Warm/Hot: Saitek PC Gaming Keyboard (PZ08AU) @CC

[Kaifu]

Click here.

Circuit City is offering the Saitek PZ08AU Gaming Keyboard for $34.99. Most other retailers seem to be offering this for $15+ more. This is a "web only" offer and shipping is free, but you can order it online and pick it up in a store if you have one close by and don't want to wait.

Saitek PC Gaming Keyboard (PZ08AU)

Sophisticated design: This zero-slope PC gaming keyboard comes with a separate command pad and wrist pad. You can adjust the keyboard angle and the blue LED backlight for maximum gaming fun. Both left and right-handed users can enjoy features comfortably.

Versatile USB keyboard: The full-function keyboard features 104 quiet keys and a fully programmable nine-button command pad. Use the included software to customize up to 27 special moves or character selections?your imagination is the limit.

Compatible with: Windows® 2000 and XP only.

Reviews are pretty favorable with 4/5 to 5/5 overall. I'm picking one up tonight and will post my review.

 

[xboxist]

Good deal. I received mine as a gift last Christmas and I'm sure it was $50.

Looks nice, and feels good too. One thing I dislike about the standard "media" keyboards is that they all have about 20 buttons extra and only 1 or 2 that you ever really use. This keyboard has the bare minimum and I like that. It was buttons for sound volume and a button for controlling the brightness of the backlit keys.

 

[Kaifu]

Yeah, the only thing I wish I could have found was an illuminated keyboard using the ergonomic/split format. NOBODY makes one (or if someone did, it's no longer avaiable). I've emailed Saitek with my concern and will be getting adjusted to this one at home in the mean time.

 

[Kaifu]

Well, I got it home. Installation was fairly simple although the "found hardware wizard" kept asking me if it could check Windows Update for a driver instead of just knowing it via the CD w/o having to ask.

The keyboard is usb-based and I use a KVM switch that only supports PS/2. I don't have a usb>ps2 adapter for a keyboard handy, so I sent an email off to Saitek to see if the keyboard and it's side-pad still work if they're plugged into the PS/2 port via an adapter.

The feel of the keys is pretty damn good. I do wish that the illumination shone through to see the lettering. the LED backlighting only surrounds the keys. Still, it's easier to find the correct F-Key thanks to the board's key layout.

My old keyboard needed replacing quite some time ago (it still works, but the "beige" has long-since turned to a "khaki" due to everyday use. 😉

 

[btaki]

Originally posted by: Kaifu
Yeah, the only thing I wish I could have found was an illuminated keyboard using the ergonomic/split format. NOBODY makes one (or if someone did, it's no longer avaiable). I've emailed Saitek with my concern and will be getting adjusted to this one at home in the mean time.

Microsoft has an illuminated Natural Keyboard.

 

[dali71]

Originally posted by: btaki

Originally posted by: Kaifu
Yeah, the only thing I wish I could have found was an illuminated keyboard using the ergonomic/split format. NOBODY makes one (or if someone did, it's no longer avaiable). I've emailed Saitek with my concern and will be getting adjusted to this one at home in the mean time.

Microsoft has an illuminated Natural Keyboard.

That's certainly news to me, do you have a link?

 

[grappa]

Originally posted by: Kaifu
Well, I got it home. Installation was fairly simple although the "found hardware wizard" kept asking me if it could check Windows Update for a driver instead of just knowing it via the CD w/o having to ask.

You can change this in WindowsXP by right-clicking My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware tab, then under Drivers, click the Windows Update button and select "Never search Windows Update for drivers"...

 

[BladeVenom]

That one's nice, but I would go for Saitek's Eclipse if I needed a new keyboard.

 

[Zontor]

I've had one for a while ... my 2 cents:

1] As mentioned earlier the illumination is around the keys not thru the keys. In the dark you cannot see the key letters although it is a pleasing effect.

2] On two of my systems (an Athlon 3400+ w/an MSI board and an eMachines 2.4 P4) the Saitek Gamers keyboard is not recognized on boot - been through all the settings, Saitek is aware of the "issue" and indicates in a round-about way that they're using some less than standard USB implementations. Note that any other USB keyboard is recognized by the system at boot....and I've tried many settings. This would only really bother you if you have a BIOS password or need to enter CMOS....although I've heard reports that some users have to twiddle with the keyboard drivers to work in Windows too.

3] Intermediate problems with ALT + xxxx and sometimes multiple keypresses at the same time. Haven't been able to track it down fully.

4] Tactile response is good.

I'm kinda -neh- about this keyboard. I might look at the new illuminated logitech keyboard although it is more money and isn't released yet....

 

[Pothead]

I believe the Saitek eclipse addresses this issue with the illuminated keys.

 

[Kaifu]

Originally posted by: Zontor
I'm kinda -neh- about this keyboard. I might look at the new illuminated logitech keyboard although it is more money and isn't released yet....

Yeah, I looked at that board but it wasn't out yet... but the more and more I read about this board, the less hot it seems. The roundabout "hacks" (including registry edits!) that Saitek provides to get past its own hardware and driver issues has made me a bit concerned about the quality and reliability of the product. I mean, it looks and feels good and, on the whole, performs just as a keyboard should - but a lot of companies can claim that.

-------
EDIT:

One such hack includes me needing to go into Device Manager to disable one of the USB interfaces so I can play Planetside. Without doing this the keyboard simply refuses to allow control within the game.
-------

I may just return it, wait for the Logitech to come out and spend the extra $40 for quality... Christmas and my birthday are coming up 😉 Maybe I won't have to pay for it myself.

Also, what's up with that link? Whenever I hit that page, the browser freezes for a few seconds. Something's loading in the background that's eating up CPU.

 

[Zontor]

Originally posted by: Kaifu
...
Also, what's up with that link? Whenever I hit that page, the browser freezes for a few seconds. Something's loading in the background that's eating up CPU.

Dunno. Works for me...try this evil Tiger Direct Link where it looks like you can buy it now....

As for the haxzorz - I lurked around the Saitek forums too and even made a few comments. Overall I use the keyboard day-to-day but wish I'd returned it. The USB boot issue PO's me every time I reboot and sometimes I have to hit the enter key twice when doing some operations.

It's just overall a bit buggy.

 

[Kaifu]

Originally posted by: dali71

Originally posted by: btaki
Microsoft has an illuminated Natural Keyboard.

That's certainly news to me, do you have a link?

found it... but 1) AFAIK, it's not out yet and 2) it's over $100 MSRP.

I found an interesting site over at G15Forums.com (the Logitech official forums are pretty damn horrible to wade through, navigation-wise). The G15 is confirmed to work with a particular set of IOGear USB KVM switches... still, reading a bit deeper, the keyboard has a number of its own issues.

 

[vpr]

nice keyboard - there is a new model out I believe though

 

[boles]

Originally posted by: Kaifu

Originally posted by: dali71

Originally posted by: btaki
Microsoft has an illuminated Natural Keyboard.

That's certainly news to me, do you have a link?

found it... but 1) AFAIK, it's not out yet and 2) it's over $100 MSRP.

I found an interesting site over at G15Forums.com (the Logitech official forums are pretty damn horrible to wade through, navigation-wise). The G15 is confirmed to work with a particular set of IOGear USB KVM switches... still, reading a bit deeper, the keyboard has a number of its own issues.

I have that MS keyboard and it is ilumniated but only the silver buttons on either side. It is meant to be a keyboard for media center and from what i can tell, it only works with media center but then again never tested on anything but media center. Overall it works OK.... mouse on the thing goes nutts when you try to use it but it works sometimes.