The Saitek Eclipse II keyboard is a step above and beyond anything most PC users have even seen before. With a sleek and stylish look to begin with, it's hard to imagine that the keyboard only gets cooler in the dark, as it's illuminated with a backlight in three different colors (Red, Blue and Purple) with a dimmer switch. And not only do the spaces between the keys light up, but so do the letters themselves.
Ad comfort, dependability, and an impressively smooth typing action, and you've got a keyboard that's hard to beat in terms of both style and functionality.
At a GlancePros
- Smooth typing action
- Sturdy, high quality materials
- Sleek design with style to spare
- Backlight in 3 colors, with a dimmer switch
Cons
- Keyboard backlight can appear uneven
- Paint may smudge or fleck
Features
- Illuminated, Backlit Keyboard
- Smooth, Functional Typing
The Saitek Eclipse series of keyboards were already popular with "cool" PC users, but Saitek just took it a step further by combining the colors the first Eclipse models offered (red, blue, and now, purple), into a single keyboard. While it appears a sleek black an silver by day, once the light dims a little bit, you can turn on the backlight and choose from the three vibrant colors, all of which are controllable via a dimmer switch, making the light it emits bright and bold, or subtle and subdued.
Not only do the spaces between the keys light up, but so do the keys themselves -- a nod to those hunt-and-peck typers out there, or just anyone interested in seeing their keyboard in very dark lighting situations. The only drawback is, at times the backlight can appear a bit uneven across the keys, especially while using the dimmer switch, which can cause the keys to light unevenly until you tweak it a bit.
Performance
Sometimes, you can just tell that something is expensive by laying your hands on it and feeling how sturdy it is, how smooth and glossy the materials are, and the Eclipse II keyboard is no different. The typing action is smooth and meaty, and the keys remain silent even though they have a thickness to them that really lets you feel it as you type.
One problem seems to be the paint, which is thin and a little tempermental. It seems as though it might wear off after a year or two of particularly heavy use. This may be a trade off for the uber-stylish illuminated design, however, and it's hardly a functional issue, merely one of longevity.
In conclusion, the Saitek Eclipse II illuminated keyboard packs all the punch you expect from a keyboard that retails for $69.95, but with the added touch of a programmable backlight. There are keyboards that might have a little longer lifespan than this stylish model, but none that compare to its techno-modern design.