Razer was one of the progenitors of the boutique gaming peripherals market. Back in the day their mice were the stuff of legends; accurate and responsive to a tee. Now those “mouse guys” aren’t just making mice anymore.
Razer was originally known for its Boomslang mechanical mouse. Purported to be incredibly accurate and responsive, it won the praise (and sponsorship) of the few pro gamers around in the late 90s. The still well known Fatal1ty was one of those gamers, but even his stamp of approval couldn’t save Razer from being victimized by the boon in optical mice and the DotCom crash.
In 2004 Razer made a comeback with the now well-known Diamondback mouse, and they haven’t stopped since. Their latest product actually belongs to their fledgling keyboard line. The Lycosa is only the second keyboard released from the peripheral company, and they aren’t resting on the laurels earned from the first.
This latest keyboard is a different direction in look and design than Razer’s other keyboard; the Tarantula. The Lycosa is smaller than its predecessor, in both width and depth. The keys are all rubberized in a non-slip finish, and illuminate in blue by default. You can also select no backlighting, which although looks very sleek, depends on your knowledge of key locations. Since this is a gaming targeted keyboard, the WASD cluster alone can be lit. Then there’s the keyboard’s other interesting features. All the details can be found on the Razer Lycosa product page.
- Fully-programmable keys with macro capability
- Gaming cluster with anti-ghosting capability
- Slim keycap structure with Hyperesponse™ technology
- TouchPanel™ easy access media keys
- Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key
- 10 customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
- 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response time
- Earphone-out and microphone-in jacks
- Detachable wrist rest
- One integrated USB extension port
If some of you are wondering what some of these mean, I’ll try to explain from the information Razer provided us. The biggest question mark will be that “Ultrapolling” thing. Most keyboards poll for input at a rate of 800Hz and a key press takes 8ms to respond. The 1000Hz/1ms response time of the Lycosa means that in theory it responds faster and allows you to deal with your target quicker. Like in my review of the Microsoft Sidewinder, I’ve never experienced a problem with such things. I’ve used the Logitech G15, Saitek Eclipse, and a few miscellaneous wired and wireless keyboards, and have never had them lag out due to poor polling frequency and key response time. I’m also not a professional gamer, so I guess it comes down to whatever makes the difference.
As for price, the Lycosa can found in the same dollar range as many other gaming keyboards. At $80 it’s also the same MSRP as its cousin the Tarantula. This seems to be the going rate for gaming keyboards these days, so the choice really comes down to features and preference. How will the Lycosa stack up to the competition? We’ll just have to find out.
Also In The Box
Included with the Razer Lycosa keyboard is a host of additional paperwork, and some Razer logo stickers. For instructions, there’s a quick start guide. It doesn’t so much direct you how to plug in a keyboard, as it highlights some of the features of the Lycosa. Over and above that is a full master guide, which walks you through every feature and nuance of this keyboard, and includes a driver disc. Finally there’s a certificate of authenticity, welcoming you to the “cult of gaming” to use Razer’s vernacular.
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Up Close And Personal
As I noted, the keys have a rubberized non-slip finish on them. This makes for a matte finish, which contrasts nicely with the surrounding structure. The frame around the keys is moulded in a shiny piano black style plastic. This makes for a striking appearance when illuminated or dark. Unfortunately it also creates a huge magnet for very apparent smudges and finger prints. Those who like to keep their peripherals looking shiny may find themselves obsessing over the finish on the Lycosa.
The lighting on the Razer Lycosa is one other sticking point. When fully on it isn’t very bright, and depending on lighting conditions can be difficult to see if not at the right angle. Other than that, the lighting is consistent across all keys.
The TouchPanel media keys are only illuminated when the keyboard light is turned on. They are the same finish as the structure of the keyboard; shiny and reflective. That means they are prone to showing off just how many times you’ve pressed a certain button by way of smudges and fingerprints. As for the buttons themselves, they work in iTunes, Winamp, WMP, and a number of other popular media players.
On the top of the Razer Lycosa, near the right hand of the keyboard, is a USB port, and audio ports for a headset.
These connections are provided through a series of pass-through ports. This setup is typical and common for the audio ports, but USB is a different story. Most keyboards, and other devices for that matter, that have USB ports are detected as a USB hub. Since there’s only one USB port on the Lycosa, Razer went with a simple pass-through cable. This also prevents whatever is using the USB port on the keyboard from interfering with the signal coming from the keyboard, dogging it’s performance.
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Software
To the uninitiated, including a driver disc with a keyboard may seem redundant. But when it comes to a gaming keyboard, the driver disc can also included useful utilities. In the case of the Razer Lycosa, the driver disc includes an easy to use control panel that gives you access to all the keyboard’s functions. From this control panel you can change the lighting mode, and select which media player you wish to control.
You can also pop down additional menus, used to assign a macro to pretty well any key on the keyboard. From there you can keep those macros active all the time, or assign them to a profile that can be setup for a particular app. This is handy for not only macro functions in games, but in apps like Photoshop and Word. These profiles by default are activated when the executable for that app is run, but you can turn that feature off. The many other features have similar customizability, allowing for a large degree of tweaking.
Testing and Use
Since this is a gaming keyboard, once everything was installed I started up Team Fortress 2 and went to work. Did it improve me game, and increase my frag count? The short answer is no. However I would rate it as at least a useful keyboard for gaming. The rubberized finish did prevent some slippage, and the short travel on the keys did make for quicker response.
As for the physical presence of the keyboard itself during heavy gaming, it pretty well stayed put. Some keyboards tend to slide all over your desk during usage, but thanks to the six rubber feet on the bottom of the Lycosa it didn’t go anywhere. Even when using the flip down stands, the remaining feet on the ground held the keyboard in place. However it wasn’t all wine and roses once I turned to the more serious pursuits one would use a keyboard for.
As much as I enjoy gaming as part of my work on a particular review, I did have to move on to actual work. In writing a portion of this review, I did use the Razer Lycosa. While the experience using the keyboard was definitely good, I could start to see some downsides that might appear to various types of users. The first and foremost is the lack of brightness in the key backlighting. If you aren’t an experienced typist who knows their key positions, it can make it difficult to type. In darkness, with minimal light, I could easily see what keys were what. Once the office lights were turned on that became much more difficult, and adding in ambient sunlight made things a little more problematic. This seems to be caused by the thickness of the “lenses” on each key, and there don’t seem to provide enough contrast for the keys to be sufficiently visible.
While writing I of course indulged in some music, which brought to light another minor problem. The media touchpad, though awesome looking, doesn’t provide any tactile feedback. Without the backlight and a quick glance you don’t quite know if you are hitting the right button. Also, once I was finished with the Razer Lycosa I lifted my hands and noticed that the shiny finish of the keyboard frame and touchpad was all smudged up. If you are any type of clean freak when it comes to your computer, this may drive you insane.
All is not doom and gloom though. I found that once again the key travel and responsiveness of the keys didn’t hinder my writing at all. Touch typists needn’t worry either, as the Razer Lycosa is more than able to keep up. As well the Lycosa appears to be very well built, and will stand up to regular use and punishment.
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Final Thoughts and Conclusion
The Razer Lycosa does deliver what is expected. This is definitely a gaming keyboard in most aspects. It has the looks, features, and performance that would appeal to that segment of the computer user market.The matte black and piano black make a for a subtle but striking contrast, and when paired with other black components this keyboard does stand out. The backlighting doesn’t intrude on the aesthetics, and…you know…make the keyboard useful.
For features, the Lycosa includes extras that are expected in this class of keyboards. Though media controls are seen on many keyboards, the take on them in this unit is interesting. As for the extra ports on the top edge, by using pass-through cables and not piggybacking on the keyboard signal they are implemented in a way that supports ultimate performance.
Speaking of performance, the Lycosa is on par with many other gaming grade keyboards. The key response and travel are well suited to the hectic arena of the first person shooter, but also find a home in the world of word processors and web browsers.
Though the downsides are few, they are quite noteworthy. The backlight isn’t strong enough, and makes it hard to read the keys in bright environments. Whether this is caused by the lighting itself not being bright enough, or the keys not being transparent enough, it present a problem for those who need to look at their keyboard. Also the finish on the keyboard is easily sullied though normal use.
Overall I would recommend the Razer Lycosa gaming keyboard much in the same way I would recommend the Logitech G15 or Saitek Eclipse II. For gamers these devices are weapons, and like any weapon each keyboard will present features and detriments that appeal to or drive away potential buyers. The Lycosa brings to the table the features and performance that you would expect from a keyboard that is gaming grade. More importantly it implements these features consistently and without fail, making for many a high score to be posted.
Pros
- Excellent tactile feedback
- Solid construction
- Stylish
- Good software package
Cons
- Finish is easily made dirty during use
- Touchpad requires lighting and a glance
- Keys hard to read in bright environments
Overall Rating: 8.0/10.0
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