Comparison with the original G15:

Since I have the original G15, I decided to take a few comparison pictures and also provide my opinions of the two keyboards when compared with one another. Firstly, the smaller LCD (which has the same resolution as the original) is quite noticeable, as you'll agree with me from seeing the pics. I was disappointed with this, as it decreases the readability at the expense of making the LCD appear more precise. (Since the pixel size is decreased as well)

Old G15 on top,  new G15 on bottom.

Original G15 screen.

New G15 screen.

Also, the original G15 has the screen mounted on a flip-up lid that allows you to shut it to hide it away. This also protects it during moving. While I almost always leave the screen in the open position, it was still a nice feature. Mind you, the new G15's screen is protected by a layer of thick plastic, so damage shouldn't be an issue.

Screens side by side.

Original G15 keys.

Original G15 keys.

The only differences in the keys is that the new G15 has 12 less of the G-keys, as you can see above and below. Other than that, the layout is almost the same, except the letters on the new G15 keys are slightly smaller.

New G15 keys.

New G15 keys.

The last major difference is that on the old G15, all the black parts - edges, wrist rest and so forth - were made of a rubbery, grippy material that felt comfortable but attracted more dirt. On the new G15, this texture is gone, replaced with a traditional black matte plastic finish.

Old G15 screen size.

New G15 screen size.

Size difference.

The other obvious difference is the size. The old G15 was almost 22" long, making it a hard fit on some keyboard trays. The new G15 is less than 20", closer to the size of a normal keyboard and is in line with making the keyboard more "mainstream".

Installation:

There's not much to say of installation, other than the software was pretty easy to install and use. Normally I recommend going to Logitech's site to download the latest software, but as of this writing, no newer versions of the GamePanel software were available, so I just used the provided version on the installation CD. After installation, you'll find two new programs (and tray icons) on your system - the Profile Manager, which deals with key assignments for the G-key, and the GamePanel Manager, which controls what's displayed on the LCD.

Installation.

Profile Manager.

Recording a Macro.

The Profile Manager is fairly intuitive; after installation it'll scan your HDD for any games that are on its list and then create profiles for each one. It won't automatically fill in key assignments - that's up to you - but you don't have to go through the trouble of manually finding each game's executable and creating a profile for it. Additionally, the currently active mode (M1, M2 or M3) will be displayed on the Profile Manager.

Not only can you assign keystrokes to a G-key, but you can also assign entire macros, using the software or the quick-record macro key on the keyboard. You can also have it record the specific timing you used to create the macro, if that's essential for the game/application you're using the macro in.

LCD Manager.

Applets.

Settings.

The LCD Manager is where you can customize the display to suit your needs. You can set things like brightness, contrast and invert the image (an 'on' pixel becomes 'off' and vice versa). The real fun comes in configuring what applets can be run on the G15. In addition to the support from various games, since Logitech released the SDK for the G15 LCD, many third-party applets have also been created, and can be found on sites like G15Mods and G15Forums. I've used a few of them, and so far the best one I've found has been SirReal's G15 plugin, which I wrote about previously. It's this kind of functionality that really showcases the G15's power and usefulness, and propels it beyond a simple "gaming" keyboard.

Testing:

I won't go too much into testing (since I've explained a lot in the previous sections), other than to say that it was comfortable to type on. Tactile response was acceptable, and as I previously mentioned, the traditional layout wins points in my book. The additional keys worked well too, though the slightly smaller function keys may bother old-timers. The only minor problem I had was that the slider switch to deactivate the Windows key could be a bit tricky to use since it was so smooth. The backlighting was also very good and uniform as well.

Conclusion:

I was split on how to evaluate the new G15. On the one hand, it is a very capable gaming keyboard, with many features that other keyboards, save the original G15, just don't have. The extra keys, customizability and the excellent LCD make for a kickass keyboard, one that deserves to be with any gamer or enthusiast's system.

However, compared to the original G15, it falls short. The smaller screen and the decreased number of extra G-keys make one wonder what Logitech was thinking. It is my understanding that Logitech solicited feedback from focus groups in designing the new G15; I don't doubt this. However, I have to question just who was in these focus groups. If it was regular/typical people, then I think Logitech has the idea all wrong. The original G15 was meant to cater to a niche group of gamers and enthusiasts, and attempting to make it more "mainstream" by toning down some features totally defeats the original purpose. Added to this, the MSRP of the new G15 is $100 USD, compared to only $80 USD for the original G15 when it came out in 2005.

This of course doesn't mean that the G15 v2 is a bad keyboard. On the contrary, I was very pleased with it, and compared with other options, I believe it is the best buy. On its own, the G15 v2 is a very good keyboard, and if the original G15 had not existed I would probably rate it as the best.

Pros:

• Built in LCD

• Backlighting

• Extra gaming keys

• Software easy to use and provides a high level of customization

• Macro recording is very useful

• Good amount of third-party LCD applets, thanks to an SDK

• Looks sweet at night

Cons:

• Falls short when compared to the original

• Expensive for a keyboard

Many thanks go to Logitech for making this review possible.

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