Razer Lycosa - Just another keyboard? Conclusion
Conclusion
Looks can be deceiving and indeed, that's very apt for describing the Razer Lycosa upon unwrapping the packaging. What seems like a 104-key keyboard with some bling factor turns out to be a serious attempt at a gaming keyboard. Although it lacks the dedicated macro keys found on the Tarantula, doing so allows for a more compact keyboard without losing the standard key layout. That said, macro binding is fast becoming the norm for a gaming peripheral these days and the Lycosa doesn't lose out in this aspect.
The touch panel is an interesting manner of providing the multimedia keys and it remains to be seen if this is just a novelty or if it will catch on. Furthermore, the ability to bind macro functions to any key on the keyboard means that you're no longer limited to using only keys at the sides of the keyboard. Simply choose the most convenient key to use! Add to that, the ability to turn off the Windows keys and you have a keyboard that's great for gamers who no longer have to pluck out the Windows key.
In terms of aesthetics, the all black layout with a gloss trim givees the Lycosa a touch of class and it will not look out of place even in your living room. Gaming on a 42" plasma, anyone?
I'm digressing here but if the Lycosa were wireless, it would have made a great keyboard for a HTPC. With multimedia keys and the ability to bind keystrokes, watching your favourite TV channel can be done in a single keystroke! Simply bind macros to a key to activate the TV tuner program, add a delay and the keystrokes to switch the channel. Well.. That's an idea but with the availibility of wireless USB hubs, one can make it a reality.
Is it all rosy and good? No. Nothing is perfect and my chief complains about the Lycosa would be that the keys are shaped like laptop keys but use a membrane keyboard mechanism rather than scissors mechanism. This makes the keys feel slightly more flimsy than it looks. The other complain pertains to the use of the satin like rubberized materials for the keys. From experience with Razer mice, this material has a tendency to react with oils from the skin and wears out rather quickly although it does feel quite good to the touch. That said, for bringing an affordable gaming keyboard without losing important macro functions into the market, I would give the Razer Lycosa, 75 marks.
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