Hands-On With SteelSeries Ikari Mouse and New 7G Gaming Keyboard 128
Engadget recently had the chance to review some high-end gear from SteelSeries. While they may be a little on the pricey side, it seems that both the Ikari laser mouse and the 7g keyboard received favorable reviews. "The Ikari laser mouse they announced last year is particularly great, with a built-in processor and sensitivity settings to allow for a customized and precise sensitivity setting in a plug-and-play setup particularly suited to professional gamers. Settings are easy to work, and the actual sensitivity and response of the mouse easily outclasses our prior mousing experiences. New to the market is the SteelSeries 7G keyboard, which is making its debut on Monday the 5th. The keyboard is fully mechanical, with no-click switches that give it a much stronger, smoother tactile feel, while simultaneously catering to gamers by registering half presses. The keyboard weighs a ton thanks to the heavy-duty iron-infused plastic and the gold electronics, and is quite capable of handling abuse. We grew up typing on heavy-duty keyboards, and this is easily the best one we've used this decade -- though the $150 pricetag also makes it the most expensive outside of the Optimus Maximus."
Professional gamers? (Score:5, Funny)
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Me, I wish someone would just build a no-compromise keyboard for the 18-hour hacker. The "Happy Hacker" keyboard doesn't cut it for me, too pricey and it still doesn't feel right...
A while ago I had found one that came close, it was a fancy shmancy thing with a touchpad mouse below the space bar. The keys were light but still offered satisfying feedback, it wa
IBM Model M (Score:2)
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(My Model M was born on March 16, 1990!)
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Am thinking the low profile keyboards (almost ripped from Thinkpad lappies) with the nub will also work for me since I prefer the 80-something keyboard layout. I use the mouse with the desktop anyway. YMMV. But touchpads are an iffy thing with most brands; they almost feel like, meh let's slap one on that space.
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I don't ev
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Nonstandard? (Score:2)
Non-standard layout of all other keys does not bother you?..
Caps Lock! Oh No! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Caps Lock! Oh No! (Score:4, Funny)
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Well, it is a gaming keyboard.. I kind of took the Windows user thing as given.
Aikon-
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More importantly I don't want to have to fart around with keyboard maps in Linux, Windows and MacOS whenever I switch keyboard.
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You bought the wrong keyboard then. Get yourself one fo these [thinkgeek.com] and never worry about it anymore. QWERTY, Dvorak, Gamer, who knows? Poke at a couple of keys and find out what's mapped where!
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I'm in the market for a robust, high quality, compact keyboard with the right layout. But nothing has surpassed the happy hacking keyboard yet.
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Without a doubt the Tarantula is the best. You can redefine each key to another layout and it's stored in the hardware, so I know I've got Dvorak (with swapped backspace/caps lock, and Start menu/pause) in Linux, Windows and even my bios.
If you've used Dvorak for a while you'll come across little hiccups - like Flash games which are hardcoded to use 'wsad', to switch between keymaps all you've got to do is press the '
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Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:nocaps"
In MS Windows, try caps-as-ctrl.reg [gnu.org]. You will need to reboot after installing.
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Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:nocaps"
xmodmap might be the preferred solution as it allows you to test your configuration without restarting X. Also useful if you're a vim user and choose to remap ESC for a long editing session.
In MS Windows, try caps-as-ctrl.reg. You will need to reboot after installing.
A reboot? Say it ain't true! Seriously, thanks for that. There's a remapper utility provided in the Resource Kits that I regularly drag out, but it didn't occur to me after
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CTRL+[ is equivalent to ESC in vim, and doesn't require quite as much reaching.
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Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:nocaps"
In MS Windows, try caps-as-ctrl.reg [gnu.org]. You will need to reboot after installing.
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For both pro and casual gamers? (Score:4, Insightful)
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I'm not asking that rhetorically, I'd seriously like an answer; the whole "Professional Gaming" thing, save my early flirtation with The Wizard when I was 10, passed me by in my old age.
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My roomate unfortunately has found it cheaper to punch a hole in the wall since plaster is cheaper than computer equipment.
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Personally, I want to know what the fuck gamers are doing to their stuff where they need reinforced steel and a mouse with it's own CPU.
I don't know about the mouse, but a heavy keyboard with mechanical switches is nicer to use IMO. Weight keeps it from shifting around and the switches are more durable. If the keys are properly formed, using some kind of infused plastic rather than the surface printed labels then they won't tend to have the labels wear off either.
For this particular keyboard though I don
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They added the button back (Score:2)
They added the 5th button back for the G5 (revision 2) because people complained.
The G9 has them as well, iirc.
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Have you ever been in the mood to upgrade your computer but it was fast enough already? That's when it's time to buy a fancy keyboard or mouse.
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it's not just for gamers (Score:2)
i love the thing. i got my first upscale keyboard a couple months ago - a logitech g15. i liked the volume control and the LCD but the build quality was really cheap. it felt like a thin piece of plastic; i probably could have torn it in half with my hands. after using the same keyboard for a decade (a $10 dell) i managed to break the g15 twice in a month.
then i went to a lan party in san f
i forgot one thing - unlimited key combinations (Score:2)
Prior mousing experiences (Score:5, Funny)
Well, that's a phrase you don't hear every day.
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Gamers don't want a mouse to last forever, we want a mouse that is the best.
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Gamers bleat that 4000dpi is needed for that "uber" control. It's not. Not even close. The day any human being on this planet shows me manual dexterity with an object weighing half a pound capable of precision control to within SIX THOUSANDTHS OF A MILLIMETRE is the day I'll personally fund the construction of an 8000dpi mouse just for you.
I want to tell you just how fine that resolution is. SHORT head hairs on an ANT measure 0.006mm.
You could survive on 1000dpi at the most
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The Keyboard's Most Alluring Feature... (Score:1)
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Not sure how this qualified as a review (Score:5, Informative)
This is a slashvertisement if I've ever seen one.
L shape enter/return key and small backspace key (Score:5, Insightful)
Just from looking at the keyboard I hate it already. An L shaped enter/return key and a tiny backspace key with the backslash next to it.
I've always hated the L shaped return key because it forces you to move the center of the key slightly higher...which is too high for a pinky. The large size you could say makes it easier to hit, except that most L shaped keys have terrible balancing so hitting it slightly lower or higher than the middle of the key can cause the key press not to register.
Now the tiny backspace key really gets me. I had a keyboard with a tiny backspace key and it pissed the hell out of me because I would often hit the key next to it since it was so small.
Let me solve the problem for you.. (Score:2)
Personally as someone who enjoys playing games online (and has a little extra income to throw at it) I've been disappointed by the majority of gaming keyboards which seem to use standard switches. I haven't used this board or seen it myself so I wonder how the keys feel. Standard boards are good for typing and have a bit of play in the keys you don't need for your average twitch and shoot.
Typically I use a board that uses scissor [wikipedia.org] switches (like in laptops) because they have a much smoother
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the thing was about 10 years old and still going strong.
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The shape of the keys depends on the country (Score:2)
Re:L shape enter/return key and small backspace ke (Score:1)
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Re:L shape enter/return key and small backspace ke (Score:2)
I do like the complete lack of "evil" keys though: Power, Wake and Sleep.
Analog? (Score:2)
Does this meen that the keys are analong and can be programed that way? or is it just another button that clicks halfway down?
The idea of having analog 'WASD' sounds real nice for pc games. Still 150 is too much when better supported gaming keyboards are on the market for less then 100
waste of money (Score:4, Funny)
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Slow Jerk (Score:1)
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That review is a crock.
Was this supposed to be a review? (Score:2)
Model M (Score:5, Funny)
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I have a few hanging around, must be 10 years old. Best Keyboard Ever. Also comes with handy "super loud" click to annoy friends and workmates alike!
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http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/customizer.html [yahoo.net]
I'm clicking away right now, it's a beautiful thing.
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Enough cicky-clack to annoy your workmates, and a good feel to it.
Never had a Model M, though, so I can't give a comparison.
Also, I only have slight problems with the lack of key information w.r.t. the top row (numbers and symbols on top). YMMV, of course.
$150?!?!?!? (Score:2)
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For all who are interested in saving your hard earned cash I will help you out. Mail your credit cards (preferably in tact with the PIN number for ATMs included) to:
Garett Spencley
1374 Copperfield Ave
Toronto, ON
N8W 5K7
Canada
I am offering this service FREE OF CHARGE to anyone interested. Seriously. NO STRINGS ATTACHED!
You're welcome!
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http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/en104bl.html [yahoo.net]
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Comment typed on a vintage 1990 IBM Model M.
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In fact, other than someone slamming it against a wall or spilling drinks on one, I;'ve
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I've used both expensive and cheap keyboards and there is no way I would voluntarily go back to the cheap ones. I find the smushy rubbery feel of membrane based keyboards horrible, not only that, because they lack positive physical feedback when you have made a key "hit", you are forced to rely on either i) overpressure on the key to make sure you hit or ii) typing more slowly (because the eye-hand reflex arc is much longer than the hand-hand refle
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And less than 1% of your computer budget? You buy 2000 dollar machines? I can get a gaming rig for 700. What the hell do you spend that kind of money on? Heck, my last computer cost less than you
Sidewinder Mouse (Score:2)
I used to think dedicated gaming hardware was just a selling point, but really, if you're into FPS and you're still using the OEM crap that came with your box, you're missing out on a lot. Take it from someo
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Another thing, the buttons (especially the thumb ones) need some force to actuate. Mine have gotten a bit softer now, but it does take a few weeks. All in all, I'm really happy. The weights make a big difference at higher DPI settings, and I settled on the white sliders (teflon?) based on how they perform on my desk. I
Some thoughts on pads and boards (Score:2)
I'm sure their other pads are fine, and maybe I'm one of the unlucky few who works/plays in a somewhat dusty area. I'm just putting
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The New Audiophiles (Score:1)
I'm not saying there's no difference between a quality keyboard and a cheap hunk of plastic, but the difference in performance between a $20 Key Tronic and a $150 L337 G4m3r Pr0 Blingmaster Xtreme sure as hell isn't going to be noticed by "casual" gamers, and probably makes no difference to somebody who is already good enough to be a "pro".
Not the most expensive (Score:2)
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Logitech G15 (Score:1)
For some crazy reason they decided to release a 2nd revision with only 6 macro keys and a fixed LCD (orange backlight rather than blue). This would be alright if they didn't:
a) Keep the G15 model name, and
b) Stop productio
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For FPS the Razer Tarantula is a hard one to beat, extremely sensitive keys, remapping of any keys you want, not recommended for typing however, just too sensitive.
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7G Keyboard? (Score:2)
wired mouse? (Score:2)
Wrong on so many levels for gamers. (Score:2)
I've changed more than 10 keyboards in my lifetime so I do think I have something to say about gaming keyboards.
Lets look at the "features" of this 7G keyboard.
It is made of metal. I'm not really sure why this is a positive thing, except for added weight. But as my experience tells me, the keyboard doesn't need to be heavy to be firmly planted on your desk. All you need are good rubber legs/plugs/or whatever they
X-Handed Mouse (Score:2)
I indulged myself and picked up a Razer Lachesis mouse not long ago and it's pretty much symmetrical. I'm a right-y, so I don't *need* to pay particular attention to these things but do they produce two versions, one for right-handed people and one for left? Or what?
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a...men (Score:3, Insightful)
The ads for movies and what-not is getting really annoying. I don't remember
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