PC keyboard technology has remained pretty much the same in its 30-year existance, so why is it that there are scores of new models coming out every year? I personally have gone through the rise and fall of the first IBM “tank” keyboards, quiet keyboards, ergonomic keyboards, media keyboards, and the latest gaming keyboards.
What is is about a gaming keyboard that makes it stand out from any old “generic” QWERTY panel? Razer thinks they have the answer, as they have released the latest elite gaming keyboard, the Razer Lycossa.
We previously had a brief hands-on look at the Lycossa when it debuted at the World Cyber Games 2007 in Seattle. Since we only got to play with it for a few minutes, we decided to take a more in-depth look at what makes gamers drool when they play with this gaming peripheral.
With an awesome host of features, the Razer Lycosa is on an unstoppable mission to destroy and dominate.
Execute complex combat maneuvers with swift dexterity. Launch your assaults timed to perfection. Annihilate your enemies and reign supreme on the battlefield. You now have the tactical advantage on every terrain, and your enemies’ fates are in your hands.
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Features
- Keytop with non-slip rubber finish
- Backlight illumination with WASD cluster lighting option
- Fully-programmable keys with macro capability
- Gaming cluster with anti-ghosting capability
- Slim keycap structure with Hyperesponse™ technology
- TouchPanel™ easy access media keys
- Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key
- 10 customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
- 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response time
- Earphone-out and microphone-in jacks
- Detachable wrist rest
- One integrated USB extension port
- Approximate size:
469mm (length) x 168mm (width) x 15mm (height) – without wrist rest
469mm (length) x 221mm (width) x 15mm (height) – with wrist rest
System Requirements
Windows® XP / x64 / Vista / Vista64
PC with built-in USB ports
CD-ROM drive (for drivers)
At least 35MB of hard disk space (for drivers)
The keyboard comes in a nice black box with a description and other marketing fluff. When you open they box, you are met with a square packet that includes the keyboard’s manual and driver CD, a manual, and some Razer stickers. Below this cardboard flap is the keyboard itself and cable, all tucked in neatly.
At first, the keyboard appears rather featureless, and the keys have no lettering at all (more on this later). An unusually thick cable comes from the rear of the keyboard, which splits out into two USB plugs (one for the keyboard, and one for the pass-thru port), a green headphone jack and pink microphone jack. I would prefer to see only one USB cable, but I can uderstand why Razer uses a seperate lead for the on-board port. They keyboard’s USB rate can be set to 1000Hz, and most mice do not operate at this level, so if a mouse were attached to the same port then it could wreak havoc (and not in the good way).
When the keyboard USB port is plugged in, the keyboard’s lettering becomes visible as the blue backlights fade in. They lights aren’t very bright, which can be good news or bad news depending on your preferences, and there is no way to adjust their color or brightness (as the Ideazon Merc Stealth does). On one hand, you don’t want bright lights distracting you while you game. On the other hand, most PC strategy games use complex key combinations, and even touch-typists will have to look down to see the key they need to hit…
The top right of the keyboard has a neat little Media Control touchpad. Don’t worry, the “Scroll Lock” “Caps Lock” and “Num Lock” indicators are still there, with stylish blue LEDs. The lightest touch of your finger will allow you to perform standard media controls (Play, Pause, Stop, Skip, Voume, etc.). There is also a “light” button which allows you to toggle the mode of the keyboard’s backlight. You can toggle between Full (all keys backlit – a feature not present on Razer’s Tarantula), WASD (only the WASD keys are backlit), or Off. When in WASD mode, the keys are noticably brighter, which makes me wish that the brightness could be adjusted for the entire keyboard.
All keys have a nice rubbery feel, but they feel somewhat slick for being rubberized. The keys are also very low profile, much like they keys on a typical laptop. This does reduce the distance your fingers have to travel, but it does take getting used to. The wrist rest is comfortable (for a non-ergonomic keyboard), but does seem to induce sweating with prolonged use. The base of the keyboard is also made of shiny acrylic, which picks up fingerprints (which isn’t good for a product meant to be handled by your hands).
The integrated headphone, microphone and USB port will certainly make gamers happy. Many headsets to not have very long cords, which can make reaching the back of your PC uncomfortable. Now you can plug your mouse and headset right into the keyboard’s passthrough plugs.
The USB port is not seen as a hub… it’s just a straight-through extension. The USB port is not powered, so high-powered devices (like CoolIT’s beverage chiller) aren’t meant to be used, but it does make for a convenient spot to insert a USB flash drive. Even if you use a wireless gaming mouse such as Logitech’s MX Revolution (read Daniel’s rant about it), you will certainly get less interferance by having the receiver close by.
The Lycosa has no dedicated buttons for macro hosting, so all of your macros must be created ahead-of-time using the included software. The keyboard has a smaller footprint because of these missing keys, but gamers may prefer direct access to their macros.
The Lycosa keyboard uses 1000Hz Ultrapolling technology to help reduce lag, and you can hold down 3 keys simultaneously without any buffer problems. Only the most furious FPS gamers will even come close to needing this, so if you consider yourself an elite gamer, then by all means pick up the Razer Lycosa.
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