Home : Hardware : Reviews : Cyborg Keyboard
Daily use wasn't spectacular, but it wasn't bad either. It is almost identical to the standard keyboard, with the exception of the WASD keys and spacebar. While the WASD were fine throughout, the spacebar remained an annoyance consistently during simple typing because it was just too hard to push. The keys are mid-high profile and relatively easy to push except for the spacebar,which takes far too long to push normally and may be impossible to get used to.
Oddly enough, the glossy finish on the spacebar or WASD keys didn't bother over time and didn't lose friction. The adjustable wrist-wrest is a nice touch, but benefits gamers much more than typical typers, leaving no support for the right hand when typing. The media controls were easy to use, though the volume control didn't work well on our XP machines.
In fact, the Cyborg didn't seem to like XP very much at all. The first machine tested on worked fine at first, but crashed soon after. It wasn't long before a pattern of crashes emerged, which occurred the second any key was pressed on the Cyborg. The incident didn't occur on our other XP machine, though within the packaging a notice of possible crashes on XP told us to visit Saitek's support site and download the newest drivers. Not very promising.
Vista was far beyond these problems, and the Cyborg worked straight out of the box without drivers on it.
In gaming, the Cyborg held up a little better, though overall wasn't what we've become accustomed to with high-priced boards. The lighting options were helpful, but ultimately unnecessary since all keyboards have slight nubs on the F and J keys for easy locating. The glossy finish on the arrow and WASD keys is a nice touch, but nothing special.
We feel that the macro keys could have been good, but that the software for it was simply pathetic. It's too reminiscent of films with hackers using self-made programs that make no sense to anyone but their creator. After tedious study of the system, we found faults and were generally unsatisfied with the software. To be fair, it seems like little time and effort was spent making it.
Our playtests with Crysis and Team Fortress 2 didn't impress much. The spacious board was pleasant when using more of the keyboard in Crysis, but in the fast-paced TF2 it simply hogged mouse-space that was more necessary. The sheer distance between arms was enough to make gameplay an awkward experience.
The Cyborg peripherals we've tested, as with all hardware, have had their ups and downs. However, the downs for this board seem to fall around the edges. The keyboard lacks definition, physical appeal, good software and is prone to instability on the ever-popular Windows XP. It's ups, however, don't outweigh the negatives.
The top touchpad with dynamic controls as well as the glossy finish over the arrow and WASD keys and spacebar was a good idea, as was the alternate lighting for the different key sections. Ultimately, the Cyborg keyboard is a standard Windows board with a few bells and whistles, a higher pricetag and some of the bells are cracked. It has potential, but feels rushed, which we can appreciate but must condemn.
Highs
Touch screen and different lighting scheme is unique.
Lows
Difficult-to-push spacebar; poor software; some issues with XP; not great for standard computer use.
Final verdict
An average keyboard that should be strictly for gaming, and perhaps parties.
65%
Apr 30, 2008
Review by James Pikover.
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