Monday, 18 July 2011

Led Backlight - illuminated keyboard, lighted keyboard


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I bought this keyboard right when it came out. The first thing I noticed was the setup is basically like the G19 without the LCD. The build is solid. It is a fairly thin keyboard, compared to the bulkiness that added by keyboards with video panels.



Pros



- no ghosting in the wasd area or one key beside each

- no ghosting of the arrow keys

- many configurable buttons

- macro capability

- LED backlighting, blue - red and purple tones

- detachable palm rest

- USB and Audio jacks



Cons



- LED backlighting must be blue, red, or colors inbetween... no white.

- Long, might be a few more buttons than I will ever use. Logitech Gaming Keyboard G110

I use my computer for business, video editing, and way too much World of Warcraft. I was using a wireless HP keyboard, but got fed up with its erratic performance and decided to spring for a wired keyboard that would support everything I wanted it to do. After spending a long time looking at all the usual suspects in the gaming keyboard world I'd kind of decided I couldn't find exactly what I wanted - a fully functioning keyboard suitable for both text entry, media, and gaming. After trying out the G15 at a local big box store and finding the keys to be too crowded to type comfortably on, I started looking at just that aspect of the boards and it seemed like all the gaming boards suffered the same flaw. Then I came across a review somewhere that said the G110 and G19 had a more traditional layout - I couldn't think of any legitimate use I would have for the LCD, so decided to give the 110 a shot.



Setting up was easy, as was keybinding the extra function keys. But what really impressed me was that the keys are spaced almost identically to the standard 101 keyboard on my office. If you're also concerned about that piece, rest assured this one is laid out fine.



My only complaints are that even with the feet down, the keyboard lays too flat for my liking and when typing a lot it puts my wrists at kind of a funky, uncomfortable angle. I think it's probably a function of the height of my desk relative to my chair, so your mileage may vary. Pretty easy to work around either way, though, by just propping it on something that puts it at a more comfortable angle.



Also, the lighting is a bit patchy as others have said - on mine, the text in the tab, cap lock, and other large keys are dimmed out at the top, but it's not really an issue. I'd also like to have control over the brightness of the lighting, and the option for just white.



Finally, the onboard headset volume works independently from the volume control wheel on the board, so you can't actually adjust the volume there - not sure it's adjustable at all, actually. Also, for some reason the headset port doesn't work at all in Warcraft, so it's not really a usable feature for me, unless I can figure out some sort of work around.



All in all, though, it's a great keyboard if you want both gaming and text entry functionality, and definitely at the right price point.

I picked up this keyboard for on-line gaming, as my original keyboard key were starting to stick and causing problems. The back lighting is a nice feature, but is just a sales gimmick and not really required for use. While I can't vouch for the response time for key strokes, I have do not have nay complaints either. The macro keys are one of the biggest reasons I purchased this unit, which are super easy to use. My biggest and perhaps only complaint is that the keys are actually smaller than those on a standard size keyboard. I guess they did this to fit the macro keys and still keep the over all size the same as a standard unit. The reduction in key size places the keys out of their normal positions, so I am constantly hitting the wrong keys. This would be the perfect keyboard if they had only kept the keys normal sized and just enlarged the overall size of the unit as required to fit all the keys.

I spent two weeks reading through the customer reviews of several different backlit keyboards on Amazon, Newegg and Google Shopping before finally purchasing the g110. This is my first backlit keyboard and even though I'm not a gamer, I am very picky - especially when it comes to dropping $50+ on a keyboard. Overall I think the g110 is great with only a couple of minor quirks.



Pros:

* Solid construction. This keyboard is thick, heavy and well-built.

* Feet are padded and I was actually surprised at how well they hold the keyboard in place and keep it from sliding around.

* Keys are quiet and silky smooth to the touch. Key travel distance is basically the same as a standard keyboard, not shallow like a laptop.

* Key layout is the same as a standard keyboard, not condensed or jumbled like mini-keyboards.

* Programmable keys. Nice feature but I am not a gamer so this isn't a big plus for me. Maybe I will find use for it in the future.

* Removable wrist pad. This is a big plus for me. I don't understand why some keyboards have a built-in non-removable wrist pad taking up desk space.

* Backlighting is very nice and fun to use at night. Lighted keys are easy to read in the dark.

* Backlight colors: some reviews have said there are only 3 colors. This is not accurate. You get to choose from the entire gamut of color between red, blue and black. Black in this case means the light is dim, so adding black to red will produce a dimmed red instead of the standard bright red. The Logitech software will render a color box on your screen and allow you to select a color similar to how you would choose a brush color in Photoshop. Search Photobucket for 'g110 color' for a screenshot of the color selection box.



Cons:

* The letters, numbers and symbols on the keys are *tiny*. Check the screenshot of this keyboard to see what I mean. If you have poor eyesight and plan to do much typing in the dark, you may need eyeglasses.

* Some keys are not backlit evenly. Despite being micro-sized, some symbols and letters are not backlit completely and look somewhat ghosted. This lends a feeling of shoddy craftsmanship to the overall good quality of this keyboard.

* The F-keys are half the size of F-keys on a standard keyboard. Check the keyboard screenshot to see what I mean.

* There is something very subtly wrong about the overall typing experience on this keyboard. I haven't quite figured it out yet, but the keys do not feel normal as compared to a standard keyboard. Even though the g110 has a standard keyboard layout, it does not have a standard keyboard feel. I think perhaps the key faces are slightly smaller than normal and thus feel different. Or perhaps the keys themselves are placed slightly closer together. Like I said, it's very subtle and thus difficult to explain.

* The placement of the G-keys is extremely annoying to me, although I can see how they would be helpful to a gamer. My left hand normally rests on the left edge of the keyboard, and from this position i can easily find Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Tab, Caps Lock, etc without looking. The G-keys on the g110 now force me to look at the keyboard because my fingers cannot find the keyboard edge. I am seriously considering taking a hacksaw to this section of the keyboard and moving it about 3 inches back toward the F-keys.



Conclusion:

Despite all the quirks, this is a pretty solid keyboard that allows me to type in the dark which is exactly what I wanted.



Notes for Win 7 x64 users:

* You might need to download the 64-bit driver from Logitech's website instead of using the supplied disk. I did not even bother with the supplied drivers after reading the Logitech forums and all the people having various problems. I instead downloaded the Win 7 64-bit driver directly from the Logitech website, and everything worked beautifully. - Illuminated Keyboard - Lighted Keyboard - Logitech - G110
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