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| henrybutt |
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pebble
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| Joined: 07 Aug 2006 |
| Posts: 674 |
| Location: Banbury, Oxfordshire |
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Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:19 am |
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| Post subject: SteelSeries 7G Gaming Keyboard Review |
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SteelSeries 7G Gaming Keyboard Review
by Henry Butt
SteelSeries is a Danish company founded in 2001 with the aim of developing products oriented around professional gaming across the globe. It is now a leading manufacturer of gaming peripherals and accessories including headsets, keyboards, mice, mouse mats and software.
Features
• No-click mechanical professional gaming keyboard
• 18K gold-plated connectors for extremely low latency
• Gaming grade lifetime: 50 million keystrokes
• Endorsed by the world's best eSports-players
Specifications
• Switches: Gold plated no-click
• Switch lifetime: 50,000,000 cycle
• Assembly: Face plate mounted keyset
• Dimensions: 480 x 250 mm / 18,9 x 9,8 in
• Cable length: 2 m (6,6 ft.)
• Connectivity: PS/2 + USB
The 7G gaming keyboard sits at the top of SteelSeries' range. At around of £100, it certainly isn't the cheapest keyboard on the market either. But the 7G isn't no ordinary gaming keyboard; SteelSeries have used MX Black mechanical switches rather than the more modern 'membrane' alternative, giving it a totally different feel to a normal keyboard. When typing on the 7G, you only have to depress the keys half way down for them to register. This takes a while to get used to but seems to improve typing speed quite a lot due to the very responsive action.
The build quality of the 7G is nothing short of fantastic. The plastic used in construction is very good quality and the keyboard has a rigid metal base that is sure to improve durability. SteelSeries have also used braided shielding around the wires which adds to the overall quality feel. All of the keys are removable so cleaning the keyboard thoroughly is very easy. It also means you can switch the keys around or remove them altogether. The mechanical switches are quoted to have a life of around 50 million keystrokes which means the 7G should last much longer than standard keyboards whose switches generally have a life of around 1 - 5 million keystrokes.
Unlike most other gaming keyboards, the 7G doesn't have any bells and whistles; in fact it is quite limited on the feature front. It doesn't have any macro buttons, key backlighting or dedicated multimedia keys. But this isn't what the 7G is about; it is about providing the best typing and gaming experience. SteelSeries haven't sacrificed typing performance for gaming performance at all as the key action suits both very well. In fact once you're used to the superior typing experience, you'll find every other keyboard you type on disappointing. SteelSeries have opted for the somewhat outdated PS2 connector meaning you can depress every key on the board simultaneously and they will all register. In case you're computer doesn't feature a PS-2 port, a USB adapter is also included.
While the layout of the 7G is pretty much standard, SteelSeries have made some alterations. Firstly, the backspace button is reduced to half the size and the enter button is much larger in size. This reduced backspace button takes a little while to get used as it is quite awkward to access. Also, SteelSeries have disposed of the Windows button in favour of a second function button. This allows you to use the media keys which are a second function for F1 - F6. I would personally prefer the windows button as I find second function buttons a bit of a waste of time. Around the back of the keyboard there is a built-in USB hub and two audio jacks which connect into the back of your system. These are easily accessible and are a useful addition to the product.
To improve comfort, SteelSeries include a palm-rest with the 7g. This is very simple in design and sits around the keyboard. It doesn't actually fit to the keyboard and can easily be removed by simply lifting it up. It has a number of rubber feet so the keyboard and rest remain firmly planted on the desk.
I have never used a keyboard before that even compares to the 7G. It may have a hefty price tag but it is definitely worth the premium if you take comfort and quality seriously. I'm not sure whether it should be described marketed as a professional gaming keyboard as it lacks some features which will be desirable for professional gamers. But otherwise, it provides a fantastic all-round experience and is sure to grace my desk for a good number of years. |
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| Crash |
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rubble
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| Joined: 17 Jun 2007 |
| Posts: 366 |
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Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 1:43 am |
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You can press all the keys together and it won't ghost?
That is amazing - If I press 3 or 4 on my ... GAMING NOTEBOOK it ghosts right away.
Just because of that this board looks like it's worth its weight in £20 notes let alone £100.
If you look at the Logitech or Razor gaming ones, they ghost at about 15 simultaneous keystrokes. |
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| henrybutt |
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pebble
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| Joined: 07 Aug 2006 |
| Posts: 674 |
| Location: Banbury, Oxfordshire |
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:46 pm |
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| Yeh thats right - this only works when used with the PS2 connector though - the number would be limited when the USB adapter is used. |
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| Crash |
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rubble
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| Joined: 17 Jun 2007 |
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Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:17 pm |
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| Out of interest, do many modern desktop motherboards still have PS2 connectors? I think even the basic ones still have them to free-up the USBs. |
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| henrybutt |
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pebble
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| Joined: 07 Aug 2006 |
| Posts: 674 |
| Location: Banbury, Oxfordshire |
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Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:06 am |
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| My new (well around 2 months ago) Asus P6T motherboard has PS2 connectors for both keyboard and mouse; I can see the point of the keyboard one but USB is better all around for mice imo. |
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| maxcreigs |
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| Joined: 23 Feb 2010 |
| Posts: 4 |
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:14 am |
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| I would really LOVE to have a keyboard with the old mechanical style keys, I miss the clicky sound of the old days. That being said $150 for basically anti-ghosting tech is just insane, I can't remember the last time I pushed more than 4 keys at once much less 6. |
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| Crash |
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rubble
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| Joined: 17 Jun 2007 |
| Posts: 366 |
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:20 am |
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| ... Have you played X-Bomber??? |
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| wragh |
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gravel
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| Joined: 16 Jul 2010 |
| Posts: 5 |
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Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 2:23 pm |
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| It looks like a good keyboard. I may need to upgrade to something like this soon...my 15 year old keyboard is beginning to fall apart. |
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