gaming keyboards?

[Hicks12]

Any recommendations? Trying to keep budget low but keep seeing good ones like the saitek eclipse 3, looking for one with backlight(preferably!), some keys for like music etc and just a reliable but quiet key pressing. Max for budget id say is £45 but cheaper better!

Thanks.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I have the Logitech G11 and it is an excellent keyboard for gaming and general use.

[new boy]

i bought an everglide DKTboard

http://www.everglide.com/index.php?o...d=60&Itemid=47

the main reason being that i wanted to fit a big gaming matt on my little desk, and this is the nicest keyboard that'll fit in that space. tbh it takes a bt of getting used to cos of the size (ur hit # at the end of every sentance for weeks ) and as im from the uk some of the keys are wrong. but it was defo worth it for the matt IMO. if u got lots of space then get summi else lol

[Jasp]

£49.99 will get you a logitech G15 which iv'e heard very good things about. http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/351887.../Product.html#

[Hicks12]

Not a huge fan of the g15 as its just a screen however the saitek cyborg just looks so good, in a strange way just because it shows like its a "gaming" device unlike some. The eclipse looks like the cyborg just with a much small and neater design so its a tough decision, how good as the razer ones? i dont see any backlights, am i right?.

[sammorris]

Preferably not. I find all gaming keyboards pretty poor for typing compared to £5 standard keyboards. This goes for Saitek, Logitech, Razer, none of them have the build quality to match the cheap standard keyboards you get free with PCs etc. They're only really useful if you like the little display or macro and/or backlit keys. I currently use a Razer Tarantula which is alright, but no backlight means you have to buy an add-on LED light which is rather mediocre, and the keys sometimes double-press. However, it is infinitely better than a Saitek Cyborg, which is basically luck as to whether the keys recognise being pressed or not. Classic case of form over function, to the extreme.

[Hicks12]

Well currently i have a microsoft ergonomic 4000, been great for about a year or so now but im wanting something a bit better for gaming, so far after reading reviews im not looking at the cyborg anymore, im starting to like the saitek eclipse 3 though and all reviews seem to make it sound so good. Any more suggestions? Preferably cheaper=better as ive just found the saitek eclipse for £36 @scan so its goto be better for around the same price really.

[adam1701]

I have a saitek eclipse keyboard. Not really much of a gaming keyboard even though it comes inder gaming. But I love it, if I ever broke this one I would not hesitate to buy another. Has backlights. Solid Blue, less bright blue then off etc.. Nicest keyboard ive used, have had a G15 before and would not really rate them for the price.

[Hicks12]

what eclipse do you have? 1/2 or 3? As they vary alot but the name itself has generally been seen as quality judging by reviews.

[Blaineoliver]

Eclipse II is brilliant, i have it, Eclipse III manages to fix the problem of uneven lighting for reference.

[sammorris]

I also have an Eclipse II, which is much better than the more expensive Cyborg (and the Eclipse III seems to suffer the same problems) - only issue with them is they're quite easily damaged taking them to and fro LAN parties. Look after them though and they're pretty decent, assuming you don't mind very soft, mushy keys.

[Zak33]

I've got an Eclipse 2 and i'ts nice, but it's not amazing.

So I also use a Wolf King... the round one. I even have a spare incase it ever breaks, because it is the dog's knackers. It has helped me to play 1st Person shooters a huge amount. And it can stay plugged in while the normal keyboard is in too.. it just slides down the side of my PC, when not it use. Soon as I fire up a game, I slide the eclipse to the monitor (for typing messages etc in game) and put the WolfKing to my left, the mouse mat comes a bit towards me to the right.. and we're off.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Wolf-...oard-USB-White

It's under £15 inc vat

and although I have a black one, I have the spare in white and it's easier to see in half dark, so I'll be changing over.

[adam1701]

I have eclipse 2 i also think its brilliant. I have not had a problem with it getting damaged :S I spilt a whole mug of tea over mine, stopped working thought that was then end of that, left it in airing cupboard for couple of days plugged it back in and has been working fine ever scince ! Highly recommended

[Hicks12]

Looked at the g11 and it does seem alot better than i remembered it, however i cant find it for anything less than £44 and the g15 is about that price, anyone know where to get the g11 for cheap?. Now the choice is between the g11 and eclipse lol.

[Hicks12]

Oh god this is annoying now, found some new keyboards and now the list seems to be:

OCZ Illuminati Multimedia Backlit Keyboard(£32)
Microsoft sidewinder x6(£38 on scan)
Saitek eclipse 3 (£37)

So whose seem the OCZ and sidewinder?

[sammorris]

I use in-game text chat a lot, and as such prefer to use a standard keyboard layout - I do have two keyboards plugged in at once currently, simply as my other PC isn't hooked up as I need to buy a switch.
The OCZ keyboard looks a little cheap (which wouldn't surprise me given OCZ as a whole), the eclipse 3 is alright, but why not just have an eclipse 2. As for Microsoft peripherals, some are good, some aren't. That's a bit of a risk.