To be an important part of any desktop and
laptop ever produced, normal keyboard is rarely prominent. Most keyboards are
simple – if they input text, at least they are doing something right. Gaming
keyboards are usually a little more complex with extra features designed to
bring player advantages. Mad Catz’s S.T.R.I.K.E.7 keyboard hopes to do that by
packing in touch screen, a handful of detachable components, alternate key caps
and a software suit to help leverage the whole package. With far more bells and
whistles than usual input device, it is of course very eye-catching. However,
it is unique enough to be at the price of $300. Read to find it.
Mad
Catz S.T.R.I.K.E.7 keyboard
Mad
Catz’s S.T.R.I.K.E.7 keyboard hopes to do that by packing in touch screen.
Style and Feeling
Generally, keyboards are quite predictable:
26 letters squeezed between a few punctuation keys, essential buttons and the
number pad. The hardware is usually completed by a boring rectangular frame,
a fragile palm rest and some light branding. So, what about us with this
S.T.R.I.K.E. 7? Of course, S.T.R.I.K.E.7 still keeps essential keys, but plays
fast and loose with the standard blocky design: this is an edgy-looking beast.
This is not the first time we’ve seen Catz’s industrial style; moreover,
S.T.R.I.K.E.7 borrows its sharp lines, matte surfaces and metal undercarriage
from the company’s Rat line.
Generally,
keyboards are quite predictable.
The keyboard mimics the Rat lineup’s flair
for transformation, featuring three replaceable palm rests (one of which hosts
a horizontal scroll wheel and a customizable button), a removable four-toggle
function strip and a detachable starboard side for isolating the unit’s 10-key,
arrow and redirect buttons. Connecting this doped collection of components
together is a touchscreen hub nicknamed “V.E.N.O.M.,” which hosts 2 USB ports,
a couple of productivity apps and 36 programmable macros. It is also separated
– although the keyboard is useless without it and can be removed to the
floating numpad, cutting the standard alphabet out of the equation for gamers
that want a more compact input device.
The palm rest snap in with simple plastic
tabs. Once locked in, the connection feels solid, but installing or removing
the rests feels dangerous – a broken plastic fastener could make the
comfortable palm rest become useless. Thankfully, nothing is broken, but we
have to be very careful. Fortunately, the rest of setting doesn’t feel fragile:
the remainder of S.T.R.I.K.E.7’s parts latches on the strong metal offshoots of
its undercarriage. Black and red mini – USB cables link the active components
to the V.E.N.O.M. console, which pipes out the peripheral’s input to the PC.
The arrow keys and black WASD can also be swapped with 2 different sets,
featuring light indentation or bright red accents.
Despite its swappable components, the
interesting detachable touchscreen hub, S.T.R.I.K.E.7 is the very first one.
Beside other input settings, standard keys need to stand on their own. This is
more complex than it sounds – this trend of keyboard is probably hot in PC
gaming community. There are several factors to consider when choosing a gaming
device, but can be divided into 2 main categories: membrane and mechanical. The
S.T.R.I.K.E.7 falls into the former, but tries to assuage the latter by
matching actuation force with Cherry MX Blue mechanical switches while
attempting to mimic the feel of MX Brown switches.
The latest result is a soft keyboard which
responds quickly to light collisions. The membrane bubbles supporting the key
caps are quite springy and manage not to feel thick and spongy like some
cheaper keyboards. The keys offer a small movement before registering a press,
but not so much to make quick double-tap actions difficult. Gamers clocking
their actions per minute will be happy to hear that the keys can sustain seven
contemporaneous inputs, easily hurdling most ghosting concerns. It is quite
suitable for normal typing as well – it has easily become editor’s daily
keyboard for nearly one month. For those mechanical diehards may miss the
harder, tactile feel they’re used to, but most gamers won’t be disappointed –
the S.T.R.I.K.E.7 is a solid example of membrane input done right.
