Keyboard, SteelSeries Shift World of Warcraft Cataclysm
4.8
10
6
6
Not Cheap
What, on the blizzard store this $100 product is $30!
4/24/11
Piece of Junk with No Support
Continually Disconnects and reconnects during game play. Will not work with Ventirlo since you cannot bind keys with the keyboard installed. You must bind the keys using another keyboard and then connect the Shift. Absolutely no Tech support. Submitted numerous tickets for Tech support with only automated responses and no resolution. No user forums that you can post to to make compliants. No user forums to warn others about this product. DO NO PURCHASE THIS KEYBOARD. if you do save your receipt because you will be returning it.
1/21/11
buyer beware
these people do not support their products. keys stop working and tou are left out in the cold
1/4/11
Just as awesome as I imagined but...
I recently previewed this keyboard in an earlier review. In that review I stated that this will be a great successor to what was an amazing innovation during its time: The Ideazon Zboard. I underestimated the awe and amazement that this awesome keyboard possessed. Alot heavier and sturdier than the zboard (doesn't feel like it's going to break), keysets fit snuggly into the base, SteelSeries logo lights up (Does get annoying though because it stays on once your system is off and you can't change the color), Cataclysm keyset has few unnecessary bindings, and it has a very durable usb cable which, attached to that cable, you will find a microphone and headset port attachment. On the physical SteelSeries base you find 2 usb ports (When facing the keyboard from the rear, the port on the far left is powered and the one on the right is not) and one microphone and headset port. I have not tried to connect my speakers to the headset port but I imagine it would still work. So currently only the mute hot button currently works. On the zboard, the usb port fed the keystroke into windows so even the volume up and down buttons worked no matter what. On the Shift, this is not the case. Although this is a minor annoyance. Here's my main concern. The Cataclysm keyset it came with works and is recognized by the Shift Engine. Starcraft II keyset works. Wrath of the Lich King, does not. Burning Crusade does not. Sad, but SteelSeries has stated that they will be fixing that in the near future. All in all a great keyboard and a worthy successor to the zboard. Bravo SteelSeries.
12/22/10
Great product for a gamer
I just got my keyboard in the mail today, and I have to say I love it! I was an original owner of the Ideazon Zboard, and it lacked a bunch of things. Steelseries took that into account when they acquired Ideazon's rights. Overall the Steelseries Shift keyboard is an excellent product. Probably my two favorite things I love about the Shift is that you can plug your headset right into the keyboard itself, and that you have the option to use multiple keyboard in general. Also the wrist support attached to the keyboard is a neat feature too.
If anyone is familiar with the Zboard, it's keys were curved in, almost like it had been used a lot. The Shift's keys are curved out a bit so it definitely has a different feel to them when you are typing. Also the location of the multimedia keys on the keyboard are ideal, as you can just move your hand over and press them.
12/11/10
Quite possibly the best predecessor to the Zboard!
In the beginning there was the Zboard. And it was good. But it's been over 5 years since the inception of the zboard and despite the fact that it's keyset switching technology keeps the product on the market, let's face it my friends, it's old news. Ideazon was acquired by SteelSeries and while Ideazon was a good company, it lacked the necessary funding to continue onto big projects unlike SteelSeries. Although the 1st wave of Ideazon World of Warcraft mice was almost an utter failure, the company has provided the necessary RMAs and hardware fixes to correct most issues. I have no doubt that the SteelSeries shift will be an advanced replacement to the aging Zboard and as long as SteelSeries holds up to its word about most current and previous keysets being backwards compatible, a general success. Unfortunately SteelSeries is usually associated with the extreme gamer niche market with Logitech holding the reigns from general computer user all the way to hardcore gamer. But for those of us that want to buy products from a company that specializes in the best gaming gear for competitive players, I give them two thumbs up. Keep it up SteelSeries! As far as the world of warcraft keyset it concerned, I have used nothing else since I bought my zboard nearly 5 years ago.
10/30/10