Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard

[Darksaber]

[page=Introduction]
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/logitech_g15.jpg
Today we take a look at the Logitech G15 keyboard.

Logitech is a brand name well known for its mice and keyboards. They have expanded their portfolio with web cams, media remotes, steering wheels, headset and microphones as well as speakers. Logitech was the first company to introduce laser mice and the MX1000 (read our review) was a huge hit. The only area where they did not offer a gamer part was keyboards. Everything Logitech has set out to produce. So the G15 fills a little void here.

Let's take a look at it now.

[page=Packaging & Contents]
Packaging & Contents
Packaging
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/boxfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/boxfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/boxbacks.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/boxback.jpg)
The package is quite massive, much larger than the usual boxes for keyboards. The full color cover has the keyboard shown up front, with a sticker noting compatibility with Brother in Arms. On the back the features of the keyboard are shown. Overall the packaging is quite eye catching and kept in the usual Logitech green.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/boxopens.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/boxopen.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/brownboxs.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/brownbox.jpg)
The inside of the colorful package houses a brown cardboard box, which is quite sturdy and definitely adds to the weight of over 2 kg of the entire package. Once opened, the G15 is encased in some more card board, while the manual, CD and palm rest are placed on the top.

Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/keyboardnews.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/keyboardnew.jpg)
Once unpacked, the keyboard, which is kept inside a foam bag, the CD and palm rest turn out to be all there is in the large box. Nonetheless, very well packaged!

[page=A closer look]
A closer look
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/keyboardoffs.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/keyboardoff.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/compares.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/compare.jpg)
The Logitech G15 is actually very large and weighs much more than your usual office counterpart. When compared to a normal Logitech Media keyboard the difference becomes quite noticeable. The programmable buttons on the left of the G15 are the reason for the actual size of the keyboard. The top of the keyboard has two handles, so the keyboard can be carried back and forth from your LAN party without any problems.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdopens.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdopen.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdcloseds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdclosed.jpg)
The LCD screen is just about as large as any drive bay VFD, and can be opened or closed. That way the G15 can be transported around without having to worry about breaking the LCD.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/mkeyss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/mkeys.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/gkeyss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/gkeys.jpg)
As mentioned before, the left side of the keyboard houses the programmable keys. The top has 3 "M" buttons and 18 "G" buttons. There are 54 different functions these 18 "G" buttons can handle, as each of them can have 3 different ones, for each "M" button available. It would be hard to remember 18 different functions and even harder to remember all 54 of them. It is still nice to see that we have more than we may ever need.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/pcgames.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/pcgame.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/mutelights.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/mutelight.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/g15logos.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/g15logo.jpg)
Just to the left of the LCD, there is a switch depicting a PC and a Joystick. I was not sure what that button was there for until reading the manual. When set to PC, the Windows button is active and when you hit the switch, they become inactive. That way you will not drop back into windows when playing your favorite game. A very nice touch indeed. On the right side of the LCD, there are two round buttons: one mutes the sound and the other one turns the lighting of the keyboard on and off.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/usb1s.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/usb1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/usb2s.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/usb2.jpg)
The back of the keyboard houses two USB ports, one on either side of the LCD. This is perfect for users, who want to connect the mouse right into the keyboard, instead of the back of the PC, or for USB memory sticks.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/keyboarddowns.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/keyboarddown.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/keyboardups.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/keyboardup.jpg)
The keyboard has little feet in the back which can be raised. But even with the feet up, the keyboard lies quite flat. I still got used to it quite quickly and typing on it was actually very good. The pressure needed to press down on the buttons is not quite as high as the normal Logitech keyboards and feels very good and responsive. A definite plus!

[page=Installation & Software]
Installation & Software
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/installers.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/installer.jpg)
Installing the software for the G15 is incredibly easy. The Auto-run from the CD lists five possible installations. The first contains the software needed to run the Keyboard and its LCD screen. The rest is just software that may or may not be useful to the user. I did not need or want any of it. Please excuse the German language in the screen shot, but the installer takes the OS language.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/softwares.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/software.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/pluginss.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/plugins.jpg)
Once Installed a small Logitech G1 icon appears by the OS clock. When you double click on it, a window appears. Here you can choose the Profile you want to use and how the G1-18 keys are mapped. You can also change the LCD display information with the software. As you can see I have installed a few custom plug-ins already.

[page=The keyboard in action]
The keyboard in action
Standard Plug-ins
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdlogitechs.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdlogitech.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdclocks.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdclock.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdtimerstops.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdtimerstop.jpg)
The Logitech G15 comes with a few of more or less useful plug-ins. A large Logitech symbol and name is displayed when the PC starts. Besides that there is a very handy clock to check the date and time. That way you will never need to move your mouse cursor over your clock in the bottom right corner to check for the date. There is a less useful timer and stop watch plug-in as well.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdcpus.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdcpu.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdmusics.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdmusic.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdvolumes.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdvolume.jpg)
Logitech has included a very simple CPU and memory plug-in, which displays the current CPU and memory usage. It is nice to see that it can handle dual-core CPUs by splitting the CPU bar in two. Another very useful plug-in is the multimedia display. It shows song information, current play position and total time. If you watch a movie, the filename, the current play position and total time of the movie is shown. So you can watch a movie with full screen and do not need to minimize the window to check that information. The large dial in front of the LCD controls the volume, which is displayed on the LCD as well. All the other buttons around the volume dial are standard multimedia buttons and work accordingly.

Custom Plug-ins
Websites with Plug-ins:

http://www.lcdstudio.com (http://www.lcdstudio.com/site20/home.php)
http://www.g15forums.com

AMD Plug-in: AMD Website direct link (http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/utilities/appletsetup.exe)

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdeqs.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdeq.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdtrillians.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdtrillian.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdamds.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lcdamd.jpg)
I just want to showcase a few very interesting plug-ins to show that there is much more out there, which may be very useful to you. The first is an LCD EQ which can be downloaded from the links above. The second is a very interesting Trillian plug-in, which shows chat windows and if a contact comes online or leaves. The third is a very nifty little plug-in from AMD directly, which shows off CPU information among other things.

Keyboard back light
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lightsfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lightsfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lightstops.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Logitech/G15/images/lightstop.jpg)
Another interesting aspect of the keyboard, which is perfect for the LAN Party gamer - the back-light. While the light is not as bright when looked at from the usual front position, it is strong enough. A very useful feature nonetheless.

[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The Logitech G15 keyboard can be had in the US for just under 70 US Dollars in the states and for just under 70 Euros in Europe. That may be a lot at first though, but considering the build quality, the very useful LCD and the backlight, the price is quite justified.

</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>

Well constructed
Very good layout
Very bright LCD
LCD can be closed for transport
Great feel when typing
Windows button lock
Lots of programmable buttons
Blue backlight
Two USB ports
Long cable

</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>

Not quite as bright backlight from normal sitting position

</td></tr>
<tr><th>9.7</th>
<td>
Logitech has done it again. No matter how much I keep looking at the Logitech G15, I cannot find anything wrong with it. Typing on it feels incredibly good, the LCD is very well made. The construction is very solid. Software installation is a breeze and can be used with ease. There are even a lot of different plug-ins available from private programmers to corporate companies. While 70 Dollars may be a lot as a budget for any input device, it definitely makes a difference. If you are building a gaming rig, do not skip on the keyboard - go straight for the Logitech G15, you will never want to go back to a normal one.
</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/editorschoice.gif</td></tr>
</table>

[AnnCore]

Hi Darksaber

Nice review. I have just two questions: Did you game with it at all? and If so: What do you think?

You mentioned that the typing is good but what about game play?

Thanks.

Ann Core

[Darksaber]

Well the gaming is very nice. The buttons do not spring back as forceful, but still very fast. I did game with it a bit sofar. And I have really gotten used to the LCD in windows and such, getting ICQ messages or movie info.

cheers
DS

[drade]

Great review, I love the looks of this keyboard! Good job, after my next rig is done, this is the first item I will be getting.

[t_ski]

I have had one of these since Christmas, and I love it. I game with it myself, and the only issue I have with it is the larger size. But since I love the macro keys more than I dislike the extra size because of them, I can get over it. One thing I want to remind everyone, is that the macro keys work in any application. I have six keys set up to do Photoshop commands, like "Alt, I, I, 800, enter" to resize a picture to 800x600 with the touch of one button.

[newtekie1]

Great review. I have been looking to get one of these for quite some time, but am kind of waiting to see if they will eventually bundle it with a mouse or even make a similar wireless version.

Though I was wondering if anyone could tell me the actual size of this keyboard, I want to make sure it will fit on my keyboard tray before I buy it. :)

Also I have heard reports that the keys are actually painted, and that the paint begins to come off after heavy useage. Can anyone confirm or deny this with their experience? I have heard that Logitech was very willing to send a replacement keyboard when this happenned though, even though it was out of warranty. So I am not too concerned about this.

[t_ski]

They keys are probably painted, as the letters on them are clear/translucent to allow the blue light to come through. The length is about 3-4 inches more than a normal keyboard, roughly 21.5" by 10.25".

I don't think they would bundle it with a mouse though, as most gamers are going to be picky about whether they want wired or wireless. Plus, I think the bundle price for a G15 and MX1000 would be like $150+.

[KennyT772]

i love my g15. it matches my mx518 exactly and types the best as far as im concerned. could u please post any other add ons available??

[newtekie1]

...


Thanks, I think it will just fit on my keyboard tray.

I would love to see a G7 or G5 bundled with this keyboard or a wireless version of it(maybe using the G11 instead). If you buy them seperately you can get them for under $130, so I would be more then willing to pay $150 for a wireless bundle of the two.

Though it would be really awesome if they managed to combine the G7 battery charger and receiver into the wired G15 keyboard and sold that in a bundle with the G7. Even if they had to eliminate one of the USB ports on the back of the keyboard I think it would be worth it. I would snag that up in an instant, even at $150+. It isn't like they wouldn't last for years. My MX Duo set is 4 years old and still works wonderfully. I don't mind putting down a small investment of ~$150 for a good keyboard and mouse every few years.

[Atomic77]

It looks like a very nice keyboard but for me I just stick with the normal default keyboard that comes with the computer when you buy it from the factory or store.You don't really need all that fancy stuff. Im a mild gamer and a basic keyboard does just fine for me. Over all a very nice review and a interesting product I gather.

[newtekie1]

That only works if you buy your computer from a manufacturer. If you build the computer yourself you have to buy a keyboard yourself separately. And like I said, I don't really mind dropping $70 on a keyboard that will last me for several years.

[Darksaber]

i love my g15. it matches my mx518 exactly and types the best as far as im concerned. could u please post any other add ons available??

have you checked the two links in the review? they have quite a few available. Check the forums of the websites!

cheers
DS

[sinner33]

It's a solid keyboard. I think every gamer would enjoy it. :)

[CreV-]

You missed one thing. Cable management system. Look under the keyboard.

Under the keyboard itself it's carved out for cables.

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/313/bild010jd3.jpg <-- Just look. Sorry for the bad quality.

[wtf8269]

I would love to see a G7 or G5 bundled with this keyboard or a wireless version of it(maybe using the G11 instead). If you buy them seperately you can get them for under $130, so I would be more then willing to pay $150 for a wireless bundle of the two.
The keyboard pulls far too much power to be wireless. People have had problems trying to run it on a KVM switch.

I've been eyeing this keyboard for awhile now. What's holding me back is the shear size of it. It could fit in my keyboard tray, but then I wouldn't be able to have my mouse in the tray either. I could put it on top of my desk, and it would just fit. Problem is I would eventually like to put a center channel speaker there. (Klipsch RF-35 probably). So I don't know. If I got it I'd defenitely paint that baby blue part though.

Good review!

[Darksaber]

You missed one thing. Cable management system. Look under the keyboard.

Under the keyboard itself it's carved out for cables.

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/313/bild010jd3.jpg <-- Just look. Sorry for the bad quality.

holy crap..wow...yes you are right...I did not even notice :). But what is it good for? USB devices connected? mouse cable maybe?

but good point.

cheers
DS

[CreV-]

holy crap..wow...yes you are right...I did not even notice :). But what is it good for? USB devices connected? mouse cable maybe?

but good point.

cheers
DS

I hate cables laying on the keyboard. I'm using it for my mouse and headset. I love it. :D

[W1zzard]

i bought one after reading this review .. the keyboard layout takes a bit to get used to. but after that it rocks

[Makaveli]

I'm buying one of these tomorrow, I think it will just fit on my tray. My mouse currently resides on my tray aswell, but I think I might have a solution for that.

[Makaveli]

Does anyone know how to install the LCD appz. And if there is a profile for CS S. It picks one up for battlefield 2 on my rig. Also The logitech performace monitor will show my ram usage but nothing for CPU. anyone know if there is a fix for this?

And last question to all the G15 owners, do I need to have .net install I currently don't like it.

[KennyT772]

hmm even the mighty w1zz has one.

shoot this weekend alone 4 different people wanted to steal it from me..:D i got it last xmas with bestbuy giftcards..gotta love getting screwed by big box retailers...

[newtekie1]

Does anyone know how to install the LCD appz. And if there is a profile for CS S. It picks one up for battlefield 2 on my rig. Also The logitech performace monitor will show my ram usage but nothing for CPU. anyone know if there is a fix for this?

And last question to all the G15 owners, do I need to have .net install I currently don't like it.

I don't know about installing LCD apps, but I believe none of the Valve games support it(due to Valve refusing to support it). Eventually there might be some 3rd party ones coming out, they might even be already out.

[CreV-]

www.g15mods.com
Check out that site. Go to the forum.

[Makaveli]

You are right that valve doesn't support it yet. there is a 3rd party app that does, u have to install .net 2.0 to use it. its pretty good it will show u amount of kills and death's aswell as k/d ratio. It also shows u how many kills per weapon.

And when I was asking about profiles I meant keyboard buttons or G key assigment profiles, not LCD appz.

[gaara]

I have one question about this keboard, does it work with Mac OS X?

[Changis]

tviler:

System Requirements
• PC with Pentium® processor or compatible
• Windows® XP
• 256 MB RAM

kanskje det kommer en mac-driver senere, men dette keyboardet er mer tilrettelagt for PC spillere enn mac brukere

(ps. gaara from the hidden village of sand? ;))

[gaara]

tviler:

System Requirements
• PC with Pentium® processor or compatible
• Windows® XP
• 256 MB RAM

kanskje det kommer en mac-driver senere, men dette keyboardet er mer tilrettelagt for PC spillere enn mac brukere

(ps. gaara from the hidden village of sand? ;))
Could you maybe translate that, from, i'm assuming norweigan, please?
And yes, Gaara of the sand.:cool:

[Changis]

damn, sorry :slap: was chatting on a norwegian blog at the same time :laugh:
here is the translation from norwegican:toast: :

I doubt it:
(taken from logitech's site)
System Requirements
• PC with Pentium® processor or compatible
• Windows® XP (as you can see no mac support)
• 256 MB RAM

Maybe a Mac Driver will come along (or maybe there is an unofficial), but this was made mainly as a pc-gamer-keyboard.
perhaps you have basic keyboard support, but unless you have the driver it'll only be a lighted keyboard (since you can't use macro functions or the lcd-display)

please don't use your dessert coffin jutsu on me:rolleyes: , or I'll have to take off my sunglasses:cool:

Heia Ibsen! (Go Ibsen!)
Ibsen is tha :pimp:

[strick94u]

One of my students got one and the install cd was blank simple download fixed that problem and he swears its the greatest thing since boneless chickens

[gaara]

damn, sorry :slap: was chatting on a norwegian blog at the same time :laugh:
here is the translation from norwegican:toast: :

Heh, that's alright. I'm going to buy a Mac Book Pro in a few months, or whenever I have the money, and I want to make sure that I have my gaming hardware so I can pwn n00bs, or veterans and whatnot. This will actually be the first computer that I will actually be able to game on, iv'e gone a long time without L33T hardware and this keyboard would be perfect. I really like this keyboard and I it at least it will work on a basic level and still be backlit, I don't mind if the LCD works or not. I will probably end up gaming a lot on windows anyway (the new macs can run win aswell), but I want to at least play Halo on Mac OS X, possibly other games. I hope that the 18 'G' keys will still work, and the loss of the macro feature on OS X might be bad, I'll see. So I will still be able to use this keyboard as a regular keyboard nonethless right?

[g12rxz]

I have one of these keyboards, pretty decent, cant complain too much. I've noticed that even though its not as quiet as other keyboards it keeps its tactile feedback much longer. Another thing i've noticed though is the shift key and other frequently used keys like space and enter can begin to squeak or not push down 'right' over time. Other than the general lack of support for the lcd screen and a few little quirks, this keyboard should last quite a while.

Oh, I forgot to mention... overpriced...

and why havnt i seen any mainstream keyboards with some easy/special feature to clean under the buttons!? i'd take something that could do that over a backlit 'gaming' keyboard any day. i guess thats a little off topic though :p

[t_ski]

I know I've seen a "how-to" on cleaning one - usual pop off the keys and blow deal.

[Agility]

Overprice...? I find the price is just right.....And the LCD seems to be the next step to new keyboards in the future. Who knows one day the keyboard bundles with a LCD screen whereby you press on the screen itself and not the keyboard :laugh:

[Changis]

"So I will still be able to use this keyboard as a regular keyboard nonethless right?"

maybe, I havent tested it, and this board does not support mac out of the box so I can't be sure, but it May work basically, and some people on the net say it works with mac's (without extra features)

as for lighted keyboards, you can get a lot of cheaper and just as good keyboards, but without the LCD and Macro-keys.

[Agility]

And WEEEEEEE i just bought my keyboard today.... Everything is just so frigging cool....(oh well probaby it would last for 3days max?) Big keyboard with nice rubbery grip surface. It feels the same as my V3x Motorola phone. Its just a coating over and will peel off in the future after using it many times... Cause my motorola phone happened to get peeled :laugh:

[t_ski]

I've had mine about nine months and have not seen anything of the sort.

[Makaveli]

I concur, I have both G15 and a V3 Razor, no issues with the rubber at all. what are u doing over there bro?

[Agility]

The flip skin came out...apparently. Nothing much though...just consistant flipping and slamming it back =X

[mr. Twitch]

I find the rubber all over the keyboard really attracts alot of muck and grime.

Otherwise, I love this keyboard!

[Namslas90]

Great keyboard, have had one since last December. Easy to clean with CD wipes and canned duster. Not enough Game profiles available as of yet, was led to believe there would be more sooner. The more they sell the more profiles we get, so keep buying-em. Blue lights go great with blue gamers mousepad and blue neon in case, looks cool in the dark. Don't like the way LCD rotates through selected display options though. Must select and disable profiles a start-up every time, what a pain. AMD profile is cool saves screen space, and keeps temp, CPU usage and Ram usage in plain View. Never realy programed any of the 'G' keys for games, takes to long and allready know the default setups.

[shedevilrosebud]

Well the gaming is very nice. The buttons do not spring back as forceful, but still very fast. I did game with it a bit sofar. And I have really gotten used to the LCD in windows and such, getting ICQ messages or movie info.

cheers
DS

can you tell me how you get icq to work on the g15 keyboard
thanz for ya time
Shedevilrosebud