"gaming" keyboard

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rampantandroid

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jun 14, 2006
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What is a good keyboard for gaming, as in, more durable. I've just had a second G15 go bad on me (well, the feet break. And logitech, being morons, can't just send me replacement feet. Nooo. They replace the keyboard. They replaced it one already, and I had to send the old one back at my expense. The feet just broke again...and I'm sick of it.) The FEEL of the keyboard was OK, but nothing special. I never used the LCD (Zune software doesn't support it) and the macro keys went without any use.

I'd prefer a backlit keyboard, but more importently, I want something DURABLE. I want it to take a little punishment and still work fine. I've been looking at the Lycosa from Razer and the Eclipse II, but I also see the Cyborg (uhhh...what is that thing?) I see some people saying the Lycosa's backlighting is poor in daylight, but others say it has been fixed. What is up here?

For the Eclipse II, I see people saying the paint on the keys wears off, what's up with this - has it been improved, or is this an ongoing/common issue?

All in all, one thing I will NOT go without are media keys - I love having them (volume, pause/play, stop) and cannot live without them.

I'm hoping to grab a KB tonight at best buy, but if someone wants to recommend some exotic KB that can only be found on newegg - go ahead.

Thanks!
 
Well I've had my Saitek Eclipse red edition for a long time now and its gone to many lan parties in a bag full of shit yet everything still works fine and it looks good as well.

My friend has an Eclipse 2 but half the leds went out. No idea if he just got unlucky or not.
 
How are you breaking these feet? Mine is over two years old and I've been slamming on it, throwing it, and lanning with it and haven't managed to break it.
 
I liked the Saitek Eclipse II. I'd still be using it right now if I hadn't needed to go wireless.
The media keys worked without having to install any software. I never had any issues with the paint coming off, too. I really dug having 2 LED settings as well.
If they made a wireless combo with a mouse, I'd be on it in a second.
 
A friend of mine uses the MS X6 keyboard. I would buy one too if my G15 died. I actually like it more than my current keyboard.

Check it out when you are at Bestbuy or online now for reviews and pictures.
 
The low profile, slim keys (laptop feel) of the Lycosa is great, best keyboard i've owned so far.
 
MS X6 keyboard here - good backlight and feels pretty solid. But if you want tilt adjustment you're SOL as this keyboard doesn't have it...;)
 
IDK if you like the looks of the Cyborg, but in my opinion is is very sold and is such a crowd pleaser. I love the looks on peoples faces when I start messing with the color settings and making everything a different color...aside from that it is nice to have the colors different so at a quick glance you know where you finger needs to be! Anyway I highly suggest it, but I will admit, any keyboard that is $80 is over priced! (I dont know how much it is now, but thats what I paid for mine a few days after it came out!)
 
I have the sidewinder x6 and i love it. detachable numpad is great if you want to reduce the footprint of the keyboard, and the keys are low-profile and have a very sturdy and comfortable feel.

some of the keys at the top (escape key is most notable) are somewhat oddly placed, but its definitely not a deal killer as you get used to it fairly quickly.

I had a g15 before and although i am loathe to admit it, microsoft has outdone themselves with the x6.

hope that helps.
 
Another vote for the X6, but since your problem is feet breaking you won't like it much, it doesn't have any. I made myself a stand for it out of a strip of foam.The keys have a great feel to them and I love the volume and backlight knobs. Being able to macro the entire numpad on the fly is f'in fantastic.
 
razer lycosa mirror is awesome.

Looks incredible, very comfortable, and I <3 the touch screen media panel.
 
I'm talking about the rev 2 G15 (orange) - the first one broke when I pounded a key too hard. This time, it broke when a HD fell on it the wrong way. The feet are very brittle...I'll be happy to be rid of this KB. I'm interested in the X6 now, but sadly I don't think any stores near me have it to try (and the company store doesn't either.)

Too many choices! :p

Can anyone give me a comparison of these keyboards (as in, has anyone tried more than just the one they're vouching for?)

If the X6 lacks tilt adjustment, does it come with a better tilt than most keyboards do? I find the G15 without any tilt to be damned uncomfortable.

Thanks again for all the input guys (and I'll give Das keyboard a look, too.)

sekira05 said:
razer lycosa mirror is awesome.

Looks incredible, very comfortable, and I <3 the touch screen media panel.
Click to expand...

How is the lighting on it? Can you see the keys even with sunlight/a desk lamp on?
 
rampantandroid said:
I'm talking about the rev 2 G15 (orange) - the first one broke when I pounded a key too hard. This time, it broke when a HD fell on it the wrong way. The feet are very brittle...I'll be happy to be rid of this KB. I'm interested in the X6 now, but sadly I don't think any stores near me have it to try (and the company store doesn't either.)

Too many choices! :p

Can anyone give me a comparison of these keyboards (as in, has anyone tried more than just the one they're vouching for?)

If the X6 lacks tilt adjustment, does it come with a better tilt than most keyboards do? I find the G15 without any tilt to be damned uncomfortable.

Thanks again for all the input guys (and I'll give Das keyboard a look, too.)



How is the lighting on it? Can you see the keys even with sunlight/a desk lamp on?
Click to expand...

The X6 lays pretty flat, which is why I made my own prop for it. It has much better backlighting than any of the Saitek keyboards I've owned. It's very easy to read in the dark or well lit. I had trouble reading my Eclipse 2 in a bright room, unless I turned the backlighting off. I had a Cyborg but a couple of the keys stopped working with less than a year of use and the macro paddles on the side suck.
 
Drakan290 said:
Sidewinder x6. It's pretty much indestructable.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I guess I'll order a X6 then from newegg and have it shipped. What I'll do for elevation, I'm not sure yet (gee, maybe try getting used to no elevation? I guess that is healthier for me.)

Thanks for the feedback guys!
 
I have a Razer Lycosa and it has given me nothing but problems. Stay away from it.
 
vicaphit said:
I have a Razer Lycosa and it has given me nothing but problems. Stay away from it.
Click to expand...

That's what I keep reading about it - so was wary of it from the start...and a touch pad for media controls seems....while cool...it seems non-functional; I'd prefer to have a tactile response of a button, or more preferrably, a dial.

I'll give razer credit, they made the keyboard LOOK good from all the pictures I have seen...but looks aren't what I care about. :)
 
back lighted and durable with media keys.... Ideazon Merc Stealth? I used one for a while and it's build like a friggen tank. feels good, but the KB layout is non standard in the ins/home/end area... which kind of bugged me. The little game pad part on the side ROCKS though. Loved that part!

The Saitek Cyborg is for sure nice, but it feels a little flimsy to me... none the less I use one actively now and do like it.
 
rampantandroid said:
I'll give razer credit, they made the keyboard LOOK good from all the pictures I have seen...but looks aren't what I care about. :)
Click to expand...


Yeah, it looks great, until you actually put your fingers on it, then it forever looks like a child with chocolate all over their fingers got ahold of it.
 
I would love to recommend the Lycosa as well, but yeah, this keyboard is far from being the QA standard I'd expect from Razer. It's the first Razer product that I've found complaint with (yet, I still continue to use it - go figure).

Then again, I have any early model Lycosa. It's quite possible they have ironed out the quirks in the latest spinoffs. Me? I'll just wait until they go back to the drawing board and take things up a notch. Shame, the rubberized keys and short stroke action of the Lycosa were so full of win.
 
<-- Lycosa here

No issues. Keep profiles handy. The wasd backlighting is ok..... for those that use wasd... I myself user esdf as I keep the wqa for weapons attachment via pinky.
 
vicaphit said:
Yeah, it looks great, until you actually put your fingers on it, then it forever looks like a child with chocolate all over their fingers got ahold of it.
Click to expand...

my tarantula was like that... I was wiping that sucker down like every 10 mins. :eek:
 
Gaming keyboards are the biggest marketing scam imo. I have had my keytronics old school keyboard for about 9 years now and its still going strong.
 
rampantandroid said:
How is the lighting on it? Can you see the keys even with sunlight/a desk lamp on?
Click to expand...

Yeah the keys are very brightly lit, so you can see it in a bright room easily. It looks especially nice in the dark.

The lycosa mirror is the newly updated version of the original lycosa, so it doesn't have the problems and bugs that plagued the original.
 
I really liked my Creative Labs Spectre, I am very hard on my stuff it lasted until i shattered it playing Warhammer. Damn that game was frustrating. On a good note that key board took a hell of a beating so it is probably indistructable.
 
Merc Stealth here. Love it, and the software works very well for gaming profiles, macros, etc. Lights up in 3 colors, and brightness settings. USB ports, built very sturdy.
 
infect0 said:
Gaming keyboards are the biggest marketing scam imo. I have had my keytronics old school keyboard for about 9 years now and its still going strong.
Click to expand...

....Great? Having a backlit keyboard is incredibly useful while using a computer in the dark.

On topic, I'm currently using the Eclipse II. Its pretty nice, but should have bought the G15 because the keys are so much quieter.
 
Let's face it, it isn't so much that we need "gaming keyboards". What we need are quality keyboards that are backlit. It just happens most of those are marketed as gaming keyboards.

The G15 is excellent but it needs a little more refinement in its key action. The Saitek is cost effective but it isn't built well and I feel like I am being exposed to chemicals rubbing off it. There was even a warning about lead on the cord.

I still think the most important feature is overall build quality and how good a typing keyboard it is to rail off those fast "LMFO PWNED" messages in TF2.
 
yep... I likes the colored lights. but my G13 is shaping up to be my favorite gaming peripheral of all time.. it's super comfy, stays put on the desk, easy profile switching, looks slick.. the LCD is pretty useful also... it wasn't cheap but I like it a lot. as for normal typing, I like Saitek's KBs... the eclipse II and the cyborg.. I type on them both a lot every day..
 
I've been using a $8 Microsoft keyboard for a while now and love it way better than my previous G15 and Saitek II. Those keyboards just feel so cheaply made and they get hand oil on them really easy.

The other day I got a brand new IBM Model M keyboard (well, a knockoff, haha, it's by some unknown company but it's the exact same look and feel. I think it's DNZ or something) and I think I'm going to keep this baby for some time to come.

The only problem with that keyboard is that the delete key is REALLY slow at deleting letters
 
Well, I wasn't too happy with the feel of my G15 to be honest - the G15 V1 was superior to the V2...and the G18 looks like a joke (color LCD, while cool...uhh..yeah. And it took them this long for a powered USB hub?)

Everyone seems to like typing on the X6, and they say it is plenty durable - so I shall find out soon how it is (arrives tomorrow for me.)

I'll be sure to take pictures. :)
 
revenant said:
yep... I likes the colored lights. but my G13 is shaping up to be my favorite gaming peripheral of all time.. it's super comfy, stays put on the desk, easy profile switching, looks slick.. the LCD is pretty useful also... it wasn't cheap but I like it a lot. as for normal typing, I like Saitek's KBs... the eclipse II and the cyborg.. I type on them both a lot every day..
Click to expand...

How exactly do you use the G13? Do you use it instead of the asdw keys?
 
I just moved from the logitech g15 to the microsoft X6 sidewinder. I definitely love the detachable number keypad. This keyboard feels more durable than the logitech and the lighting looks better too.
 
S3th13 said:
....Great? Having a backlit keyboard is incredibly useful while using a computer in the dark.
Click to expand...

You're joking right? Unless you're a first time gamer, you shouldn't need to be looking at the keyboard while playing a game.
 
BladeVenom said:
You're joking right? Unless you're a first time gamer, you shouldn't need to be looking at the keyboard while playing a game.
Click to expand...
There's more to gaming than FPS, you know. Try playing a sim that uses every key on the board several times over, with CTRL, ALT, and SHIFT modifiers (and combinations of mod keys for really complicated sims). Especially in night missions where any light in the room makes it impossible to see the enemy before it's too late.
 
I don't use the home row...so seeing the keys is quite useful. I can look away and type (as I do now, and as I do at work plenty often, while writing email/code, I'll be paying some attention to a meeting or something.)

That said, I can play my 360 without seeing the controller, but the controller is designed to be dead simple.
 
while i dont see much hype about it, i suggest atleast taking a look at the everglide dktboard. i got one and while most people will reem it for its typing feel, it's nothing you can't get used to and i don't get the impression that any of the keys will break or anything like that. other than that, it fits your requirements quite well. it's backlight (possibly the best backlighting of any keyboard) and the top is aluminum so it doesn't flex at all. not sure how much punishment the keys could take in a duffle bag, but traveling is one of the purposes for the board.

here's the review i wrote on my blog: http://www.tekflux.com/2009/01/with-continuing-selection-of-gaming.html
 
If you got the cash, newly released Logitech G19 is about as hardcore as you can get.
 
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