Marco's RTG : keyboard

Rocking Out With The i-Rocks KR-6230 Compact Keyboard

Marco C — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:56:00 GMT

I am happy to report, that since the initial publishing of my "Mechanical Key Switch Keyboards Demystified" post, a number of the more obscure 'boards I mentioned in the piece have been made available right here in the good ol' U.S. of A, eliminating the need to import products like the Filco Majestouch, HHKB Pro, or the Topre Realforce. In addition to the newfound availability of the aforementioned products though, a handful of other companies have begun offering mechanical key switch keyboards in the US as well, like Gigabyte and i-Rocks for example.

I was recently given the opportunity to evaluate the i-Rocks KR-6230 Compact Mechanical Switch Keyboard, which is readily available at NewEgg for about a $100, and have to say that it is one heck of a nice product if you can live with some of its unique qualities.

The i-Rocks KR-6230 is built around the popular Cherry MX Brown mechanical key switch (tactile, non-clicky--and my favorite). And the switches are mounted to a heavy metal internal plate, which means there is virtually no flex in the board. The additional weight afforded by the metal plate compliments the rubber feet on the bottom of the board too--this puppy stays put when positioned on a flat surface. The i-Rocks KR-6230 also supports 16-key rollover over USB, which actually works, making the board well suited to gamers. And it didn't suffer from any key transposition issues when typing at high-speeds, like some other boards that supposedly support 16-key rollover with USB.

Other features of the i-Rocks KR-6230 include an integrated USB 2.0 hub, with two ports situated on the back of the board, and bright, blue indicator LEDs that are integrated into their specific keys--caps lock, scroll lock, and num lock. The integrated LEDs look very good in my opinion, and certainly add to the appeal of the board.

What really makes the i-Rocks KR-6230 stand out, however, is its overall layout. The keyboard has no Windows keys at all--which is something many gamers like, but not me. It also has an oversized left control key and a compact form factor. To accommodate the compact form factor, i-Rocks moved the Delete, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause keys to the upper right of the board, where the status indicator LEDs typically reside, eliminated the Page Up / Page Down block of keys, and integrated the arrow keys into the lower-right group of keys in a manner similar to many notebooks. Finally, the numeric keypad was shifted to the left. The end result is a keyboard that is about 2.5" to 3.5" thinner in width than most standard keyboards.

Other changes to the key layout include an oversized "L"-shaped enter key, and shrunken backspace and backslash keys. I would have preferred the more common rectangular enter key and full sized backspace keys typical of US keyboards myself, but getting used to the KR-6230's layout took no time at all.

Typing on the i-Rocks KR-6230 proved to be very pleasurable. The keys require a light touch thanks to the Cherry Brown switches, they provide a light, subdued tactile bump, and they make no noise, except when bottomed out. The space bar seemed to be the only key that was creaky, but it broke in over time. The KR-6230's keycaps also have a distinct texture that's held up well over the last few weeks, even though I've spent way more time that I should have killing zombies in L4D with this thing. There was no noticeable "shine" to the keys, which was a good sign as to their long term durability.

If you can live with its funky key placement and layout, the i-Rocks KR-6230 is a very nice, compact mechanical key switch keyboard. Its Cherry Brown switches are excellent, the pseudo-n-key rollover function works well, the board looks good, and it's built to last. I'd recommend checking it out if you're in the market for a quality, compact keyboard.

Gigabyte Offers Up Some Input--Devices That Is

Marco C — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:05:00 GMT

Regular readers of my blog know that I've got a somewhat unhealthy obsession with input devices; more specifically keyboards. I've spent the better part of the last few months experimenting with some of the most expensive mechanical key-switch keyboards currently in production. So, when Gigabyte offered up an affordable multimedia keyboard--the GK-K6800--based on membrane switches, I approached the product with some trepidation. Taking its affordable nature and less desirable switch mechanism into consideration, however, in turns out the Gigabyte GK-K6800 is a decent product.

Gigabyte GK-K6800 Multimedia Keyboard

The GK-K6800 has firm feeling keys, which make the keyboard feel more expensive than it actually is. The keycaps are also textured and laser-engraved for long-term durability. There are 14 multimedia buttons, which control media player, launch common applications, etc., situated around the perimeter of the keyboard's glossy black edges, and a brushed volume wheel rests at the upper-right corner. Blue indicator LEDs on the GK-K6800 are nice and bright, but light from LEDs does bleed over into adjacent indicators. When caps-lock is enabled, for example, blue light floods though the scroll-lock indicator.

While testing, I found the GK-K6800 to offer 4- or 5-key rollover depending on the key combination over its USB connection, and it didn't suffer from any scan rate key transposition issues. The L-shaped enter and smaller backspace keys may take some getting used to, however, if you're already accustomed to typical 104-key keyboards with an ANSI layout. For around $20 though, it's really not a bad board if you can live with the layout.

Gigabyte GM-M8000 7-Button Gaming Mouse

In addition to the GK-K6800 keyboard, Gigabyte also sent over one of their GM-M8000 7-button gaming mice. While the GM-M8000 is relatively affordable at about $50, this mouse is anything but budget. It offers a 4000 DPI resolution, with on the fly switching, courtesy of a High-performance AVAGO 6090 Laser sensor. The mouse also sports an 8KB buffer to support its "GHOST Engine", a scroll wheel with 24 individual click positions, 5 programmable buttons, "Ultra-Durable" Teflon feet, a braided USB cable, and a weight system with up to 38 grams of metal weights.

Gaming with the GM-M8000 proved to be an absolute pleasure. Sensitivity, reaction time, and accuracy are very good. The mouse just worked on every surface I tried. And it fit my large hand very well. About the only complain I have with the GM-M8000 is that its finish wears rather easily and the mouse buttons get that shiny-plastic look. For under fifty bucks though, this is one heck of a gaming mouse.

Always Looking For Input...

Marco C — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:12:00 GMT

Everyone that has dared enter my office / lab over the last couple of years has noticed that I burn through input devices like Joey Chestnut through a pile of Nathan's Hot Dogs on the Fourth of July. It is not because I am particularly hard on them, it's just that I have a bit of OCD and can't (or don't want to) tolerate imperfections, whether they be aesthetic or performance related. Being the true geek that I am, I also like to experiment with the latest and greatest mice and keyboards, so needless to say Microsoft, Logitech, and Razer have all gotten their fair share of my disposable income.

Over the past year and a half or so, I have had three or four different mice installed on my personal machine, and six different keyboards. The wireless devices in this group were all retired fairly quickly--I can't stand keyboard lag and hate fighting with a cordless mouse that goes to "sleep" too quickly, especially when doing fine work, like trying to select a single pixel in a high-res image in Photoshop for example. Annoying!

Up to this point, my favorite keyboard has been a Unicomp Customizer. The Customizer is a vintage looking clicky buckling-spring keyboard that's built like the old IBM model M of days past. The Customizer was great to work with, but the loud, clicky keys were somewhat annoying to those around me, so it was relegated to one of my test platforms, which doesn't get nearly as much use daily. I also liked my Razer Tarantula, but wasn't too fond of its key feel--the keys always felt a little mushy to me. And Logitech's Wave and Microsoft's Comfort Curve were OK too, but they just didn't quite hit the mark.

Then recently I was given the opportunity to try a couple of keyboards from Enermax. Many of you probably know Enermax for their popular line of power supplies, but they also make a myriad of PC accessories and peripherals. I specifically had a chance to try their Aurora Premium and Caesar keyboards. What make these keyboards standout from many others is their diamond cut, brushed and anodized aluminum construction, with scissor key switches, and pseudo-notebook style keys. The aluminum construction of the Caesar and Aurora give them a very sturdy feel and also make them heavy enough to stay put when gaming or typing (think ~3lbs.). The scissor style key switches, which reside under a rubber membrane, give the keys a decent feel and provide enough of an audible report to make users realize they have actually pressed a key. The shorter, notebook-like keys took some getting used to, but as someone who switches between a desktop and notebook constantly, I found the keys easier to get re-acclimated to after road trips or extended sessions with my notebook. Other useful features of these Enermax keyboard are their built in USB 2.0 hubs, USB audio controllers for the headphone and microphone jacks, and three height adjustable stands. And the Caesar also has 10 media keys that have come in handy under Windows Vista.

So far, the only drawbacks to the Enermax Aurora and Caesar keyboards have been their small backspace and backslash keys and oversized enter keys, and the quality of the finish on each key. These keyboards mimic older keyboard layouts that had jumbo, backwards L-shaped enter keys, which definitely took some getting used to. And the finish on the keys as already begin getting shiny from use, which is somewhat disappointing considering they are only a couple of weeks old. Ultimately though, at least for me, the positives outweigh the negatives, so I don't foresee a keyboard update anytime soon. If, however, Enermax refreshes these units with a new layout that features a standard enter key, and the keys get treated to an anti-shine coating ala HP's 2133 Mini-Note, I'll be all over 'em.