It must be tough working in R&D for a peripheral manufacturer’s keyboard branch. They’re already comically overdesigned for their purpose – which, let’s face it, rarely amounts to more than pressing WSAD and withstanding the odd biscuit crumb. So where do you go when everyone’s already got fully customisable RGB-backlit, Cherry MX mechanical keyboards with media controls? Obviously, you make faster, more durable switches. Even though they were plenty fast and durable. Because that’s progress.
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Enter Logitech’s G810 Orion Spectrum keyboard, which actually looks like a really strong offering if I ditch the sarkiness for a second. In addition to the usual lighting-based bells and whistles (300 lighting profiles, 16 million colours, twinkling star effect etc) the new gaming board features a satisfying-looking volume scroll wheel similar to those on Corsair’s Vengeance boards, and switches that could have been devised by Peter Molyneux himself.
The Romer-G mechanical switches claim to be 25% more responsive and 40% more durable than Cherry MX switches. Who was finding Cherry MX switches, with their 1ms response time, unresponsive? It doesn’t matter. Because these are faster.
Similarly, I’ve been using the same mechanical keyboard for four years now, fitted with Cherry MX Red switches, and not a damn key has given out on me. Was anyone out their lamenting their lack of durability? Doesn’t matter. Romer-G = more durable.
I really like the restrained aesthetic of the G810 though, and the media controls. It’s always a bit galling two have to press two buttons concurrently just two mute the sound on a board you paid £50+ for, so I’m happy to see a dedicated mute key here.
Other bonus features: a 26-key rollover and a three-step angle adjustment. I don’t think I’ve ever intended to press 25 keys simultaneously and become frustrated that they didn’t all register, but I do like ergonomic adjustments.
The G810 is available for £139.99 right now, and you can pick one up over at Logitech’s official site.