AOC set to enter the peripheral market with new keyboards and mice

Earlier today KitGuru was invited to have a look at AOC's newest monitors at an event in London. We weren't expecting, however, to also get a look at the first peripherals from the company, as AOC is now making keyboards, mice and mouse mats.

Diving right into it, you did read that correctly: AOC – the monitor manufacturer – is now making keyboards and mice. We saw two keyboards and two mice from the company at this event, and here's what we know so far.

Starting with the keyboards, up first we have the GK500. This is set to retail for 69.90 Euros (we've not yet heard about UK pricing) and it is a full-size board. Offering a detachable plastic wrist rest alongside RGB illuminated keys, what helps set this board apart from the competition is its use of Outemu switches. Keyboard enthusiasts may have heard of Outemu but many people won't have – in a nutshell, they offer Cherry MX clones at a lower price, which is likely part of the reason AOC can offer this board for 70 Euros. It also sports an aluminium top plate and will support AOC's new G-Tools software.

The AGON AGK700 is a definite step up from the GK500. This is a more expensive board, expected to retail at 149.90 Euros, and it offers a few extra features to justify the higher price. These include Cherry MX switches – currently just the Blue variety, but we're told Red switches are coming soon – as well as dedicated macro buttons down the left-hand side. Additionally, while I'm not sure if the AGK700 is entirely made of metal (that would be very impressive), it definitely has a bit more heft to it than the GK500.

The AGK700 also sports a plush leatherette wrist rest and a fancy red dial at the top of the board. This is designed to be a multi-function dial in that it can control things like system volume or LED brightness. This model also uses a braided black and red cable, with support for G-Tools software as well.

Onto the mice, we will start with the GM500. This is a relatively simple-looking mouse which uses PixArt's PMW 3325 sensor, so it's certainly not a high-end model. That, however, is reflected in the price tag as the GM500 is set to cost just 27.90 Euros, so it's certainly a budget offering. It also features Omron switches, a 1.8m braided cable and a single on-the-fly DPI button. AOC didn't tell me the exact weight of this mouse, but it is relatively heavy – I'd guess around the 120-130g mark.

Next we come to the AGON AGM700. This is a higher-end mouse than the GM500 but it's still less than 50 Euros according to AOC. This features the top-end PMW 3389 sensor which is great to see, and it also sports a weight-adjustment system where you can tinker with 5x 5g weights to increase the overall weight depending on your preference. The AGM700 uses Omron switches and has one DPI and one Sniper button. The primary buttons also sport a brushed metal look which certainly adds a unique design aesthetic, while the mouse features on-board memory for up to three profiles.

Rounding everything off is the AMM700 RGB mouse mat. Set to cost 32.90 Euros, this is a relatively simple mouse mat, with a ‘micro textured cloth surface' and a rubber anti-slip base. Users can tinker with the RGB lighting using the new AOC G-Tools software.

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KitGuru says: It's not every day a monitor manufacturer starts making peripherals, so we look forward to seeing what AOC can do in this market segment.

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