General Zot Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Do you like it? Saw one in the local EB, had to admit it looked like it would be pretty darn cool for PC gaming. How do these keyboards compare to a gaming claw or nostromo speedpad type dongle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenMonkey Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 This will be like the ultimate keyboard when it comes out, wait for it http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59231&highlight=optimus+keyboard I never liked how expensive each Zboard is myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 Now THAT'S pretty damn cool! Now take that and combine it with the KB that lets you move the keys around and you've got a pretty configurable keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Monkey Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 This will be like the ultimate keyboard when it comes out' date=' wait for it http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59231&highlight=optimus+keyboard[/quote'] Jiminy Christmas, how cool is that? And useful! :drool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Zot Posted August 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 That is sweet. It's got to cost in the ballpark of $200-300 though, way too much for a keyboard Anyone else used a z board, liked/disliked it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Thats cool. Part of the resone In don't do a lot of pc gaming,yet, is because I can never rember were which buttons are that do which. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Thats cool. Part of the resone In don't do a lot of pc gaming' date='yet, is because I can never rember were which buttons are that do which.[/quote'] Like all the letters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Monkey Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Thats cool. Part of the resone In don't do a lot of pc gaming' date='yet, is because I can never rember were which buttons are that do which.[/quote'] I notice that problem also arises when typing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whooter Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 I notice that problem also arises when typing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magness Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I used the ZBoard for about a week. Great design and decent build quality but, I kept having keys stick which killed me in HL2, GW, etc... I returned it for the Saitek gaming board instead. Obviously not designed the same way but, the Saitek is backlit, great tactile feel to the keys and build quality is top notch. I also found that I have used backlighting far more often than I used the different keysets on the ZBoard - at least in my 7 days of use. Hope that helps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Zot Posted August 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 That helps a lot. I've been scoping out the Z board, but that saitek looks like it might fit the bill very nicely. After all, I also use my PC for work and research, one keyboard to perform both functions is nice. I noticed there is also an Eclipse model by Saitek, very similar to the gamer keyboard but with some subtle changes. Best Buy seems to carry both, maybe I can nip down there tonight and try them out and cruise for superbit DVDs Thanks Magness, that might just be the ticket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenMonkey Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 OMG I love the Saitek Eclipse. Worth the $40 or so I spent on it. I was going to get the Saitek Gamer's keyboard, but then my coworker noticed the new model with true backlit keys was coming out. Picked it up at Media Play when they were running that 'spend $50 get a $10 g/c' deal. I love the backlit keyboard, I can turn off all the lots for better black levels/glare reduction, and still see the keys. :tu to the Eclipse. My PC gaming has been much much more fun since I changed from a POS cheapie $10 low-profile keyboard & $15 IBM 'innovation' brand mouse...to my $40 Logitech MX1000 & $40 Saitek Eclipse keyboard. Expensive, but worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickle Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 I can no longer use those straight, claw inducing keyboards. I'd love a configurable keyboard, but not until they adopt a more ergonomic design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magness Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 I apologize - I got the name wrong on my keyboard and it is the Saitek Eclipse - not the gaming board. They look virtually identical but, the gaming board's backlighting is done differently (around the keys), its more of a grayish color and it comes with an extra numberpad. The Eclipse is backlit through the keys which offered much better illumination in my opinion, its black and no extra number pad. Sorry for the mixup but I also have to chime-in as the others have already said... It is one of the best keyboards I've ever owned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Zot Posted August 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Is it better for just normal typing as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitlope Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 I used the ZBoard for about a week. Great design and decent build quality but, I kept having keys stick which killed me in HL2, GW, etc I had the same problem. I bought one along with all the parts over the course of a few weeks for the new pc to run BF2. And to say the truth the only thing out of all that that has left me dissapointed is the Z board. I used it for 2 weeks (I just had the normal keyboard layout, was going to get the Battlefield one down the road) but ended up reverting back to my cheap $5.00 dell keyboard. The keys do stick - I'm still a one finger typer always looking at the keyboard and whenever I looked up at the moniter every couple of sentances manyofthewordslookedlikethis. Seemed I had to press the spacebar extra hard or something.... The F keys were a mile away from the number keys, in a FPS when microseconds count its a bit too much of a reach and IMO is poor layout for a "gaming board". The paint on the keys started coming off within the 2 weeks, especially on the A key. This old dell keyboard that has seen thousands of hours of use still has all the paint on... Under the keys there are little rubber tits that line up with the keys and makes replacing the interface easy for various games but this is a problem too. There's a bit of a "reaction time" when pressing the key, you can feel it actually give a bit when pressing as it contacts the rubber tit and IMO this is no good for gaming. Pressing various keys all over quickly your bound to press one a bit lightly and nothing happens, its like you couldn't relax your fingers, they always had to be strained to make sure you had good, hard contact. But my fingers got a bit uncomftorable after a couple of hours of playing (and in 2 hours I'm just warming up) All in all for $60.00 it was easily the worst buy I made when spending about $3200.00 on the new pc, it sits now in the box. I tried taking it back but since it was a few weeks since purchase I would have had to go to the other end of town too in order to take it back and not be guarenteed a credit (I didn't want another one of these Z boards) so I just took my lumps and will probably give it away or just keep it as a spare in case something happens to this dell one until I can get a new keyboard... Just my experience with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magness Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 I personally found the Saitek Eclipse better for general typing. The ZBoard has a split spacebar that messed me up on occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Zot Posted August 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 I found an Eclipse online for $42 and snagged it. Have to bust out HL2 again in about a week I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenMonkey Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Is it better for just normal typing as well? IMO better than a normal cheapie keyboard, which is what I had. Also better IMO than the black IBM keyboards we have at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkz Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 I realize this thread is over 4 years old, and that no one else probably uses a Zboard. In the off chance that someone encounters this problem, I thought I would share something I found out recently. I use the zboard keysets for age of conan and warhammer online. And I also use the Fang add on for LOTRO. All of these require the Z Engine application to run properly. A recent windows update affected the Z Engine, and it somehow broke. I tried several times to go to the Zboard manufacturer's website (Ideazon)to dowload a recent driver. But it seemed that the site was down. After searching Google, I found out that a company called Steel Series bought Ideazon last year. So now any drivers for the Zboard, Fang, and Merc can be downloaded here. http://www.steelseries.com/int/download Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romier S Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Sweet! Thanks Sparks. I'm also using a Zboard and that definitely helps. I use the Warhammer keyset myself and have been having issues with the Z Engine not running recently. That would explain it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.