Recently, I purchased a gaming laptop with the intention of connecting it to my home theatre and answering the Call of Duty from my recliner. The laptop did exactly what I wanted, but it didn’t take long to learn I had overlooked something. I planned on running an extra Bluetooth keyboard and mouse that I had lying around, but they just didn’t cut it. Bluetooth dropped, there was too much lag, and they just didn’t feel like gaming equipment.
I tried using a wired keyboard and mouse, but that was also less than ideal. I had to use USB extension cables to reach, or I needed a really long HDMI cable. Either way, having a cable draped across the middle of my living room proved to be hazardous. My wife got tripped up one night and almost fell. Time to find a better solution.
I started researching wireless options for gaming. Most manufacturers have something to offer. Traditionally I’ve used Razer equipment with my gaming systems. Before I placed an order, I decided to go look around my local computer store. They had lots of options on display. I was surprised to discover that I preferred the look and feel of the Logitech gear over Razer this time. I picked up the ten keyless version of the G915 and the G502 mouse hoping that the TKL would give me enough space to use both on a lap desk.
Both devices use Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless technology. The company claims that it has less than one millisecond of lag. I don’t have the equipment to confirm or deny that at a technical level, but I can say there’s no noticeable lag of any kind. I’ve had zero issues with signal dropout and no missed clicks or keypresses. The only complaint I have about Lightspeed is that each piece of gear requires it’s own USB dongle. So if you are thinking about picking up a keyboard, headset, and mouse make sure that you have three free USB ports. You’ll also want to be sure to not loose the tiny receivers. Luckily each piece of equipment has onboard storage.
The G915TKL is 368 mm (15.2 in) wide, 150 mm (5.9 in) high, and 22 mm (0.9 in) thick. The chassis is aluminum and provides a flex free deck for the rigorous punishment gaming boards must endure. The keys are full RGB with several built-in patterns and effects. The software will also let you create schemes and some games provide their own. There are dedicated media control buttons and a clever volume control that is similar to a mouse’s scroll wheel. The volume control is extremely useful and more accessible than the one on my headset.
There are three choices of switch styles available: Tactile (brown), Linear (red), and clicky (cherry). You can also choose between carbon and white colors. I went with the tactile carbon combo. Normally I prefer a cherry switch, but I wanted to keep the sound down for use in the living room. The keys feel great and actuate about half way though their travel. They are spaced perfectly for my hands. The metal chassis is heavy enough for the keyboard to stay put and there are two levels of heights adjustment on the back edge. The TKL edition does not include a wrist rest, but my lap desk has a built-in one so this wasn’t an issue for me.
The batteries are rechargeable via micro USB and you can use both the keyboard and mouse while they are plugged in to your PC charging. The keyboard will last for around forty hours and the mouse for about 60, with the backlights on. You can use the keyboard and mouse with your Xbox or PlayStation on supported games. They both also support a secondary device connection over Bluetooth and can flip between them easily.
Speaking of the mouse, the G502 Lightspeed features user adjustable weights and a sensor that can track at 25,600 DPI. There’s a dedicated sniper button on the thumb rest that drops the sensitivity to a lower level while you keep it depressed. It also has Logitech’s famous scroll wheel that changes from click scroll to free scroll with the press of a button. If you have ever used an MX mouse, you know what I’m talking about.
The mouse is controlled by the same GHUB software as the keyboard, but requires it’s own USB chip. The RGB lighting is easy to manage. The eleven on-board buttons are fully customizable and support macros too. The mouse fits in my hand well with plenty of room for my fingers. The buttons are right where they should be and long enough that any size of hand should easily be able to find them. The mouse also supports wireless charging from an optional mouse pad. I don’t currently have the charge pad so I can’t comment on it.
Both the TKL keyboard and G502 mouse fit comfortably on my lap desk. I’m using a LapGear Home Office Pro that I picked up at BestBuy. It has an integrated mouse pad with a lip that keeps the mouse from falling off every time you move or need to get up. The mouse pad is a little small but if you crank up the sensitivity a little, it works well. It is really nice to be able to sit in my favorite chair and play all my favorite games. The Lightspeed tech works flawlessly from across my living room even with my non-Bluetooth friendly WAP sitting right next to it.
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