logitech g13 programmable gameboard with lcd display manufacturer

I"ve tried one other gameboard (Belkin n52te), and thought that it was great. The one thing I didn"t like about it was the digital thumbstick and the fact that it didn"t depress to act as a button. Enter the Logitech G13. This thing pretty much saved the day, once I got my hand(s) on it.

To start off with, it"s a lot bigger than the n53te, so make sure you have enough room for it. With my mouse, keyboard, and the G13 all taking up space on the slide-out keyboard shelf of my computer desk, I find that the G13 and keyboard have to fight for their turn to have focus. There"s simply not enough room to have them all laid out next to one another. The nice thing about this, though, is that other than typing out text, the G13 replaces every single keystroke I"d ever use on the keyboard for controlling games.

Speaking of games, I am an avid MMORPG junkie. I play Warhammer Online (my MMORPG de jour for now) every chance I get and for many hours at a time. That"s what lead me on my journey to find a better way of rapidly executing the various abilities my characters have. A simple game controller wouldn"t suffice, since there are simply way too many abilities that need to be mapped to buttons. I found out about these gamepads almost a year ago and bought the n52te after a little research. After reading a thread in a forum that discussed the G13, it sounded like it had all the features I felt were missing from the n52te, so I bought it.

The packaging it arrived in was secure, so nobody should have to worry about damage during transit. As I unboxed it the reality of how monstrous this thing is really hit home. It was huge, and I was unsure whether it would fit on my slide-out tray with the keyboard & mouse. I was able to squeeze it in after pushing the keyboard back a bit (keyboard is a Saitek Gamer"s keyboard, mouse is a Razer Death Adder.) As usual I didn"t bother installing the software from the box, and went to the website instead. Finding a driver was a snap, and I downloaded and installed the latest drivers.

There are, oddly enough, two separate programs that run in the tray for the G13. One is the LCD screen management app, and the other is the gameboard programming app. I"m not quite sure why these couldn"t be integrated with one another. I"ll get into the programming app later in the review.

Hand placement felt good. The buttons are nice and large, and their surface is concave, allowing the user to feel where their fingers are at without any danger of them sliding off and losing track of which keys they"re on. It sounds silly, but after you have a gameboard with flat buttons you"ll really appreciate this. The gameboard keys are also laid out on a surface that curves in towards the center, allowing for more comfortable operation as opposed to a flat surface which forces the user to rotate their fingers in ways they really aren"t meant to. The only drawback is there is no way to adjust for larger or smaller hands. One size fits all. The n52te was somewhat adjustable.

Keys? Wow are there a lot of them! There"s so many that unfortunately my fingers can"t stretch far enough to hit them all comfortably. However, I don"t think of this as a problem. I would MUCH rather have too many keys than too little. I still use the fringe keys infrequently for character abilities that don"t need to be accessed very often. Also, the only keys that are really able to be accessed rapidly without having to curl your fingers up are the top two rows. I occasionally press one of the third row buttons, but it"s rare. Maybe I just need to adapt more? Only time will tell I suppose.

The analog thumbstick is both a blessing and a curse, and really the only thing I have a problem with. I say it"s a blessing because a digital thumbstick (like the one on the n52te) is just horrible. I found myself stuck in limbo frequently with the n52te because I was moving the thumbstick from the North to West position, and the thumbstick would stop sending a signal as I moved it between these states. Also, one of the big things I wished for on the n52te was that the thumbstick act as a button if you push down on it. This was all solved with the G13. The thumbstick is analog, allowing for a full range of motion without that "clicky" feel as you maneuver it. The thumbstick also acts as an additional button when you depress it. The curse is that the thumbstick itself feels awful. The hat on it is way too small, leaving the user to feel like they"re trying to use the eraser end of a pencil to move around. It"s a real shame too, because everything else about this gameboard is absolutely terrific.

The gameboard lighting is also really cool. There are 3 modes that can be cycled through, so all of the keys you see are effectively TRIPLED. Yeah. This thing is *insane* with the coverage it has when it comes to duplicating everything you can assign to a standard keyboard. Anyway, each mode has its own color of light, and the color can be selected using the gameboard editor. There are a lot of different colors to choose from also, so you"re not pigeon-holed into only a handful of choices.

The LCD screen is a very nice touch. It can report all sorts of in-game statistics, and can be set to receive RSS feeds from the news, display computer info such as CPU load, the time & date, and all sorts of other statistics. The LCD screen can apparently be programmed by anyone, so you can write your own custom G13 LCD screen plug-in to display literally anything you want. Unfortunately as of this writing Warhammer Online only displays its icon, and I"ve seen it sometimes display a message stating that I"m not queued for any scenarios (you have to play Warhammer Online to know what I"m talking about here.)

The gameboard programming software is simple and easy to use. Making macros is a breeze. One of the other big gripes I had about the n52te was with programming simple keyboard combinations. You want to assign a button on the gameboard to Ctrl+1? Sorry, the n52te software will only recognize the first button you press, so you only get Ctrl. To assign combinations you have to create a macro. Ugh! Not with the G13. It easily recognizes Ctrl/Alt/Shift modifiers, and even goes so far as to recognize *which* one you"ve pressed, whether it"s right or left. Making a macro is nice and easy too, and you can copy & paste them between different modes to set up the device fairly rapidly.

The pros so overwhelmingly make up for the trivial cons that I cannot emphasize enough how great this gameboard is. It"s just one of those things you must try to truly appreciate. I will also give a disclaimer that there is *always* a learning curve when it comes to these devices. If you have never used a gameboard before, you will find yourself lost until your hand can seek out the buttons and operate the thumbstick without having to think about it. Once it becomes natural for you to use it, that"s when the lightbulb will come on over your head and you"ll wonder how you ever played games without one.

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

I was a console gamer and played with a controller for my PC games. Then I decided to take the plunge. I got a decent gaming mouse but I couldn"t handle the whole Keyboard. This gamepad is exactly what I was looking for. All the keys are custom to how you want them so you can play the game to your liking. This was well worth the price and if you"re struggling at learning keyboard gaming this is a great tool because it"s customizable to your liking.

The Logitech G13 is an advanced gameboard that provides comfort, functionality, and an intuitive design. It is intended to work in conjunction with a regular keyboard or a controller for more precise control over your games. The Logitech G13 is useful when speed will mean the difference between success and failure.What is a Logitech G13 gameboard used for?

The Logitech G13 is designed for gamers who need to execute complex actions on the fly. With the gameboard, there"s no more fumbling with a complex sequence of keystrokes to perform actions. From combat sims to shooters, you can completely customize single or multi-key inputs with full anti-ghosting. This means you won"t suddenly lose key strokes because the keyboard won"t register them.

The downloadable Logitech gaming software enables the additional ability to drag-and-drop customizable settings or simply use one of the pre-configured settings for any game you play. The Logitech G13 connects to the computer through a USB port. You will need Windows Vista or later to operate it.What are some features of the Logitech G13?

The new and used Logitech G13 gameboards on eBay should come with the following hardware features.Programmable Keys: The G13 has 25 programmable keys that allow you to customize their function. With three possible macros per key, you can customize up to 75 possible functions. The keys are fully backlit, and you can customize the colors and assign them to different profiles.

Programmable Joystick: A single miniature joystick located just off to the side of the keys allows you to control characters, vehicles, cursors, and more in the game. It is fully programmable as well.

LCD Game Panel: This fully backlit panel displays information about real-time game states, VoIP communications, and system data. Community-developed applets are allowed as well. The backlight will match the color of the programmable keys.

On-Board Memory: This lets you save your game profiles to the on-board memory. You can then switch between them instantly or bring them with you when you use another computer.Can the Logitech G13 be used for long gaming sessions?

Yes, it is. The Logitech G13 has soft membrane keys, a naturally curved shape that conforms to the contours of your hand, and a soft wrist cushion or armrest to provide extra comfort over long sessions. The strong support feet at the bottom provide a stable base for the gameboard and prevent any unwanted movement even when you are in the middle of intense action.Content provided for informational purposes only. eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by Logitech.

http://WarcraftWirelessHeadset. com http://WarcraftWirelessHeadset. com Overall Rating (based on customer reviews): 4. 2 out of 5 stars Logitech G13 Programmable Gameboard with LCD Display Whether 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. The specs of ‘Logitech G13 Programmable Gameboard with LCD Display’ are: Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc Language: English Product Dimensions: 11. 2×9. 1×3. 5 inches Shipping Weight: 2. 2 pounds Here are some REAL customer reviews: “Logitech G13 vs. Belkin n52te” I have used both the Logitech G13 and Belkin n52te extensively, so I thought it would be useful 1 / 3

to write a review comparing the two products. UsageI have used both keypads to play World of Warcraft (WoW) extensively. Typically I use the…Read more “Very Impressed” This review is somewhat lengthy, but I try to cover all the bases on this device. Overall Impression: Very nice piece of hardware, worth the money. Ok, let s get started. Physical Properties: The pad itself is of decent size for…Read more “A synthesis of reviews” Introduction:I designed this review as a sort of encyclopedic critique of the each criticism I ve found in the reviews here on Amazon and elsewhere. To prove my nerdiness conclusively, I ve indexed my responses to each criticism so you don t have to…Read more 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. 25 programmable keys allow you to assign keyboard functions to suit your style of play and create macros on the fly The high-visibility GamePanel LCD displays game stats, system info, and communications from fellow players. Customizable backlighting lets you choose your colors and easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play Naturally contoured design follows the natural shape of your hand and fingers for increased 2 / 3

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 The high-visibility GamePanel LCD displays game stats, system info, and communications from fellow players Get Logitech G13 Programmable Gameboard with LCD Display at the best price available today. Check Out The Full In Depth Details Here: Logitech G13 Programmable Gameboard with LCD Display Powered by TCPDF (www. tcpdf. org) 3 / 3

I"ve tried one other gameboard (Belkin n52te), and thought that it was great. The one thing I didn"t like about it was the digital thumbstick and the fact that it didn"t depress to act as a button. Enter the Logitech G13. This thing pretty much saved the day, once I got my hand(s) on it.To start off with, it"s a lot bigger than the n53te, so make sure you have enough room for it. With my mouse, keyboard, and the G13 all taking up space on the slide-out keyboard shelf of my computer desk, I find that the G13 and keyboard have to fight for their turn to have focus. There"s simply not enough room to have them all laid out next to one another. The nice thing about this, though, is that other than typing out text, the G13 replaces every single keystroke I"d ever use on the keyboard for controlling games.Speaking of games, I am an avid MMORPG junkie. I play Warhammer Online (my MMORPG de jour for now) every chance I get and for many hours at a time. That"s what lead me on my journey to find a better way of rapidly executing the various abilities my characters have. A simple game controller wouldn"t suffice, since there are simply way too many abilities that need to be mapped to buttons. I found out about these gamepads almost a year ago and bought the n52te after a little research. After reading a thread in a forum that discussed the G13, it sounded like it had all the features I felt were missing from the n52te, so I bought it.The packaging it arrived in was secure, so nobody should have to worry about damage during transit. As I unboxed it the reality of how monstrous this thing is really hit home. It was huge, and I was unsure whether it would fit on my slide-out tray with the keyboard & mouse. I was able to squeeze it in after pushing the keyboard back a bit (keyboard is a Saitek Gamer"s keyboard, mouse is a Razer Death Adder.) As usual I didn"t bother installing the software from the box, and went to the website instead. Finding a driver was a snap, and I downloaded and installed the latest drivers.There are, oddly enough, two separate programs that run in the tray for the G13. One is the LCD screen management app, and the other is the gameboard programming app. I"m not quite sure why these couldn"t be integrated with one another. I"ll get into the programming app later in the review.Hand placement felt good. The buttons are nice and large, and their surface is concave, allowing the user to feel where their fingers are at without any danger of them sliding off and losing track of which keys they"re on. It sounds silly, but after you have a gameboard with flat buttons you"ll really appreciate this. The gameboard keys are also laid out on a surface that curves in towards the center, allowing for more comfortable operation as opposed to a flat surface which forces the user to rotate their fingers in ways they really aren"t meant to. The only drawback is there is no way to adjust for larger or smaller hands. One size fits all. The n52te was somewhat adjustable.Keys? Wow are there a lot of them! There"s so many that unfortunately my fingers can"t stretch far enough to hit them all comfortably. However, I don"t think of this as a problem. I would MUCH rather have too many keys than too little. I still use the fringe keys infrequently for character abilities that don"t need to be accessed very often. Also, the only keys that are really able to be accessed rapidly without having to curl your fingers up are the top two rows. I occasionally press one of the third row buttons, but it"s rare. Maybe I just need to adapt more? Only time will tell I suppose.The analog thumbstick is both a blessing and a curse, and really the only thing I have a problem with. I say it"s a blessing because a digital thumbstick (like the one on the n52te) is just horrible. I found myself stuck in limbo frequently with the n52te because I was moving the thumbstick from the North to West position, and the thumbstick would stop sending a signal as I moved it between these states. Also, one of the big things I wished for on the n52te was that the thumbstick act as a button if you push down on it. This was all solved with the G13. The thumbstick is analog, allowing for a full range of motion without that "clicky" feel as you maneuver it. The thumbstick also acts as an additional button when you depress it. The curse is that the thumbstick itself feels awful. The hat on it is way too small, leaving the user to feel like they"re trying to use the eraser end of a pencil to move around. It"s a real shame too, because everything else about this gameboard is absolutely terrific.The gameboard lighting is also really cool. There are 3 modes that can be cycled through, so all of the keys you see are effectively TRIPLED. Yeah. This thing is *insane* with the coverage it has when it comes to duplicating everything you can assign to a standard keyboard. Anyway, each mode has its own color of light, and the color can be selected using the gameboard editor. There are a lot of different colors to choose from also, so you"re not pigeon-holed into only a handful of choices.The LCD screen is a very nice touch. It can report all sorts of in-game statistics, and can be set to receive RSS feeds from the news, display computer info such as CPU load, the time & date, and all sorts of other statistics. The LCD screen can apparently be programmed by anyone, so you can write your own custom G13 LCD screen plug-in to display literally anything you want. Unfortunately as of this writing Warhammer Online only displays its icon, and I"ve seen it sometimes display a message stating that I"m not queued for any scenarios (you have to play Warhammer Online to know what I"m talking about here.)The gameboard programming software is simple and easy to use. Making macros is a breeze. One of the other big gripes I had about the n52te was with programming simple keyboard combinations. You want to assign a button on the gameboard to Ctrl+1? Sorry, the n52te software will only recognize the first button you press, so you only get Ctrl. To assign combinations you have to create a macro. Ugh! Not with the G13. It easily recognizes Ctrl/Alt/Shift modifiers, and even goes so far as to recognize *which* one you"ve pressed, whether it"s right or left. Making a macro is nice and easy too, and you can copy & paste them between different modes to set up the device fairly rapidly.So to sum up...Pros:- LCD screen is fantastic and provides a great means to display information- TONS of keys that are tripled via mode switching- Concave keys and surface which creates a comfortable surface for the hand- Analog thumbstick as opposed to digital- Many lighting color schemes to choose from- Easy to use programming softwareCons:- It"s HUGE- The analog thumbstick"s surface is too small- Not adjustable to accommodate small or large hands- Since there are so many keys, some are simply impractical for frequent use since they"re so far apartThe pros so overwhelmingly make up for the trivial cons that I cannot emphasize enough how great this gameboard is. It"s just one of those things you must try to truly appreciate. I will also give a disclaimer that there is *always* a learning curve when it comes to these devices. If you have never used a gameboard before, you will find yourself lost until your hand can seek out the buttons and operate the thumbstick without having to think about it. Once it becomes natural for you to use it, that"s when the lightbulb will come on over your head and you"ll wonder how you ever played games without one.

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PC gaming has had a bit of a mixed history with initial gaming input starting at game pads, moving to keyboards, then to mice, then back to game pads and finally back to both keyboard and mouse combinations. Today I explore Logitech’s answer to all of my gaming dilemmas with a dedicated gameboard that can tie all these inputs together into one neat, gamer focused package and hopefully enable you to score beyond your normal ability. Read on for my full Logitech G13 gameboard review.

Unwrapped and positioned in your left hand, the G13 fits like a glove. The size is just right for the average joe but may not be a perfect fit for people with larger than average hands and will completely fail to fit left handed people.

Fortunately for me, I am about as average as they come so the G13 felt quite comfortable once my hands rested on its smoothly curved out shape. The palm rest is positioned perfectly to help reduce any additional strain from extended gaming use and while the keys are spread over a large surface area on the G13, they are mostly within easy reach without displacing your entire hand. The palm rest is also made from fabric and not some plastic leather derivative which is very comfortable and cool to the touch.

The G13 connects via USB interface to your desktop or notebook and only requires one free USB port to operate fully. No additional AC/DC adapter is included or needed and the entire unit functions off the power supplied via the USB. Beware, the G13 will not work when plugged into the integrated USB hub in Logitech G15 keyboards due to power requirements.

Logitech supplies a software / driver CD with the unit and also includes a quick-start guide to help quickly connect the unit to your computer without any additional hassle.

Featuring 22 backlit keys (G1 to G22) and small cut-outs on the center keys to help aid with finger positioning along the standard gaming WASD keys, the G13 also includes a small thumb-stick that acts as an additional digital key input rather than the analog joystick it actually resembles.  The thumb-stick is also surrounded by 2 additional keys while the thumb-stick itself acts as an extra key when depressed.

The Gameboard has a weighted base and non-slip Teflon feet to keep the unit in place on your gaming desktop which is certainly a welcome addition. Argueably the best addition over any standard gaming keyboard is the ability to save and export profile settings and macros to the G13’s internal memory similar to Logitech’s G9 gaming mouse so that no matter where you move with your G13, your hand-picked profiles will travel with you.

While the G13 lacks all the keys of a standard gaming keyboard it does work well as a companion or in unison with a good gaming grade mouse. With the right amount of customization the G13 becomes an more specialized input device that ultimately takes up less desktop space than any standard gaming keyboard.

Equipped with the ability to also instantly record macros via the included Macro Record button located right next to the LCD, you can easily assign sequences of keypresses to any of the programmable backlit keys and instantly playback the macro in your favorite game.

Out of the box, the G13 software supports a variety of games, and Logitech now offers GamePanel Software 3.01.180 via its support website which features even more gaming profile and LCD application support. If your application or game is not currently supported via the official Logitech GamePanel software, then Logitech recommends customers either find customer built profiles or go and build their own profiles and LCD applications via the included software developer kit on the CD.

All 22 keys and the LCD lighting color can be easily configured via GamePanel software to any fathomable color scheme, however, both can not be defined separately meaning the LCD and back-lighted keys will have same color. The configurable color can then also be used to easily identify the G13 profile currently in use.

Similar to the G15 series of gaming keyboards, the Logitech G13 allows users to instantly record and assign macros to specific keys via the dedicated and always available Macro Record button or via the more intricate GamePanel software suite.

Our test PC featured a Core 2 Duo E6600, ASUS P5B Deluxe WiFi motherboard, ZOTAC GeForce GTX 260 AMP2! Edition graphics card and Windows Vista 64-bit with Service Pack 1 installed. By default I already have the Coretemp application installed to monitor temperatures on both processor cores and were surprised how easily Logitech’s software found, configured and displayed the Coretemp statistics.

The same applied to the first person shooter game, Crysis Warhead. Once the Logitech software was installed, it easily picked up my installation of Crysis and upon launching the game I was presented with a real-time readout of my armor, health and ammunition status. Unfortunately the default key mapping to the G13’s 22 keys wasn’t that easy to understand since the G13’s multitude of keys have no easy way to distinguish which macro or key has actually been assigned to it. Since the thumb-stick also only acts as a digital key input, you quickly retreat to using your old gaming keyboard again.

It really is great how the LCD maps your health and more but truth be told, the on-screen display of your health, ammo and weapon of choice is far often more efficient than reorienting your view from the on-screen action to the G13 LCD and back again, especially when you’re in the middle of gun-fire and exploding grenades all around.

Since I went and tackled a first person shooter genre game with the G13, I figured we’ve give it a try with Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II, the current highly anticipated real-time strategy game. From the start the GamePanel software failed to automatically detect the game and further investigate lead to the discovery that Logitech hadn’t even updated the profiles supplied with the GamePanel software for months. This lead to a very long configuration of the G13’s keys to find the optimal layout for my gaming. With no pre-configured LCD profile to display pertinent information from the game, I was left with reading news headlines of the day among the frustration of having to remember what function key I had assigned to which key on the G13.

If you have the time, $70 to spare and a desperate need for a dedicated gaming control pad, you could do a lot worse than picking up the Logitech G13. This gameboard represents a well-thought out game controller for Windows and Mac systems that complements other gaming input devices but is ultimately let down by the lack of updated gaming profiles supplied by the manufacturer. The product is robust and the capability is there, should you invest the time to properly set it up. I would not hesitate to recommend it to any serious gamer providing your game is already supported by Logitech’s GamePanel software, otherwise I would recommend to steer clear until at least a few years later when the manufacturer has taken some serious time to provide decent updated gaming profiles.

This week, we’re tearing down the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard. It’s a fully programmable one-handed keyboard. Fictiv’s very own software engineer and MMO game enthusiast Craig Crossley recommends this model, citing its durability (three years and going strong) and ease of use.

After we took off the LCD PCBA, it all made sense. There are more weights hidden under the LCD screen, and there are more space constraints here. The shape of the weights matched the free space here perfectly. Re-using parts is always a good idea, to save money on tooling and set-up costs.

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.