Recommend me a gaming keyboard

General Crespin wrote:

What's so horrible about Logitech's software?

I understand that we are not living exactly in era when all we needed was a single MOUSE.COM file weighting in at 32KB, but 45MB installation packages for mice and keyboard software is just... balls, for the lack of better word. And that software always needs a .Net runtime, which, for some reason, will be version/patchlevel which I don't have installed.

I once returned a Logitech Wave keyboard out of sheer frustration, after fruitlessly spending a couple of hours on drivers installation on my workplace PC. In my attempts to find a solution online, I stumbled upon countless posts of other desperate Logitech users who went at advanced length of time and effort to extract drivers out of Logitech's packages just so that they could use a Wave's or MX Revo's basic functions. Then I went out and got a Microsoft keyboard, and the drivers/software, altogether sized at 12MB, installed right on.

And mind you, once the software is installed, you'll be dealing with a behemoth that takes more space in memory when started up than MS PowerPoint, with the 40-slide presentation I'm working on loaded.

Edit: Re G-35 headset availability -- their website sez late March.

Oh crap, and Windows 7 is phasing out .net altogether. Hey, maybe after the acquisition your drivers will work in Windows Update?

Rallick wrote:

Personally, I use the Saitek Cyborg. Love it. The key action is great, it's comfortable to type on, it looks good, and the metal-plated gaming keys (WASD,[space] and the arrow keys) feel great. I have it partnered with a Cyborg mouse, which also comes highly recommended.

As do I :D.

Love them both so much.

*shrugs* Okay. I've personally never had a problem anywhere near that with any of the Logitech software I've used, but to each their own.

Oh crap, and Windows 7 is phasing out .net altogether.

Say what? Do you have a source for this? .NET is the biggest thing out of Microsoft in years.

My recollection is from a TWiT in the past few weeks. Dot net is not the focussed framework, more focus on interoperability with the web, mobile, but also for security. The panel got off on a tangent as to how Vista was supposed to bridge that gap but failed to do so.

Malor wrote:
Oh crap, and Windows 7 is phasing out .net altogether.

Say what? Do you have a source for this? .NET is the biggest thing out of Microsoft in years.

I wonder if that will impact XNA (Game Development software) development at all since it's functions off of .NET framework. I hope not because I'm been spending a sh*tl*ad of time learning and working with it.

Malor wrote:
Oh crap, and Windows 7 is phasing out .net altogether.

Say what? Do you have a source for this? .NET is the biggest thing out of Microsoft in years.

I wonder if that will impact XNA (Game Development software) development at all since it functions off of .NET framework. I hope not because I've been spending a sh*tlo@d of time learning C# and working with it.

In regards to the keyboard, I've had the Saitek Eclipse for over 5 years now and it's held up extremely well under heavy typing and gaming. The keys are a tad noisy when typing "hard" but the awesomness of the illuminated keys and inexpensive price tag clearly outweight that minor issue.

I've done a little digging, and I see no signs of .NET going away. In fact, they're moving parts of it into the main system; I gather the WinFX routines will be made available to native developers as well.

I've got a newer G15, and I love the hell out of it. I just did the barebones installation, and I've got LCDSirReal running on the LCD (So, dual-core CPU display, memory, netgraphs, time and full date, as well as Winamp and Vent stuff as I want it.). With all that, and running the profiler (Shortcuts for stuff I use a _TON_ == pure, unrefined win.), it still clocks in at less than 20mb in RAM. (9,200k for the profiler, 7,200 for the LCD and LCDSirReal).

Plus, I run vista, and have had no driver woes. Overall, I really like logitech stuff. (I've got a stereo logitech setup, which is nice too, especially at the price I found it for.)

As far as mice go, however, a left-handed gamer can't beat a Razr. (Though, that I got my lachesis for about half of MSRP from Best Buy doesn't hurt.)

Another G15 user signing in. G15/G5 Mouse combo and I absolutely love em both. I picked up my G15 when newegg had a deal on them, which beat the CC slash and burn sale by a good margin, mainly because the local CC jacked the price on the G15 to 115 bucks before taking 40% off.

The Saitek products always look good to me...

Right now I am using a G5 mouse, a MS-Natural keyboard and a Nostromo n50. I've gone through a couple of mice and a keyboard or two... But the n50 I've had for 6-- if not 7 years.

Also a G15v2/G5 user. I love the set-up.
I had a saitek eclipse before which was ok but I like the macros and lcd of the G15.

That G19 looks....wow.
I don't know if its worth spending the money to upgrade from a perfectly good keyboard though.
But then again I am a consumer whore.

This is what I have. Solid, no frills backlit keyboard. No wussy LCD screens here. You guys have it easy today, I remember when we had carve our keyboards out of solid wood.

jakeleg wrote:

This is what I have. Solid, no frills backlit keyboard. No wussy LCD screens here. You guys have it easy today, I remember when we had carve our keyboards out of solid wood. :-)

Is a woman included with every keyboard, or are they optional extras?

jakeleg wrote:

This is what I have. Solid, no frills backlit keyboard. No wussy LCD screens here. You guys have it easy today, I remember when we had carve our keyboards out of solid wood. :-)

Looks good, but how does it feel, and what's the quality like? I feel hard pressed to spend $160 on what looks like a regular keyboard with LEDs (excuse me, individually lit LEDs). Even more so with sentences like these: "Crush your competition with your magnificent deck. Pure gaming pleasure."

Argh. Makes me feel like I need to go back to adolescence to fully appreciate that kind of advertising.

Edits for bad grammar!

jakeleg wrote:

This is what I have. Solid, no frills backlit keyboard. No wussy LCD screens here. You guys have it easy today, I remember when we had carve our keyboards out of solid wood. :-)

Psh. I'm still using a 20 year old IBM Model M.

muttonchop wrote:
jakeleg wrote:

This is what I have. Solid, no frills backlit keyboard. No wussy LCD screens here. You guys have it easy today, I remember when we had carve our keyboards out of solid wood. :-)

Is a woman included with every keyboard, or are they optional extras?

I don't think I got that attachment in my box

They are a little pricey, but I got mine about 3 years ago as a gift. I think the backlight on every key makes them more expensive. Most backlit keyboards only have a few LEDs to cover the entire chassis. This thing has a led under every key. It is an extremely cool effect in a dark room, if you are into that sort of thing. If anything, they are also very solidly built. It will probably last me another 3+ years.

I'll have to echo all the people saying Logitech G15

Got it as a present for xmas and I love it

deftly wrote:

Psh. I'm still using a 20 year old IBM Model M.

...which should last you at least another 20 years. Those keyboards are indestructible.

complexmath wrote:
deftly wrote:

Psh. I'm still using a 20 year old IBM Model M.

...which should last you at least another 20 years. Those keyboards are indestructible.

I can't even imagine the quantity of filth that a keyboard would have after over 20 years

interstate78 wrote:
complexmath wrote:
deftly wrote:

Psh. I'm still using a 20 year old IBM Model M.

...which should last you at least another 20 years. Those keyboards are indestructible.

I can't even imagine the quantity of filth that a keyboard would have after over 20 years

You can wash keyboards in the dishwasher. Dunno about g15's though....

boogle wrote:
interstate78 wrote:
complexmath wrote:
deftly wrote:

Psh. I'm still using a 20 year old IBM Model M.

...which should last you at least another 20 years. Those keyboards are indestructible.

I can't even imagine the quantity of filth that a keyboard would have after over 20 years

You can wash keyboards in the dishwasher. Dunno about g15's though....

And the keycaps are removable. I pulled them all off recently and washed them in the sink with soap and water. It's as clean as they day it was built.

Am I the only one who finds gaming keyboards really, really ugly?
I would love to have the functionality of a G15 or a Cyborg, but I just can't picture one sitting on my desk.
Also - are backlit keys really useful? Even in the dark, I can find the key I want out of pure muscle memory.

Personally, I roll with a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000.
It's the most comfortable keyboard I've ever owned - I love the upward slope and the split, especially for typing. I can't really call it a "gaming" keyboard, though, mostly because the split does make certain hotkeys more difficult to access with your left hand - notably 6-0 for weapon selection.
In my ideal world, I'd like a keyboard like that with some of the features of the G15/G19 - notably, the screen. But I'm not willing to trade away my ergonomics or visual appeal.

I personally don't like the ergo keyboards... probably because I don't touch-type (don't have to look at the keyboard though--it's all muscle memory). For me, the most important things in a keyboard is key response and keyboard layout. At the time, the best one I could find was the Microsoft Digital Media Pro keyboard because it has a numeric keypad, full-size function keys, etc. I couldn't care less about the media keys though.

I actually find backlit keys to be very useful for gaming, since my hands aren't in their regular position, and it can help with finding some odd key in a dimly lit room. If I were to buy a new keyboard these days I'd likely get something along the lines of a G15. I don't see myself ever looking at the LCD screen, but the backlighting is nice, and the layout is good.

Personally, I find the Ergo keyboards uglier than my G15. As for the use of the backlit keys, it's not for touch typing. I use it when I'm gaming, and am looking for keys that are not immediately accessible from a gaming layout where I'm not on the home row.

Word to yo momma! G35 Headset is now shipping, and is available for purchase from Logitech's website.

IMAGE(http://www.logitech.com/repository/1262/jpg/11024.1.0.jpg)

Real-time voice morphing: Select from six voices–Troll, Mutant, Alien, Giant, Cyborg, and Space Squirrel.

Finally, a reason to use voice chat.

$130 dollars? Eff that. You can buy a good headset for way less.

G15 or ,my keyboard is acting up and I need a new one. G19 seems like overkill. Probably the G15.