The Logitech G15 Keyboard has just recently received a full refresh both physically and functionally, although it retains the same purpose of being as an all-out gaming keyboard made for gamers. As with most computer parts and peripherals, keyboards are usually represented by the generic white or black board with a set of keys in the QWERTY configuration with some additional function and keypad buttons. Strictly speaking, there is no real need for a dedicated gaming keyboard with the generic “board’s” basic capability – but when you consider the extras that you get with the G15, it is easy to change your mind.

                                                             The almost normal-sized G15 Refresh lights up nicely.

Since gaming is becoming such a specialized “profession”, the equipment used in “performing” it has also evolved and specialized. Gaming boards, or gameboards for short, take into account the elements of most game conventions and builds it into the very peripheral that the gamer will use to interact with the game of choice. Aside from the mouse – the other main component for a PC gamer’s interaction with a game, the keyboard constitutes the most direct way to collect and to send information into a virtual game world. The “sending” portion – like entering commands, chatting to other players, and controlling the character, is already well-represented by the normal keyboard. What the G15 does is to turn it around and give the player the means to use the same keyboard to also receive data from the game directly onto the keyboard, without leaving the player to rely on the monitor alone.

                                             The previous model was much wider, making it a tight fit for most desktops.

This refresh of the G15 changes the name from G15 Gaming Keyboard to simply the G15 Keyboard or the G15 Refresh. The most noticeable change is in the physical aspect; the LCD is no longer situated on a hinged panel, it is now integrated onto the keyboard housing. The number of function / macro keys has also been reduced, from 18 physical keys supporting 3 macros each down to 6 for a total of 18 macros. The multimedia keys have been moved to the area around the LCD, with the most notable change being the one for the volume controls, where a simple +/- switch has replaced the previous model’s wheel. The previous model’s blue backlighting has also been changed to amber.

                                             Comparing the two G15's LCD's

This refresh improves the G15’s capabilities in bringing the game-centric information back to the gamer, and do it while providing good ergonomics and thoughtful features that enhance gameplay outside of the game itself – namely through illuminated keys (for good visibility during heated matches), cable management (one less thing to worry about while you’re gaming), easy programmability with the included software (for quick preparations before a game), and robust construction (durability for those bangin’ sessions and temper tantrums). Two USB connectors are located at the rear of the unit. The G15 Refresh is also shorter in length than the previous model, answering one of the main concerns of some buyers – although there is a vocal few who wants the older, longer gameboard to remain available.

                                             A different kind of gameboard.

Other specific features include adjustable brightness for the backlight, plus said backlight is not the “see-through-the-gap” variety – meaning the lighting is seen through each key evenly, with no excess lighting between the gaps. Most importantly though, there is a number of forums dedicated to the board and its modifications, plus to making patches and profiles for many popular games. The included software will also allow you to program macros for several keystrokes into one press of a key; even without a specialized patch for a specific game, many repetitive actions can be simplified (for example, jump, shoot, sprint, reload – all in one key). But with special patches anything from diagnostic details, system statistics, chat functions, and display of esoteric game information is possible – the community supporting this “gameboard” is alive and well. This more than anything gives definition to the name “The Specialist”. With the right patches and the right macros, control over your favorite game or application is easy as pie (the shake and bake kind), and even “specializing” in gaming does not prevent this keyboard to excel as a regular old input device.