Logitech G15 V2 review

[A10]

Back again for another G15 review. This time I look at the new and improved G15 Keyboard

Sitting along with one it's buddies on the bottom of shelf at Bestbuy it screamed buy me Steve buy me I'm a hundred dollars, but I'm worth every penny. Well I do have a weak spot for this sort of stuff I suppose, but don't call me an impulse shopper. I did however have a genuine excuse and it's the old version was very large put a fin on the bottom and it's a surf board.

First impressions

The packaging is standard fare Logitech with a feature list, glitzy product images, and a place to open it good enough for myself. I will however make note that while the box was a great deal smaller than the previous version its weight seemed to be about the same which to me is good don't want that sucker sliding around.

It's Halloween!!

While most won't agree with Logitech going with orange i find it very pleasing to the eye. The effect isn't in your eyes it's subtle. When I first turned my machine on with the keyboard plugged in the first thing that caught my eye was the blood red indicators for the caps lock, num lock, and scroll look it?s eye catching to say least. Blue is nice, but it's overdone these days it's very refreshing that a different color was choosen for the keyboard.

The obvious thing most people will notice is the board is much smaller about 1 1/2 smaller from my guestimations. The width decrease comes at a cost though the "g keys" take a serious hit down to just six physical keys. I guess the reasoning is that with some tricky key combinations you can make it seems as though their are still fifteen of them still there.

Round is out and angular is in the G15 Keyboard features larger buttons for the mute, backlight, and windows key disabler. The buttons themselves now seem to walk slightly in their sockets, but it doesn't do anything to detract from the usage of them they work just fine. While on the subject of buttons the key themselves remain largely untouched the only difference visually is the use of the round Windows flag. The touch of the keys remains the same for touch typists or other users a laptop style key would probably be better than this. The key travel and feel still feel good a bit mushy at times, but it suits my typing style.

I was in the pool!!!b>

Good or bad the LCD is smaller than before, but with its shrinkage it also to me looks more crisper the text is easier to read it's either the module itself or the backlight color choice. Surrounding the LCD are the multimedia buttons play/pause, volume up and down, stop, and track forward & back these controls are all backlit as well. The controls for the LCD aren't much different you get a button to switch applets, and four buttons to control the applet.

The good the bad the slightly ugly b>

The thing some love to hate is the quality of Logitech's software and I'd have to agree somewhat. Although with version two they are at the very least working on fixing some of the concerns most had with version 1.00 through 1.04.

Some issues that i've run into already is something that I had before with my previous keyboard was the tendency for iTunes to crash the logitech media display plugin. The software does make recovering from crashes easier than unplugging or rebooting the Game Panel control panel applet allows you to start a plugin that either hasn't started or just crashed.

The problem I had in spades with my version one board was the blanking LCD I can happily say I have yet to experience it with my version two board.

The keyboard ships with version 2.00 of the Game panel software this appears to be version 2.00 not the previously released 2.01 beta by the Wingman team. The software itself looks exactly the same as 2.01 with the exception of the profiler showing image of a version two G15.

The software has come a long way, but it still needs to cook longer.

Some things to point out

-The two usb ports on the front are still USB 1.1 and complain if a device is sucking too much juice.

-The list of support games out of the box is still minute the G11 is still an attractive alternative because of this.

-Needs slightly more grippy feet it often slides in heated battles.

-Software still buggy, but is improving.

-Smaller in width

-Smaller, but easier to read LCD

-Cost right now it's 99.99 though I'm sure it will reach 79.99 or lower in a matter of months.

Link to the beta test of 2.01

http://www.wingmanteam.com/latest_software/beta_main.htm

Excuse the quality of some of the pictures jpeg compression is a real mother.

I will follow up some time with more pictures.

Edit 10/28After seeing my review posted on the front page I reworded some sentences as I felt I was rambling and talking like a 16yr old teenager. i>

Edited October 28, 2007 by A10

[Cloud Constructors]

Overall, do you recommend picking this up? Is it good for typing word processing documents?

[Prince Charming]

I can't give experience with the G15 MK2, but I own a G15 MK1, and have for over a year. It's an excellent keyboard for typing on, for word processing or anything. If the G15 MK2's keys are at all similar to the MK1's, and it seems by the review they are, then yes, certainly :)

[slickice11]

I definately reccomend picking up the G15, if you're looking for a good LCD app for it try out SirReal's, it has all the system monitoring info you could ask for and lets you use one of the LCD buttons to switch your speaker set up from 5.1 to 2.0 for swapping in headphones.

[NienorGT]

I'm not really sure if it's well a Version 2.

On the Logitech site, they call the old G15 "G15 Gaming Keyboard" and the new one is "G15 Keyboard".

The new one may look more slick and sexy (though the Amber color sucks, blue would have been WAY better) but it's less usable with less macro...

[Nashy]

I'm really hoping the rig I've ordered will be coming with this version.

[Smigit]

I think the keys would look nicer with green or blue backlight...the orange is a bit harsh and IMHO ghastly. Besides that it looks nice...although I think I'd lean towards the Dinovo range (despite the cost).

[Echilon]

Expensive for a keyboard, but it looks great.

Thanks for the review. (Y)

[A10]

I'm not really sure if it's well a Version 2.

On the Logitech site, they call the old G15 "G15 Gaming Keyboard" and the new one is "G15 Keyboard".

The new one may look more slick and sexy (though the Amber color sucks, blue would have been WAY better) but it's less usable with less macro...

Well for the sake of this review we'll call it version 2 not everyone could have spotted which one was which it's a nit picking detail.

Blue is nice a bit overdone these days, but yes I do find it more pleasing to my eye the orange looks good though I can live with it.

[wd40]

Here is a thread about this keyboard with several pics:

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=591930

[Budious]

I just got the old version this week from newegg. The keys have a great feel and I like the black/silver with blue back lighting look. The new version looks good but the red lighting just wouldn't match the rest of my setup.

[Raa]

I have a question.

Which is it : New, or improved? You can't have both :p

[Stokkolm]

Great review, if I ever get another desktop I'll definately pick up this keyboard. Right now I don't see the point of owning a desktop, since my laptop is pretty powerful.

[SMELTN]

great review A10. I have used the G15 since the first day they went public, and I love them, I currently have 3 of them, 1 at work, 2 at home.

I really love the new one though, and am thinking about getting one, although my current setup is ALL blue.

I have heard though, that you can download custom fonts' for the current G15 that make them look much more crisp, like the new version, but I have no idea where to look to find these.

As someone else already said, this is NOT a gaming keyboard, this is Logitech's version to appeal to non gamers, who want the screen, and looks, without all the G keys, the big size and flip down screen for travel.

[carmatic]

hmmm, im a gamer myself but im running out of desk space and im still using an old cheapo keyboard... decisions, decisions...

by the way i think it looks really nice in the pic, on the wooden table and under the incandescent lights , or thats what it looks like anyway... if you have your computer in your living room or if your bedroom has a warm lighting scheme, the orange-red hues should go pretty well

[A10]

hmmm, im a gamer myself but im running out of desk space and im still using an old cheapo keyboard... decisions, decisions...

by the way i think it looks really nice in the pic, on the wooden table and under the incandescent lights , or thats what it looks like anyway... if you have your computer in your living room or if your bedroom has a warm lighting scheme, the orange-red hues should go pretty well

Yeah it does go together nicely. We bought the house a year back the room used to be a large closet I converted it to a media room. The table in infact a computer desk I removed the table top bought two large oak planks from Lowes varnished it and it looks very nice. The lights are two 5inch recessed lights I might need to replace them with larger ones though I have both on a remote contol dimmer which is nice I can dim the lights to watch a movie and not have to get up.

[ahfunaki]

I like the new design way better than v1, but at the same time I wish they would have stayed with the blue backlight. That actually will be the thing that keeps me from picking this up...

[Stu-Dog]

Does anybody know where the hell i can buy this in Australia? I know I can buy from Logitech but it's like $150 AUD.

If only NewEgg shipped to Australia... Anyway, if anybody knowes a place let me know. Preferably around $100 AUD?

[HawkMan]

Does the new version properly light up the alt and shift functions of the numerical key row ?

The original version didn't light up the shift and alt symbols versy well ad stuff like the @ ad such would be practically invisible in the dark wich pretty much defeats the purpose. But at least I know where most of those fucntions are anyway :)

[Leddy]

I like blue better, since most of my electronics for my computer has blue lighting (receiver LCD, fans, status LEDs etc). My main gripe with the G15 v1 is that the key backlighting is too dim.

[A10]

As far as the keys being lit evenly the shift keys, etc.. are lit well. As far as brightness goes it's still dimmer at full brightness than my old saitek eclipse that thing could burn your eyes off.

[Demersynth]

I picked up the new G15 the other day and I love it :) I haven't tried the old G15 but this one does the job perfectly, to me it's the little things that make the difference. The light up keys for when I'm up late (which happens way more than it should), the media buttons (I know, that's on almost every keyboard out, but still...) the 2 USB ports behind the LCD screen (though they only seem to be USB 1.1?) and then the LCD screen is pretty cool. I like the idea of having less G buttons, the older one looked way to big. I'd recommend picking one up if you're a gamer and do not own a G15 already, but I think the older users would be happy with their current ones.

[AWCADDET]

Well I used to use a Saitek Eclipse 2, However that keyboard messed up, Some keys wouldnt work etc.... so I went and got me a G15 with some B-day money.

I have used this G15 (2007 version, V2) for around 2 months now, I love it, For those that think the new version isn't a gaming keyboard, well it is, It still has its G keys, just 12 (6 visable, but 3 different groups)

The backlighting is nice, especialy at night, makes you feel as if you're in the cabin of a plane.... Especially if you have a flight simulator up! :D

The keys are nice to type on, and as some users of the old had experienced, the paint would come of from the keys, well not on this :)

The LCD is a neat feature, however I am personaly to lazy to use it (set it up properly)

I personaly enjoy the orange, Works well with my G5 mouse and I now got an orange Walkman theme for my SE P910i and I am in the process of making a orange WindowsBlind theme for my machine :)

Great keyboard and it simply works...