9. 5 Stars: Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
The keys up close
Each key is backlit, and a gentle light glows underneath the lines in between keys. Letters, numbers and punctuation are shown in white, with function keys in orange.
The whole thing is elegantly executed, and Logitech has avoided going over the top with multimedia keys. The ones you need are there, in the top right, but don't overwhelm the whole keyboard like elsewhere.
The Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is, apparently, the very best product in a category that isn't yet mainstream. Until recently, backlit keyboards were mainly the preserve of gaming fans and specialists working in dark environments, but Logitech is now trying to bring this functionality to a wider audience.
The usefulness of a having lights behind the keys is fairly self-evident, but whether or not it's a good keyboard itself is another question.
Nice and thin
Once you turn it over, you discover that it's possible to use it either flat, or, by engaging a support at the back, with a gentle slope. What's missing is the opposite--a support at the front, allowing a downward slope--which some recent Microsoft keyboards have featured. While this is certainly hard to get used to, it's actually a more natural position for the hands.
The whole thing resting on the back of my hand
Backlit Keys
The keys themselves are like those on a laptop: flat, and without much depth. They are all quiet, apart from the space bar which rattles a lot.
The backlighting system it works excellently. The font used for the letters on the keyboard has been updated slightly and makes for a strikingly modern look. Every key is always perfectly legible, from bright light, through darker conditions, right through to absolute darkness (whether or not the keyboard itself is the only light source).
A button to the top right of the keyboard allows the intensity of the light to be set to any one of four levels, or even turned off entirely.
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Although we were initially worried by the first of these keyboards that we tested, which had a very loud space bar, noise levels are well under control. According to your needs, you can change the mappings of the different hotkeys using a tool supplied by Logitech.
| Logitech Illuminated Keyboard | |
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| Pluses | Minuses |
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This is a great keyboard, which combines stylish backlighting with quiet keys and understated design. You can't fault it--we'll take one please!
- 1. Product Survey: Keyboards
- 2. BlueStork BS-KB-KIDS
- 3. KeySonic ACK-5600ALU
- 4. Apple Keyboard
- 5. Logitech diNovo Edge
- 6. Logitech Cordless Desktop EX 100
- 7. Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave
- 8. Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave Pro
- 9. 5 Stars: Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
- 10. 5 Stars: Logitech diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition
- 11. 5 Stars: Logitech diNovo Keyboard for Notebooks
- 12. Microsoft Sidewinder X6
You want noise try an IBM model M!
I wouldn't be with out mine though, a pleasure to type on!
nice round up. wouldn't mind seeing a similar article on the latest gaming and enthusiast keyboards too.
I've got a Logitech MX5000 bluetooth Keyboard/mouse and I'd give it a 4 star rating if I was going by similar patterns as this review. It handles great, but keys are not as quite as I'd like. It also has a nice touch area with volume and zoom sliders just below media center keys and an LCD display that can display date/time/media playing/temp/and other info that will also work with Winamp. The mouse included is just called the MXLaser and is quite comfortable for me with reprogrammable 6 buttons. Lastly, the bluetooth adapter that it comes with can be used with other bluetooth devices. The biggest issue I have had is that during games sometimes the keyboard will disconnect and reconnect (taking about 3-5 seconds). Weather this is for security or a bluetooth issue, it definitely is not fun in a high paced online match as the last key I pressed continues to be pressed until it reconnects.
I like niosy keyboards ! They feel great, and they give me the impression that internal parts are made from metal not from cheap plastic which can break under the insane pressure the kids apply when gaming!
But that's just me.
Nice article.
And I hate wireless KBs and mice..Never reliable as the good ol' wired ones!
I like my logi mx5000 set for my big theater. I've got some crappy wireless belkin keyboards with mouse "pad" built in for my other two theaters.
For my personal PC though? I won't get away from my Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite. It's the only keyboard I've tried, and I've tried a bunch, that doesn't make my carpel tunnel act up in the least bit. It's big and ugly but the typing is firm without too much noise and it's just comfortable.
The arrow key layout kinda sucks not being a T though.
Number of suggestions:
1)Price!
2)Switch type (rubber dome, buckling spring, capacitance)
3)Rollover limit (how many simultaneous keystrokes supported)
4)Keytop characteristics (glare, texture, molded or painted/decal lettering)
Btw, I too am partial to clicky keyboards and consider it a virtue.
I just upgraded my old microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse set with new microsoft laser 6000 keyboard and laser 5000 mouse. key sounds is acceptable and mouse is really comfortable (except the browser keys on left and right of it).
I think you should take a look at that if you're looking for a wireless keyboard and mouse, even it's not tested on this article.
im using the logitech illuminated keyboard, and I LOVE IT!
I have both a DiNivo and a Micorsoft Wireless 6000.3
I really loved my DiNivo, but 1 of the keys (the tab key) broke off within a few days - which i remapped to another key). then 4 months later 3 other keys stopped working. Logitech is sending another one, however as was traveling there was a gap.
In the interim, i bought a microsoft 6000, and having owned about a half dozen of the higher end microsoft keyboards, i would say this is the best of them. It has a very slight angle in the keys layout, an the keystroke is smaller than other micorosft keyboards which allows for faster and quiter typing. The microsoft has a suppier arrangement of additional feature keys than logitech, except for the really cool volumn slider.
They are both good keyboards, although i would give the nod to logitech in terms of better keys, and the nod to microsoft in terms of better supplimental keys. As i type 10+ hours a day ( a prgrammer), a good keyboard is important and makes a sagnificant performance boost (the best performance boost you can do, assuming a decent box, is a good quality 24inch screen, a nice keyboard, and a logitech mx revolution mouse.
Forgot to mention, a nice feature of the microsoft keyboard is removable batteries, so if they run out at a critical moment, just drop in another pair. The batteries last for a long time -even longer than the advertised rate (typically about 3 to 4 months for me, so an average user would get at least 6 months), however i assume that it the transmitter is farterh from the keyboard this will shorten battery life.
Have the logitech illuminated keyboard, and love it. Wanted one for gaming/working in the dark, but didn't want it to look like something out of a 1980s sci-fi movie like all the "gaming" keyboards. Also didn't need all the macro buttons and crap taking up space. It is compact, and works wonderfully.
These are all French layout keyboards! Not that it matters, but it was still less obvious as to why certain keys were switched around and whether all of the keyboards mentioned in the comparo were even available in the U.S (I believe they are, tough).
I question the general need for a numeric keypad. How many people actually use the damned thing? Outside of the office environment, almost none.
I have settled on an IBM Space Saver Model M.
@John:
I use the numeric keypad all the time. I hate reaching up to hit the numbers, actually.
I'm still waiting for a company to finally release a true ergo-gaming keyboard....
would be nice if the prices are actually listed...
Gaming keyboards for me, so the Sidewinder6 is the only thing of interst here. Some great ideas, but the fact is that many games, particularly MMOs where you would use macros and extra buttons the most, allow you to assign macros to any keystroke; that means the ability to do macros in the keyboard is less important (but far from unimportant!). What I want are more keys, bottom line.
Logitech just went through that process; they decided to make their G15 with 6 extra keys and replace the 18-key one, because people complained about the extra width of the board. An avalanche of complaints about the reduction in keys meant they are keeping the 18-keyboard though; while some have limited keyboard space, most of us MMO types who use gaming keyboards want the extra keys.
So, great effort Microsoft, but won't replace the Logitech G15 for my next keyboard. If you put more extra keys on though, make that part of the detachable unit rather than the number pad, now there you'd be talking something I'd be interested in!
gahhh .... you lie ... it's RF 2.4ghz not bluetooth - which is highly annoying as I just ordered 2 on the strength of them being bluetooth ... unless the logistech site is lying which I doubt, but hope
If you want a real illuminated keyboard, the Deck Backlit keyboard is it. Costs more than the ones in the review but it makes them all look vastly inferior in comparison. If you spend a lot of time on the computer, might as well have the best keyboard experience to go along with it. I have two and wouldn't use anything else for my personal computers. No extra "frills" keys, standard size keyboard that's friendly on the eyes (no squinting to see the lighted keys clearly) and hands to use. No software needed, comes in different LED colors (keyboard is black) and in either USB or PS/2. This keyboard is not a cheap mainstream keyboard like all the ones chosen for the review. If you're not cheap and mainstream and want the best, get the Deck.
I cannot for my life recommend this KB, even though I've had it for two years. I need to disassemble it to fix some circuits since the on-off-light keeps fluttering after a bump. HOW DO YOU OPEN THIS THING?! If it's impervious to penetration then Logitech have lost me, and quite a few other customers for life.