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The Logitech G213 Prodigy Gaming Keyboard ($69.99) is an entry-level gaming keyboard with some of the bells and whistles gamers look for, but at a price that is more palatable to mom and dad. It gives you some gaming specialization, though Logitech saves money by using conventional membrane switches instead of the snappier mechanical kind, and corners are cut in a few other areas. Think of it as a gaming keyboard with training wheels, and you’re most of the way there.
Design and Features
The G213 Prodigy($39.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) looks like an office PC keyboard when off, with tall keycaps and a full keyset including offset arrow keys, a numeric keypad, and a separate row of F1-F12 keys along the top. A set of media keys and two more dedicated function keys (gaming and lighting) are the only additional keys you wouldn’t find on a bare-bones keyboard. The G213 Prodigy measures 8.6 by 17.8 by 1.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.4 pounds. That’s not insignificant, though it is (a bit) more compact than leading choices like the Corsair K95 RGB. The keyboard comes with an integrated palm rest, something that its stable mate, the Logitech G610 Orion Red($79.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) (and Brown($152.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)), lacks. Two adjustable feet on the bottom of the keyboard let you tilt the front edge for comfort.
There are five individual lighting zones, including the numeric keypad and sections of the QWERTY keyboard. Logitech Gaming Software (LGS) controls the lot, so you can choose which of 16.8 million colors shows on the G213 Prodigy’s internal lighting. The K95 RGB( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window), G610 Orion, and Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum($390.89 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) all have individually customizable keys, while the G213 Prodigy is limited to zone customizations. On the plus side, you can set the colors to match Logitech G peripherals (such as the Pro Gaming Mouse ($81.11 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) ). Effects like color cycling (the lights cycle through the colors of the rainbow) and breathing (a slow pulsing on and off of a single color) give you a showy quality, but aren’t quite as helpful as individual control of key lights when playing in a darkened room.
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The keyboard is spill-resistant, and tested to withstand up to 60ml of fluid. That’s only 2 fluid ounces, so it should probably say “splash resistant.” The keys are taller than the chiclet-style kind you’d see on an average laptop or budget keyboard. Their traditional shape suggests that the G213 is a mechanical keyboard, but it actually uses a lower-cost membrane system. Mechanical switches have that satisfying click feel, and are found in pricier keyboards like the Corsair K95 RGB and Division Zero X40 Pro Gaming Mechanical Keyboard( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window). The G213 Prodigy includes anti-ghosting technology, so you’ll be able to hit multiple keys at the same time without having to worry that some keystrokes won’t register.
There’s a button on the top of the keyboard to turn off the lighting, just in case you’re using it for work during the day. On an opposite tack, a key with an icon of an old Atari joystick invokes game mode, which disables certain keys (like the Windows keys) that you specify in the LGS app. That way you can key mash to your heart’s content without kicking back to the desktop. LGS also lets you assign macros to the F1-F12 function keys, but unfortunately there isn’t set of dedicated macro keys as on gaming keyboards like the Corsair K95 RGB or Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum($172.01 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window).
Performance
The non-mechanical keyboard has some strengths and some weaknesses. While it’s quieter than most mechanical keyboards, you don’t get the premium sensation you expect from an aftermarket model. The plastic keyboard body also displayed a little bit of flexing during testing, when I pressed hard on the middle keys. It didn’t feel like it would break anytime soon, but it could be more solid. The keyboard was quick to respond while typing, and I felt like I could rely on it during a heated gaming session. The ability to turn off the Windows key (and any others) was a boon, since it’s easy to slip and hit that key instead of Ctrl.
The Logtiech G213 Prodigy Gaming Keyboard falls somewhere between a run-of-the-mill keyboard that’s packed in with your desktop and the premium gaming keyboards you’d expect to shell out $80-$120 for online or in big-box stores. It is certainly entry-level for gaming peripherals, and feels like the keyboard your parents would buy for you if you’re just starting to get into gaming. For that situation it’s adequate, but if you shop around, you can find a higher tier of mechanical keyboards for another $20 to $50. Though pricier, the Corsair K95 RGB remains our top pick for gaming keyboards due to its solid build quality, mechanical switches, better lighting options, dedicated macro keys, and adjustability. Other more affordable options that cost (a bit) more than the G213 Prodigy include the Corsair Strafe Mechanical Gaming Keyboard($163.95 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) and the Logitech G610 Orion models. These keyboards have mechanical switches and per-key lighting, features that hard-core gamers will welcome with open arms.
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Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/logitech-g213-prodigy-gaming-keyboard
