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Hungary, Budapest
1 Level
733 Review
32 Karma

Review on Element Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Switch by Jerome Godwin

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Attractive, comfortable, not silent gaming keyboards

I've only been using this keyboard for half a day, but I really like it so far. However, there are a few things to consider and this keyboard isn't for everyone. The instructions aren't very clear either, so I've included more information here. Visual Effects: The colors are bright and beautiful. Switch between red, yellow, green, blue, indigo, magenta and white. *** BUT PLEASE NOTE *** White and to a lesser extent yellow colors create a very strange visual feeling. When I shake my head or look back and forth on the keyboard (as if I'm looking for something), the R, G, and B cones seem to fire at different times to my eyes. I get R, G and B shadows or light echoes. (My husband and his friend get the same one, so it's not just me.) It's extremely confusing and off-putting, enough that I can't use the keyboard in white or yellow light. With other colors the effect is still there, but MUCH LESS. The effect is reduced by reducing the brightness of the keyboard backlight and/or turning on more overhead or table lights. I rarely turn on the overhead light, so my office is pretty dark. So I still need to turn down the brightness of the keyboard. The manual says there are four brightness settings, but there are actually five. Key layout: This keyboard is similar to what I'm used to. You have double-height plus and enter keys and double-wide zero on the numeric keypad. The Tab, Caps Lock, Shift, Backspace, BackSlash, Return, and Shift keys are also striped (wider than regular keys). I didn't realize how important this was to me, but even small things (like the L-shaped backspace key) can get very confusing to me. I like that this keyboard has a regular layout. There are also spaces between all four function keys, which helps me hit the right key without looking. Ergonomics: Mechanical switches have quite a long key travel, so this may be an issue for some. If you're looking for short travel or a low profile, this keyboard isn't for you. However, the red switches on this keyboard require very little force to press, and my hands didn't feel tired or strained when using them. So that's definitely a soft touch, IMO. Sound: This keyboard is definitely louder than scissor switch/chicken style keys. I will attach a video of my review so you can feel the sound. This is not a harsh tone like a typewriter, but a softer tone. Again, this isn't repugnant, but it certainly deserves a mention. Nobody will sleep in the room while using this keyboard. Function Keys: All function keys perform their normal standard functions in the software. You must hold down the Fn key to use media shortcuts on the function keys. This is exactly how I want my keyboard to work, so it makes me very happy. Controls: Fn+Insert

Pros
  • Great for a small home
Cons
  • Modern