Logitech G13

[lupi]

Anyone try this? Just saw this for the first time and it looks interesting. Comments/opinions?


http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G13-..._1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1280788402&sr=8-1

 

[NoWhereM]

I haven't tried it but I use a nostromo n52 made by Belkin which is similar. I love it and couldn't do without it. In fact since they don't make them anymore I purchased another one that is sitting new in the box inside my closet so that when and if the one I am using ever stops working I'll have another one.

 

[ZzZGuy]

I have it and can say only get it if you can imagine a specific use for it.

The two biggest issues with it is remembering what key does what and the "back" key for movement is awkwardly placed so you have to raise your finger up a little to press it. Ovrerall though it is more comfortable for your left hand.

The "thumb joystick" by default is 5 buttons, 4 directions and pressing down on it. There is supposed to be a way to turn it into a true joystick but I haven't tried that yet.

The macros are quite nice for some things like MMO's and the software it comes with it is nice but changing keys no the fly using the hardware seems to mess up what keys you change in the software but I'd guess there was a way around this if I looked hard enough.

 

[Rakewell]

I had an n52, then an n52te. I tried the G13 and it didn't groove with me... but I love the Nostromo. I would definitely recommend that over the Logitech.

 

[dpodblood]

Personally I would always go for a good gaming keyboard over a device like this. It looks neat in concept, but overall I don't see a real advantage of having one unless you are severely space limited.

 

[lupi]

ah, the joystick looking thing on the side interested me as an auxiliary mouse, assuming that's how it worked.

 

[dpodblood]

ah, the joystick looking thing on the side interested me as an auxiliary mouse, assuming that's how it worked.

Why go with an inaccurate joy-nub when you can have a full blown mouse? Isn't that part of the reason people still play games on PC?

 

[TheUnk]

I have had it for a while now, rarely use it anymore.

I could not get over having no number row. I even tried remapping everything down a row but then it feels wrong and it's a pain to reconfigure for every game.

 

[NoWhereM]

Personally I would always go for a good gaming keyboard over a device like this. It looks neat in concept, but overall I don't see a real advantage of having one unless you are severely space limited.

Macros. In Stalker, for example, you can crouch by hitting one button and crouch lower by hitting a second button. Both buttons must be held down to continue crouching at either level. I have my N52 set up so that when I hit a certain button I crouch and I continue to crouch until I hit it again or jump. I use the thumb button to crouch lower but left this one so that it has to be held down to stay at that level. This allows me a lot of freedom of movement while crouching. I can move forward or back, side to side, and lean left or right while crouching or crouching lower. I would imagine there are a lot of games that would make even better use of macros.

It's also nice having 21 buttons and a wheel that can be used as two more buttons available for my left hand which can be reached without ever moving my left hand from the palm rest. With a keyboard I have to look to make sure I hit all the keys needed. I don't have to do that with the n52.

 

[NoWhereM]

I had an n52, then an n52te. I tried the G13 and it didn't groove with me... but I love the Nostromo. I would definitely recommend that over the Logitech.

Did they ever fix the n52te drivers to allow macros?

 

[Ben90]

Macros. In Stalker, for example, you can crouch by hitting one button and crouch lower by hitting a second button. Both buttons must be held down to continue crouching at either level. I have my N52 set up so that when I hit a certain button I crouch and I continue to crouch until I hit it again or jump. I use the thumb button to crouch lower but left this one so that it has to be held down to stay at that level. This allows me a lot of freedom of movement while crouching. I can move forward or back, side to side, and lean left or right while crouching or crouching lower. I would imagine there are a lot of games that would make even better use of macros.

It's also nice having 21 buttons and a wheel that can be used as two more buttons available for my left hand which can be reached without ever moving my left hand from the palm rest. With a keyboard I have to look to make sure I hit all the keys needed. I don't have to do that with the n52.

...Still not seeing the advantage over a standard keyboard or even a standard WASD setup. Your argument sounded like its impossible to have the exact same macro software running on your keyboard, but its quite possible. I can do everything you described quite easily on a keyboard.

Its my opinion that if your going to spend that much money on an input device, it should actually be well built unlike the G13/G15 which still uses rubber dome switches. Then again ignorance is bliss, as its a terrible experience to type on a G15 after using a Filco

 

[blurredvision]

I have the G13 and could do without it if needed. I guess it's somewhat nice to use in WoW, but it's not really necessary for me to play. I only use it probably 30% of the time, it depends on what I'm doing.

 

[NoWhereM]

...Still not seeing the advantage over a standard keyboard or even a standard WASD setup. Your argument sounded like its impossible to have the exact same macro software running on your keyboard, but its quite possible. I can do everything you described quite easily on a keyboard.

Its my opinion that if your going to spend that much money on an input device, it should actually be well built unlike the G13/G15 which still uses rubber dome switches. Then again ignorance is bliss, as its a terrible experience to type on a G15 after using a Filco

Yeah, I remember those kind of arguments when people were making the transition from using the arrow keys on the keyboard to using a mouse for first person shooters.

I'm not sure how how well the Logitech keypad the op is thinking about buying would work, but the difference between a keyboard and the n52 is night and day.

 

[rgallant]

I love my G13
-I put the g13 on the tray\arm with mouse ,with the g15 on the desk for more standard keys & non quick commands

-what I like is:
-second lcd ,1 for msi ab and 1 for core temps , I do not like osd
-keys are not offset per row -so s under w ,not off set
-the big thing for me is the thumb , I remap the mostly used functions\commands to the joy stick x4 and the two buttons beside it .that gives 6 buttons[+1=7 ,1 more on the main group of keys ,space bar] my thumb can easily hit without moving my fingers away from the wasd keys
-think about how easily it is to hit the space bar[with thumb] and think I can hit 7 keys [could be 8 but the center button is to hard to push straight down]with the same ease ,while still moving around or not taking my eyes off the screen , for the eg. i,o,p, buttons
-it's a pain to set up , as I play the game - figure out what keys are required - remap keys in a profile and after I just print it out ,remapping of the keys would have to be remembered on a key board any ways.
-not for everyone but I like it

 

[xboxist]

How are these implemented? Your left hand uses the gamepad and your right hand still uses the mouse? So basically just replacing the keyboard?

 

[Ben90]

Yeah, I remember those kind of arguments when people were making the transition from using the arrow keys on the keyboard to using a mouse for first person shooters.

I'm not sure how how well the Logitech keypad the op is thinking about buying would work, but the difference between a keyboard and the n52 is night and day.

How so? Name something night and day that's impossible to do on a keyboard.

 

[Rakewell]

Did they ever fix the n52te drivers to allow macros?

Yeah, they work. There are still some issues with the controller, but Razer has dropped the project entirely. The user forum was so full of bitching that they closed it down, lol.

I have one, and with some workarounds, I've gotten it to where I use the thumb pad as movement + macros, etc. A pretty decent controller.

 

[blurredvision]

How are these implemented? Your left hand uses the gamepad and your right hand still uses the mouse? So basically just replacing the keyboard?

Pretty much.

 

[NoWhereM]

How so? Name something night and day that's impossible to do on a keyboard.

I already did, you dismissed it. I have the directional pad set so that pushing to the left, which the way it is positioned is pulling down for the thumb, is my secondary crouch position. Up is lean left and down is lean right. So I can continue to hold down the button and crouch, using my thumb, and lean left and right by tilting my thumb in that direction. All of which I can still do while moving forward and back and strafing right and left. Sorry, you can't do that on a keyboard.

Further, as I explained, I can hit every button on the n52 without moving my hand. I'm sorry but you can't do that with a keyboard. And, to top it off, not only do I have 21 buttons and a wheel that I can reach without moving my hand I can set it up so those buttons can do three seperate functions for a total of over 60 buttons that can be reached all without moving my hand. You can claim you can reach all the buttons on your keyboard without moving your hand all you want, I'm not going to believe you.

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

Wait a minute. A keyboard has a LOT more buttons then the nostromo. Being able to reach all of them is only really an advantage if 'all of them' is more then what you can reach on a keyboard.

 

[NoWhereM]

Wait a minute. A keyboard has a LOT more buttons then the nostromo. Being able to reach all of them is only really an advantage if 'all of them' is more then what you can reach on a keyboard.

No, that's not true. If that was true we would all still be using the arrow keys on our keyboards instead of a mouse because there are so many more buttons we could use by keeping both hands on the keyboard.

Yes, a keyboard has a LOT more buttons. But the way a keyboard is laid out you can't reach a LOT more buttons without moving your hand. It's a very simple concept and it is why the n52 was, and still is, so popular. Further, as has already been pointed out, those buttons can be mapped to three different functions which means more than 60 different buttons or macros without having to move your hand.

You don't have to use one. Really, it won't hurt my feelings at all. Just don't expect me to believe you when you claim you can reach 60 keys on your keyboard without moving your hand.

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

And how many keys CAN you reach on a keyboard without moving your hand, and is the Nostromo more or less then that number?

 

[NoWhereM]

More.

Edit to add that I was mistaken, there are four shift states on an n52, not three, so you have access to over 80 keystrokes/macros without moving your hand.

 

[Ben90]

I use a RDFG setup instead of a WASD.

I can comfortably press these keys without moving my hand:
f3 f4
234567
qwertyu
asdfgh
zxcvbnm
alt space

Using the magic of software I can set those keys up to (29!)2(28!)3(27!)4(26!).....27(3!)28(2!) different functions. I don't want to do the math because it would take long as fuck, those exclimation marks are factorials just for those that don't know.

And yes, I can crouch different heights while moving around and jumping and walking and looking at the scores. Its amazing what you can do with a keyboard when you use a non-default config for it.

Using the money I saved not getting a n52, I purchased a well built Filco NKRO Cherry Blacks keyboard. Its plugged into the ps2 port like a real gaming keyboard should (USB has a 6+modifiers key max at any time). Oh I forgot that, your n52 probably uses USB so no matter what, I will ALWAYS be able to press more keys at the same time than you.

 

[rgallant]

-if I could hit all those keys blindly and not miss or hit two at the same time , I could play ARMA 2\OA fluidly
--yea and some guys can type @ 100+ words a minute while looking you in the eye and talking -but I can't , so good for you.