Home > Consumer Reviews > G11 Keyboard USB / UK layout

I bought this keyboard to replace my saitek Eclipse II which died after 10 months of use. First thing I noticed that it was a little bigger that my previous keyboard, obvious really as it does have an extra row of keys. It also glows a little brighter.

The "G Keys" are simple and easy to setup (simply press the keys you want it to simulate) though I doubt you'll ever have much need for more than 10 of them.

The volume control dial (Soooo much nicer to use than the Saiteks buttons) feels a little flimsy, but three months of me poking it constantly haven't broken it so I guess it's good enough!

The two USB ports on the keyboard are unpowered and not USB 2.0 speed. Still good for pluggin memory sticks into as they are easy to access!

I had planned on buying this keyboard but Christmas came around before I ordered and my better half included it as one of my Christmas presents.

In use, it is an excellent keyboard, providing a comfortable and fairly natural "feel" although the travel on key press is fairly deep; this isn't a criticism, merely an observation and probably most noticeable if you are moving from a keyboard with a shorter return spring - I previously used the "Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard 6000 v2.0"

The software appears stable (under Vista Home Premium SP1)and provides all the options you are likely to need to take advantage of the extra macro keys in almost any situation. Although intended for gaming, applications can also take advantage of the extra keys.

My only negative observation relates to the inbuilt 2 port USB hub. Although a very nice idea, Logitech have chosen to opt for a USB 1 implementation; this is madness since almost all modern USB devices take advantage of the increased data rate and higher current offered by the USB 2 standard. The inclusion of an external power supply would have overcome this problem; the difference in hardware between USB 1 and 2 isn't expensive. I'm confident Logitech could have absorbed or recouped the extra cost with a negligible impact on the RRP.

Taking all aspects into account, I have no hesitation in recommending the G11.

I'll start with the good things about the G11; I had no problems with the software under Windows XP x64 SP2 after a couple of months of use. The blue lights not only look cool, but make it easier to type in dimmer light, and the keys are still perfectly usable with the lights disabled. I quite like the volume control and the gaming switch to disable the windows key. There are also more macro keys and options than I know what to do with. The ability to record macros on the fly is also potentially very useful. Overall the keyboard has a study construction and nice design. Importantly, it also feels comfortable to type on.

On the negative side however, the USB sockets are only USB 1.0, and hence using a memory stick with them is not as fast as it could be. The keyboard is also very wide and it took me some getting used to having extra keys on the left. The next track button felt a bit dodgy, but still seemed to work, though I suspect that just me on my keyboard. Thankfully I don't tend to press the media buttons very often. Did I mention the USB sockets don't support USB 2.0?

Well worth the money in my opinion.

For the price this keyboard is fantastic. Its very comfortable to use for long periods of time and the backlights are a brilliant idea when playing games- or even just typing in the dark! The macro keys are also very useful and the software that comes with the board is very easy to use, easily allowing you to quickly assign keys a function. You can also record macros while in game with the simple press of a key.
All in all a very good keyboard!

"Aha," You might say, "A poor mans G15."

And I might say "Your going to waste £20 on a tiny LCD screen when you have a giant one in front of you? Go spend the cash on a game!"

This keyboard is a very nice bit of kit. Looks cool, has light up keys, is solid and can record 54 different complex macros. Woo!

Typing feels completely natural, it has a little switch to disable the windows button (Which is infinitely handy, pressing it during a game and bringing up the desktop is infinitely annoying) as well as media controls, a mute button and a control for the backlight.

However, there are 2 problems
a) The wrist rest feels like it's been cut out of a dustbin. The actual keyboard feels fine, but the rest is made out of some really cheap plastic. Bad Logitech!
b)The USB ports on the keyboard seem like a really good idea. However, they don't have enough power in them to handle a memroy stick. So what, Logitech, is the pont in them?

So, go forth and buy this board, and laugh at people with the G15, they wasted they're cash, mock them!