06/23/05 >> Saitek Ec;lipse Keyboard

Hardware: keyboard

Manufacturer: Saitek

 

 

Every so often a peripheral comes along that raises the bar in terms of quality and comfort. It’s happened again… this time for the keyboard. The Saitek Eclipse Keyboard to be exact. We’re going to take a look at this keyboard and see if it’s really all its cracked up to be.

 

The Eclipse keyboard is from Saitek, a company who is no stranger to the market of gaming peripherals, specifically gamepads and joysticks. This time around they have created a keyboard that is not only functional but also appeals to the gamers who care about the looks of the computer just as much as its performance. The Eclipse features what Saitek calls True-Vu key illumination. Essentially, the keys are illuminated with blue LED light. The light is not distracting in the least and is easy see to in both daylight and total darkness.

 

 

I can’t stress enough just how sharp this keyboard looks whether it’s illuminated or not. The “futuristic” design of it makes the keyboard an eye-catcher even when the blue LED lights are off. The black surface with silver keys is a perfect match for the blue LED light.

 

However, all the looks in the world aren’t going to help if the keyboard is uncomfortable or lacks response. Happily this is not the case with the Eclipse. Whether you like using the adjustable wrist support or not the keyboard is very comfortable. You never feel like your over-extending your hands or fingers with this keyboard.

 

Key response with the Eclipse is near perfect. I’ve used many different keyboards in my career: some good, some pathetic. The Eclipse is easily the best keyboard I’ve used to date. Pressing the key is easy and quiet. It never feels too soft or mushy.

 

 

The Eclipse also comes with four buttons above the keypad: volume up, volume down, mute, and lighting adjustment (high, low, and off). The buttons works just fine. All this without having a driver/software CD. The Eclipse is truly a plug-and-play keyboard.

 

If you’re in the market for a slick looking keyboard to show off to your friends or if you want a quality and responsive keyboard for everyday use, do not pass up the Saitek Eclipse. You will not find a better keyboard for gaming, typing and comfort.

 

 

 

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Hardware Score: 9.3

Good comfort and key response, great design, and slick blue LED lights make this the perfect choice for hardcore gamers and general computer users.

 

 

 

Reviewed by Alex Hammond