logitech g13 programmable gameboard with lcd display free sample

Logitech is well known for its PC gaming peripherals, and with reason: the ones that have passed through TR, like the G9 Laser Mouse, have consistently won awards. Over the years, the company has provided an extensive range including joypads and joysticks, steering wheels, gaming keyboards and mice. The one surprising omission from its lineup has always been gaming keypads along the lines of the Saitek’s Cyborg Command Unit or Belkin/Razer’s N52te, but now Logitech is looking to rectify this omission with its new G13 Advanced Gameboard.

For those of you new to the idea of a gaming keypad, or Gameboard as Logitech prefers to call it, it’s essentially a small custom keypad (akin to a keyboard’s number pad) with programmable keys and usually with an analogue joystick thrown in, all within easy reach without requiring you to move your hand from the built-in wrist rest.

Logitech has stuck to this basic formula, but added much that makes the G13 stand out. Touches like backlighting that can be any colour of the rainbow and a fully programmable LCD display as found on the company’s gaming keyboards appear to give the G13 a definite edge over its well-established rivals. However, like with so many technology products that don’t have a defined set of properties, it’s surprising how often manufacturers get it wrong. So let’s see if the G13 is the one to beat them all.

The first things that you might notice about the G13 are its size and weight. At 650g, this is no lightweight, and combined with its broad rubber feet means it sits very solidly on your desk. It also takes up more room than most, measuring 24cm top to bottom. Build quality is excellent throughout: the G13 feels like it could take any abuse a heated gaming session might inspire you to lavish on it.

The design is very attractive with elegant and sharp lines, with its mostly black, matte finish avoiding the garishness that occasionally afflicts gaming peripherals. Overall, it gives a sense of luxury few peripherals can match. The comfortably-sloped wrist rest is padded with a soft rubbery material which provides excellent grip, though if we’re being incredibly picky for those with bigger hands the ‘slippery’ silver Logitech inset is not placed ideally.

Just above the G13’s padded wrist-rest to the right is a small stick like you might find on a joypad, with two large grey buttons for your thumb just beside it. Unfortunately the stick is only a four-way affair rather than the full analog eight-way model you’ll find on a joypad, and thus more limited in its use. This is an even greater shame considering Saitek’s Cyborg Command Unit, which has been on the market for a while now, offers a full analog thumb stick that can even be mapped to act as a mouse.

Since the G13 is otherwise symmetrical, it’s also a pity Logitech did not make the small section with the stick and two thumb-buttons attachable to either side (similarly to the number-pad on Microsoft’s ingenious SideWinder X6 Keyboard), which would have made its G13 the only ambidextrous game keypad on the market aside from the Zboard Fang. It’s worth noting though that if the functionality of this section is not required, the G13 is perfectly comfortable for left-handed use.

Above the wrist-rest is a selection of 22 keyboard-like keys labeled G1 to G22. In the top two rows, four buttons with indents act as the WASD buttons by default. The rest of the buttons are arranged so as to be easily accessible by moving from these or for either thumb or pinky finger. Just above the G-keys are a set of M-keys. The first three of these switch between configurations, while the fourth one (labeled MR) allows you to record keyboard macros and assign them to any G-key in real-time.

At the peripheral’s top we have what differentiates it most from other gamepads: an LCD screen (referred to as a GamePanel by Logitech) with its own set of controls below it. These consist of five small but easy-to-use rubberized buttons. The first, a small round button to the left, acts as a switch between the screen’s various functions. The next four are a set of rectangular context-sensitive buttons below the screen whose functions vary depending on what the GamePanel is displaying.

With the GamePanel set to ‘CountDown Timer’ mode, for example, they allow you to stop/start or reset a pre-configurable stopwatch and countdown. On the ‘RSS Reader’ setting, they let you switch between feeds, call up a summary or open the original article with your browser. Other (non-interactive) functions of the GamePanel LCD include monitoring CPU and RAM usage, a date/clock and new email display and key profiling/scripting. These functions are fully configurable through Logitech LCD Manager, and further ones might be added in the future through software updates.

Last but not least as far as buttons go is a small one to the right of the GamePanel controls with a sun as its icon, which switches the G13’s backlighting on or off. Though most gaming keypads on the market offer some form of backlighting, none can match Logitech’s implementation. Using the supplied software, the G1 to G22 keys, backlight control button and GamePanel can be lit in any colour you like, and made just as bright or dim as you want. The only exception are the M-keys, which are always backlit and only in red.

(centre)The G-keys can’t actually display various colours simultaneously; this is just a merged shot to show some of the hundreds of shades available(/centre)

So far, Logitech’s G13 Advanced Gameboard seems to be holding up pretty well. Quite aside from the luxury look and feel, LCD screen and multicoloured backlighting, for those wanting lots of buttons there simply is no other choice. The four directions of the thumb-stick each act as a programmable key and the stick itself can be pressed down, which combined with the two thumb buttons and 22 G-keys gives the G13 29 fully programmable keys as is. Add in the M1 to M3 toggles and this number goes up to a staggering 87 keys for any single game or application.

As usual with Logitech, the software is also rather good, though it could use improvement in some key areas. The basic interface of the ‘G-series Key Profiler’, which controls everything but the GamePanel, is both attractive and well laid out. Offering a visual representation of the G13 where a click on any of its virtual keys brings up a menu with various options, matching keyboard-keys, scripts or macros to each of them couldn’t be simpler.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the menu bar controlling profiles, which can be a little confusing and feels more haphazard. Also, Logitech offers just a single default profile geared towards FPS games. While the Key Profiler will download custom profiles for many popular games automatically, there are titles it does not recognize. Worst of all, it only allows access to profiles for which you have the actual games installed. As it doesn’t offer default profiles for various gaming genres, Logitech should have at least allowed you to get profiles for games you don’t own that might have similar control systems to games it doesn’t recognize.

With all that out of the way, how does the G13 actually perform? Its moulded shape is comfortable for extended periods of time, and though initially stretching my thumb to fully cover the stick was painful, after an hour of play it was no longer an issue. Buttons also felt nice and crisp, with the only complaint about response being that pressing down on the thumb-stick is a little too stiff. Playing some RPGs and RTSs presented no problem, basically because in these cases all you really need the pad for is as a button repository.

In Call of Duty 4 though, because of the way the G-keys are all packed together rather than the more staggered and divided layout of, say, the Cyborg Command Unit, I frequently found myself pressing the wrong key in a hectic firefight. This did become less frequent over an extended period, but overall my good old keyboard simply felt more comfortable. Only once I started using the thumb-stick for things like leaning, jumping and crouching did I find the G13 offering unique advantages compared to a keyboard and overall more intuitive to use.

Overall then, the G13 Advanced Gameboard would have been a better product if Logitech had copied Saitek’s gamepad in two things: a real analog thumb-stick (preferably switchable to digital mode to become a four-way button pad when required) and a row of usable gaming keys above the indented WASD ones. However, these complaints are minor compared to the overall experience, which as with most Logitech peripherals is very good.

Interestingly, the G13 is also incredibly handy in certain productivity scenarios. Used in conjunction with a graphics tablet, for example, its macro functionality and flexibility combined with a small footprint (compared to a full keyboard) make it a useful tool. Even in addition to a normal keyboard, it’s highly recommended for anyone who uses lots of complex shortcuts or regularly performs actions requiring repeated sets of key-presses.

Generally available for around £60 online, the G13 is the most expensive gaming keypad out there by a considerable margin, but justifies the premium with a whole load of exclusive features and excellent build quality.

While not quite the consummate marvel we had hoped for, despite its flaws Logitech’s G13 Advanced Gameboard is the most desirable gaming keypad on the market and justifies its high price with features like a programmable LCD screen and backlighting in any colour you could want. We can’t wait to see how the inevitable sequel turns out.

Product Description The Logitech G13 advanced gameboard gives you game-changing comfort and control. Naturally contoured design follows the natural shape of your hand and fingers for increased comfort during long sessions. Onboard memory lets you program up to 5 ready-to-play profiles, so you can take your personal preferences with you. Customizable backlighting lets you choose your colors and easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play. From the Manufacturer Game-Changing Comfort and ControlWhether you’re rescuing hostages, on a quest with your guild, or saving humanity, you don’t want to worry about hand fatigue or hitting the wrong key.

Introducing the Logitech G13 advanced gameboard--a hybrid gaming keyboard designed to complement your Logitech gaming keyboard and mouse--giving you game-changing comfort and control on a Mac computer or a PC. Unlike other gameboards that focus only on programmability, the G13 advanced gameboard incorporates the principles of our award-winning Comfort Wave design. So whether you’re getting into World of Warcraft or walking into your next LAN party, the G13 gameboard gives you a powerful advantage over those forced to work with less. Change your game and play with the best. Winner of CES 2009 Best of Innovations AwardKey Features Naturally Contoured Design Delivering increased comfort during long sessions, the iconic contoured design complements the natural shape of your hand and fingers, while the smooth, concave home-row keys make it easy to locate buttons by touch.

Onboard Memory A handy solution for the laptop gamer, the G13 gameboard includes onboard memory, letting you program up to five ready-to-play profiles and take them with you to your next LAN party. The G13 gameboard also offers pre-configured settings for many popular games, including World of

Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and many others. Customizable Backlighting Backlit keys will help you easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play. And you can select from hundreds of available backlight colors, so your gameboard looks just the way you want it. 25 Programmable Keys With three game modes, 25 programmable keys, and a programmable analog stick, the G13 gameboard offers up to 87 ways for you to control your game (software installation required). And you can set up custom button-profiles for each one of your favorite titles. You can even create macros on the fly without having to pause your game. High-Visibility GamePanel LCD And for another tactical advantage, the 160-by-43-pixel GamePanel LCD shows live game stats, system info, and even messages from other players. Suggested games for the

Logitech: Logitech G51 Surround Sound Speaker SystemBring your games to life with 360-degree surround sound--for amazing audio clarity that lets you hear your enemies sneaking up behind you. Logitech G25 Racing WheelWith simulator-grade force feedback, 900-degree of wheel rotation, and a true six-speed stick, this high-performance racing wheel lets you feel every inch of the road for maximum control. Logitech G15 Gaming KeyboardGet an edge over the competition with unprecedented communication and control, thanks to programmable G-keys and an integrated LCD that displays key game information. Logitech G11 Gaming KeyboardThe G11 Gaming Keyboard features 18 programmable G-keys that let you create useful macros on the fly--and then play them back with just one, time-saving keystroke. Logitech G9 Laser MouseWith interchangeable grips, customizable weights, and adjustable mo

Extra Keys is an app which allows the use of the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard on macOS, particularly macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and later, where the manufacturer"s software ended, but also on macOS 10.14 (Mojave) if preferred.

The G13 Advanced Gameboard is a USB keypad which has been popular with gamers as well as non-gamers to increase their capabilities and efficiency controlling games, development tools, and other apps. Since manufacturer support for this hardware was dropped with the release of macOS Catalina, Extra Keys fills the void allowing owners to keep using their gameboard.

Extra Keys is still a work in progress, so some features are missing. At this point, it is at a stage where it can work well for many people and is used on a daily basis in software development. Enough features are there that it can work quite well for some users, without any feeling of annoyance or need for more, while other users will find that it doesn"t support one of their favorite features... yet.

Generally, in the software world an app is a "Minimum Viable Product" (MVP) when it is ready for first launch but has some growing to do. Extra Keys is right around that point, having enough capability for many users but lacking in-app profile editing and other usage-specific features. Extra Keys has been actively serving its purpose in daily use for two years now, and is best fit for G13 owners who can get by without a GUI profile editor and a few other features while work continues on a more refined and feature rich Extra Keys.

• Profiles work just like they did with the manufacturer"s software, which includes profiles being assigned to specific apps and automatically switching profiles when the active app changes. Nearly all profile features are supported.

The name Logitech is owned by Logitech. This software is in no way associated with, endorsed by, or approved by Logitech. The use of this software is not warrantied by Logitech or any other company.

Logitech is well known for its PC gaming peripherals, and with reason: the ones that have passed through TR, like the G9 Laser Mouse, have consistently won awards. Over the years, the company has provided an extensive range including joypads and joysticks, steering wheels, gaming keyboards and mice. The one surprising omission from its lineup has always been gaming keypads along the lines of the Saitek’s Cyborg Command Unit or Belkin/Razer’s N52te, but now Logitech is looking to rectify this omission with its new G13 Advanced Gameboard.

For those of you new to the idea of a gaming keypad, or Gameboard as Logitech prefers to call it, it’s essentially a small custom keypad (akin to a keyboard’s number pad) with programmable keys and usually with an analogue joystick thrown in, all within easy reach without requiring you to move your hand from the built-in wrist rest.

Logitech has stuck to this basic formula, but added much that makes the G13 stand out. Touches like backlighting that can be any colour of the rainbow and a fully programmable LCD display as found on the company’s gaming keyboards appear to give the G13 a definite edge over its well-established rivals. However, like with so many technology products that don’t have a defined set of properties, it’s surprising how often manufacturers get it wrong. So let’s see if the G13 is the one to beat them all.

The first things that you might notice about the G13 are its size and weight. At 650g, this is no lightweight, and combined with its broad rubber feet means it sits very solidly on your desk. It also takes up more room than most, measuring 24cm top to bottom. Build quality is excellent throughout: the G13 feels like it could take any abuse a heated gaming session might inspire you to lavish on it.

The design is very attractive with elegant and sharp lines, with its mostly black, matte finish avoiding the garishness that occasionally afflicts gaming peripherals. Overall, it gives a sense of luxury few peripherals can match. The comfortably-sloped wrist rest is padded with a soft rubbery material which provides excellent grip, though if we’re being incredibly picky for those with bigger hands the ‘slippery’ silver Logitech inset is not placed ideally.

Just above the G13’s padded wrist-rest to the right is a small stick like you might find on a joypad, with two large grey buttons for your thumb just beside it. Unfortunately the stick is only a four-way affair rather than the full analog eight-way model you’ll find on a joypad, and thus more limited in its use. This is an even greater shame considering Saitek’s Cyborg Command Unit, which has been on the market for a while now, offers a full analog thumb stick that can even be mapped to act as a mouse.

Since the G13 is otherwise symmetrical, it’s also a pity Logitech did not make the small section with the stick and two thumb-buttons attachable to either side (similarly to the number-pad on Microsoft’s ingenious SideWinder X6 Keyboard), which would have made its G13 the only ambidextrous game keypad on the market aside from the Zboard Fang. It’s worth noting though that if the functionality of this section is not required, the G13 is perfectly comfortable for left-handed use.

Above the wrist-rest is a selection of 22 keyboard-like keys labeled G1 to G22. In the top two rows, four buttons with indents act as the WASD buttons by default. The rest of the buttons are arranged so as to be easily accessible by moving from these or for either thumb or pinky finger. Just above the G-keys are a set of M-keys. The first three of these switch between configurations, while the fourth one (labeled MR) allows you to record keyboard macros and assign them to any G-key in real-time.

At the peripheral’s top we have what differentiates it most from other gamepads: an LCD screen (referred to as a GamePanel by Logitech) with its own set of controls below it. These consist of five small but easy-to-use rubberized buttons. The first, a small round button to the left, acts as a switch between the screen’s various functions. The next four are a set of rectangular context-sensitive buttons below the screen whose functions vary depending on what the GamePanel is displaying.

With the GamePanel set to ‘CountDown Timer’ mode, for example, they allow you to stop/start or reset a pre-configurable stopwatch and countdown. On the ‘RSS Reader’ setting, they let you switch between feeds, call up a summary or open the original article with your browser. Other (non-interactive) functions of the GamePanel LCD include monitoring CPU and RAM usage, a date/clock and new email display and key profiling/scripting. These functions are fully configurable through Logitech LCD Manager, and further ones might be added in the future through software updates.

Last but not least as far as buttons go is a small one to the right of the GamePanel controls with a sun as its icon, which switches the G13’s backlighting on or off. Though most gaming keypads on the market offer some form of backlighting, none can match Logitech’s implementation. Using the supplied software, the G1 to G22 keys, backlight control button and GamePanel can be lit in any colour you like, and made just as bright or dim as you want. The only exception are the M-keys, which are always backlit and only in red.

(centre)The G-keys can’t actually display various colours simultaneously; this is just a merged shot to show some of the hundreds of shades available(/centre)

So far, Logitech’s G13 Advanced Gameboard seems to be holding up pretty well. Quite aside from the luxury look and feel, LCD screen and multicoloured backlighting, for those wanting lots of buttons there simply is no other choice. The four directions of the thumb-stick each act as a programmable key and the stick itself can be pressed down, which combined with the two thumb buttons and 22 G-keys gives the G13 29 fully programmable keys as is. Add in the M1 to M3 toggles and this number goes up to a staggering 87 keys for any single game or application.

As usual with Logitech, the software is also rather good, though it could use improvement in some key areas. The basic interface of the ‘G-series Key Profiler’, which controls everything but the GamePanel, is both attractive and well laid out. Offering a visual representation of the G13 where a click on any of its virtual keys brings up a menu with various options, matching keyboard-keys, scripts or macros to each of them couldn’t be simpler.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the menu bar controlling profiles, which can be a little confusing and feels more haphazard. Also, Logitech offers just a single default profile geared towards FPS games. While the Key Profiler will download custom profiles for many popular games automatically, there are titles it does not recognize. Worst of all, it only allows access to profiles for which you have the actual games installed. As it doesn’t offer default profiles for various gaming genres, Logitech should have at least allowed you to get profiles for games you don’t own that might have similar control systems to games it doesn’t recognize.

With all that out of the way, how does the G13 actually perform? Its moulded shape is comfortable for extended periods of time, and though initially stretching my thumb to fully cover the stick was painful, after an hour of play it was no longer an issue. Buttons also felt nice and crisp, with the only complaint about response being that pressing down on the thumb-stick is a little too stiff. Playing some RPGs and RTSs presented no problem, basically because in these cases all you really need the pad for is as a button repository.

In Call of Duty 4 though, because of the way the G-keys are all packed together rather than the more staggered and divided layout of, say, the Cyborg Command Unit, I frequently found myself pressing the wrong key in a hectic firefight. This did become less frequent over an extended period, but overall my good old keyboard simply felt more comfortable. Only once I started using the thumb-stick for things like leaning, jumping and crouching did I find the G13 offering unique advantages compared to a keyboard and overall more intuitive to use.

Overall then, the G13 Advanced Gameboard would have been a better product if Logitech had copied Saitek’s gamepad in two things: a real analog thumb-stick (preferably switchable to digital mode to become a four-way button pad when required) and a row of usable gaming keys above the indented WASD ones. However, these complaints are minor compared to the overall experience, which as with most Logitech peripherals is very good.

Interestingly, the G13 is also incredibly handy in certain productivity scenarios. Used in conjunction with a graphics tablet, for example, its macro functionality and flexibility combined with a small footprint (compared to a full keyboard) make it a useful tool. Even in addition to a normal keyboard, it’s highly recommended for anyone who uses lots of complex shortcuts or regularly performs actions requiring repeated sets of key-presses.

Generally available for around £60 online, the G13 is the most expensive gaming keypad out there by a considerable margin, but justifies the premium with a whole load of exclusive features and excellent build quality.

While not quite the consummate marvel we had hoped for, despite its flaws Logitech’s G13 Advanced Gameboard is the most desirable gaming keypad on the market and justifies its high price with features like a programmable LCD screen and backlighting in any colour you could want. We can’t wait to see how the inevitable sequel turns out.

The Logitech G13 is a 25-key "advanced gameboard" from Logitech"s Gaming series, with the intention of replacing the left half of your keyboard whilst gaming. It uses rubber dome keyswitches for the main 22-keys, mouse-like buttons for the two buttons around the joystick, a joystick (which can be pressed in), four Mode buttons, four option buttons, a menu button, and a backlight toggle. (Official Site)

Running the official Logitech Gaming Software under Wine. Despite working fine, the software has a Garbage rating on WineHQ, as it cannot actually communicate with USB devices. (However, the reports available are quite old, and you may have better luck)

This will install the g13d daemon, the pbm2lpbm bitmap converter and a systemd service that runs g13d as user/group g13. It will also set up rules for udev to identify your G13 device, but the automatic starting and stopping of the service by connecting or unplugging is disabled by default.

To enable the systemd service and have g13d start and stop automatically upon hotplug you will need to uncomment the two bottom lines in /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/91-g13.rules

You will also need to uncomment the uinput line in /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/91-g13.rules, which will set owner and permissions for /dev/uinput on boot, followed by a reboot.

After following the steps above, when you reboot and launch g13d (either manually or automatically through systemd), you should receive an image with a "linux inside" logo, "G13", and the GNU logo.

Note: The permanent solution is to uncomment the appropriate line in /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/91-g13.rules, which will set owner and permissions for /dev/uinput on boot.

g13d is configured in one of two ways, either by writing commands to /run/g13d/g13-0, or preferably by specifying keybindings and commands in a configuration file which is read at launch.

When running g13d manually you can specify a configuration file using the --config parameter, and when running as a service the file /etc/g13/default.bind will be used.

Note: In most cases, specifying your default keybindings in /etc/g13/default.bind is the easiest option. However, please read above about editing /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/91-g13.rules and uncommenting both lines that start and stop the systemd service upon hotplug. You may need to create the /etc/g13 directory if it was not created during initial install.

Tip: g13 can handle multiple commands at once, and will ignore lines starting with #. You can use this to make files full of commands and run cat file > /run/g13d/g13-0 when you are ready to play.

BD DOWN G1 G10 G11 G12 G13 G14 G15 G16 G17 G18 G19 G2 G20 G21 G22 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 L1 L2 L3 L4 LEFT LIGHT LIGHT_STATE M1 M2 M3 MR TOP STICK_LEFT STICK_RIGHT STICK_UP STICK_DOWN

Tip: As a jumping off point, you can use default.bind, which has the same bindings as the default profile when using the official software, along with a purple backlight.

I recently purchased a Logitech G13 after hearing how Editor Alan Bell A.C.E. uses one in combination with his Wacom tablet as his primary film editing devices. It sounds like a slick way to work and as an editor who is locked in to using keyboard shortcuts as often as possible and finds it a joy to memorise or devise new ones, I snapped up a G13 to give it a go myself.

In this post I thought I’d put together a fairly comprehensive ‘quick-start’ guide to anyone looking to use a G13 in their post production workflow. It really is a very versatile device and would speed up any creative working in After Effects, Premiere Pro CC, FCPX, DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer etc. (or all of them!) There really are no limits to what you could use the G13 for, with a bit of imagination.

Map each of the 22 G Keys to any keystroke, system shortcut, function key, macro, keystroke combination, alisas and mouse move you wish. Each profile contains three sets of mappings giving you 66 keys, plus the joystick and joypad buttons give you 7 more buttons to map in each set, totalling 87 programmable keys.

Customise the backlighting colour of each set of keyboard mappings, with three colours per profile, to help you visually keep track of what mapping you are in.

The LCD display will also toggle through several ‘applets’ which by default include profile selection, time and date, countdown/stopwatch, CPU and RAM usage as %, RSS Feed updates and email notifications.

You can also save up to 4 Profiles to the internal memory of the G13 to take them with you wherever you go. You can also export and import them via a simple XML too.

If like me you just want to plugin and find your way without too much fuss, then all you need to do is download the Logitech Gaming Software for Mac or Windows from the official site and get customising. You can also grab the pdf manual/guide here too.

If you watch through the video above you’ll see just how easy it is to set up and that it is pretty much plug and play.  In a short amount of time, and with a little bit of experimentation, I’m only just starting to discover how much the G13 can do.

When you open an application for which you have created a Profile, the G13 will automatically switch to that Profile, which is very handy. It also then helps to keep your colour coding app relevant so you can visually remember what profile you are currently in.

The free Logitech Gaming Software is very intuitive to use and allows you to either drag and drop keystrokes from the Commands panel or through a little drop down menu on each key hit ‘Assign Command’ which brings up the command editor (image on the left) which lets us access the huge range of sources from which you can map a key.

Small things often make a big difference, and it’s a nice touch that the LCD display shows you what track is currently playing in iTunes, with the track length and progress bar, even when you’re in another application.

Possibly my best bit of advice on setting up the G13 would be to say that before you jump into mapping all the keys you think you’ll need, that you should take a bit of time to watch yourself edit. Pay attention to the keys you are actually using on a regular basis. I thought I’d need IN and OUT all the time, but actually when I’m in the thick of an edit I’m using Zoom In and Zoom Out and Cut and Paste all the time to rearrange clips and zip about the timeline.

As you can see in the image above (which is my top layer-set of mapped keys for Premiere Pro CC) I’ve mapped my modifier keys down the left edge of the keypad to help me make the most of the other keys. So for example Cmd+C/V for Copy and Paste. Shift+V for Paste Attributes etc. I’ve also centred my J K L keys in a comfortable place where I can easily reach H (Add Edit) and (with my little finger) Slash for Ripple Delete.

1. You’ll need to keep experimenting with the layout – which keys are mapped where and on which layer. This will in turn help you to keep refining your layout and ‘must have’ mappings.

UPDATE – Peter Stewart shared a very useful tip on Twitter with me recently, so I’ve included it here too. This way you can keep track of what keys you’re actually using on a regular basis.

To check out how editor’s Alan Bell and Twain Richardson have mapped their G13’s, peruse the tweets below. If you have any great suggestions, downloads or links for own G13 mappings then please share them in the comments section below!

First of all jump over to this extensive post comparing several different colour grading control surface options, from the full Tangent Element 4 panel suite to controllers like the G13.

Patrick looks through all of the functionality of the G13, including the applets that run on the LCD display. He also compares it to the Razer Orbweaver in a follow up insight (coming soon!)

Editor Dan Katz emailed me with this G13 settings for Avid Media Composer, FCPX and Garage Band. You can download all of Dan’s layouts to use with your G13 as a zip file here.

I’m still tweaking the settings as I go along, but so far these have stuck. My goal was to keep as many of my common functions and tools across editing apps in the same zones. Coupled with an Apple Trackpad and a stylus, it’s all working rather well.

Back around 2010 I bought the Logitech G13 so I could play World of Warcraft’s newest expansion Cataclysm more efficiently. With Battle for Azeroth out now, it’s still my go-to accessory.

The Logitech G13 is one in a small, weird subcategory of gaming peripherals called keypads—or gamepads, if you prefer, though try searching for that and you’ll end up with regular controllers more often than not. Gaming keypads are designed to be used with a single hand (usually your left hand) and feature an array of buttons more ergonomically optimized for the kind of complex finger gestures you’ll need while playing games. They also usually come with a high degree of customization so you can make your buttons do exactly what you want, instead of trying to adopt your gaming habits to a QWERTY keyboard that was designed first and foremost for text input.

That’s what drew me to the G13 back when I first got into World of Warcraft. I wanted to have more control over minute, otherwise unimportant details than a regular keyboard (or even a gaming keyboard) could provide. I settled on the G13 which, unfortunately, isn’t for sale anymore, though you can still find alternatives like the Razer Orbweaver Chroma. Still, there’s a reason the G13 became my favorite.

You’re used to the 101-or-so button keyboard that you type with everyday. For almost any game you can play, that’s more than enough. When it comes to an MMO like World of Warcraft, however, the normal WASD just don’t cut it. Every single class has a dizzying array of roughly seventeen million spells, abilities, and items to use. Once you hit the level cap, you have two main ways of improving in the game: acquiring better gear and improving your rapid-fire rotation of spells and abilities. The only way to do the former is to grind away at dungeons and raids like it’s your second job, but a solid keypad can help with the latter.

The Logitech G13 is a programmable keypad with 22 regular buttons, a four-directional control stick, and two programmable modifier buttons. The included Logitech software—which the company also uses across its array of gaming peripherals like keyboards, mice, and headsets—lets you program every single one of these buttons. You can make a button correspond with a single key on your keyboard, a multi-key shortcut (like, say, Ctrl-Tab or Alt-F4), or even a sequence of multiple commands executed in a row. We’ll come back to that bit in the next section.

It also features three layout buttons and a macro recording button. The layout buttons let you switch between multiple preset button configurations. So, for example, in World of Warcraft,you can quickly switch between multiple class specializations. With the G13, you could also switch the button layout you’re using without tweaking any settings or opening the Logitech app. This gives you flexibility to create layouts that are exactly what you need for different parts of the game and access them with a single button.

Finally, the G13 has a simple LCD display. You can choose to set this display to show the time and date, the game profile you’re using, a countdown timer, or perhaps most usefully, a live meter of your CPU and RAM usage. This last bit is useful even when you’re not in a game. If your computer starts to slog, you can see at a glance what part of your machine is being overworked.

The hardware on the G13 is comfortable and precisely designed for long-term gaming sessions, but it’s the software that makes it magic. On a basic level, you can assign any button or combination of buttons to any key on the keypad. In my setup, I assign the two gray buttons next to the control stick to the Alt and Ctrl keys. Many of the regular keys are assigned to a number so, for example, I can press the G12 key (directly under my index finger in the resting position) which corresponds to the number 7. The Alt key is directly under my thumb, so without repositioning my fingers at all, I can press Alt-7 with my index finger. With all four of my fingers and my thumb at complete rest, I have at least eight spells available. That might not sound like a big deal, but when you have to make potentially hundreds or even thousands of moves per fight, minimizing your finger movement matters.

Logitech doesn’t stop with simple keymapping, though. You can assign each button a single keystroke, a key combination, a macro that executes in sequence—you can either manually build these in Logitech’s editor, or simply record yourself pressing the buttons in the order you want—or even paste whole blocks of text with a single button. Have a regular message you need to send to your whole guild? Program it into a button. Need an emergency get-the-hell-out-of-here button that runs through all your escape spells at once? Record a macro. The game has its own built-in macro system, but for certain tasks, I’ve found the G13 to be way easier.

The most powerful feature of Logitech’s software, though, is also its quietest. The app can detect what game you’re playing and automatically load the custom profile you’ve built for each application. I say “application” instead of game because it’s not limited to games. I have a custom profile for every game I use the G13 with, but I also have one for Chrome, Photoshop, Premiere, OneNote, and more. While my colleagues may prefer AutoHotKey to create their own productivity-boosting shortcuts, I’ve been using Logitech’s software for years for the same purpose.

The same app that powers the G13 also works with Logitech’s line of gaming mice and keyboards, so I can use the exact same game profile I use with the G13 to also add spell buttons to my gaming mouse. I’ve got combat spells on my left hand, and movement abilities like my mount or jump buttons on the mouse, which makes more intuitive sense.

Some game designers invest a lot of energy in making controls feel as natural as possible, but no matter how cleverly designed they are, there’s always an element of adapting yourself to the way the game works. Sometimes that’s easy, like using a mouse to point where you want to look, which generally feels pretty natural. Other times it’s awkward, like trying to keep up with Han Solo’s sweet dance moves.

In a game like World of Warcraft—or any MMO for that matter—that friction between what your brain wants to do and what your controls let you do can mean the difference between winning and wiping your entire group. While most games and controls force you to play on their terms, the G13 adapts to yours. It places buttons right where it makes sense for your fingers to reach, instead of picking a few keys off your regular keyboard and hoping they’re in the right spot. It lets you program every single button to do exactly what you need, exactly when you need it.

Not every game demands the power of the G13, but when it comes to MMOs—as well as the occasional specialized task like photo or video editing—I’ve found it to be an indispensable tool.

Unfortunately, the G13 is old enough now that you can’t get one for its past, normal price. You can still buy refurbished options from third-party resellers on Amazon, but if you like the idea, you can also check out other, newer gamepads like the Razer Orbweaver Chroma for $125. Razer offers its own comparable software, but I’ll stick with my trusty Logitech.

The G13 feels a little cramped for my (larger than average) hand; I cannot use the bottom row of keys, or the two “clicky” buttons (near the joystick) without serious hand movement.  I imagine with average or small hands, this would fit a bit more naturally.  Ergonomically, the control stick needs some work.  Its small, hard and round design makes it difficult to control. To move the stick in the back or right directions, I often had to move my thumb and push against the side of the stick, instead of just pulling it from the top.  A simple rubber dome would make the stick infinitely easier to use.

As noted earlier in the review, the “analog stick” has been crippled.  It is only capable of emulating 4 digital switches (although the hardware itself is analog).  An unconfirmed posting in a Logitech forum claims that a future update will enable true analog function, but at the present that is unavailable.  3rd party coders have created custom software that allows the functionality, but I could not test it due to 64-bit compatibility issues.

The single feature of the G13 that was most useful (to me) was the ability to reproduce “text blocks” with keystroke delays.  This allowed me to navigate repetitive in-game menus extremely fast.  While this function is reproducible with the macro recording ability, I found it much easier to type in a block of text and tell it how long between each keystroke I wanted, as opposed to recording a macro with delays and hitting keys madly (often took me several tries to make a macro that worked).

As I was testing out the G13, I ran into a few software “glitches” that ultimately ended up being unexpected features of the product.   The biggest thing I ran into was the G13’s classification as a Windows SideShow device.  This allows the LCD screen to be used as a secondary display for programs like Windows Mail and Media Player (WMP).  Unfortunately, it also means that when you close a Windows Media Player window, your computer will assume that you still have the SideShow application running on your G13 and continue playing whatever media you were listening to.   The simple fix is to just hit “stop” before you close the WMP window, but you can also open Windows Sideshow configuration and uncheck all the settings for WMP.

Another annoying thing was that the GamePanel LCD screen would get stuck showing the current profile for my racing wheel.  This was quite annoying because i would look over to see the time, current song, or memory usage, and boom “Profile: Race 07” would be sitting on the screen instead of useful information.  This was a simple fix (after I banged my head on the desk for a few hours): just deselect the wheel’s driver in the LCD control panel.