I remember the first time I bought a Razer mouse. Inside the box was a letter printed on fancy vellum paper. It opened with, “Welcome to the cult of Razer.” It appears that this isn’t just a cheeky marketing slogan, Razer means it genuinely. Because only brainwashed cult members would pay $1337 for a mouse. Razer announced its 20th Anniversary Boomslang mouse a couple of months ago. The design crams all the modern tech of the most advanced mice on the market into a throwback case with a retro-inspired transparent body and some faux leather accents. At the announcement, which did not come with a price, I predicted it would be high. It’s a “limited edition,” after all. But I was thinking $250, maybe $300 if Razer is really high on its own supply. Nope. This mouse costs $1337. Ha ha, l33t speak get it? I won’t go over the new Boomslang’s specs. I already did that when it was announced. Suffice it to say it’s a nice mouse on the technical side, though its intentional throwback ergonomics won’t be to everyone’s taste. And I can see why limiting it to a small production would help it feel special. To really sell the exclusivity it comes with a display frame that shows off the mouse’s components, apparently minus the battery. You also get a wireless charging pad and glass mouse feet if you prefer them. But that’s as far as I can go for both-sides platitudes. This is absolute nonsense. Razer probably has the highest profile among PC gaming peripheral makers, thanks to decades of sharp marketing. It’s kind of the Apple of the PC gaming hardware world in that regard, for better and worse. And the company isn’t afraid to push the limits of both value and taste with its pricing. Its most expensive, non-limited-edition mouse right now is $180. That’s not the most expensive gaming mouse on the market…but even so, it’s too damn much to pay for a mouse. This limited edition promo is beyond the pale. PC gamers are getting fleeced and gouged for hardware by an industry that has all but abandoned consumers to chase “AI” money both real and imagined. And Razer is joining them, trying to sell “AI” in the form of an anime waifu in a glass jar, powered by xAI’s sexual assault generator Grok. At CES 2026, I asked Razer representatives if they were worried about the safety issues of putting a talking, animated avatar of a system that’s been known to send people into mental health spirals into a gaming accessory. They dodged, saying such concerns were the responsibility of the “AI” model’s creators. Razer I decided not to write about Project Ava when I saw it at CES. Somewhat out of skepticism that it’ll become a real product, despite Razer’s assurances that it will. But mostly because I find it distasteful in every sense, both as a PC gamer — I don’t need a cartoon’s help to tell me how to play, I can use a browser to look up game guides — and as a human being. On top of all that, Razer seems to be hunting for consumer “whales,” in the same way that freemium gacha mechanics do. The company has made a mouse with such a ridiculous price tag that I can only assume it has a 90 percent profit margin, just to see how far it can push gamers who are all-in on an elite branding as empty as its polyurethane “leather.” It is, in a word, repugnant. In a more accessible word, it’s greedy. In a more all-encompassing and entirely appropriate word, the Razer Boomslang 20th Anniversary Edition is bullshit. Razer is taking pre-orders for the mouse in four days. If you buy one, and I want you to imagine this in the most overbearing and judgmental dad voice possible, I will be very disappointed in you. Read...

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Anyone planning to install a large-volume CPU cooler with a fan alongside RAM modules with heat spreaders or RGB lighting will quickly encounter a problem: lack of space. The technical term for this is “RAM clearance,” and it can make the difference between a smooth PC build and a frustrating one. Large tower coolers in particular often protrude beyond the RAM banks. If the fan is positioned low or the heat sink is particularly bulky, tall RAM modules may not fit at all or can only be installed with significant effort. In the worst case, fans may need to be repositioned, modules replaced, or even the entire cooler swapped for a slimmer model. This not only costs time but often leads to additional costs. Tall RAM modules can collide with large processor coolers if there is insufficient height below the cooling fins – an avoidable stumbling block when building your own PC. Foundry To plan properly, you need to pay attention to these details in advance. Motherboard manufacturers often specify how much space is available to the left and right of the RAM slots, which is particularly important for compact Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX boards. Cooler manufacturers, meanwhile, usually publish exact specifications for the maximum permissible RAM height when the fan is installed. Comparing this information helps users avoid unpleasant surprises. A proven tip for anyone who wants to play it safe: flat, low-profile RAM modules offer greater flexibility and fit easily under protruding heat sinks. Alternatively, AiO water cooling systems are a good option, as they usually leave the RAM area completely free – ideal when space is at a premium, especially in cramped setups such as compact gaming PCs or HTPCs. Large tower coolers such as the Bequiet Dark Rock 4 often protrude very slightly above the RAM slots, while flat models such as the Shadow Rock LP leave significantly more space above the slots. Bequiet RAM clearance can also become an issue when retrofitting a system. Adding a single module is often not a technical problem, but if two tall RAM modules are already installed, space in the adjacent slots can quickly become scarce. This is especially true when all four motherboard slots are occupied, where every millimeter counts. Even small design differences in heat spreaders can make a decisive difference. Another factor is cooler orientation. Some CPU coolers can only be mounted in a fixed position, for example due to asymmetrical heat pipe designs or motherboards with a restricted layout. In such cases, the preferred fan position may no longer be available, and RAM clearance can suddenly become limited. Considering this issue before making a purchase can save you the hassle of modifications, returns, or frustration. RAM clearance may seem minor, but it often determines whether a new system works immediately or only with compromises. Planning carefully in advance is always better than improvising later. Read...