What’s the most important part of your PC? Is it the processor? The videocard? The motherboard? How about the keyboard?
Don’t scoff—your keyboard is the part of your computer that you get up close and personal with. It’s the conduit between you and the PC, and having the right one can make you faster, more comfortable, and give you an edge in games.
Because of that, we want to help you pick the plank that’s just right for you. There are a lot of contenders out there, but we’ve narrowed the fi eld to eight boards that we think offer a solid cross-section of the options available in high-end keyboards, whether they focus on gaming, comfort, or speed. There are some boards that we’ve reviewed before in this list (and they’ll keep their original verdict—it’s only fair) and some that are a year or two old, but that’s what it takes to give you a look at the best of what’s available to you today.
Because of that, we want to help you pick the plank that’s just right for you. There are a lot of contenders out there, but we’ve narrowed the fi eld to eight boards that we think offer a solid cross-section of the options available in high-end keyboards, whether they focus on gaming, comfort, or speed. There are some boards that we’ve reviewed before in this list (and they’ll keep their original verdict—it’s only fair) and some that are a year or two old, but that’s what it takes to give you a look at the best of what’s available to you today.
We know that everyone is looking for something different in their keyboard, so don’t think of this roundup as a winner-takes-all contest—we’re judging every keyboard on its individual merits, including comfort, build quality, and the unique features that it brings to the table, er, desktop. So keep reading—you owe it to your hands.
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate
Two great tastes in one
Gaming keyboards typically fall into one of two categories. You have those that cram in as many gaming-specifi c features as possible, including extra buttons, remappable keys, on-the-fl y macro recording, and backlit keys. And then there are the mechanical keyboards that tout hyperresponsive key action above all else. These latter boards tend to feel great, but generally share a very similar, very austere design, with almost no features that you wouldn’t fi nd on an IBM model M.
Two great tastes in one
Gaming keyboards typically fall into one of two categories. You have those that cram in as many gaming-specifi c features as possible, including extra buttons, remappable keys, on-the-fl y macro recording, and backlit keys. And then there are the mechanical keyboards that tout hyperresponsive key action above all else. These latter boards tend to feel great, but generally share a very similar, very austere design, with almost no features that you wouldn’t fi nd on an IBM model M.
The BlackWidow is the fi rst keyboard we’ve reviewed that gives you the best of both worlds—a whole bevy of gaming features coupled with a top-notch mechanical keyboard. It isn’t perfect (it’s made offingerprint-exhibiting glossy-black plastic, and is very loud) but it’s definitely the best we’ve tested. We hope more companies will follow Razer’s lead and get more creative with their mechanical boards.
For the budget gamer, Razer off ers a non-Ultimate version of the BlackWidow that’s $50 cheaper and only missing the USB passthroughs and light-up keys.
Razer Anansi
MMO misfire
The Anansi is Razer’s MMO keyboard, a companion to the company’s Naga MMO gaming mouse. Functionally, it’s very similar to the BlackWidow Ultimate—both have fully rebindable keys, with fi ve additional macro keys along the left , backlighting, and on-the-fl y macro recording. Unlike the BlackWidow, the Anansi does not have mechanical keys, instead opting for more traditional dome-style keys. They’re not as responsive as mechanical keys, but are defi nitely at the high end of the dome-spectrum, with a satisfying amount of resistance and travel.
MMO misfire
The Anansi is Razer’s MMO keyboard, a companion to the company’s Naga MMO gaming mouse. Functionally, it’s very similar to the BlackWidow Ultimate—both have fully rebindable keys, with fi ve additional macro keys along the left , backlighting, and on-the-fl y macro recording. Unlike the BlackWidow, the Anansi does not have mechanical keys, instead opting for more traditional dome-style keys. They’re not as responsive as mechanical keys, but are defi nitely at the high end of the dome-spectrum, with a satisfying amount of resistance and travel.
The main selling point of the Anansi (and what makes it an MMO keyboard) is the broad panel of fl at buttons right below the space bar. These seven keys act as modifiers, septupling your total number of avail-available key combinations. Makes sense in theory, but hitting the top five (smaller) modifi ers along with a number key, single-handedly, while playing a game is very challenging. More over, for an MMO, we really would have preferred a larger selection of dedicated macro keys, such as the 12 keys found on the Logitech G11 or G19. The Anansi has a thin profile but is long enough (including two seemingly unnecessary wings) that it could accommodate a few more keys.
Thermaltake Challenger
Too gimmicky for its own good
K E Y B O A R D S The Challenger (ThermalTake’s entry into the gaming keyboard market) is the kind of keyboard that’s looking to set itself apart. It does this most noticeably with a tiny fan that can be plugged in on either side of the keyboard to blow cool air across your hard-working hands and a set of custom, red keycaps that can be swapped in for the WASD and arrow keys. Do either of those features sound like something you can’t live without?
Too gimmicky for its own good
K E Y B O A R D S The Challenger (ThermalTake’s entry into the gaming keyboard market) is the kind of keyboard that’s looking to set itself apart. It does this most noticeably with a tiny fan that can be plugged in on either side of the keyboard to blow cool air across your hard-working hands and a set of custom, red keycaps that can be swapped in for the WASD and arrow keys. Do either of those features sound like something you can’t live without?
Gimmicks aside, the challenger has a decent-but-not-fabulous set of features, including custom profi les, macro keys (but no on-thefly recording), and some pretty slick red backlighting. Unfortunately, the one place the Challenger really falls fl at is in the quality of its keyboard. Low-profi le keys make it feel like a laptop keyboard, and the dome switches provide very little travel. As the cheapest gaming keyboard in this roundup by far (it’s available online for $60), the Challenger is a good value proposition, but we wouldn’t recommend it for power gamers.
SteelSeries 7G
Light on features, but heavy-duty
Light on features, but heavy-duty
The 7G was the first of the current crop of heavy-duty, mechanical keyboards to hit the market, and in our opinion is still one of the best. With clickless Cherry MX Black switches that combine responsiveness and a long, satisfying travel and construction quality that’s absolutely second to none, the 7G is still very easy to recommend more than two and a half years after its release.
Our only problem with the 7G has always been that it has very few gaming-specific features (especially for a keyboard that can run $150, if you’re able to fi nd one). There’s no customizable keys, no profi les, no nothin'. It does have two USB pass-throughs, and a headphone and microphone jack. The keyboard uses a PS/2 connector, though it does come with a USB adaptor. The ancient connector is quaint, but it does allow for N-key rollover (see sidebar on page 44), making the 7G one of two keyboards in this roundup with no limit to the number of keys that can be pressed at once.
Logitech G19
Retains the feature crown
The G19 is the oldest keyboard in this roundup, but it didn’t seem right to leave Logitech’s ludicrously feature-packed board out of contention. And it's still available. In brief, here’s what makes the G19 awesome: 12 macro keys, on-the-fl y programmability, custom backlighting, USB pass-throughs, media controls, and—of course—a built-in 320x240 color display. (You can read our full review, which originally ran in the September 2009 issue, online at http://bit.ly/hVYZgM).
Retains the feature crown
The G19 is the oldest keyboard in this roundup, but it didn’t seem right to leave Logitech’s ludicrously feature-packed board out of contention. And it's still available. In brief, here’s what makes the G19 awesome: 12 macro keys, on-the-fl y programmability, custom backlighting, USB pass-throughs, media controls, and—of course—a built-in 320x240 color display. (You can read our full review, which originally ran in the September 2009 issue, online at http://bit.ly/hVYZgM).
Suffice to say, it’s an amazing feature set, and one we especially like for MMOs (those 12 extra keys are a godsend!), but the keyboard’s keys feel decidedly mushy compared to some of the more recent models. It's worth considering that since the original release the selection of games with support for the G19’s auxiliary screen has increased dramatically, and you can now fi nd this luxury board for closer to $150 (though the MSRP is still $200), making it a tempting buy.
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000
The king of ergo keyboards
The king of ergo keyboards
The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000 is like a Cadillac—huge, bulky, and unhip, but it’s the smoothest ride around.
Ergonomic keyboards aren’t as popular as they once were, and Microsoft is the only company still making a real play for the market. As a result, there hasn’t been much in the way of innovation lately—the keyboard in the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000 is essentially the same as that in the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, which was released in 2005.
Still, if you type a lot and you’re looking for something comfortable to rest your hands on, you’re not going to do any better than the Ergonomic Desktop 7000. It’s got a great ergo split-keyboard shape, big, cushioned wrist-rests, and a stand that lets you adjust the keyboard’s angle forward or backward to your liking. It’s wireless, and it comes with a wireless, ergonomic laser mouse that is, unfortunately, no good for gaming.
The crappy tie-in mouse dragged our original verdict down to a 7 (http://bit.ly/f8ATJO), but the keyboard itself is as comfortable as they come.
Das Keyboard Ultimate S
Puts your touch-typing to the test
The Das Keyboard has two things going for it. One, it’s awesome. It has no labels on the keys. When you type on it, you look like a ninja. That’s awesome.
Puts your touch-typing to the test
The Das Keyboard has two things going for it. One, it’s awesome. It has no labels on the keys. When you type on it, you look like a ninja. That’s awesome.
The other thing is that it feels great to use. It’s a mechanical keyboard, and even though ituses the same switches as the SteelSeries 7G, we prefer the feel of the Das Keyboard. If you want the smooth typing experience without the no-label keys, there’s a model called the Das Keyboard Professional, which is just that.
For people just looking for an awesome typing experience, the Das Keyboard Ultimate S (or Professional) is an excellent choice, provided you don’t mind spending $130. For gamers, this one’s a toss-up—it’s essentially identical to the SteelSeries 7G, but a little better-looking, and without the headphone jacks and insanely heavy-duty construction. If you like the Das Keyboard’s aesthetics, buy with confidence—you won’t be disappointed by the way this one performs.
SteelSeries Shift
Takes customization to a new level
Takes customization to a new level
Lots of gaming keyboards have the ability to set up diff erent profi les, which let you change what key does what, depending on what game you’re playing. The SteelSeries Shift is the only keyboard (not counting the original ZBoard, which the Shift is based on) that allows you to go one step further and not only swap your profile, but your entire keyset to match the game you’re playing.
In addition to custom faceplates, the Shift has a respectable lineup of gaming features, including on-the-fly macro recording, a headset set pass-through, and a top-notch software suite with profile setup and statistics tracking.
In our experience, the swappable keyplates don’t off er a whole lot of individual value, and the key quality suffers to accommodate them, but if it’s something that appeals to you, the build quality and feature set of the Shift won’t leave you wanting.
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