Having an illuminated keyboard with lights under the keys is nice feature for those that want to be able to work in low light conditions or play games on the family computer long after everyone else has gone to bed. While there are several manufacturers of back lit keyboards they have been relatively niche market items. Recently Logitech unveiled its new Logitech Illuminated Keyboard with built in back light that is receiving quite a bit of buzz.
Features of the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard
Also known as the LIK, the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is pretty standard in form and function. Traditional keyboard layouts with an over sized delete key and a very thin form factor make the LIK look like any ordinary keyboard until the room lights are dimmed. However, there are still several important features to the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard that bear referencing:
- Only the key letters are backlit. Unlike other backlit keyboards from companies such as Saitek, there is no spill light around the edges of each individual key. This tends to be a personal preference issue as some people prefer the additional spill light while others do not. However, the function key numbers are not lit, instead Logitech has only allowed the shortcut images which accompany them to be illuminated. The user's need for this depends on what applications they will be using, but when playing certain games the need for lighted function keys may be more important. While a person can easily get used to this some may wish to avoid the LIK and go for something like the Saitek Eclipse II.
- One touch buttons for commonly used tasks such as email, web browsing, music, etc. are incorporated into the function keys.
- Very thin design, measuring only 9.3 mm thick. This allows the unit to have a very modern, functional look to it, but in some ways actually holds it back. When typing the keyboard feels more like laptop keyboard than a desktop model. Although Logitech claims the key travel to be greater than that of most laptops it still is less than that of most traditional desktop keyboards. On the plus side, this design is very quiet, and still gets the job done effectively.
- Single color backlighting (white) with toggle control to set the illumination at one of four different levels (including off).
While Logitech is a late arrival to the world of illuminated keyboards, its first major venture into this niche of computing accessories is a very strong and capable product. While illuminated keyboards are not for everyone, the LIK will certainly be a popular gaming keyboard as well as finding a home among night owls and enthusiasts who want to add a little visual bling to thier desktop environment.
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