Logitech G19 Gaming Keyboard Review

Logitech has targeted the hardcore gamer with its G-series of gamer-centric keyboards. The G19 Gaming Keyboard is its most ambitious-- and most expensive-- keyboard yet, boasting a 2 inch LCD screen built into the keyboard and a suggested retail price tag of nearly $200. Is this keyboard worth the price? Read on to find out.

The Logitech G19 gaming keyboard is very comfortable to use, even as a normal keyboard device. There is a satisfying tactile response to using the keyboard that is fairly quiet. The keys feel responsive without clattering and feeling clunky like other standard keyboards.

Loaded with lots of built in features, the most welcome (if not the most flashy) is that the G19 comes with its own two powered USB 2.0 ports. They are conveniently located for easy reach without getting in the way. The USB ports would be great for plugging in a USB mouse or recharging your mp3 player. The ports are a great way to add another 2 USB ports to your system without having to worry about getting a "USB power exceeded" error message. However, the drawback to the built-in powered USB hub is that the G19 needs its own supplemental power source. Unfortunately, the AC power adapter is bulky and not suited to power strips that run vertically. You can remove the AC adapter connection and use the keyboard without plugging in the external power supply, but that means that the LCD screen, programmed macros and then USB hub won't work.

Moving from general use to the more gamer-centric features, the G19 keyboard has an easy to activate "Gaming Mode" switch. When activated, it prevents the Contextual Menu and the Windows keys from activating. Anyone who's played a FPS and hit the Windows key by mistake only to get fragged by an opponent when the game window was minimized will appreciate this feature. Speaking of the FPS player, the G19 features an ability that will be welcome to many hardcore FPS players: the ability to press up to six keys at once. This prevents the bane of hardcore FPS players that primarily use the keyboard for navigation and macros-- other keyboards top out at five, or add in an extra key press called "the ghost key" if you try to press more than 2 keys at once.

Speaking of macros, the ability to record custom sequences of keystrokes and play them back flawlessly is the Logitech G19's biggest selling points. The G19 includes a program called a Key Profiler that scans your computer to see what games you have installed and then sets up macros that cover weapons,movement,spells and so on. This gives you the ease of use of macros without having to set up your own if you don't want to. However, if you want to create your own macros, the g19 comes with its own program called the Macro Manager that makes creating your own macros a snap. You can record a sequence of keystrokes, then add in your own timed delays. What's even more useful is that the G19 will let you include the scroll of the MWheel Up or the right click of the Mouse2 button. The best part is that the G19 has no limit to the amount of keystrokes you can program into your macros.

The most noticeable and most talked about feature of the Logitech G19 gaming keyboard is the built-in LCD display. The LCD display is full color, and includes a few applications for the LCD that come standard: a clock, RAM monitor, a display for iTunes or WinAmp, a movie player, picture slide show viewer, YouTube player, and even an email checker. All of the LCD screen applications are easy to see, easy to read, and well-suited for an external display. However, picture scaling in the slide show can make pictures look weirdly squashed and the Media Display's volume controls won't appear unless you are using iTunes. The video playback on this small screen is crisp and smooth.

One major drawback of the G19 gaming keyboard if you have an Asus motherboard is that it will cause your computer to freeze during start-up at the "Initializing USB Controllers", as happened to me. This means you will need to use a different keyboard to access the BIOS, and then wait until Windows loads before plugging in the G19. This is a known bug, but forewarned is forearmed.

If you are a hardcore PC gamer, then the Logitech's G19 gaming keyboard is the keyboard for you. Easy to use macro programming, powerful macro options, and the sharpest external keyboard display on the market are certainly attention-grabbing. When you add in 2 powered USB 2.0 ports and the ability the set your own custom color back-lighting for the keys, you have a serious contender for keyboard of the year. While it does have a high MSRP, if you have the money to spare and are a hardcore gamer, the Logitech G19 is a must have.

Source:
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards/keyboard/devices/4956