Gaming keyboard showdown
Feature
Special keyboards for gaming have been around for years and new editions come out regularly. But, are the new ones always an improvement over their older brethren? We take a look at three popular gaming keyboards to see if they are worth your cash.
Keyboard is perhaps the most important interface between the computer and its user. For gamers, the feel and features of the keyboards may be even more important than to casual web browsers. A keyboard with poor tactile feel or flimsy design is likely to increase the stress level of a more excitable gamer, while the existence or non-existence of macro keys can make or break a gaming session.
We got our hands on three gaming keyboards, Everglide DKTBoard Aluminium, Logitech G11 and Logitech G15 (second edition). At the very first look, it is clear that the Everglide keyboard has been aimed for a different kind of purpose than the Logitech’s two keyboards, although they are all gaming keyboards. In the end, it is the individual needs of gamers that decide which keyboard is the best for them although the aim of this article is to compare and contrast the keyboards with each other.
Everglide DKTBoard
The Everglide DKTBoard features a slim and rugged design, which clearly indicates that this keyboard is meant for gamers who often travel from one gaming party to the next and need a keyboard that is easy to fit into the luggage with the rest of the gear. The aluminium casing ensures that the keyboard will not break easily. At the top of the keyboard, you have eight multimedia hot keys and an on/off switch of the blue backlight that should make the keyboard easier to use in dark surroundings. The keyboard is also small (c. 38.5 x 15cm) and handy enough to be used as an external keyboard with a laptop during travels. The small size, however, also comes with a negative side: the keys are cramped close together and especially the arrow keys are located in an uncomfortable spot where they are easy to miss or press by accident. At the moment, it seems that the keyboard is only available with a US layout, which means that European users will have to adjust to the smaller Enter key and possible missing special letters. All in all, scoring the layout and design of this keyboard is a two-sided coin: you get a pretty fine looking keyboard, but the key layout is too different from normal tabletob keyboards to be used without trouble.
Logitech G11
The Logitech G11 is the more affordable of the two Logitech gaming keyboards and also the biggest keyboard (c. 55 x 22cm without the wristrest) in this review. Although the large size may make it harder to fit it on a desk, it also gives room for 18 programmable gaming keys on the left side of the keyboard and a sizable media control panel with a very handy volume adjustment wheel and the usual play/pause/stop buttons. The keys have a blue backlight with variable intensity that makes it easier to use in the dark, although we must say that the blue colour is not perhaps the best colour for this purpose. In addition, the keyboard has two USB 1.1 ports at the back - and who doesn’t always need more USB ports?