Hardware SteelSeries Shift Review

The Shift has completely removable keys, enabling the board to be customised for individual games.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/peripherals/2011/03/20/steelseries-shift-review/1

 

I don't like it. Just seems wrong somehow.

 

I've got a Z-board and by the looks of things the folding keyboard is exactly the same design. Did you find out if old keysets are compatible? Also, the split spacebar thing must be subjective - I've never once had a problem with it. Not that I'm recommending it, mind, I just bought it once and have it as a reserve keyboard.

 

why do keyboards need back-lighting, and therefore get marked down for not having it. I think it distracts, it looks cool but thats smoke and mirrors for you. I don't know about you but I never look down to see where my fingers are while gaming.

 

I own a z-board, and I have recently stopped using it due to the rubbish software.
Did you have any issues with the software working in W7 - 64 bit.
I had issues with the keyboard recognising when I had pugged in the new keyset.

I raised a number of support tickets for this issue, but SS were not interested at all. I now see why. Don't support old hardware when you are bringing out something more expensive. Nice.

I have given up on the zboard and it will be the last time I buy something from SS.
-J

 

I can't really understand why the split spacebar would be a problem to anyone, can't take that long to adapt to pushing it slightly more to the right. I also don't see the big deal in back lighting, but I guess many do...

 

I don't know, I'm happily using a $10 Logitech keyboard. For me, a keyboard just needs to get the job done, and provided it has the media keys I want (volume control, mostly), I'm happy. It's better to spend a little once a year than it is to spend a lot every couple of years, especially in the case of keyboards, which tend to get worn out after a few months anyway. Compared to a good mouse, a good keyboard just doesn't seem like a worthwhile investment. If you've really got almost $100 USD to spend on a keyboard, why not just save it for a better graphics card, or a couple of games instead?

 

I'm not sure why you'd want different key sets. Why not just have a wired gaming keyboard and a wireless typing keyboard if you really want the difference?

That coupled with the lack of back lighting completely puts me off.

 

Had a zboard since way back. I like them and find the split spacebar a good thing, holds my thumb just fine and offers a smaller button to press making it slightly more intuitive jumping, or so i feel anyways

Also backlighting is crap all round, only thing that would save backlighting imo is if you could be selective which keys you could backlight. I would love to highlight just aswd and a few specials of my choice for macros. It would draw my eyes to buttons i want to hit in a hurry much more efficiently, different colours to different keys would also be good then i`d rate it as a worthwhile function.

 

I love backlighting, especially since I have a tendency to work/game in dimly lit environments

 

I had a conversation with SS not so long back and apparently it's the same fit.

I get the same issues. But I still wouldn't use any other keyboard for gaming (gaming keyset). The plain keyset is not perfect, but adequate for my uses.

I guess some people don't like lots of keyboard cluttering their studies. The gaming keyset on the old Zboard (I don't know about this new keyboard) was perfectly spaced out for gaming and then to be able to pull out the folded plain keyset for working with makes life real easy.

One thing about the price though ... wtf. SS are robbing people at that price.