Logitech Announces G110 Gaming Keyboard

[Rob Williams]

From our front-page news:

There's a lot of competition in the gaming peripheral market, but one company that seems to stay on top in gamer's hearts year after years is Logitech. Part of that could be the company's reach, since they've sold more peripherals than anyone else, and are available in more countries than anyone else. But it also comes down to overall quality. I've been using Logitech peripherals for a while, and although I'm not what I'd consider a hardcore gamer, I do appreciate quality equipment with gamer-specific features.

One area where Logitech has always done well is with its gaming keyboard line-up, the G1x. One of the best reasons for that is the ease of implementing macros, and lots of them. Other reasons include general design, an LCD screen and even a scroll-wheel. Last last week, the company announced its first new gaming keyboard since the G19 earlier this year, called the G110.

This keyboard doesn't have the LED/LCD screen that we've come to expect, but in its place comes features that the previous keyboard lacks. One of the most noticeable features is the LED back-lighting. Logitech implemented red and blue LEDs, and claim that you can create pretty much any shade of purple as you want, while also simply using red or blue if that's what you want.

The G-keys make a return, allowing you to create up to 36 different macros at a time, per game. These can be simple multi-key macros, or macros created with the Lua scripting language. Other gamer-specific features include the ability to disable the Windows and context-menu keys, and also a scroll-wheel. The G110 also acts as a hub, and it's designed to allow you to plug in your USB-based gaming mouse, headphones and microphone, all into the back.

The G110 will become available in late November in North America, and January in Europe, and will retail for $79.99.

For our previous G-Series keyboards, Hi-Speed USB, audio jacks, and customizable colors were very frequent requests. In order to add those features without exceeding the available power budget of the PC’s USB port, however, we were only able to include one USB hub port on the keyboard. Similarly, the 18 G-keys were a popular feature with many, but the fact that the keyboard didn’t fit into keyboard trays was just as big an issue for many others. In the research we’ve done and the conversations I’ve had with customers, 12 seemed to be the best compromise between functionality and product size.

Source: BLogitech Blog Post​

 

[Kougar]

It looks promising! I'll take variable backlighting over a tiny limited-use LCD display anyday. After several years Microsoft still seems to enjoy pushing their "F-lock" key system, and it bugs me to no end having to guess if my function keys are enabled or "locked out". If I wanted the F-lock commands I'd use the keyboard shortcuts for them, just give me my function keys! If I had known how annoying this feature was I'd never have bought this wireless MS keyboard.

Back to the Logitech... I wonder how much lag it introduces if the mouse is hooked up to it as they advertise? It'd be a nice feature, only have to swap one USB connector instead of two, and can string the mouse cable out of the way... to bad it only offers one port because of power reasons.

With USB 3 arriving I wonder how quickly they (and others) will refresh their keyboard/mice hardware... not just for the much higher power capability but for the (I believe?) lower latency it offers. Since it's all backwards capable anyway there's no reason not to... I think I'll will wait until then before replacing my ~3-4 year keyboard/mouse setup...

 

[ThomasW]

shape

It looks pretty nice, but I'm with you on this one: the next keyboard I buy will use USB 3. Besides, I have fallen in love with the soft curve design, and don't like the square button rectangular shape anymore.

 

[Rob Williams]

It looks promising! I'll take variable backlighting over a tiny limited-use LCD display anyday.

I agree... the LCD is something I'd never use, although I know a fair few who are the total opposite.

The F-Lock system is a product of Microsoft? Gah... I hate it! I have never had the desire to push one of those keys to launch an application or do anything else... it takes a few clicks otherwise, and that's it. I do happen to like it to some extent on a laptop, but there are more uses there, like screen brightness and touchpad disable.

Back to the Logitech... I wonder how much lag it introduces if the mouse is hooked up to it as they advertise?

I can't see it being too much of a problem... peripherals don't use that much bandwidth to begin with, and it's a Hi-Speed connection, and meant to allow the use of a headphone and a microphone. If it can handle all that, I'm led to belive that it can handle it with relative ease.

It looks pretty nice, but I'm with you on this one: the next keyboard I buy will use USB 3.

What happens if your current keyboard dies before you get a USB 3 PC? ;-) Or are you planning to buy an add-in card, rather than build a completely new machine? I have a similar mindset as you guys though. I'd like to upgrade my current PC, but with USB 3 and S-ATA 6 right around the corner, it makes more sense to just wait.

 

[Kougar]

Well, F-lock =! Function keys just to stay on the same page? I've only seen F-lock on MS keyboards but then again I never payed close attention to most of them... I don't see the point outside of a marketing perspective. If I wanted "New", "Open", or "Close" it's faster to hit the appropriate key combos to do it, than guess if flock was on or not AND be unable to use the function keys without having to double check they were actually working.

After typing that, I now think I understand what you meant, you're thinking of the "Fn" key on a laptop.... that works differently. You have to hold it down to use the alternate F# function... with F-lock it is always on or always off... it defaults to "on" upon boot, and there is no way of telling if it is on or off with many MS keyboards. Utterly gimmicky... unfortunately I didn't have a clue when buying this thing many years ago!

I can't see it being too much of a problem... peripherals don't use that much bandwidth to begin with, and it's a Hi-Speed connection, and meant to allow the use of a headphone and a microphone. If it can handle all that, I'm led to belive that it can handle it with relative ease.

I'm not thinking bandwidth (USB 2 has plenty for mice/keyboards!) but latency... some cheaper USB hubs introduce a delay. I would expect a mouse in this keyboard to be as responsive as if I had plugged it directly into the computer... but past mistakes have taught me not to assume such things outright without checking.

Keyboards tend to last forever, so I don't this his or mine are going to go out anytime soon! That said, Intel will not release a USB 3 chipset until they launch a new socket+chipset for Sandy Bridge at the very end of 2010...

 

[Rob Williams]

I'm aware that F-Lock != Function Keys, but what I was getting at is that I <em>never</em> need one of the function keys, so the F-Lock is nothing but a pain in the rear. I've almost died in my MMORPG a few times because my F keys wouldn't work when I needed them to ;-)

If I wanted "New", "Open", or "Close" it's faster to hit the appropriate key combos to do it, than guess if flock was on or not AND be unable to use the function keys without having to double check they were actually working.

That's exactly my thinking. If you are on the PC often, these shortcuts would be far, FAR faster than memorizing the function keys.

I'm not thinking bandwidth (USB 2 has plenty for mice/keyboards!) but latency... some cheaper USB hubs introduce a delay. I would expect a mouse in this keyboard to be as responsive as if I had plugged it directly into the computer... but past mistakes have taught me not to assume such things outright without checking.

Oh, I misunderstood, and good point.