Review – SteelSeries 6Gv2 Keyboard

The SteelSeries 6Gv2 is a no frills alternative to the 7G offering. It has no extra buttons aside from the SteelSeries button, and it has no software that will let you record macros and customize keys. What it does have is several features that makes this keyboard a performance machine. It is a keyboard built for gamers who care for performance, and it’s no surprise that pro gaming teams such as Evil Geniuses use this device. When I was watching the Blizzcon stream this year, I saw several people who were in the WoW Arena tournament using it, and I must admit that was pretty cool.

The 6G is very clean and compact

Being priced at $120 CAD at Best Buy, the 6G has to bring a lot to the table to make it worth the price. First of all, despite a very compact and efficient layout, the keyboard weighs a ton. When you’re not typing away and beating people down in StarCraft II, you can use the 6G to bludgeon some fools. Seriously, it weighs two to three times as much as my G15 despite being quite a bit smaller. The reason for the weight? In the words of a Stormtrooper: “It’s metal.” The keys are mounted on metal plates, the switches are gold-plated, and even the plastic has metal elements. The result is a super durable product that is still portable, and will give you a workout while you’re carrying it around to boot. If the LAN event doesn’t have that much room for you or your teammates, or if your backpack has limited space for your gear, the 6G fits many spaces bulkier keyboards would not. SteelSeries claims that the keys will last for 50 million key presses as opposed to the 5 for a keyboard built with the standard rubber domes.

Everything about the 6G screams quality. The most amazing thing about the 6G is that it’s the most sensitive keyboard I’ve ever typed on. There were literally times where I was unknowingly and lightly resting my finger on one of the keys and it was registering. I almost ran a virus scan before I realized it was just my pinky gently resting on the Tab key – it is that sensitive. The result of this incredible sensitivity is a boost in actions per minute (APM) or words per minute (WPM). My WPM, after using this keyboard for about a month, has gone up by 9. I tested this with a typing test found online, and I’m not surprised. When I focus on being fast, I can just lightly fly across the keyboard. And somehow, the sensitivity does not come at the cost of feeling. The tactile feedback of the keys is good due to the mechanical switches. It’s not the best I’ve felt, but it’s good enough that it doesn’t feel uncomfortable and that I am always sure when I’ve pressed a key hard enough.

These indicators are surprisingly bright and pleasant

The anti-ghosting focus of the 6G is also quite good. With the PS/2 that is included, you can press your entire keyboard simultaneously if you like. With the USB connection, due to USB limitations, the keyboard can handle 6 simultaneous keypresses in addition to modifiers such as Shift, Ctrl, and Alt. I’ve tried pressing the 8 home keys at once and sure enough, 6 characters came out. Normal keyboards only allow 2 to 4 simultaneous buttons, so raising this limit for gamers who need to hold W and D and the push-to-talk button and crouch and jump and reload all at once.

The cons of the keyboard are very few, which is one of the benefits of keeping things so tight and focusing on quality. First, the missing Windows key is a very contentious feature. Where you would expect to find the Windows key on the left side, there is a SteelSeries button. This button, in conjunction with some F keys, form your media buttons. The Windows key on the right side is still there, but it’s annoying to have to move my right hand to press the Windows key. The Logitech G15 just lets you disable the Windows key on the board and I would’ve preferred that. I probably use more Windows shortcuts than most people though, so it may not bother you. The Shift key on the right side is a little too small to my liking, but I’ve attuned to it. However, something I still haven’t acclimated to after over a month of usage is the position of the \ button. It is right beside the / button and I press it accidentally frequently. Being a software developer, this is quite annoying, but something I can live with until I’ve braid-melded to it Avatar-style.

Not the best looking keyboard out there, but who looks at their keyboard that often?

The final gripe I have with the keyboard is that the media keys don’t work with iTunes unless the application has focus. I’m not sure how Logitech works their magic, but I don’t want to have to alt-tab out of my game to skip to the next track. I’m sure this is probably more of a fault with iTunes than the keyboard, and this disadvantage is certainly not restricted to the 6G. I’ve tried other keyboards that can’t provide this functionality either. Perhaps optional drivers or software could fix this problem.

So going back to the original query: Is this keyboard worth the money? With regular, cheap keyboards going for about $7, it’s hard to say if this provides $113 more worth of value. For someone like me who plays response time heavy games such as StarCraft II and has their mouse at full sensitivity, then you will likely want a keyboard that matches that insane sensitivity. If you travel a lot with your keyboard to tournaments or to a friend’s house, then it’s also a good investment because it is compact and durable. I could even see getting this keyboard for developers in an office just to get increased productivity. The durability of the keyboard means that it is also friendlier for the environment instead of throwing away 10 keyboards during the 6G’s lifetime. I would recommend getting this keyboard over a poorer offering if your budget is at least $20. That is, this keyboard provides more value over its (long) lifetime than you could get by buying six $20 keyboards over the same period. The added durability and quality makes the 6G a real eye-opener in keyboard quality.