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General: ZBoard MERC Review
Dana
Member Posts: 2,415
Jeremy Starley took on the latest creation from ZBoard, "The MERC", and filed this report based on how he found it in his MMORPG experiences.
;) The right side of the Merc is a combination number pad/arrow key area. Ideazon took the Home key and all of its friends and put them directly on the number pad, so switching between using the numerical and using the functions requires a simple push of the Num Lock key. The arrow keys are at the bottom of the number pad now, and they only function as arrow keys, which is quite convenient. Ideazon also added some common windows functions to some of the other keys, like the + and * key, so you can cut, paste, copy, and minimize with ease now.
The whole keyboard is done in an attractive black plastic, with a stylized silver strip along the top that contains a large Zboard icon. All of the keys are grey or black, labeled with easy to see white letters, except for the number keys which are labeled in an easy to read light blue. The butterfly movement keys are the only color exception, being the same deep red color that they were on other Zboard keysets. The whole thing is slightly longer than your average keyboard, even with the combined keys on the left hand side, so be aware of this if desk/tray space is an issue for you. Overall, the whole Merc Gaming Keyboard is a rather attractive addition to your gaming peripherals. |
You can read the review here.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
Comments
Fantastic article and keyboard, I want one!
Any news on if it will be available internationally or just in the US?
Yea, a real nice review, Only quesion i still have is the same as the other guy, Will it be available in europe? and how much will it expect to cost? Seeing as it's "the new best keyboard for gamers" lets hope they are respecting the gaming community and not sticking a 100 euro price tag on it.
He's absolutely correct on the key resistances. If you've never owned a gaming keyboard before, the feel will be a little strange for the first week or two, but it will begin to feel natural. This is perhaps the most amazing thing about the board. (My favorite perk of the board is the button marked "Panic (p)" on the thumb section of the board, where the B key would be on a QWERTY.)
I only have two gripes with it overall. First, a lack of function keys above the number keys on the left hand side. Even though there are two rows of keys, in WoW I use up to 24 keys, so it can feel like I've actually lost a few keys. However, I've made up for this by reassigning everything I use to one hotbar and mapping some functions (like /assist) to keys on the thumb side. Also, the lack of keys in the "ZX" position (beneath the WASD) kinda bothers me, but that's because I have long (piano) fingers and that's just personal preference. I can fit my thumb easily within the Z-B range on a QWERTY board without slanting my wrist much.
-- xpaladin
[MMOz]
AC1/2, AO, DAoC, EQ1/2, SoR, SWG, UO, WAR, WoW
it indeed lacks the movement buttons, but anyway I always use arrow keys, so...
Beware the ghost in the machine
I just got a Logitech Media Keyboard Elite (after my ZBoard had a very unfortunate and despite all reanimation tries fatal meeting with a cup of cappucino) - and I gotta say, the writing is perfect on it, the keys are like awesomely balanced in pressure.
Someone here who has both keyboards, and can comment on how they feel for writing bigger amounts of text?
Blame your fate!
Very well written article, and I too have to say how great this keyboard is...I LOVE mine, and I'm psyched to get the new version of the the MERC STEALTH model that is coming out soon. The butterfly pad on the left is a fantastic improvement over using the keys, in my opinion, because it provides a very nice tactile difference between the keys, which are all easily accessible, even for this tiny gal who has very small hands and who has had issues in the past because my fingers couldn't comfortably reach certain keys. It did take some getting used to, I will admit...but now that I have, I wouldn't ever want to go back to a regular keyboard again.
Also, as a big fan of macros and keybindings, the ability to map those to certain keys is a huge plus - not to mention the added bonus that the Zengine software allows you to remap ANY key...so, while I couldn't understand why you would WANT to, theoretically you could remap your 'ctrl' key to your oh, say, "backspace" key. For example, I wanted to use the default key for screenshots (print screen, which is located on the left near the butterfly layout) for a certain in-game command, and the Zengine software allowed me to assign a multiple-key combo to it and move 'print screen' over to a little used key on the opposite side of the keyboard.
I also do a lot of 'regular' typing on the MERC, and yes, a few keys are a bit smaller, but again, it takes very little time to get used to it and once you do it feels as natural as typing on any other keyboard. The combo numberpad was a bit odd at first, but it really isn't something that put a crimp in my typing speed or comfort level. It was just a quirk to get used to.
One recommendation to anyone who is considering this keyboard, however, is if you're like me and like to be comfy as possible while indulging in virtual pc violence, I'd recommend buying a gel wristpad to put below the butterfly pad...I have two, actually, one for my mouse hand and one for my gaming hand. The keyboard doesn't NEED it per se, as it's designed to be comfortable, but I find it makes it more comfortable for me during those looooooong raiding parties (or leveling, or fragging the baddies, or whatever your favorite gaming activity entails)
Plus the price, at just about 40 dollars, is great for a gaming keyboard! (the stealth model coming out is going to be a decent amount higher, from what I have heard, but looks like it'll make up for it with some nifty new features - like multi-color backlit keys, usb ports built right into the keyboard, and a revamped hardier makeup...but I will have to wait and see how that all stacks up when I get one!)
Oh, and for those that are left handed and said that it was not an option for you as being left handed kinda makes it well, useless, of course, I just wanted to mention that Ideazon also makes a gaming pad that is almost identical to the butterfly layout on the MERC, called the Fang Gamepad, that can be moved to wherever it is comfortable for you to play.
Here's a link www.ideazon.com/us/products/fanggamepad.asp for anyone who's curious...
Oh, and no, I don't advertise for Ideazon or anything, I just have had great success with their stuff and thought I'd pass along that tidbit just in case you weren't aware of it