| | |  | Hardware | Home » » » » Logitech G13 Programmable Gameboard with LCD Display | | | | | | | Description: | | The Logitech G13 advanced gameboard gives you game-changing comfort and control. Naturally contoured design follows the natural shape of your hand and fingers for increased comfort during long sessions. Onboard memory lets you program up to 5 ready-to-play profiles, so you can take your personal preferences with you. Customizable backlighting lets you choose your colors and easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play. | | | Features: | |
• Naturally contoured design follows the natural shape of your hand and fingers for increased comfort during long sessions.
• Onboard memory lets you program up to 5 ready-to-play profiles, so you can take your personal preferences with you.
• Customizable backlighting lets you choose your colors and easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play.
• 25 programmable keys allow you to assign keyboard functions to suit your style of play and create macros on the fly
• The high-visibility GamePanel LCD displays game stats, system info, and communications from fellow players.
• Customizable backlighting lets you choose your colors and easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play
• Naturally contoured design follows the natural shape of your hand and fingers for increased comfort during long sessions
• Onboard memory lets you program up to 5 ready-to-play profiles, so you can take your personal preferences with you
• The high-visibility GamePanel LCD displays game stats, system info, and communications from fellow players
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 11.2 inches | | Product Width:
| 9.1 inches | | Product Height:
| 3.5 inches | | Product Weight:
| 2.1 pounds | | Package Length:
| 11.18 inches | | Package Width:
| 9.13 inches | | Package Height:
| 3.46 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.1 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 246 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 246 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
328 of 334 found the following review helpful:
 Logitech G13 vs. Belkin n52teJul 30, 2009
By C Cougar
I have used both the Logitech G13 and Belkin n52te extensively, so I thought it would be useful to write a review comparing the two products.
Usage
I have used both keypads to play World of Warcraft (WoW) extensively. Typically I use the mouse to steer my character, and the keypad to do the actions on my action bar. I use the joystick to move forward, back, and strafe left and right. My hand is average to small in size.
Keys
The Logitech G13 has more keys than the Belkin n52te. In fact the main reason I bought the G13 was because I ran out of keys on the n52te. The G13 has 22 keys plus a joystick button, and two extra buttons near the joystick for a total of 25 programable items. The n52te has 14 keys, a scroll wheel up-down-click button, and two buttons by the joystick for a total of 19 programmable items. When you get advanced in WoW, the more buttons you have, the better your game will be since you can quickly do an action by pressing a button.
The n52te keys are all pretty much the same shape, and the middle key has a bump on it to help you locate where you are. The G13 has the most common keys the same shape, but other keys near the edges have a different shape. I find this helpful since I can feel the key and know where I am due to its shape. The G13 all has four keys with a concave impression to help you locate where you are on the keypad. Again, I find this more useful than the one key the n52te uses with a bumb on it.
Joystick/D-Pad
The n52te has a D-Pad that allows you to control movement in 8 directions. It has an optional joystick insertion that makes it feel more like a joystick. When playing WoW, I actually only used 4 directions, and disabled the corner directionals, since it was too easy to go the wrong way by mistake. With just 4 directions (forward, back, strafe left, strafe right), it was easier to use.
The G13 has a small joystick which allows you to control 4 directions. Comparing the two, I think the G13 is much easier on the thumb than the n52te. After hours of play, and days of gaming, this makes a big difference. The G13 moves much easier and with less effort than the n52te. The G13 also pivots more naturally, so it is much easier to switch directions with less effort. The only thing I don't like about the joystick is the joystick button is very hard to press.
Ergonomics
I feel that the n52te actually promotes carpel tunnel syndrome in the way its designed. The problem is that it forces you to bend your wrist upward so that you are continually putting stress on those tendons. The palm rest does not help, as it simply forces this bad wrist orientation. In order to use the n52te without pain, I actually had to prop up my elbow on some books so that my wrist could be in a more natural position.
The ergonomics on the G13 are far superior than the n52te. The way its designed it allows you to keep your wrist in its natural position, as when you are typing, without having to bend it upward as in the n52te. I can use the G13 continuously for hours upon hours with no discomfort at all.
LCD
The G13 comes with a LCD display, which the n52te does not have. At first I thought I would not use it much, but now I find it to be a helpful addition. For WoW, it shows your characters stats as well as other things such as your equipment durability, so you know when it is time to repair. On battlegrounds it shows stats like how many players on each side, time elapsed, deaths, killing blows, and honorable kills. The LCD does other stuff too when you are not playing the game (time and date, cpu usage, stopwatch, rss feeds, music info, etc). So I think it is a nice bonus.
Programming
I found both units really easy to program. It is very easy to assign any keystroke or key combinations or macros to any key on the keypad.
Conclusion
Overall, I would say the Logitech G13 is superior than the Belkin n52te and would highly recommend you buy the G13 over the n52te. My feeling is that the G13 is the next generation of keypads with all the best features, while the n52te is the old generation of keypads which has now been surpassed.
104 of 109 found the following review helpful:
Very ImpressedFeb 01, 2009
By Scott
This review is somewhat lengthy, but I try to cover all the bases on this device.
Overall Impression: Very nice piece of hardware, worth the money.
Ok, let's get started.
Physical Properties: The pad itself is of decent size for someone with average to slightly-larger-than average hands. I have long fingers and still felt very comfortable on this device. The keys press easily and are in a comfortable layout. The joystick also moves easily with my thumb. However, the joystick has a "click" attached to it when you press it down which is somewhat difficult to activate while keeping the stick still. It's definitely a hard press.
There is a non-slip surface on the bottom to keep the unit in place which works perfectly, as well as a comfortable semi-nonslip on the wrist/palm rest.
The LCD is clear and brightly illuminated with customizable lighting. There is also an on/off button for the backlight built onto the unit so you don't have to play with lights on all the time. The backlight for the LCD also backlights the buttons, which means that they follow the same customizable functionality.
The LCD also displays various, customizable, information based upon applications you have running on your system. It has support for all the mainstream media players to display song information, as well as RSS information, email, etc. It also has the capability to display in-game information, but the game itself must support this. Warhammer, for instance, does not offer this support (that I've seen), so there are no vitals displayed on the LCD. World of Warcraft does offer support, so by default you can see quite a number of stats on your screen.
Software:
The G13 has its own software for assigning functions to the keypad. It also has an application dedicated to managing the LCD display. I have not used any other LCD / Programmable Logitech products in the past so I don't know how this compares with them.
In the software suite, you can scan your computer for available known games to the G13. I did not have luck with it finding my WAR installation, but I changed the default directory which could be the cause of this.
If it finds compatible games it will then make available a preconfigured gaming profile for that game. You are of course allowed to modify the profile if you wish or you can choose to create your own custom profile from scratch.
The profile creation is easy. It involves choosing a name and the game/application executable file.
Once you have a new profile, you can choose what to assign to your keys. Your options are key combinations, macros, or scripts. The software makes assigning each of these a snap. It only takes point and click to assign your keys under the profile, which is auto-saved.
The software is also where you are allowed to modify the LCD backlight color. Using the windows built-in color chooser, you can select any value of RGB to backlight your unit with. Each memory setting (1 - 3) can have its own backlight. This gives you an easy way to distinguish quickly which profile you're on.
Macros:
Macroing on the G13 is pretty straightforward. You can launch the macro editor and begin recording keystrokes and mouse clicks and then save them into the macro list. You are then able to assign the macros to G-keys on the board. The macro editor also allows you to add custom durations between events in the macro you're recording, or it can record durations between keypresses as you do them. I find it easier to record the macro first and then add delays later. This is very helpful for Warhammer since it has a global cooldown on all skills.
Scripting:
The G13 has an implementation of the LUA scripting language available for use. It includes most of the math libraries, strings, and some tables. Using the LUA language, and some custom Logitech event functionality (which are documented) you can create scripts to drive almost any aspect of the G13. They allow you to control the LCD, moving the mouse, emulating keypresses, etc. Once you create a script, you can assign it to a G-key very easily by choosing it from a list.
I think that about covers the G13. I am very pleased with having spent the money to order it. Something to keep in mind. The G13 is fantastic for gaming, but also has many practical uses outside of gaming. As a programmer, I find the G13 works well inside of my IDE for quickly running commands (compiling, debug, synchronization, etc).
I hope this helps you out! I am also not affiliated with Logitech in any way, but I do like their product.
60 of 66 found the following review helpful:
A synthesis of reviewsJan 20, 2010
By David Dietrich
Introduction:
I designed this review as a sort of encyclopedic critique of the each criticism I've found in the reviews here on Amazon and elsewhere. To prove my nerdiness conclusively, I've indexed my responses to each criticism so you don't have to read the whole thing. You can just pick out the issues that concern you and get my scoop on them.
Introduction
1: Comfort
2: Large/Small hand friendliness
3: Keys Hard to Reach
4: WASD Keys Unmarked
5: Keys Hard to Press
6: Thumbstick Hard to Press
7: Thumbstick "loose" Feeling
8: Thumbstick not Analog
9: Thorny Thumbstick
10: Weak Game-recognition
11: Installation/Stability Issues
12: No In-game Profile-switching
13: LCD Weaknesses
14: Only One Brightness Level
15: Short Cord
16: Learning Curve
17: Size
Conclusion
1) Comfort
First thing I hear a lot about is ergonomics. People say the joystick is in a "cramped" or "alien" position, and act like your thumb is going to snap off after five minutes of play time. They have no leg to stand on as far as I'm concerned. True, your thumb will not be resting on the side like a mouse, but this isn't a mouse, and it's not the N52, and yet, somehow, it feels perfectly comfortable to me.
2) Large/Small Hands
Alongside ergonomic complaints I've read a number of people saying the G13 "isn't made for large hands" or "isn't made for small hands." Evidently it was only made for medium-sized hands. I have huge hands, and I consider that my main advantage when using this board. Small hands I can see being a handicap, but I don't know for sure. If anything, this was made for big hands.
3) Keys Hard to Reach
In line with the above, many people say that the keys can be hard to reach. Well, first off, if you're getting a gameboard with a monstrous 20+ keys to press, some of them are just necessarily going to be further away than others. The only keys I have found took some practice to get to were the far left and bottom row keys since these are accessed by your pinky finger snaking way on out there. However, all the keys are so well defined that they take very little practice getting used to. Even before memorizing them you can quickly feel your way around due to their excellently clear demarcations. You can see that from the picture. Also, you can hear your fingers feeling across each key, if you listen carefully, so you have auditory cues on top of tactile ones as to where the keys are relative to your fingers. In short, I have never, ever, once gotten lost on this thing despite its vast array of keys.
4) WASD Keys Unmarked
Another key-related complaint is that the central "WASD" keys have no bumps on them to find them easily. This is extremely misleading. No, they don't have bumps, what they have are indentations for your fingertips. Thus, even if you WERE blind and couldn't see their clear, glowing labels your fingertips would slip into them almost without you knowing it. And, no, they aren't labeled, "W" "A" "S" and "D" firstly because they don't have to be mapped to those keys and secondly because, as I said just now, they have indentations clearly setting them apart from the other keys.
5) Keys Hard to Press
Also, people have said that the keys are hard to press. That's a real jaw-dropper. Unless you have some dehibilitating, degenerative, terminal finger-disease you will quickly discover that these keys are some of the most comfortable, responsive, even satisfying buttons you have ever pressed. And by "satisfying" I mean, whenever you press one your finger will go down with a nice, rich feel and a glorious "tap" sound will emerge. The depth of the keys simply defines them for your fingers to find their way around more easily and in no way affects their responsiveness. It is not at all like one of ye olde timey keyboards that you had to mash down on to get anything going.
6) Thumbstick Hard to Press
Another criticism you will find commonly thrown at this thing is that the joystick is hard to press down. I agree with these points. The joystick is extremely hard to press down. About the only thing I would use it for were switching between walking/running modes or following someone, stuff you don't do all the time.
7) Thumbstick "loose" Feeling
I've heard it said that the joystick is kind of floppy and cheap feeling. That is entirely subjective. Yes, it is very easy to push around, but I never would have thought of it as "floppy" or "cheap" without hearing it.
8) Thumstick not Analog
Honestly I'm not sure exactly what this means, but I have read the thread on the Logitech forums on this topic and they released a patch that enables you to put the joystick in "joystick mode" which, I presume, was the solution since nobody posted about it after that.
9) Thorny Thumbstick
My main complaint with the thumbstick is that it is just not comfortable. If you look carefully you will see it is shaped like a little tower. Correct that impression, it is shaped like a thorn and feels like it, too. You can't really control it from above like a console stick, and it does take getting used to for this reason. BUT it is entirely worth it to be able to move just with your thumb and free up all your other fingers and mouse for actions and targeting and so forth.
10) Weak Game-recognition
Lots of people are having trouble getting it recognize games and give them an automatic key mapping for their games. This is true. It has yet to find one game on my computer. BUT, the one game it did find provided an absolutely ludicrous mapping setup. So basically, my question is, why would want it to automatically map game for you? As far as I'm concerned automatic keymapping is a silly idea in the first place. Assigning your own keys the way you want them is the best way to learn what all your keys are mapped to and ensuring that you can play the way that is most efficient for you. Everybody will want slightly different mappings.
11) Installation/Stability Issues
Another problem people are having is just getting the thing to install and remember profiles. Most of these people are using Mac systems, which I don't use, so you should probably be concerned if you are trying to install this on a mac. The people with Windows OSs that complain about the software must just have had very little experience with anything computer related. I found, and the majority of reviewers I've read, the software to be extremely intuitive and easy to use. You select the key you want, you tell what you want it to do, you click okay, you're done. Macros are fantasticaly easy as well. As for losing profiles and such, I have had no problems whatsoever. I make a profile, I map it, and it's there whenever I want it from then on.
12) No In-game Profile-switching
One guy mentioned that he wanted to switch profiles in-game but couldn't. First off, you've got THREE instantly switchable key maps for EVERY profile you make using the above-top-row keys just below the LCD. True, you will not be using these on the fly and will probably (*gasp*) have to look at them to switch, but if anybody needs more than 3 sets of 22 keys for any given game, they have something set up entirely wrong. I never need any more than the first set of 22 keys.
13) LCD Weaknesses
Speaking of the LCD, lots of people have complaints aimed at that. Some people can't get it working, some say it's too small, some say it's just useless, some say it's not bright enough, some say they can't see it at certain angles, and some even say it's too bright (as I remember). My experience is this: yes, it's gimicky, but it has it's uses and works well at what it does. What does it do? Pretty much anything. All the applets that were written for the G15 LCD will work with the G13. You can do anything from manage music to display in-game vitals (the latter of which seems super-pointless to me, but the LCD likes to do it automatically anyway). I use it for two things, mainly: keeping track of the time and monitoring my internals (of my PC, not my biological ones...). I found the screen very easily viewable for both these purposes and except for my GPU internals (for which I had to get an applet) CPU, RAM, and clock applets came with the device.
14) Only One Brightness Level
Some people complain that there's only one brightness setting for the keys, but, honestly, why would want more when the one it has does its job perfectly. I can see every key clearly and at a glance. Why would I want to start screwing around with it myself? I would, in all probability, simply get haywired and go back to the default anyway. It's like messing with the gamma/brightness/contrast settings in games. You end up just wanting to switch back to the defaults in the end.
15) Short Cord
I read one reivewer who said the thing has a "cripplingly short cord." Obviously he was trying to play at a "cripplingly long distance" from his computer. The cord has got be at least five feet long. It's more than enough to comfortably play it on the left of your monitor with the computer set on the right side of your desk.
16) Learning Curve
The final, and most legitimate, criticism I've heard is that the G13 has a learning curve, and I agree, basically. It does have a learning curve. The key-rows are lined up with one another, not staggered wildly like on a keyboard, and you do have to memorize which keys do what (which I why I recommend setting up all key-mappings yourself from scratch rather than use the silly pre-made ones). However, this learning curve depends entirely on the individual. For me, the learning curve was very mild, but it may take longer for others. I can't speak for them. What I can vouch for (and what you will find said in other reviews) is that once you get used to it, the G13 becomes second nature. At this point, I've almost entirely forgotten that I'm using controllers at all. It all just comes instinctively after a few hours, and then you start simply putting your will in action fluidly, effortlessly, and continuously.
17) Size
A number of people have mentioned that the G13 takes up a lot of desk space. Yes, it does have a hearty footprint. About the size of a size-10 shoe I'd say, but nobody has mentioned yet that it takes up way less room than a keyboard. A G13/mouse combo is infinitely more portable than a keyboard/mouse combo. Now, you may say, "I still need my keyboard for chatting, so what we're really talking about is a G13/keyboard/mouse combo." Yes and no. Because your keyboard is only used for chatting, it no longer needs to be instantly accessible. In my case, I now have the keyboard up on the desk while I lounge back like a console-gamer in my chair with my keyboard-tray removed from my desk and sitting across my lap comfortably holding my G13 on the left and my mouse on the right. When I need to chat, I simply lean forward and type my message real quick and then flop back in my chair and keep playing. I could never do that with a mouse and keyboard because, first of all, my hand would have to be cramped up in front of my stomach to work the keyboard right and second, my lap-desk would have to be skewed way off to the right to get the mouse out far enough to be in a usable position. With the G13 and mouse my hands just rest easily to my right and left. If I weren't killing things I would probably fall asleep it's so cozy.
Conclusion:
So, is it worth 80 bucks? No. Is it worth 50? Maybe. It really depends on what you do and how much of it you do. If you are a hardcore MMO-er, then I would say it's worth it absolutely. Otherwise, do what I did: wait for it to go on sale and buy it with the gift card you got last Christmas. The G13 has totally changed the way I game. I no longer feel like I'm "manipulating" anything. I feel like I'm playing the piano and the game is responding to my every whim. I'm virtually unconscious of my controls now, they are "transparent" if you will.
54 of 60 found the following review helpful:
 Bad Ergonomics Ruin Tremendous PotentialMar 13, 2009
By P. Whitesell
When I saw the G13 on Amazon, I was VERY excited, as Logitech tends to execute well and have strong ergonomics, all the way back to the original Mouseman Wheel which revolutionized mice and to this day has not been matched in comfort. Or the Cyberman 2 which is legendary among those who owned one (or had to play against someone who owned one). I was in the midst of getting sucked back into WoW, and decided to investigate the current crop of input devices to see if I could improve on my nearly worn out Nostromo n52 and Logitech MX Revolution.
The package arrived, I installed the lastest software, bound my keys and was off. Right off the bat I knew this device was horribly flawed. It simply does not work ergonomically. Basically, it's way too flat and doesn't conform to the natural shape of the hand. Because of this, the thumb stick is awkward to use, and pressing different keys will tend to either move your hand from a proper rest position, or require many muscles working in conjunction to keep your position which ends up contorting the shape of your hand and leading to discomfort and muscle stress.
Now many readers are probably thinking, "What the hell is this guy talking about, he's just being an overly picky wuss." Now believe me, I would LOVE to love this device. I've been using an n52 for years, and despite its flaws (not enough buttons, horrible software, unusable shift modes), still love it and have even bought them for friends. I love my MX Revolution even though that it is not quite as comfortable as some mice and has low dpi for gaming. I use the best products available, and learn to work around their flaws. But quite simply, you CAN NOT work around ergonomics. Trying to do so overly stresses one's finger and wrist muscles and puts one at risk for RSI which is NOT NOT NOT A GOOD THING TO DO.
Now, if you think I am exaggerating the ergonomic failures of this device, put your hand on your mouse and look at it. Your thumb is probably rotated 90 degrees in relation to the rest of your fingers, so that if you closed your hand your thumb would curl under your fingers. This is a feature known as opposable thumbs. Pick your hand off the mouse and hold it in front of you while resting all your fingers and thumb, it retains the same basic shape as when on your mouse. Pretend to hold a modern gamepad, the hand shape is the same but with your wrists turned.
Now look at the picture of the G13. In order to use the thumb stick, you either have to put your thumb on it sideways which makes it hard to control as your thumb has to move unnaturally to push the stick forward / back, or rotate your thumb flat in relation to the rest of your fingers. Pretend to put your hand on the G13 with your thumb flat on the stick. Your hand will naturally want to two things, open up a bit, and rotate so that your pinky is lower than your index finger. Look at the g13 again... the keyboard section is totally flat, so you have to reverse the natural rotation by using your muscles to reshape your hand. Not only is this uncomfortable and stressful to your hand, but it makes it harder to use the keys because your muscles are already engaged in holding position. hitting anything other than the 'home' keys requires many muscles working in conjunction, putting further stress on your hand and deceasing your speed and accuracy.
YES, bad ergonomics will decrease your gaming performance. A lot, compared to a similar device with good ergonomics.
On top of this, the thumb stick has quite a long throw, which makes it suboptimal for use as a digital input (eg: WASD, or ESDF). If you're using it as analog (which I understand is currently unsupported officially but will be in a future driver version) it would be nice though.
On the plus side, the Logitech software is excellent, as usual. A few steps beyond where is was a couple years ago. The backlighting and LCD panel are actually much cooler than I thought they would be, and add a nice fun / pizazz factor that is pleasing. There are plenty of buttons on the device, and they are laid out in a manner that makes sense, despite the flatness of the keypad. And it looks cool, seems solidly built, and does not slip around.
However, I cannot recommend this device to anyone who is going to use the stick. Yes, there are many 5 star ratings on this, despite it's shortcomings. Many of these reviewers are using a 'gameboard' for the first time and haven't tried better ones. Many others aren't using the stick. If you aren't using the stick, what is the point of a device like this? Using your thumb for movement frees up all your fingers for actions. If you're going to use the keys for WASD / ESDF you're better off getting the best keyboard you can find. Some reviewers say, "you have to get used to it." Of course this is true of any input device, but you should not have to get used to ergonomics. When people first use a mouse they have to get used to the input controls, but they don't say "Ouch, my hand is uncomfortable in this position." Getting used to hand discomfort is dangerous as it leads to RSI, as well as lowering your gaming performance as you are constantly fighting the non-natural hand shape.
This device has TONS of potential, and it is great to see the big guns of Logitech get into this market. I tried on and off for weeks to like the G13, however its flaws are too deep and sink this first offering. Hopefully down the road Logitech releases a new version and this device causes Belkin / Saitek to step up their product line. But for now, steer clear of the G13. The n52 with third party driver software or simple keybindings is the better choice.
-- My Current Setup --
Logitech MX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse (Black)
Belkin n52te Tournament Edition SpeedPad
Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000
For gaming I set the MX Revolution thumb forward / back / press to hold Shift / Ctrl / Alt, which multiplies the available functions on the n52. It is a very strong, comfortable setup that gives me quick access to many, many actions without resorting to the n52's horrible 'shift modes'. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking these up.
63 of 74 found the following review helpful:
Mac Gamers Rejoice! This is one sexy beast!Mar 25, 2009
By K. Doyle
Logitech stands out in a sea of rebranded Chinese knockoffs as a bona fide design firm. In my eyes, they are the Apple of the accessory market.
I adore my VX and MX Revolution mice, their flywheel was a genius move and I cannot imagine life without it. I see Logitech's industrial design is very Porsche-like, following the Porsche dictum of "form follows function".
This said, I have just spent my first week with their new G13 gamepad, and I think Logitech may have raised their high bar for design. This is one sexy beast, to be sure.
My interest in this piece was specifically for World of Warcraft. I don't consider myself a serious gamer, as I don't play or even really recognize a lot of the titles that the G13 supports. I however became a Warcraft fan since my son convinced me to open an account and go questing with him. A great family activity, and after three years we are a 3 account family and travel Azeroth a few hours each week as a happy pack.
My professional background is technology design and engineering, as well as a Mac programmer and software interface designer.
The past year or so I had been using a Belkin Nostromo N52. I bought the device about 3 years ago, but could not use it successfully because the Belkin Mac drivers never worked correctly. I discovered ControllerMate, a Mac programming utility through a friend about a year ago. It is a superb, professional piece of software, and with it, I had the old N52 jumping through Warcraft hoops. I was pretty happy with the N52 in this config, but always open for a better solution. I saw a picture of the G13 about a month ago, spotted Mac compatibility in a gaming device, no less, and I am off to Logitech site to see more.
One of the great things about Logitech is that when they say one of their products supports the Mac, they actually have Mac programmers to write real software that looks and performs up to the expectation of a veteran Mac user. The great majority of gaming companies and devices provide little or no support, or have a cursory piece of poorly-designed ported Windows software that make the product much less functional on the Mac.
In a word, the G13 piece is stunning. I don't know where to start, except to say that the initial tactile experience with the unit exceeded my high expectations from previous reviewers and looking at photos.
First of all, the unit is hefty, containing a metal weight embedded in the upper half of the unit. In photos, that large area that says G13 on the bottom is actually a big chunk of metal. Couple this heft with a number of large rubber feet, and the G13 literally become a component of the surface you place it on, imparting an incredibly solid feel. On the top of the unit, the heel of your left hand rests on a firmly-padded textured rubber surface. It has a heavily grained leather-like feel to it, providing a very comfortable no-slip anchor point for your hand.
The unit is fairly large, but I have big hands and it was just perfect for me. The arc shape mirrors the natural curve of my relaxed hand. People with smaller hands may feel differently, but I cannot comment on that.
From a functional/comfort perspective, after about an hour of figuring out a basic config I liked (comes with a Warcraft profile, but I wanted it a bit different), I played 3 hours of WoW and suffered no fatigue at all. I look forward to making the perfect config for me over time.
Digging a bit deeper, there are 22 numbered backlit keys on the main board (G1-G22), with cup shapes molded into the reverse T movement keys (WASD equiv.) so you can home in your position without looking. There is a dedicated button to control the display and key backlighting, a small joystick that fits under my thumb and has 3 additional buttons, one to the left and bottom, and another is a press on the top of the stick. It also has 4 softkeys for the applets that run in the display, and another button to cycle through the applets. The G13 comes with 6 applets, although only 4 work on its monochrome display. They cycle between displaying CPU & RAM usage, Time/date, and a countdown/stopwatch time controlled by the softkeys. There are 3rd party websites like G15mods.com that have a growing library or compatible applets, plus the G13 comes with an SDK to develop your own if you are so inclined.
Applications like World of Warcraft that have G13 support, will feed their applet into the G13 display upon opening or selecting the app. As of this writing, the Warcraft applet is only available in the PTR beta version, that should be released in a couple of weeks or so.
Having 3 banks of 22 keys is a lot, but Logitech made a cool way to know where you are at a glance. The three shifted banks can change the color of the backlighting and the display to any color you select. I chose blue for general operation, red for raiding and green for farming. Each set has its own optimized button functions.
There is also a button for quick macro recording, simply hit it, select a G key or button to assign it to, do whatever you want on your keyboard, hit the Quick Macro again, and you have a new macro. Works great.
Another unique feature is that your profiles and macros can be stored in the G13's own internal memory, so you can take all you commands with you to another machine.
I predict this will be a very popular item once folks hear about it. Buy with confidence.
Pros -
Very Comfortable, and it is one sexy beast, style-wise.
I love the color selectable backlighting on the keys and display
Instant one dedicated button macro recording is superb.
The G13 can store game profiles in the unit itself, so you can take your macros and profiles to another computer by just plugging in your pad.
Heavy and solid, feels like it is bolted to the desk.
Comes with a Mac SDK for programming your own applications for the display.
Cons, and I feel rather petty here given how much I like the piece...
Mac software requires a download, PC comes on a CD.
The button that is activated by pushing the top of the joystick requires too much effort, and is not easy to use.
Some may complain at the $80 price tag, I found it an excellent value, really nothing else like it when you understand its sophistication.
Would like a .pdf manual, or printed...but that is just me. The online help and tutorials are detailed and well done.
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