Razer Lycosa Gaming Keyboard Review

Name: Razer Lycosa Gaming Keyboard
Brand: Razer

Darksaber

on Feb 6th, 2008,

in Keyboards.

Manufacturer: Razer

(11 Comments) »

Performance

The most noticeable change between the Lycosa and previous gaming keyboards are the flat keys with a rubber surface. If you have been using the Logitech G15 or Tarantula. This is the only real change, which you may not like. I personally never liked flat keys as it was harder to feel the grooves between the keys or I easily slipped and pressed the wrong key in the worst possible moment. Such mistakes can cost you a round or even mean that you will lose at a competition. Razer has solved that problem by using a rubber layer on the keys. This has two advantages: the most apparent is the added grip, which makes costly slip-ups a thing of the past and it reduces the overall noise of the keyboard. The Lycosa is by far one of the quietest gaming keyboards I have ever used.

Gaming

Using the Lycosa in various games is great. Even though I am not fan of the flat keys, the Lycosa would be the only keyboard with such keys where I could see myself switching to this format. This is simply a no frills gaming keyboard, which has all the attributes where it counts. The keystrokes feel great and the pressure point of each key is very soft but still offers enough force, so that you can be sure that the action of the key is also performed. At no time did I have any problems with multiple, fast button presses or any sort of "beep" from the PC, which is a sign that the key strokes cannot be performed.

Office & Windows Work

Using the flat keys for normal Office and Windows work does not feature any real downsides. Typing long essays or reviews is fine, and the included wrist rest really helps to keep any discomfort to a minimum. Users who are used to raising their fingers higher to reach the next key, will notice an increase in speed. This translates into more words per minute, but may also mean a few extra spelling mistakes. If you are used to typing on a notebook or do not want to bother your roommate during longer sessions with loud keystrokes, the Lycosa is the perfect desktop companion.

Value & Conclusion

The Razer Lycosa costs $79.99 at the Razer Store, you can buy it directly from Razer here.

Performance
Compact Design
Very light weight
Very quiet
Touch controls
Audio & USB connector
Drivers
Build quality

May be a bit too pricey for the casual gamer
Flat keys may not be your thing
USB port requires an additional USB plug on PC.
Macro length is limited

I must say that I was really impressed with the Lycosa. While I was afraid that the flat key design - a first for Razer - would be the big downside of the keyboard, this was not the case. The added surface of the keys and the absolutely perfect pressure points really fix the two biggest drawbacks of such a design. The backlight can also be seen much better, as the light source is closer to the surface and the angle at which you view the keys is much better. The one aspect which caught me by surprise is the touch control at the upper right corner. While you may wonder where those media controls are - something almost every manufacturer of keyboards offers at almost every price range - the surprise when you first use the touch based control, makes up for it. It is really hard to say anything negative about the Lycosa. The only gripe may be your empty wallet if you are not an avid gamer.
While the $80 US Dollars are not as much as the Tarantula, it is still a lot more than a standard keyboard without any extras. If you are a hardcore gamer, especially one who has been waiting for the perfect flat key design, there is really no excuse to skip the Lycosa.