I thought I would like the effect but in the end I prefer backlight bleed on floating switches. Unfortunately Logitech didn't make the letters on the keys very large so a lot of light is lost making it slightly harder to see.
Also I didn't like the feel of Romer-G "red" clones.
Even keycap lights can be distracting. When I turn them on for my keyboard, I have them at the lowest setting so I don't see the light unless I look at them. The lighting in the picture looks like it would be an eye-irritant.
"That was a double-edged knife, as I ended up actuating keys unintentionally, by simply resting my finger on the keypad."
As someone that has been resting my fingers on keys for 30 years, this would be my undoing! Not sure that I could change now. Impressive review though, I bet version 2.0 will be even better!
Actuation distance varying with humidity seems like a major issue outside of a climate controlled environment, especially combined with a non-tactile actuation you can never be sure where the actuation point is on any given day. While $150 is already a premium product, it really sounds like they need to add another dollar or two to the BOM to add a humidity sensor and use it to calibrate the sensor and stabilize the actuation point.
Agreed, but E. Fylladitakis is far from the only person whose chooses to suffer in a steam bath instead of buying an AC. And presumably they'd have the opposite problem in the winter when many furnaces end up dedicating inside air to the point that static shocks become an issue.
Logitech G105 here, I wish the light could go a wee bit brighter and have no use for the extra row of quick macros (whatever they are called) but the keyboard works well for me, I suppose the only negative is that because the way it is designed (light coming through key) is is nigh on impossible to use without them being lit up (if you need to look for a specific key)
Um, actually, these are not membrane keyboards, but rubber dome. The rubber dome is the, well dome part of the switch that provides the tactile feeling and return force. The membrane on other keyboards is the sheets below the rubber dome that has the contacts on them that touch when the switch is depressed. This keyboard and Topre are a slider over dome and replace the membrane with a capacitive sensing circuit. Where as something like a Model M is actually a membrane based keyboard, just with a buckling spring over the membrane instead of a rubber dome.
Also, the keycaps appear to be normal OEM profile in their height. So using other OEM keycaps should work just fine as far as being the same height. These just "look" lower profile in that they cut the bottom part of the keycaps off to let more light shine out from below. So mixing OEM keycaps might look funny as they won't let as much light shine underneath but it shouldn't affect actually typing on them. Some other keyboards have done the same thing with their keycaps. Or instead of cutting off the bottom, they use a translucent bottom to get the same effect without making the sides shorter.
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27 Comments
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ipkh - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
Why oh why can't we get a RGB keyboard that only illuminates the key caps. I don't need a nightlight, only key cap lights.SSTANIC - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
exactly.Jaxad0127 - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
Logitech's G line (gamer stuff) has them. https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/products/gaming-ke...DanNeely - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
You can frag harder with a nightlight though. :eyeroll:Diji1 - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
Anything using Logitech's Romer-G keys does this.I thought I would like the effect but in the end I prefer backlight bleed on floating switches. Unfortunately Logitech didn't make the letters on the keys very large so a lot of light is lost making it slightly harder to see.
Also I didn't like the feel of Romer-G "red" clones.
Diji1 - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
*I've owned a G Pro and another cheaper Logi keyboard with Romer-G keys.twtech - Thursday, September 27, 2018 - link
Even keycap lights can be distracting. When I turn them on for my keyboard, I have them at the lowest setting so I don't see the light unless I look at them. The lighting in the picture looks like it would be an eye-irritant.Findecanor - Thursday, October 11, 2018 - link
Keyboards with Flaretech switches have only little light-bleed. Wooting One and Two, Aorus K9nathanddrews - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
"That was a double-edged knife, as I ended up actuating keys unintentionally, by simply resting my finger on the keypad."As someone that has been resting my fingers on keys for 30 years, this would be my undoing! Not sure that I could change now. Impressive review though, I bet version 2.0 will be even better!
WorldWithoutMadness - Saturday, September 22, 2018 - link
Or it's best way to retrain yourself. Type more efficiently with less force. Relax harder!vanilla_gorilla - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
What do you mean a keyboard is "salty" ?wonderbread2 - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
I am salty about his misappropriation of my (gamur) cultural slang.wonderbread2 - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
(Nice review, always interested in topre like switches)Ryan Smith - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
Unpleasant in large quantities.wrkingclass_hero - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
During the course of testing it as his personal keyboard it was imbibed with a salty substance.DanNeely - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
Actuation distance varying with humidity seems like a major issue outside of a climate controlled environment, especially combined with a non-tactile actuation you can never be sure where the actuation point is on any given day. While $150 is already a premium product, it really sounds like they need to add another dollar or two to the BOM to add a humidity sensor and use it to calibrate the sensor and stabilize the actuation point.bug77 - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
That's true, but 70%+ humidity (like tested) is well into uncomfortable territory anyway.DanNeely - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
Agreed, but E. Fylladitakis is far from the only person whose chooses to suffer in a steam bath instead of buying an AC. And presumably they'd have the opposite problem in the winter when many furnaces end up dedicating inside air to the point that static shocks become an issue.FunBunny2 - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
"dedicating"or
desiccating
KAlmquist - Saturday, September 22, 2018 - link
Yes. I have air conditioning but don't keep the temperature and humidity the same all year round.pjcamp - Friday, September 21, 2018 - link
The retail price is salty?JohnnyBravissimo - Saturday, September 22, 2018 - link
In some languages, e.g. in German, "salty prices" (gesalzene Preise) means "steep prices". It's probably just a mistranslation.alif619 - Saturday, September 22, 2018 - link
This is somewhat okay, not that exciting .Cliff34 - Sunday, September 23, 2018 - link
The retail price of the Pilot K70E is salty - what does this mean?ados_cz - Monday, September 24, 2018 - link
No volume control wheel - no deal :-)Dragonstongue - Monday, September 24, 2018 - link
Logitech G105 here, I wish the light could go a wee bit brighter and have no use for the extra row of quick macros (whatever they are called) but the keyboard works well for me, I suppose the only negative is that because the way it is designed (light coming through key) is is nigh on impossible to use without them being lit up (if you need to look for a specific key)BillyBuerger - Wednesday, September 26, 2018 - link
Um, actually, these are not membrane keyboards, but rubber dome. The rubber dome is the, well dome part of the switch that provides the tactile feeling and return force. The membrane on other keyboards is the sheets below the rubber dome that has the contacts on them that touch when the switch is depressed. This keyboard and Topre are a slider over dome and replace the membrane with a capacitive sensing circuit. Where as something like a Model M is actually a membrane based keyboard, just with a buckling spring over the membrane instead of a rubber dome.Also, the keycaps appear to be normal OEM profile in their height. So using other OEM keycaps should work just fine as far as being the same height. These just "look" lower profile in that they cut the bottom part of the keycaps off to let more light shine out from below. So mixing OEM keycaps might look funny as they won't let as much light shine underneath but it shouldn't affect actually typing on them. Some other keyboards have done the same thing with their keycaps. Or instead of cutting off the bottom, they use a translucent bottom to get the same effect without making the sides shorter.