Deck LED Backlit Keyboard

Introduction

Most people take their computer's keyboard for granted. After all, you get one when you buy a new system and they almost never need to be replaced. Sure, there are all the Logitech and Microsoft models out there, too. Plenty of options for gamers to choose from, right? But, tell me this; how many of those keyboards that work so great for email and web surfing had gaming in mind when they were designed?

That's where the Deck LED Backlit Keyboard comes in. You can tell the Deck was made for gaming immediately because there's no freakin' 10-key pad in the way! Seriously, how many of you use the 10-key pad while gaming? I know I don't. What I do know is that if I had a penny for every time I wished my right hand was closer to my left while gaming, I'd have retired to my own island long ago!

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at the Deck:

As you can see, there isn't a whole lot on the outside of the Deck to make it special. It did come with a pretty cool looking skull-and-crossbones key, which I put in place of the Escape key, but that just shows that there are modders in the minds of the Deck design department folks. The things that make the Deck special are on the inside. That starts with the polycarbonate construction of the keyboard housing and the metal (yes, metal) plate used for the base of the Deck to give it unmatched strength and toughness. Of course, this also makes the Deck keyboard a little heavier than most, too. Also, each key has its own LED behind it to give it light, not just a few LEDs placed arounf the edges or some EL wire run in between them like some other lighted keyboards.

One other thing that comes as part of the Deck is the ability to adjust the brightness of the LEDs as well as turn them completely off. In fact, there are seven levels of brightness before you get to "off"! You change the brightness by holding down the "FN" key (which does not register as a keystroke in Windows) and either hitting the number representing the level of brightness you want (7 is brightest, 0 is off) or using the "up" and "down" arrows to adjust it to your liking. Here's a look at the whole progression, from brightest to off:

Testing the Deck

There really isn't a whole lot to measure when it comes to testing a keyboard. Basically, I plugged it into my main rig and did all the things I normally do, from email and web browsing to forum posting, review writing and, of course, plenty of gaming! :-D

What I found is that it takes some time to get adjusted to the different key layout that the Deck has compared to a conventional keyboard. It affected me more doing regular tasks, due to the different positioning of the Windows, Home, End, and Delete keys. For gaming, it really didn't change anything, keying-wise. What did change was my need for a light of some kind to see the keys by! I don't touch type, so having lighted keys means I can finally turn the lamp off while gaming at night! :-D

Conclusion

I really like the Deck LED Backlit Keyboard, especially while gaming. The USB interface means it's a snap to move from one machine to another. It uses the built-in Windows drivers, so there's no software to install. It gets its power through the USB connection, so there's no power cable to worry about. It's not perfect, but it's damn close!

The only real flaw in the Deck is its price. $99 is an awful lot to ask for a keyboard, even one as good as the Deck LED Backlit Keyboard. It is currently only available directly through the Deck website and it comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. It is also available in Gold and Ice (blue) color schemes. If they can get this onto some retail sites or into Best Buy and CompUSA, the price would probably come down.

My thanks go out to Don Boxx of TG3 Electronics, the makers of the Deck keyboard, for making this review possible!