Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 111
 Supernice! January 16, 2009
Popsicledeath (Boise, ID)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
After doing a lot of research I finally decided on this keyboard (instead of the G15 or a game pa). I'm used to just using 13 dollar microsoft keyboards, so it was a lot of money for 'just' a keyboard, but so worth it!
Just the keyboard alone, minus the programmable aspects, have been great. I love how it looks when lit up (which I've had no trouble with it seeming too dim), and when my computer is off it looks good too with it's dull black look instead of a shiny plastic like most keyboards.
I also love that it's a very economic design, and especially small for a programmable keyboard. One of my concerns was that some of the other programmable keybards simply seemed huge, and I felt like they were investing too much desk space both for normal computer use and especially for gaming where I have the bad habit of shoving the keyboard to the far left to use mostly the right side.
On that note, because I'm a 'goofy footed' gamer that doesn't use the standard wsad with my left hand for movement, this keyboard was exactly what I needed. Most of the programmable keyboards I saw had the 'special' keys on the far left side, which I can't easily reach when I play games. With this keyboard you can turn ANY key into a programmable macro and it has quick and easy profile switching (and even auto-switching when a program starts up). For me this was great because I was able to turn the insert-pgdwn block of six keys into programmabed macros for my online gaming. It even let me bind macros/programs to the print screen and pause/break keys, which most games don't let you bind actions to in game so they're wasted. As well, you can disable any (any) key on the keyboard that you want (again controllable via profile options), meaning you can disable the pesky windows start/control button that will crash a lot of games to desktop!
Typing on the keyboard is very comfortable too. I write a lot, so I was worried I'd have to effectively have two keyboards, one for gaming and one for writing, but I've found this keyboard to be very comfortable with standard typing (as opposed to my work computer that I'm on right now that the keyboard feels like a game of whack-a-mole to get words out). Sucks though, no going back to the cheapo MS keyboards now even for writing, this one is just too comfortable.
Also being able to plug my usb drive into the back of the keyboard is nice, and keeps me from forgetting it. Having a headphone/speaker jack right in the keyboard is sweet too istead of having to fumble around the base of my tower for the right hole (feeling like a virgin drunk on prom night!). I've never had any problems with the keyboard slipping either, which has been a problem in gaming with the cheaper keyboards I'd use previously.
Oh yeah, I was concerned about how hard it would be to 'program' keys being my first programmable keyboard. I can't compare it to any other keyboard, but it was very easy (no need to read instructions, yay!). It will take a few hours to fine tune 'programs' between the keyboard and game, but once you get the hang of it you won't know how you ever managed without a programmable keyboard for gaming!
Best Gaming Keyboard November 23, 2008
Thomas W. Meagher (Berkeley, CA)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I have had this keyboard for about 6 months now and I absolutely love it. I have looked at or tried the other gaming keyboards on the market and for me, this is by far the best. The only other keyboard that compares is the G15. Here is my criteria and how this keyboard meets them:
1. Backlit - The lighting on this keyboard is bright but not garish, and it has a nice WASD cluster, all key, or none lighting option. Unlike the Saitek, the keys are not clear with cheap paint on them. After a few months, all the paint had worn off my Saitek keys and you couldn't tell what was what. These keys are coated in a black rubber or poly and then laser cut to allow the light through in the proper place.
2. Standard Layout - There are a few decent keyboards out there with non-standard layouts. (Fatal1ty/Adesso I am looking at you) As I also do a lot of programming on this computer and use other computers at work, I needed a standard keyboard layout. No weird shaped keys, no misplaced buttons, need full number pad, home keys, etc.
3. Solid feel - Key action is awesome. This is my favorite keyboard to type on. The key action is not too deep, keys have good tactile feedback, and sensitivity is just about right. This keyboard feels well made from top to bottom.
4. Simple - I wanted a keyboard with only the features I absolutely needed. I did not want 17 different bells and whistles, heads up LED display, or any of the rest of it. To me, this is just more stuff to break or get in the way. Although I have some friends who like the Logitech G15, it does not appeal to me for this reason. The G15 is equivalent to a QVC Ultra-Brand-New-Super-Tool with 7 blades and 13 folding attachments not including the snap on Bread Slicer. This is more like a single, perfectly crafted and balanced blade, hand tempered by some Japanese master on a snowy hilltop.
An excellent keyboard January 15, 2009
K. Ye
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is my first gaming keyboard. Normally I just use a cheap $10 keyboard that came with my PC or my laptop's keyboard because I don't see what's the big difference between a gaming keyboard and a cheap one. I bought this keyboard not for gaming but rather because my desk elevation makes it uncomfortable for me to type on my laptop's keyboard.
As with other Razer products, the Lycosa looks gorgeous. It has a nice glossy black with rubber keys. Since I have never owned a gaming keyboard, I was a bit surprised to see that it needed 2 USB ports. One port is dedicated to the keyboard while the other port is for the keyboard's USB 1.1 port located on the right side. This USB port is mean't for your mouse not your Ipod/hard drive, etc. The keyboard also has an audio and microphone port for your gaming headset. The wrist rest is detachable provided you have a screwdriver. As for the size, it is about the size, it is not that big, probably slightly bigger than your Dell/Hp/$10 keyboard.
Typing, as many others have mentioned takes a while to get used to. The keys are flat and low like a laptop's but they have enough spring in them to make it feel like a regular keyboard. Once you get used to it,the Lycosa is a joy to type with. The keys are rubber coated, adding a bit of friction so that your fingers don't slip. They are also very quiet. I find the low keys to be good for gaming as it doesn't require as you can push down a key slightly faster than with a regular keyboard. The ant-ghosting feature also helps.
The Lycosa doesn't have much else. On the top right is a touch pad media center used to control your music player. Pressing on the Razer logo allows you to switch between presets. I haven't experimented much with Razer's software however so I don't know how that feels like. There is an option on the software to turn off the Windows key when gaming which is nice.
Of course, the Lycosa isn't perfect. The glossy finish and the rubber keys are fingerprint magnets. Within 10 mins of use, your fingerprints are all over the the keyboard, making the once attractive Lycosa look somewhat ugly. If you want the Lycosa to look constantly nice, it will require a lot of maintenance. Again, the Lycosa doesn't have much else in terms of functionality; For $80, it is quite expensive. Also be aware that buying a Razer product is like buying a lottery ticket. You occasionally might be a winner and get a defective product. I have bought Razer's gaming mice before and my Diamondback's right mouse button wasn't working for some reason. Fortunately if you do get a defective product, Razer's customer support is very friendly.
Some people complain about the LED backlighting. The LEDs are indeed dim and there is no way to adjust the brightness. If you don't know how to type, then look for another keyboard because it is nearly impossible to see the keys when the lights are off or when you looking at a 45 or below degree angle. Personally, I have no problem with the back lighting; I find the lighting perfect because it doesn't distract me when playing a game. The keyboard has three lighting options: on, off and WASD only. I keep it on all the time because it looks cool and blue lighting matches my Deathadder mouse.
Overall it is definitely worth your money to get a Lycosa, regardless of what you want to use it for. It is an excellent gaming keyboard and a joy to type with.
excellent with a minimal drawback October 24, 2008
Stephen H. Paulson Jr. (Jonesboro, GA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I purchased this product to replace a wireless logitech keyboard. I had a problem with the dropout while typing and gaming. Also I had a problem with the number of keys that could be pressed at one time with my logitech keyboard. This razer keyboard suffers from neither of those problems.
If you're looking for back-lit as a primary criteria, this is not very flexible. The lighting is adequate but you are unable to adjust the brightness. Turning off the back-lighting makes the key labels disappear entirely.
The media controls are a little unintuitive, but once you learn their locations they suffice. They are almost invisible when back-lighting is off.
The key feel is very comfortable to me, however as a student I use a laptop for much of my typing so I prefer the feel of a laptop's keys.
The notch where the wrist rest attaches makes the keyboard unusable without it. This also isn't a real problem as you should use it (i didn't before this keyboard) and the wrist rest feels comfortable.
The biggest drawback that I found is that it requires 2 usb ports to function. I have an old, cheap motherboard (that came with a barebones kit, i'd suggest splurging on a higher quality motherboard it'll help in the long run) that has only 4 usb ports. This keyboard takes up 2 of my precious usb slots. In today's usb heavy peripheral market this may mean that you need unplug a peripheral to plug in this keyboard. There is a usb slot on the keyboard itself, however it is not usb 2.0. The headphone and mic jacks on the keyboard are nice, but not useful in my setup.
If you have the usb ports to spare, i highly recommend this keyboard, if you're usb ports are at a premium, then you may want to shop a little longer.
in short, excellent feel, quality design, decent price.
Great Keyboard, Met And Exceeded Expectations July 2, 2009
Andrew M. Banta (Corydon, IN USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was a little wary purchasing this keyboard, as it had quite a few negative reviews. Fortunately, my experience has been great thus far!
Setup was a breeze; I just plugged it in and it worked without any drivers (nevertheless, I subsequently installed the CD drivers just to be safe). The keyboard has 2 USB cords, a 3.5mm audio, and mic cable to plug into your computer, but only the one USB is required. The other cables are only used to utilize the extra ports on the keyboard itself. I'd just recommend leaving those unplugged though (unless keyboard ports are personally a lot more convenient), as I imagine your USB transfer speeds would be less than a direct port into your computer would offer.
The Lycosa keyboard has a very sleek appearance and has a pretty small footprint as well; great for those with limited desk space. The majority of the body is reflective plastic. Personally, I would prefer a matte surface that is easy to keep clean, but I knew what I was buying. The keyboard has two different elevation angles: one flat against the desk and one that is slightly raised (less so than on my older keyboard). As such, it may take a while to get accustomed to if you are used to typing with a raised keyboard. However, I wouldn't call it 'uncomfortable' in the least.
The keys have a great feel to them when typing. They are somewhat rubberized and offer a good grip. They are also more similar to laptop keys than traditional desktop computer keys in that they don't depress as much. They are not as shallow as the keys on certain Mac keyboards though. It seems like a good compromise to me; very responsive.
The laser-etched keys with blue back-light make typing day or night a breeze. I'd recommend leaving the light on at all times as the letters are very hard to see without it. I have not had the issue that others have had with the light not being bright enough. In fact, I've tried to find a viewing angle that makes the keys unreadable, but the back-light is sufficient even when viewing parallel to the keyboard. The back-light is not too bright either; it shouldn't be distracting at night.
Many customers mentioned the media control touch pad was not responsive as well. While when first plugging the keyboard in, touch functionality was spotty, it cleared up after a minute or two and has worked perfectly since. Maybe it just took a minute for the keyboard to 'boot up' properly. Nevertheless, I'd still prefer a more tactile feedback (i.e. buttons), but this is really a minor concern and the touch pad is perfectly adequate.
Maybe the back-light and touch pad issues have been resolved in the product line (I did notice that most of the negative reviews were older ones). This keyboard has met and exceeded my expectations! Only time will tell if it lasts; I will update my review if anything unexpected happens.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 111
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