No this isn’t an ad. Fuck their keyboards and their shitty software and horrific customer support
Honestly, I really hate glowing keyboards I go out of my way to avoid them. Same with fans and cases with a LED lightshow built in.
The problem is that it’s so hard to find components that constantly don’t glow all the time. Even my computer has a LED fan in it, because it was all I could find for cheap. Fortunately it’s a old “metal box” type case so except for a vent on the side the glow is almost unnoticeable… but occasionally when the rooms dark I’ll see the slight glow seeping out and get annoyed all over again that a tiny fraction of the power my PC is using is for lighting up a closed box.
Im the opposite. Rgb keyboards are the only rgb components I actually like as it can actually serve a function.
An rgb keyboard with good programming software is invaluable. Being able to color code your keys based on game/function is great.
Steelseries is absolute dog water with keyboards, same with Razer. If you want a good mech for cheap, get an Epomaker, or build your own. I personally got a barebones for like $10 from a thrift store, put $35 of Gateron Milky Yellow switches in, then got some nice keycaps for $15. Sounds/feels nicer than anything you can buy off a shelf, and it doesn’t come packaged with shitty software for basic functionality.
Once upon the SteelSeries keyboards were pretty good, I had a split one that I swore I’d use forever. One day a windows update flagged the driver as suspicious, and I was left with a keyboard that clicked and clicked but did nothing. MS support said it was up to SteelSeries to update their drivers, and SteelSeries basically told me to get fucked.
I don’t want pretty lights on my keyboard. I want all the keys in the wrong spots so people who don’t touch type have an aneurysm when they use my computer.
My problem is less whether they work OOTB, more the fact that the switches tend to be poor quality and soldered to the motherboard. If one breaks, you have to break out the soldering iron. Finding exact replacements for some proprietary switches is also almost impossible short of getting a broken unit for parts. A pack of your preferred switches will always feel better to use and easier to replace. WS Morandis and Gateron Milky Yellows are my favorites and 104 of those clost less than 95% of premium keyboards from big brands.
Some even come with proprietary keycaps for some keys (looking at you Razer). That means if their shitty ABS caps fade or smooth out, you’re stuck with them unless you buy replacements directly from them.
Anyways I’m just a keyboard nerd so your mileage may vary.
I had a steel series mouse.
The build quality? Excellent.
Design quality? Great
Software? Almost seemed intentionally insultingly bad.
After just 2 weeks with an Aerox 5 wireless, I refuse to buy anything Steelseries again myself.
Bought it on their website, they refused my in-warranty 30-day refund until I talked with support. After dealing with their troll support for over a week, I then resubmitted for a refund and was initially denied because it was past the 30 days. I then had to argue I wanted the refund weeks prior.
Steelseries are just shit products now with a shit support.
Ended up buying one of the last Microsoft Mice only because it has reliable kailh button switches.
My favorite gag from My Deer Friend was the “gaming antler” that just glowed rainbow colors.
Build your own, then instead of a 150 dollar keyboard you can have a 350 dollar keyboard that also has lights.
And the D button will never work. But that’s why you pay extra
Hand wired 4 life! That way, if a key doesn’t work, you can just add more solder until it does.
Don’t buy shitty gaming keyboards with shitty software and shitty styling from shitty gaming companies.
Buy a decent mechanical keyboard from a reputable keyboard producer. Make sure it has VIA/QMK support and you will not need shitty software. Many also come with RGB, if that’s what you want.
If you can avoid falling into the trap that is “the mechanical keyboard hobby”, you will be set for at least a decade.
What I find more funny is the mechanical keyboard trend of smallkeyboards (no numpad) with custom everything (keycaps/switches) without any lighting being hundreds of dollars.
It’s not lightning that adds up to the price, it’s stuff like aluminum case, quality mechanical switches and yes, keycaps.
Unfortunately these gamer keyboards have the worst keycaps you’ve ever seen, the cheapest Chinese switches money can buy and the highest amount of telemetry on that oh so important software. It’s pretty disgusting.
The mechanical keyboard trend has been around for a while and it’s really worth checking out if you use a keyboard for 8 hours a day.
I bought two different Bluetooth controllers from them. The first one had a known issue with the shoulder buttons. Like an idiot, I bought a second one. Same problem. SteelSeries support told me it was a known issue and they wouldn’t do shit.
I refuse to support SteelSeries.
They literally stole mine.
It stopped working so I sent it in for RMA. They emailed me back saying they didn’t have any more in stock to replace it with, so they gave me a gift card instead.
For 60 bucks.
They didn’t have any products for that little at the time, except that controller. Which was out of stock. It would have been fine if I could just wait for it to be back in stock…
But guess what, the gift card expired, WITHIN A MONTH.
It was literally impossible to spend on anything without using even more money to buy some other steelseries product I didn’t want or need, and I couldn’t just keep it and wait until the next time I needed something, either.
I tried to explain this to support, I got completely ignored.
I have made it a point to tell this story every chance I get, and to never buy ANYTHING from them, ever again.
Seriously? Y’all are buying steel series? Oof.
Keychron offers superior keyboards for a 4th of the cost.
Ya can’t silence what I believe is crap lol keep shilling
Lol what a corporate shill delete my comment ya lost a potential customer sad
Keychron seems really nice, but it’s about $80 more for the +numpad Keyboard I bought from Steelseries on sale 4 years ago. That said I would have loved to customized my keyboard to the extent they do.
Growing up is realizing you don’t want RGB products
