SteelSeries 7G Gaming Keyboard Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. Design and Ergonomics4. Performance5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

There are many reasons why gamers might choose to buy a top-end gaming mouse which has a high-resolution sensor and a variety of configurable options.  However with gaming keyboards, things are very different; the  performance of a gaming keyboard cannot be configured so manufacturers differentiate them by including extra features rather than improving the raw performance.  So many gamers may use a standard keyboard rather than paying over the odds for a variety of features and only small improvements in performance.

Unlike some manufacturers, SteelSeries are focused on the raw performance of their gaming products rather than adding gimmicks which may look attractive on the box but serve little purpose when gaming. Today we're continuing our look at SteelSeries' range of gaming peripherals, looking at their top of the range gaming keyboard, the 7G.

Looking at the 7G it may not initially be clear why it carries a price tag of around £100 at most etailers.  However, at the heart of the keyboard there are 104 Cherry MX 18k gold plated mechanical switches which differentiate it from almost every other gaming keyboard on the market.

Specification:

– Switches: Gold plated no-click

– Switch lifetime: 50,000,000 cycles

– Assembly: Face plate mounted keyset

– Dimensions: 480 x 250 mm / 18,9 x 9,8 in

– Cable length: 2 m (6,6 ft.)

– Connectivity: PS/2 + USB

The 7G is supplied within a sizeable cardboard box, decorated in SteelSeries' trademark grey, orange and white colour scheme. The front of the box has a plastic window which gives us a glimpse of the keyboard inside without opening.

Turning the box over reveals a couple of product photos and some details about keyboard inside.

Inside the box there is very little in the way of accessories included;  There is a concise user guide, a product information guide, a  SteelSeries sticker and a USB – PS2 adapter.

The design of the 7G is quite different to anything else on the market; it has quite a traditional design which wouldn't have looked far out of place by a computer ten years ago.  But when combined with the palm-rest, it's aesthetics are transformed somewhat, into something much more modern looking.  The palm rest is extremely simple to attach, simple fitting around the keyboard body.

This does, however, mean that the keyboard and palm-rest can't be moved as a single unit as they are not physically joined.  Overall,  I actually prefer the 7G's design to most other gaming keyboards that I have experienced in the past as there is something quite reassuring about its simplicity.

In some ways, however, the design is a little over-simplistic.  It would have been nice if SteelSeries had included some kind of dedicated media-buttons which are now pretty much standard even on the most basic keyboards.  Instead, F1-F6 have a sparse selection of media controls as a second function, activated by the SteelSeries key which takes the place of the left-hand windows button.  These aren't easy to use and will likely be more cumbersome than controlling the media on-screen.

Even though the 7G's appearance may lead you to believe that it has an entirely plastic construction, the substantial weight of the keyboard is indicative of the integral metal plate which forms the backbone of its chassis.  This gives it a quality feel and makes it one of the most robust keyboards on the market.

Along with the robust construction, the mechanical switches will contribute greatly to the longevity of the keyboard as they have a life-cycle of around 50 million keystrokes.  When compared to a membrane design (used for the vast majority of keyboards) which usually have a life-cycle of around 5 million keystrokes, the significance of this is more obvious.  The design of the switches also makes it possible to remove all the keys without damaging the mechanism at all.  This makes it very simple to clean the keyboard and also allows gamers to remove keys that they might hit accidently.  It also lets the user switch around the keys, as shown in the picture above (this doesn't switch the function of the keys).

Like the SteelSeries Xai that we reviewed recently, the 7G features a durable braided cable which is 2m in length.  This splits into four connectors at the end; a PS2 connector for the keyboard, and a USB connector and two 3.5mm audio cables for the in built hub.  All four connectors are gold plated to ensure the best possible signal quality.

The 7G has a very unique key action which differs considerably from membrane keyboards; the keys are far more responsive and provide almost no resistance to movement at all.  They also activate approximately half-way down the key-press so they don't have to be depressed fully for the keystroke to register.  This means that keystrokes are registered much more quickly than with a membrane keyboard and can give you a slight speed advantage over other gamers.  Even though there is no defined ‘click' when the keys are depressed, the keyboard is actually quite loud unless the keys are struck very lightly so they aren't depressed fully.

One of SteelSeries most marketed features of the 7G is it's anti-ghosting capability when used with the PS-2 connector.  This is quite impressive asyou can press every key simultaneously on the keyboard and they will all register. Standard USB keyboards are usually able to register up to ten key-presses but this is over the board as a whole – it will be fewer than this if the keys are in a localised area.

Overall the in game performance improvements noticed with the 7G are quite small but should be significant to serious gamers.

As a typists keyboard the 7G also performs quite well.  Compared to my Macbook Pro, I experienced consistent improvements in typing speed of around 5 – 10 words per minute with the 7G when using a variety of different tests on the internet.  The keys are also positioned very comfortably, especially when the included palm rest is used.

As we have come to find with SteelSeries' products, the build quality of the 7G is nothing short of exceptional.  Matte-black ABS may not be the most desirable finish in the world but it is sure to be hard-wearing and should fit in aesthetically with most setups.

The feel of the 7G is like nothing I have experienced before and it gets better and better the more you use it.  In-game it was a delight to use thanks to the responsive action and low latency, despite the lack of dedicated macro-buttons that I have been used to.  For gamers who are looking for macro-buttons and other fancy features, other keyboards from the likes of Logitech and Razer may will probably be more appropriate.

Even though the 7G ticks all the boxes in terms of performance and build quality, we feel that the lack of dedicated media buttons and other features which are included with other cheaper gaming keyboards is a little disappointing, especially considering the high price tag.

The 7G can be purchased for around £95 at numerous etailers around the web (£95 at Lambda-tek). At this price it is only really viable for the serious gamers and those with a large budget.

KitGuru says: The SteelSeries 7G is a fantastic keyboard for users who want the best possible performance and build quality and don't mind paying for it.

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