Gaming keyboards can vary greatly in both quality and features. Mechanical keyboards are the top of the heap for gaming but many offer lights, extra buttons and features that just add further cost to an already expensive product.
This mechanical keyboard, made by Easterntimes, is actually the i-500 keyboard sold in the US but rebranded for a European market and eschews the features to provide a good quality product without fancy bells and whistles.
For those new to gaming keyboards, you may be wondering why they have a higher price tag and yet have no keypad or extra options. While it’s true that some may light up or have extra buttons, this i-500 focuses on good build quality, responsive keys and a good set of feet which don’t slip.
Buttons are laid out slightly differently to a standard keyboard, the Enter key is smaller and less pronounced, the keys are closer together and they make a loud clicking noise due to each one having a separate microswitch. This means that, rather than having a thin membrane which controls all keys, which standard keyboards have, each key is very responsive. This is essential for those looking for ideal response times in games.
As a typing keyboard it’s not perfect and it’s worth having a normal keyboard for typing tucked away somewhere while this can be whipped out and plugged into a front USB socket of your PC for gaming.
As a gaming keyboard this beats anything else I’ve tried so far for reaction and comfort.  The Anti-ghosting technology helps to react to multiple key presses without confusing them and the keys are all removable with the included tool which is great for those of us who tend to eat snacks at our desks.
