Roccat Isku Gaming Keyboard Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Keyboard4. Software and Performance5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

Overall we have positive feelings about the Roccat Isku. Aside from the attractive design and good build quality, the Roccat Isku boasts an impressive feature set which includes backlit keys, a wide array of multimedia buttons and a generous selection of well placed macro keys.  Roccat also include a comprehensive software suite with the keyboard that lets you configure various aspects of performance and function.

Our main gripe with the Isku is that it doesn't feature mechanical switches.  Sure, it is one of the best membrane keyboards that we've tested but once you've used a mechanical keyboard for a while, membranes just don't cut it.

Another small issue with the keyboard is the strip of gloss black plastic that surrounds the keyset.  While this looks good when you get the keyboard out of the box, it attracts fingerprints and grime readily and isn't really practical in the long run.  This is a flaw that is shared by a number of other keyboards on the market, such as the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate.  The only other obvious problem we can think of is the lack of backlighting for the multimedia keys which makes them difficult to identify when watching movies in the dark.

We think the Roccat Talk feature is a major selling point of this keyboard, even though you have to combine it with a Roccat Kone [+] mouse for this to function.  This allows the keyboard and mouse to talk to each other and combine input functions using Roccat EasyShift[+].

For the vast majority of gamers, price is one of the most important factors when looking to buy a gaming keyboard.  The Roccat Isku costs around £75 which makes it a little pricey for a membrane based gaming keyboard.  For who value ultimate performance over everything else, the SteelSeries 6G V2 and Razer BlackWidow are better, as they use mechanical switches.  Bur for those who prefer to have a vast number of macros and features like LED lighting should definitely consider the Roccat Isku.

Pros:

• Eye catching design.
• Backlit keys.
• Comprehensive configuration utility.
• Plenty of dedicated macro buttons.
• Roccat Talk.

Cons:

• Membrane, not mechanical.
• Multimedia keys aren't backlit.
• Glossy plastic.
• Pricey.

KitGuru says: An impressive new keyboard from Roccat.

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