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Printed On: | May 16, 2008, 4:34 pm |
| Category: | Peripherals | |
| Type: | Reviews | |
| Posted By: | Firefox | |
| Date Posted: | January 22, 2008, 6:30 am |
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Introduction
We have seen several manufacturers come out with keyboards for gamers over the past few years. Some, like the Everglide DKT or Saitek Eclipse, seem little more than keyboards with backlighting. And so the question lies - When does a keyboard really make the transition into a gaming keyboard? Almost all the keyboards for gamers thus far possess some form of bling but even that can be found in el'cheapo multimedia keyboards we see in the back alleys. Others are unique in offering interesting layouts like the WolfClaw or the Ideazon Merc which feature a seperate left section to be complemented by the regular keyboard layout. Yet perhaps one of the more promising features to arrive at gamers' doorsteps of late are the inclusion of macro keys. So where does the Razer Lycosa we have in the labs today stand? Well, a little of the first and last as you will see in a while.
Glossy keyboard comes in an equally flashy box.
Oooh... Shiny!
The Razer Lycosa comes with a nice gloss black trim and at first glance, looks like a usual 104-key keyboard. However, looks can be deceiving and we will soon find out what is installed in the keyboard. The keys are made of the same material as the buttons on Razer mice - a satin textured rubbery material - and the letterings are translucent to allow them to be backlit. Although the keys may looks like laptop keys at first glances, they are actually using soft-dome membrane mechanisms rather than scissor mechanisms. The wrist-rest is pre-attached to the keyboard via screws allowing for a sturdier joint than the usual clip-on units. It can be removed if so wished but requires the use of a screwdriver.
Hooking it up
Not just a single USB plug on the other end of the cable.
Hooking up the keyboard would normally be a matter of plugging in a USB or PS/2 plug. On the Lycosa however, it's a different story. The other end of the cable extending from the keyboard splits into a pair of 3.5mm stereo plugs and a pair of USB connectors. It would appear that after taking over Everglide, Razer has assimilated some of the features found on the Everglide products. In this instance, it's the bundling of the microphone, line-out and one USB extensions together with the USB cable required for the keyboard. This allows gamers to easily connect their headsets and mouse to the keyboard without having to reach into the back of the chassis. That said, it would be nice if Razer could integrate USB audio and a hub on the keyboard itself instead of just having pass-throughs. Upon powering up, all the keys are lit and on the top right hand corner, we spied something different about the keyboard.
Rub it the right way
Multimedia "keys".
Whereas most manufacturers place multimedia buttons on their keyboards and even Razer did it with the DKT keyboard, the Lycosa doesn't use buttons/ keys. Instead, what you're looking at is a touch sensitive panel. There are the usual suspects for playback and volume controls but the other two keys do more than what you think. Wondering where we found two other keys on the panel? Continue reading the next page for more.
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Bling me up
Getting touchy
The backlighting is bright enough to be seen with the lights on.
WASD mode.
On the bottom right hand corner of the touch panel, you'll find the symbol for a light bulb. What it does is to switch the keyboard through the various backlighting modes. Touching it in sequence causes the backlight to turn off, light up only the WASD keys and fully light up all the keys. Lighting up only the WASD keys is useful for FPS gamers who play in the dark and don't need to light up the other keys. Whereas typists use the raised bumps on the F and J keys to align their index fingers (now you know what the bumps are for!), WASD is used to align the left hand in First Person Shooter games. If you're playing a Real Time Strategy game, simply touch the bulb logo once more and all the keys will be lit for you to see your hotkeys.
The last "button"
So.. Where's the last button? It's right there in the middle. The Razer logo on the keyboard is used to activate the gaming mode on the keyboard. What's that? By simply simultaneously depressing the Windows key and the Razer logo on the touch panel, you can switch the Windows keys off so that they won't be accidentally activated whilst you're playing. Repeat it to return the functions to normal. If you have ever removed the Windows key from your keyboard because you kept hitting it in-game, you would be glad to see this feature.
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Macros
Macros
Select the key (highlighted in red) to bind advance functions.
Aside from keys and delays, you can use program mouse clicks via the picture of the mouse too!
Up to 10 profiles for different applications and games!
Yup, the Razer Lycosa supports Macro functions via the Razer configurator software. Any key (selected from the first screen) can be re-mapped into performing a macro function when depressed rather than its normal function. Also, as with all Razer products that support macro functions, profiles can be stored in the onboard Razer Synapse memory to be loaded as and when required. Also, the configurator can be set to automatically load profiles when specific applications are loaded rather than having to manuallly load them. If you wish to manually load preset profiles, you may use the configurator or the new nifty feature from Razer. By touching the Razer logo and using the F1 to F10 keys, you can switch between any of the 10 profiles you have set on the keyboard.
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Conclusion
Conclusion
Looks can be deceiving and indeed, that's very apt for describing the Razer Lycosa upon unwrapping the packaging. What seems like a 104-key keyboard with some bling factor turns out to be a serious attempt at a gaming keyboard. Although it lacks the dedicated macro keys found on the Tarantula, doing so allows for a more compact keyboard without losing the standard key layout. That said, macro binding is fast becoming the norm for a gaming peripheral these days and the Lycosa doesn't lose out in this aspect.
The touch panel is an interesting manner of providing the multimedia keys and it remains to be seen if this is just a novelty or if it will catch on. Furthermore, the ability to bind macro functions to any key on the keyboard means that you're no longer limited to using only keys at the sides of the keyboard. Simply choose the most convenient key to use! Add to that, the ability to turn off the Windows keys and you have a keyboard that's great for gamers who no longer have to pluck out the Windows key.
In terms of aesthetics, the all black layout with a gloss trim givees the Lycosa a touch of class and it will not look out of place even in your living room. Gaming on a 42" plasma, anyone?
I'm digressing here but if the Lycosa were wireless, it would have made a great keyboard for a HTPC. With multimedia keys and the ability to bind keystrokes, watching your favourite TV channel can be done in a single keystroke! Simply bind macros to a key to activate the TV tuner program, add a delay and the keystrokes to switch the channel. Well.. That's an idea but with the availibility of wireless USB hubs, one can make it a reality.
Is it all rosy and good? No. Nothing is perfect and my chief complains about the Lycosa would be that the keys are shaped like laptop keys but use a membrane keyboard mechanism rather than scissors mechanism. This makes the keys feel slightly more flimsy than it looks. The other complain pertains to the use of the satin like rubberized materials for the keys. From experience with Razer mice, this material has a tendency to react with oils from the skin and wears out rather quickly although it does feel quite good to the touch. That said, for bringing an affordable gaming keyboard without losing important macro functions into the market, I would give the Razer Lycosa, 75 marks.
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