| If you own a Zboard and play WOW, there's no reason not to get this keyset. In fact, I bought a Zboard just so I could use the WOW set, I was so doggone fumbly with the game controls. Both items perform admirably. The WOW keyset is well laid out and labeled, and I rely on it completely when I play the game. The Zboard angle and wrist guard make the keyset very comfortable to use, even for extended periods of time. The rounded feel of the keys on the right side make them easier to identify by touch, and are a nice design feature. The auto-run key is very conveniently located, and the basic chat functions are easily accessible. The main keyboard works very well for chat; I type home row and the layout hasn't hindered me at all. In fact, I usually leave my WOW keyset installed for general use, unless I am doing heavy word processing or need a specific key function not on the board (like pause or print screen).
There are a couple of minor disappointments, however, that keep this from a perfect rating. The printing on my keyset (along the right and under the F-keys) is very dark and lacks sharpness, so I have difficulty reading the text labels easily--especially in the dim light of a late-night gaming session. Having to stop game activity to turn on a light and find the right emote key (and even then to have to squint) indicates Ideazon needs a little better QC of their printing. If I had bought the keyset in a store instead of online, I might have been able to identify this myself first. Also, it appears impossible to remap the keys through the Zboard interface--you're stuck with what you get unless you change the key bindings in WOW itself. Not all chat options have keys (raid and officer chat buttons would have been helpful) Maybe a few unassigned macro buttons in the unused space on the right would have been nice, too. Lastly--no print screen button...why not?
All in all, a very good product that I am quite pleased with, despite a few very minor shortcomings. If you're not sure, just buy it.
Also note that Ideazon is releasing a WOW Burning Crusade keyset soon, with significant button changes on the right panel--very much raid/PvP-oriented. Gone are the quest, character, skills, etc. buttons that I like so much, but BC and the new keyset are targeted toward endgame anyway. If you're just starting out, are not already max-leveled, or want a functional keyset for leveling twinks, I recommend the basic keyset.
| | I use this as my primary keyset. Partly because I am too lazy to switch it out, but also because it functions very well as a normal keyboard. Im typing on it right now as a matter of fact. It adds a lot of hotkey functionality to WoW and once you get used to it you will wonder how you played WoW without it. My only complaint (hence 4 stars) is that the lettering wore off a few of the keys. The odd thing was that the keys that wore off weren't even keys that I used the most. Other than that though its a worthwhile keyboard.
| | Does the keyset make a big difference in play? |
| I purchased the keyset only to make the mistake that I thought the Z-Board came with the keyset. Two very different items, please make sure if purchasing seperately that you purchase the keyboard first. That being said, the keyset is easy to use and does help gameplay to some extent. I've become addicted to World of Warcraft much to my wife's chagrin, but she understands my need to escape mundania. What I've noticed from using the ketset exculsively is that while it does help to have pre-set keys you don't have to absolutely need this to improve your gameplay. It's a nice thing to have but not a nessecity like I thought. Some folks might be better off staying with the traditional keyboard.
| | Adding this keyset makes the game easier by placing most of the essential functions within reach. Playing the game will be much easier when everything is clearly labeled. Most of the commands are in a separate area to the right of the main keyboard layout which makes it easier to concentrate on the game and not on setting and activating keystrokes and combinations.
There is one review that really brings this keyset and keyboard down, but who wants to take the time to manually map out each and every option and feature to the keys of a regular keyboard. Not only is it time consuming, but also playing the game can be harder trying to remember where that key you programmed was.
Other features of the keyset are the raised arrow keys on the right where the preset functions are. Due to the shape and size, make character movements much easier than moving your character with standard arrow keys found on a regular keyboard.
| | Meh. It does what it promises, but it's not worth the money. |
| Having worked with this keyboard, I find it frustrating. If it were as simple as plugging in the keyboard and going, that might be one thing, but the amount of work and figuring involved to set it up make it not worth it.
As someone else remarked, if you already have a ZBoard, there's no reason not to get the specific WoW keyset, but if you don't ... WoW itself offers UI customisation capacities right out of the box that can do the same thing -- and there are free third-party addons and mods that expand those capacities dramatically. If you have enough knowhow of the game's UI mechanics to make this keyboard work for you, you have enough knowhow to remap your keys to provide yourself with the same benefits for no price at all -- without the hassle of working through hardware glitches and incompatibilities -- and do it much, much faster than it takes this product to ship.
Save your time. Save your money. Save your frustration. Use the game's existing key mapping functions to do everything this board promises and more -- free.
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