Home : Hardware : Reviews : Cyborg Keyboard
An average keyboard that should be used strictly for gaming.
Saitek is a company name that rings many bells in the minds of those knowledgeable of gaming peripherals. A longstanding company that has made a name for itself, soon to be completely integrated into their buyer, larger peripheral corporation Madcatz. The last big project by Saitek still in their name is Cyborg. Five pieces of hardware altogether (gamepad, all-in-one controller, headset, keyboard and mouse) make up this last, final chapter of Saitek's life. Stay tuned to our news for all updates on the company.
The Cyborg keyboard is almost as one would expect: large with limited color and a partially glossy finish. The classic keyboard design, complete with separated sections, it stretches as much as possible, giving the most comfort for those who may feel cramped by the typical board. On the right and left are six hotkeys, all programmable with the additional software.
What sets this board apart immediately is the top, which combines media keys with an on-board lighting system, all controlled through a spiffy touch-sensitive layout. As expected, the entire board is backlit, and there are four intensity settings. There are also five different colors for the backlight, so if the Cyborg red is too sickly, perhaps a soft orange would suit you better.
That is, until you click on the actual cyborg logo. Doing so activates a separate lighting scheme for each of the five sections of the keyboard, making playing in the dark easier than ever. With some keys already glossy (W, A, S, D,spacebar , and arrow keys) so they would be easy to find without looking, the lighting means even faster access to those needed keys when you have to jump from the macro keys and back.
All lighting is available to change (with the exception of the macro keys) without additional software. Lighting, media controls and volume control are all done right on the keyboard. It sports a 3.5mm jack for speakers and a microphone, and has a USB extender built directly into it just in case you're using a USB headset or a short-length USB device. And, of course, the cables are all gold-plated at the tips.
As per all keyboard reviews, we tested for daily use, gaming and gaming on the go.
The Cyborg is a huge keyboard. It's almost twice the size of my older IBM keyboard which features a built-in touchpad and trackpoint mouse, and is nearly double the size of the Everglide DKT which arrived last week. It's even bigger than the Razer Tarantula, albeit not by much.
This size was a concern immediately not only because of the large package it came in, but because it is thick, square-shaped and very much fits the cyborg name. Anyone planning on traveling with their rig for gaming tournaments or events will want to stay clear of this board, simply due to its sheer size.
That, and it really is not a pretty sight to behold. The first word that comes to mind when looking at the keyboard is bloated. Indeed, there is quite a bit of room on the board, which is admirable, though all edges can be brought in at least an inch.
