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I was looking for a backlit keyboard for my work years ago, but all the ones I seen then where indeed lit from behind, but the light did not shine through the letters (unlike the Saitek) and all you could see at night was shadows of keys, and the others had such a bright light it nearly ... Read review
Advantages: backlit keys, heavy non slip base, simple controls (no silly extra's) Disadvantages: No sleep button.
So.. how do you write a review on a keyboard? Obvious puns aside, I'll try.
I was looking for a backlit keyboard for my work years ago, but all the ones I seen then where indeed lit from behind, but the light did not shine through the letters (unlike the Saitek) and all you could see at night was shadows of keys, and the others had such a bright light it nearly blinded you.
Anyway I spotted this one on eBay one night, ... ...the plunge and bought it. When it arrived, straight away I noticed how heavy the box was (usually a good sign) and as it's a USB board I simply plugged it in and waited for windows to "see" it. 30 seconds later all done and ready to go.
First impressions, well the silver keys make it easy to type in low light conditions even without the backlight (other makers take note!) As mentioned it is quite heavy, and the rubber feet ... more
So.. how do you write a review on a keyboard? Obvious puns aside, I'll try.
I was looking for a backlit keyboard for my work years ago, but all the ones I seen then where indeed lit from behind, but the light did not shine through the letters (unlike the Saitek) and all you could see at night was shadows of keys, and the others had such a bright light it nearly blinded you.
Anyway I spotted this one on eBay one night, and after one can of beer too many I took the plunge and bought it. When it arrived, straight away I noticed how heavy the box was (usually a good sign) and as it's a USB board I simply plugged it in and waited for windows to "see" it. 30 seconds later all done and ready to go.
First impressions, well the silver keys make it easy to type in low light conditions even without the backlight (other makers take note!) As mentioned it is quite heavy, and the rubber feet make it sit well on the desk, and helps to stop it slipping (something gamers will like) it feels solidly built, with the exception of the included wrist rest (it's a bit "cheap plastic") but as space is quite tight I never use them anyway.
The space bar is slightly thicker than most, and that suits my big hands, and has made playing games on it a bit easier as you can't really miss it.
There are no silly extra keys (multimedia) except volume up, down and mute buttons and one for the backlight. The backlight has 3 settings, on, dim and off maybe a real purist would have liked a dimmer circuit, but that's really being picky.
One omission is the lack of a "sleep" key, I had got quite used to that function on my last keyboard, but as I can change the on/off button on the PC to act like it, it's no great loss.
Finally the backlight, I bought the Blue LED model but I understand they do them in Red now as well; however blue is just fine for me and matches the power lights on my speakers. At first the light was a bit "obvious" sort of almost intrusive, but after a while my eyes got used to it and now I only notice it if I turn it off, there are a few "patches" mainly around the cursor keys and insert/home/page up section that are a little dull but the main board itself is lit very well.
The laser cut keys mean that the letters cannot wear off (something that used to happen to all my previous keyboards) so when my nephew comes around he won't be asking "where's the A key uncle? :-)
So to sum up, a solidly built keyboard, that does what I wanted. Maybe a little expensive through ebay (watch out for hidden costs!!) but shop around and you should get one for about £35
(there are a few items in the "specific criteria" section on the review form that do not apply to this keyboard, so I rated them as excellent anyway)
And another edit:
I noticed that after a while two of the keys (A & S) on the keyboard had worn, it was hard to tell how, (as no other keys in that group showed the same wear) and they seemed to have worn from the inside? anyway, I sent an email to customer support, and within a few days of the UK branch getting the email, they sent out 2 new keys. So top marks for customer service as well :-)
Advantages: Back light, very well built, great for gaming, great for office use, erganomic, durable. Disadvantages: back light not quite bright enough - but still impressive
-----| My Experience |-----
---| Product |---
This product gives you the impression of being a well made and quality product right from the go. The shape of this keyboard is stylish and sleek, with a slightly dulled black gloss finish which matches most other black computer components brilliantly. It also feels great to touch. The keys are silver, which goes well with the overall look of the keyboard. However at night when you wish to see the glow ... ...screen light and detract from the glow of the blue lights. This is minimal but must be mentioned.
The keyboard also has a decrease volume button, increase volume button and a mute button, which are along side the light setting button. These are very useful for quickly muting music when an incoming call needs to be picked up.
---| Office/typing role |---
I had been using this keyboard over a year now and I have been in education the whole time, ...
andybuck123 02.08.2007 (05.08.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Saitek Eclipse Backlit Keyboard
Advantages: Very comfortable, good blue backlight, sturdy, good looks Disadvantages: Limited 'extra' features
...best for you.
The Saitek Eclipse keyboard is simple, but what it does, it does very well. Comfort & Feel & build quality
This is where the Saitek keyboard really excels. The Saitek keyboard is billed as a gaming keyboard and has been very popular in this market and you can see why. Firstly, it's surprisingly heavy. It's got big rubber feet and this means it stays put. No more 'chase the keyboard' round the desk as it slowly creeps towards your ... ...my keyboard regularly and the Saitek can take the punishment and come back for more.
I've never had a keyboard that 'felt' as good as the Saitek does.
Sound
The Saitek isn't silent but it's pretty quiet. My PC is in the living room and I use it whilst my wife watches TV. I used to have a 'clicky' keyboard and regularly got yelled at to 'stop that damn clicking' but this hasn't happened since I've begun using the keyboard.
Looks
The Saitek keyboard ...
spoonstar 26.10.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Saitek Eclipse Backlit Keyboard
Advantages: Cool blue LED backlit keyboard Disadvantages: Not wireless, only 3 extra feature buttons
...have just recently purchased the Saitek Eclipse Keyboard, and I constantly ask myself "Is this the next evolution in keyboards along with the backlight for late night review writing sessions?" The Eclipse PC keyboard features True-Vu key illumination for use in any light, from day to total darkness. Either way, this keyboard cannot hide from you! True-Vu key illumination lights the keys from the bottom and allows the light to come through the keys. ... ...year warranty. Unpacking the Saitek Eclipse keyboard you see a sleek silver/black finished keyboard. The Saitek Eclipse keyboard has a very low stance when you compare it to a normal keyboard, which is very comfortable when typing for long periods of time. The blueness from the keyboard added a nice glow when sitting in a dark room and actually lets you see what keys you're hitting. There are oversized rubber pads at the bottom corners to help absorb ...
lex061284 31.05.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Saitek Eclipse Backlit Keyboard
Advantages: simple, to the point and very responsive - back lit! Disadvantages: Lacks media keys, wired might not be everyone's cup of tea
I’ve had the Saitek Eclipse for a while now ever since I had problems with every wireless set I tried and went back to a wired mouse and keyboard.
I’m a keen gamer and don’t really use a keyboard for anything more than typing and playing games – I have no need for media keys etc and for this the Eclipse is perfect. It’s a very basic keyboard in terms of features so if you are used to fancy Logitech boards with buttons all over them it will come ... ...With that in mind the keyboard only suits a select few and many prefer wireless setups and would benefit from the inclusion of media keys to run certain programs. If you need a simple keyboard though that has excellent responsiveness for gaming then the Saitek is definitely for you. ...
piloteer81 28.06.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Saitek Eclipse Backlit Keyboard
