: a screw trims travel from 0 to 2mm, and a second dial tilts the key up to 34°. No software required. Guru3D's Hilbert Hagedoorn found the trigger-like feel clever, but there's a real limitation hiding under the trick. The switches still report a conventional keypress, so you're getting a sensation, not actual analog input.
Compatibility is also patchy. It works with Cherry MX and most Gateron switches but skips Wooting and Kailh. At €49.99 for four caps, it's an enthusiast toy more than a must-have.
The Guru of 3D: GMK TriggerKey Review: Adjustable Key Travel for Your Mechanical Keyboard
GMK is expanding keyboard customization with the TriggerKey, an adjustable keycap designed to change mechanical key travel and tilt without replacing the switches.
GMK TriggerKey Review: Adjustable Key Travel for Your Mechanical Keyboard
Here's where it gets a little odd. igor'sLAB just ran Fractal Design's Refine 2, and no, that isn't a PC case. Fractal is better known for its wood-accented North line of chassis, but it has stepped into gaming and office chairs. The Refine 2 is the second generation, packing a Donati Dynamic tilt mechanism, a height- and depth-adjustable lumbar, and mesh, fabric, or hybrid options.
Enrico Steinert tested the mesh version and came away positively. It held up to his wife's noticeable swayback, the armrests lock reliably, and the casters rolled quietly over both carpet and hardwood. Fractal backs it with a five-year mechanical warranty, which is generous for a chair. igor'sLAB notes the "sturdy construction, comfortable seating and reliably locking adjustments" make a strong first impression.
The honest caveat is that this is an early look. Long-term durability of the padding, mechanism, and upholstery is unproven, and the verdict rests on the mesh model alone. Treat the praise as provisional until someone runs it for a year or two.
IgorsLAB: Fractal Design Refine 2 Review: Ergonomics and Seating Comfort
In practical testing, the Fractal Design Refine 2 impresses with its sturdy construction, comfortable seating and reliably locking adjustments.
Fractal Design Refine 2 Review: Ergonomics and Seating Comfort
