5 cool gaming keyboards

Genius Imperator Pro

Genius specializes in low-cost and mid-range devices. Imperator Pro from the GX line will be of interest, first of all, to those who want to purchase a high-quality, but inexpensive device.

Genius Imperator Pro is compact and slim. Therefore, it will easily fit on your desk. The body of the device is made of high quality plastic and is equipped with a palm rest. The gadget is connected, like other keyboards in the review, via the USB interface. This model has not one, but two USB plugs at the end of a long cord (1.8 m): one is responsible for signal transmission, the second is for the operation of a USB hub on one port.

The Imperator Pro has 16 additional keys, six of which you can programme using a proprietary utility (available on the disk that came with the device). Customizable buttons G1-G6 are on the left side and arranged in a column. This is very practical — in normal operation they do not interfere, because they are separated from the main unit by about a centimeter, and during the game they are easily groped blindly with the little finger and ring finger. And with the help of buttons located on top, you can control multimedia and switch settings modes.

The design of the keys in the Genius Imperator Pro is membrane. All of them have a backlight that can be adjusted using special buttons, namely, change its colour. The disadvantages include the fact that there are no special symbols on the numeric keys of the main unit available when entering from Russian and Ukrainian languages. Those who do not know touch typing will have to remember, for example, that quotes are on button 2, colon on 6, and question mark on 7.

But a definite plus for gamers is the good sensitivity of the keys and their confident move. They do not stick when pressed simultaneously (up to 18 buttons at once), which can cause the game to freeze. The Windows key, which may cause you to exit full-screen mode, is optionally disabled for the duration of the game. So the Genius Imperator Pro keyboard will not let you down at the decisive moment of the virtual battle.

Roccat Isku FX

Stylish design with cut corners, aggressive protrusions and assertive lines makes the Roccat Isku FX look like a transformer. Just look, instead of a gaming device, an Autobot will appear on the table. However, ironically, the Roccat Isku FX does not have an important "transformer" function — the massive palm rest cannot be removed. If you have a compact table, we recommend that you pay attention to other models from our review. After all, Roccat is the largest in our ranking. But massiveness (weight about 1 kg) and rubber legs provide it with good stability. To move it from its place during work or play, you need to try.

The Roccat Isku FX's keys are hard and noisy and take some getting used to. At the same time, their design is not mechanical, but membrane, which together constitutes the main disadvantage of the device. But she has three blocks of additional keys. On the stand below the space bar you will find three buttons T1-T3. On top there are multimedia buttons and keys for backlight control and macro recording. On the left, as in the Genius Imperator Pro, there is a column of programmable keys labeled M1–M5. And in the upper left corner are indicators of proprietary functions. Standard, as expected, on the right.

All blocks have a backlight, the intensity and colour of which is adjustable. If you like effects, you can set a smooth colour change (it looks pretty). But the T1-T3 buttons, indicators of profiles and service keys glow too brightly in the dark. Sometimes it distracts.

The proprietary utility complements the device well. With it, you can do things that standard keyboards cannot do. In the programme, for example, you can even monitor device usage statistics and open achievements (Achievments). And its main purpose is programming buttons and recording macros. You can do this not only with keys designed for self-configuration by default. You can set additional commands for 20 buttons in a rectangle whose vertices are the keys 1, 5, Z and B. And if you wish, you can reassign both the media buttons and the F-keys. As you can see, there is where to roam, and setting up the device for yourself is very simple.

All this functionality makes Roccat Isku FX interesting, first of all, for fans of strategies, MMO / MOBA and other games where numerous buttons are involved. And for shooters, because of the harsh response, this is not the best option.

SteelSeries Apex

SteelSeries is famous for its gaming devices and unconventional approach to their design. In SteelSeries Apex, this resulted in a double-height spacebar and the same Esc button. At the same time, the dimensions of the keyboard do not stand out against the background of others. Even on a small table, it fits without problems and stands on it steadily.

Above the service F-keys there is a row of half buttons M1-M12. To the right of the number block is a column of multimedia buttons. On the left, there are two additional columns with macro recording keys MX1-MX10. Above them is the block L1-L4, which is separated by a membrane and is designed to switch profiles. And an added bonus is a two-port USB hub. In total, 34 additional buttons will be available to you in SteelSeries Apex. Of these, 26 are being programmed. And given that you can create four profiles, and the rest of the keys are also configurable, the number of available combinations exceeds 500. This advantage also leads to a significant drawback — the keyboard takes a long time to get used to. Judging by the reviews on the Internet, this process can take up to a month. And then, playing on other keyboards, you will miss the features familiar to SteelSeries Apex.

SteelSeries Apex is a membrane keyboard with rigid key travel. To press them, you need to apply noticeable efforts compared to mechanical ones. It's good for typing, but not for gaming. With sticking when pressing several buttons at the same time, the Anti-ghosting function fights. It works with 20 commonly used buttons in games, including arrows, space, left Ctrl and Shift. Up to six of these keys can be pressed at the same time.

The device has four lighting zones that can be configured independently of each other. For example, in one, yellow will shine brightly, and in the other, muted blue. There are many options, as well as the number of supported colours. The first zone is the left columns. The second is the service F-keys and half buttons above them. The third is the main part of the keyboard with letters and function keys. The fourth is the cursor, number block and media buttons. There is also a fifth zone (SteelSeries logo), which performs a decorative function. For each of them, the brightness is adjusted separately, and its range is enough both day and night.

Like Roccat Isku FX, SteelSeries Apex will suit "strategists". And if you get used to the non-standard design, then it can be used for comfortable typing.

Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2014

Mechanical keyboard from a well-known manufacturer of gaming devices. It, like the Logitech G710 +, does not differ in large sizes and many additional keys. But, unlike the latter, it looks very stylish: matte plastic and aggressive chopped forms immediately make it clear that this is a gaming device.

This model weighs 1.5 kg. At the same time, users complain that it is not very stable due to small rubberized legs. The high sensitivity of the keys compensates for this shortcoming. When you press them, you do not need to make special efforts, which means that the keyboard will not go at the wrong time.

Among all the keyboards reviewed, the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2014 has the fewest additional keys — only five. But it has an Fn button, which replaces the right Windows key and does not take up extra space. When it is pressed, the assignment of the service F-buttons changes. They turn into media control keys. This is a good decision. Thus, the developers have significantly saved space for additional keys (M1-M5). They are traditionally lined up in a column and are located near the left edge. All keyboard buttons are illuminated with a "toxic" green light. Brightness can be adjusted within 20 gradations. Not only the symbols on the buttons are illuminated, but also the area between the keys. It looks impressive in the dark.

The keyboard is equipped with mechanical switches of the company's own design — Razer Switch. Compared to the Cherry MX systems found in most mechanical keyboards, the Razer Switch has an extended lifespan of 60 million keystrokes versus Cherry's 50 million. The keys feel easy and pleasant to press, they are quite sensitive, so there will be no problems in games.

In the proprietary setup programme, you can assign any action to any key, including recorded macros. And among the additional features in addition to the USB hub, we note the audio output for connecting a headset. Other TOP-5 participants do not have such a "chip".

Logitech G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Unlike SteelSeries, Logitech doesn't focus exclusively on gaming devices. Nevertheless, it makes its models in this segment with high quality. This is confirmed by the Logitech G710+ keyboard. This is already the big leagues — real gamers prefer mechanical keyboards and are ready to overpay for it. The G710+ features Cherry Brown MX mechanical key travel. It has excellent button sensitivity and quiet operation compared to other mechanical keyboards.

The device is not at all pretentious in terms of design and additional functions. It can be compared with a Kalashnikov assault rifle — a simple and reliable tool without any bells and whistles, but very effective. The keyboard has 110 keys, six of which (G1-G6) are programmable. They are traditionally located near the left edge of the keyboard in the form of an additional column. Another row of buttons is located near the top edge. Most of them are responsible for media management. The W, A, S and D buttons, as well as the arrows, are grey and stand out from the rest. But this is not so important, because in the Logitech G710 + all buttons are highlighted. There are five levels of brightness for this, and the WASD block also glows autonomously. You can, for example, set the brightness for these keys to the maximum, and mute it to the minimum on the remaining buttons. As a nice bonus, there is a USB hub.

A pair of separate buttons above the row of function keys are responsible for adjusting the brightness. There are also buttons for switching profiles (there are three in total) and recording macros. Another special button activates the game mode. It is impossible to accidentally minimize the game and exit to Windows by pressing the service button or combination. And above the digital block is a large roller for adjusting the sound. It is difficult to judge how much this element is necessary. It does not interfere with work, but it does not bring much benefit either.

The keyboard is configured using a proprietary application. With it, it is easy to set up programmable buttons, as well as record macros. Someone will say that there are few of them, but this indicator is clearly not for everyone — many generally manage with standard keys, and additional ones do not programme at all.

Getting used to the device is very fast. In our review, the Logitech G710+ holds the palm in this parameter. This is not surprising — its design is standard. Even the arrangement of the gaming keys G1-G6 (they are divided into three mini-blocks of two buttons each) does not confuse them with others.