Roccat ROC-12-801 Valo Max Customization Gaming Keyboard W/ Illuminated Programmable Keys + Displays

Comment:
Seriously guys, you got the perfect keyboard here, you even made a perfect lefty gaming mouse... But as a MMO gamer AND being left, I need my "Switch target" button which has always been the "" found either above the ENTER key or below it. BRING IT BACK and you'll own the market! :)

Comment:
Previous keyboard : Metadot Das Keyboard.Tested the Valo for gaming and programming.My review of the Valo : from the product description, this keyboard seemed like a good idea, but after using it both at home and at work, I can now see that I was wrong.First off, don't bother installing the driver from the CD. There's a newer version on Roccat's website. You'll especially need it if you're on Windows 7 (in the release notes, they mention something about Win7 compatibility).So let's talk about the keyboard's main selling point : macros. This thing has a lot of macro keys : 41 macro keys + 4 "profile" keys (just about the num pad) + 3 recoding keys (top left, record, play/pause, stop). You have 5 profiles (one is on-board) and each profile has 4 layers (so it's like having 20 key sets). The macros work well enough and the macro software has a few nice options, such as being able to add custom delays between key strokes and multiple macro sets.Sadly, I had a few problems with the macros. Live recoding (recoding using the keyboard's record button instead of using the software) just plain sucks. While trying to record a simple macro while playing TF2, half of my keystrokes didn't get registered, plus it recorded the delays between my keystrokes (which accumulated to a few seconds while I tried re-pressing the keys a few times to get it to register). Inversely, if you record a macro in the software, you get to choose whether to record the delays or not and the recoding works flawlessly. Basically, record your macros using the software.Also, after making a macro using the software and adding reasonable delays between each keystroke, it didn't work 3/4 of the time in-game. After messing around with the game and notepad, I realized that it was ignoring the delays that I had manually added in the macro (it was basically trying to press 7 keys in 1 millisecond).When I realized that, I tried bringing it at work to try programming with it, instead of throwing it in the can. For the most part it's fine, except the way certain keys are positioned. Most annoying is that they put the back-slash key between the '=' and backspace keys, which is simply awkward in my opinion. Also, the backspace key is the size of a normal key, so half the time I want to erase something, I'm adding back-slashes. For programming, the macros can be useful. I recorded some simple code in a few macros (if-else's, switch-case's, etc.), and since it's text, the lack of delay between keystrokes isn't an issue.Other reviewers mentioned that they were hearing a whirring noise when the back-lighting was turned on. I had that issue the first time I turned on the lighting, but it hasn't happened afterwards.So, my verdict : decent, but certainly not excellent. Would not buy again and certainly wouldn't recommend to a friend.ps : it comes with a mic, but I didn't bother using it since I have a headset.pps : I also bought a Roccat Kova (mouse) and it's pretty good, so don't judge all of Roccat's products from this review. This review was modfied by poster @ 08-04-11 03:30 PM