Logitech G15 Keyboard Review

Logitech G15 Keyboard Review

Published August 25, 2008 at 01:16:11 PM, by Steve Martinez

Intro & Design

Logitech's G15 keyboard is well-known in gaming culture as the keyboard to have if you're serious about your games. It's no surprise that after Logitech decided to revise their G15 model, we had to get our hands on it.

So here it is, the Logitech G15 (Mark II). Is it a worthy successor to the G15 name, or just another keyboard in a market choked with input devices of dubious utility. Read on to find out.

Design
Logitech's G15 keyboard went through some developmental changes since its inception, and the new version, titled the Logitech G15 Keyboard (as opposed to the earlier Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard), is a response to user criticism and advice. Gone is the bulky flip LCD display from before, they've now integrated it into the keyboard. Also the previous version had 16 macro keys each with three settings, for a total of 48 possible macros. This brought the overall length to a keyboard tray crushing 22', which was one of the main criticisms on its release. The new Logitech G15 drops the length to around 19.5'. The footprint was also reduced, from a height of 10.5' including wrist rest, to around 9'. The end result is a sleeker, more efficient keyboard design that continues the spirit of the previous device.

All 128 keys on the keyboard are backlit in orange, minus the five glossy black keys that huddle close to the display. The backlighting has three intensity settings: off, low, and high. Given that gaming is traditionally a nocturnal sport, the backlit keys relieve eye strain received from identifying black keys in front of a bright monitor. During the review, I experimented with all light levels, and found an uncomfortable amount of brow-furrowing was needed to see keys with the backlighting off. Also, the backlighting nearly eliminated the need to look down on the screen between firefights, since my peripheral vision was able to pick up the layout of the keys thanks to the orange glow. It's unfortunate that this feature is noticeably absent from the majority of keyboards.

The keys themselves are a joy to press. The finish is worth mentioning for its lustrous feel, cradling your fingers without catching on them. The finish contributes to an overall organic feel that was absent from the previous G15. Feedback is well-balanced, and keyboard travel noise doesn't detract from your gaming experience.

That being said, the keyboard isn't without its faults. The wrist rest, while finished in the same manner as the keys, doesn't enjoy being moved. The plastic hinges look so frail that knocking your keyboard off the desk in a fit of passion (or negligence) could be the endgame for the wrist rest. Also, Logitech replaced the volume wheel with two buttons to save space on the new G15, and the new buttons seem less responsive than the wheel, thanks to a small delay.

The LCD monitor is the centerpiece of the G15, even though it’s been received with mixed reviews in the past. Critics pointed to the lack of support for many popular games as being the biggest drawback. Thankfully, the game roster has seen considerable growth over the years. Included is a list of current compatible games and utilities. You can view the latest list of supported applications on Logitech’s website.

The LCD monitor is fully customizable in terms of what program you’d like to display, and comes with a clock, performance monitor, countdown timer, and media display. The performance monitor displays percentile allocation of CPU and RAM resources, and the media display shows vital music info, like artist, song, and title duration.

There are six macro keys on the left-hand side, labeled G1 through G6, with 3 macro settings keys from M1 through M3. The end result is 18 customizable macros, with a plethora of options using the Logitech G-series Keyboard Profile software. Each key can be assigned almost infinite possibilities, and each assignment depends on what profile you’re using. For instance the World of Warcraft profile has separate macros from Civilization IV, and so on.

The keyboard allows you to create and record macros via an easy-to-use management interface. The interface was so easy, in fact, that it raised (and still raises) healthy debates on the World of Warcraft’s forums concerning legality of this keyboard’s use in the game. The end result is that this keyboard is totally safe to use, although it’s a testament to the power of the G15’s macro system.

Another interesting feature on the keyboard is the ability to program macros on the fly using the Quick Macro key (located to the right of the “M” keys). Simply press the “MR” key to initiate, then select one of the “G” to select a hotkey for the macro. Enter the macro you’d like to record, then simply press the “MR” key again to finish. From now on, the “G” key you chose will output the keystrokes you recorded. An excellent tool if you remember it’s there.

The G15 also boasts a cable management system, which is essentially a set of canals beneath the keyboard to route your cables through. We didn’t find much use for them in our testing, but we were using a wireless mouse. Plugging a wired mouse into one of the two USB ports placed on the back of the G15 allowed you to run the wire underneath the keyboard to the right hand side. This setup is perfect for a wired mouse and mousepad on the right for the majority of users.

We didn’t test the power of the G15’s USB ports by plugging anything crazy into it (i.e. USB powered speakers/subwoofer), but it handled both a Logitech Mouse and Webcam simultaneously with no hassle.

Conclusion

Pro’s:

• Good build quality
• Tons of features
• Comfortable, accurate typing

Con’s:

• Expensive
• Limited support for LCD monitor in games

The first week with the keyboard was touch-and-go. You don’t realize you get accustomed to your keyboard until you swap it out. After the initial jitters, the keyboard was a welcome improvement over stock keyboards and the previous G15 in nearly every way. At $99.99, it’s on the more expensive end, although you’ll be hard pressed to find a keyboard with comparable features and build-quality at this price. The LCD monitor support is a weak spot in the G15’s strong usability, although thanks to increasing support from game developers and the public, compatibility is growing regularly.

Casual players will love it for its sleek style and high quality feel. Hardcore gamers will love it because it supports what we like best, ultimate customizability and late-night gaming sessions. Your wallet may not be happy at first, but this keyboard is worth it.

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Technical Specifications

No specifications are available.