Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard 

In the Gaming market today the best gaming keyboard to be found is the Logitech G13.

Competing products such as the Belkin Npstromo Speedpad N52 and the Satek Pro Gamer Command Unit are improved on by the G13 making it fun to use.

If your game playing habits involve multiplayer online games and first-person shooter then the $79.99 cost will be well justified.

The G13 features 22 programmable "G" keys along with a programmable thumb joystick and buttons. Multiply that by the three separate memory modes and you have 84 programmable keys to play with. Each memory mode has assignable backlighting where you can choose red, blue, or green where this will help you keep track of which mode you're in.

The unit features a backlit LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) that has the following functions:

1.       Clock

2.       Performance meter

3.       RSS reader

4.       Secondary game display when playing compatible games.

When using the C13 to play Crysis Warhead, the LCD will give you comprehensive information displaying ammunition, weapons, suit mode, and more.

For portable gaming situations you can store customized profiles in the G13's built-in memory.

Each programmable key is labeled with Logitech's standard "G" key label, from G1 through G22. If you use the G13 mapped as a standard keyboard layout, these labels can take a little while to get used to. Fortunately, small indentations in the default WASD keys (arrow keys) help you locate them easily.

There will be a learning curve getting used to the new key labels, but this will be compensated by Logitech's keyboard's design which will make gaming with the G13 feel like second nature. The built-in wrist guard angles upward and the keys angle downward, which takes the stress off your hand and gives your fingers the feeling of floating over the keys. The first-person-shooter (FPS) sessions on the G13 is designed to offer comfort in the gaming experience.

This gameboard  has a great feature of having a programmable thumb joystick, which, by default, mimics the WASD keys. Using the thumbstick to move around will prove to be far more comfortable than holding down the "W" key for extended periods of time. The joystick can be programmed to perform any other keystrokes or macros, allowing important game functions to be performed with the flick of the thumb. On a regular keyboard, the thumb is usually dormant, waiting for the rare opportunity to activate a jump by hitting the spacebar, but the G13 keeps players thumb more active. The G13 will work equally well for right- and left-handed gamers.

The G13 comes with Logitech's excellent Key Profiler software, which makes reprogramming keys or assigning macros as easy as clicking a button and then recording the keystokes. Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) players will find this feature especially useful. Rather than using several keystrokes to, say, throw a fireball and then heal their party, MMORPG players can assign those actions to one single key on the G13.

The Logitech G13 offers outstanding features and is a very well-designed device. The unit is comfortable to use for extended gaming periods. If you put in a lot of time with shooter and MMORPG games, the G13 is worth the investment.