the new Logitech gaming keybard has just arrived, well it really started hitting the stores in the fall of Janruary, but the new series from logitech and introducing more of the marekt to most mainstream gamers and still retaining the real gaming feel. In fact, if what you’re looking for in your next keyboard is something just to type on, then follow our advice: turn away, go, run as far away as possible and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Logitech’s G19 keyboard is, well, a bit over the top. That’s safe to say because it really is. And if you, the reader are just so extreme enough, then this keyboard’s for you. Here’s our spoiler to how this story ends: It kicks butt. But here’s another spoiler: It costs two hundred dollars. At center stage for the Logitech’s G19 keyboard is the main attraction: a 320×240 pixel color screen. With this you can cycle through a variety of apps, from a performance monitor on CPU and memory usage, to gaming stats and data of more than 60+ games. It can be your own personal digital photo frame, or video player—it can even stream YouTube videos. Yes, we’re still talking about a keyboard.Without this LCD, the G19 is a macro keyboard, riddled with programmable keys that gamers have learned to tailor to their favorite games. Each key is backlit with any color of your choice, and there are three gaming profiles to choose from if you’re a hardcore macro junkie.
Moving from the left to the right, we encounter an often times needed gaming function: the Start key disabler. Gamers who pride themselves as perfectionists may have never pressed the Start key by accident when gaming, but other people probably know what we’re talking about.The YouTube app allows users to browse YouTube videos directly from the GamePanel screen—no computer display required. The internal software allows users to browse popular videos, related videos, videos from the same author, and so forth. We couldn’t find a way to actually search for a specific video—that you’ll need your trusty Web browser for.
Now we don’t anticipate many gamers having both of these expensive devices, but it’s something worth mentioning if you have or are planning on having the G13 gamepad. Now let’s go over the macro keys. They have the same tactile and aural feedback as the other regular typing keys, only these keys are elevated a bit to separate them from the normal typing area. The three macro mode buttons, on the other hand, are flat to avoid confusion or accidental presses when striking other surrounding keys. All keys are easily accessible to press.
And the Logitech G19 is a perfect example of technology to the extreme. It’s excessive, unnecessary for most folks, and it’s expensive. But it’s not to be taken lightly. Keys provide soft and cushy tactile feedback. Macro keys are numerous (12 x 3 modes = 36 macro combinations), and it lights up any way you tell it to.
