The key layout seems to be well thought out. I'll break the entire layout
into regions (top, middle, and bottom). All of the keys have a nice concave
(depression) surface. Their response is stiffer than most keyboard keys. This
took a little getting used to and is really a matter of personal preference. I
found that sometimes the keys were a bit too stiff (some might say "mushy" but
I've felt far mushier keyboards than this) at times
once pressed.
In the top region you have the escape (ESC) key in the upper left just as you
do on a standard keyboard. Then there are four function (F1~F4) keys and a key
in the upper right that you can use for voice commands (or anything else you'd
like). Below that you have numeric keys ranging from one to seven.
Keys - Top
The middle region is where you will find a really nice touch
with volume control keys. These simply increase or decrease the volume (there is
no mute button). This worked within Windows as well as while playing gamss.
Next, you will find two round keys (just like the function keys). The main
attraction is, of course, the oversized and oddly shaped blue keys. I like the
fact that the grouping is of six keys and not just the typical four (WASD).
Another thing I really like is the "nubbin" on the "S" key which gives you a
constant tactile point of reference. These keys admittedly take a little getting
used to but after a few minutes in Quake 4 they felt right at home. To the right
of this area you find four more round buttons.
Keys - Middle
The bottom region is pretty neat in that it tries to maintain
some similarity to a regular keyboard layout with the "SHIFT", "CTRL" and "Z"
keys on the left side. To the right side you have your "X", "C", "B", and
"SPACEBAR" keys with the "ALT" and "N" keys in the middle. All of these are of
course customizable to whatever function you'd like in a game. I found it to be
a nice touch to have the familiar labeling on the keys.
Last but not least you find the wrist rest. This is not soft by
any means, it's just a very thin layer of foam but it does the job. This entire
area is also hinged and can be removed via clips on the underside. This hinge is
not adjustable to different angles. Rather, it is simply a loose, free flowing
hinge.
Keys - Bottom and Wrist Rest
Hinged Wrist Rest
Ah yes, the LEDs. It seems that everything has an LED of some sort on
it nowadays. The Cyber Snipa™ PC Game Pad is not lacking in this department.
There are two bright blue LEDs on the bottom left and right sides. You
can easily turn these LEDs on or off via a switch on the front right side of the
housing. There is a small power indicator LED located near the top of the pad
that is always on.
