Big Logitech devices sales at Best Buy

Since other sales sites cover this type of news much better, I am just putting this out there in case someone missed it.  Anyway, looks like the traditional Black Friday sale in north America is happening a bit earlier than expected.  So, for those readers in the NA area, the retailer Best Buy is having some early BF sales.  A few of the Orion Spectrum  using Rom-G switch keyboards are on sale with very reasonable asking price.  So if you are in the market for one, enjoy!  Oh, some gaming mice and headphones are also on sale.

Moving Romer-G to the rest of us- Logitech introduces G413

Logitech introduced a new mainstream line of Romer-G key switch based keyboard that is below $90 US dollars.  As expected, Logitech steadily move its own switch down the product line.  So, finally it has crossed the magic US $100.  Yes, one could probably catch a Black Friday sale for a G410 or the discontinued G910 Orion Spark around that amount, but the retail price for G413 is somewhat of a milestone.  It now can compete with mainstream Cherry MX type boards.  Other Cherry MX compatibile (e.g. clones) switch based keyboard have gone down even further, one might be able to get one for $40 if one shops around and catches a good deal.  In any case, to make that price, Logitech eliminated fancy RGB lighting, scroll wheel and a few other sacrifice to make it.  So, this is more or less as an entry point for those who might want to explore Romer-G type boards, but not ready to go all the way.

As mechanical keyboards gain popularity and production volume, I expect the price to fall more, but will probably approach pricing floor sometimes this year or the next.  I just don't know where exactly that is, but I am thinking around $50 or so.  That's just a guess.  A rubber dome keyboard can be found for less than $20.  Because of the added complexity, I doubt mechanical boards will get that close, but hey one can dream.  :)

Logi or Logitech (whatever they are called these days) quietly introduced G910 Orion Spectrum

Maybe I missed the fanfare, but from my perspective, Logitech quietly introduced G910 Orion Spectrum along with some other product updates.  Now, Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum mechanical keyboard is the same one we have seen with G910 Orion Spark.  What's the difference then?  Well, the only thing that I can tell is that G910 Orion Spectrum does not have the 3 sided key cap that Orion Spark has.  In another word, G910 now uses the same key cap set as G810.  The funky caps pushed aside in favor of a more traditional key cap style.

Although this move comes rather expected, I guess the new key cap experiment didn't work out as well as Logitech had hoped.  The gaming community seemed to liked the new key cap design, however, the general population and specially the typists and programmers threw a fit.  The 3 sided key cap is designed to hold the fingers in place.  This makes a great deal of sense for a gamer, as they don't move the fingers from key to key much.  The fingers tend to say on the same keys.  However, this is problematic for typists and programmers since, well, their fingers dance all over the board during a normal use session.  So, the classical cylindrical design is back.  Beforehand, Logitech offered the "normal" key cap set for sale as an add-on package.  I suppose they decided to save potential buyers some trouble and offer the regular caps instead.  Also, they get to relaunch a product.  Marketing for the win.  Maybe they will reverse it and offer the 3 sided caps as a gamer's special after a while.  I wouldn't be surprised....

In any case, it's now a buyer's market.  If you are looking to see what the G910 Orion Spark is all about, it's now discounted.  If you can't put up with the 3 sided key caps, loved the G810, but wished for more.  Well, Logitech has that base covered too.

More thoughts about Das Keyboard 5Q keyboard switch

As previously noted, Das Keyboard 5Q’s biggest thing is programmable RGB lighting for each key that can be controlled by an external program via an API.  However, cool notifications and lighting control won’t do you any good if the keyboard itself is not interesting.  These days, the newer Das Keyboard entries no longer use Cherry MX, but instead going with another vendor since the 4C.  However, with the 5Q, Metadot is taking this separation a bit further.  Remember that they have release a brand new key switch for the gaming keyboard?  It’s basically a Cherry MX Red clone with a short activation distance.  With the 5Q, they have gone further.  Much further.

From the information gleamed on the site, looks like the switch is a completely new design, manufactured by Omron.  That name should ring a bell.  Yes, it’s the crew that make Logtiech’s Romer-G key switches.  So, from a first glance, the 5Q’s new gamma zulu is surprisingly similar to Romer-G’s design.  Both share many similar characteristics.  So, it’s possible that Omron provided a reference design and then each company selected features to make a switch type distinctly their own.  In any case, Metadot chose to identify their new switch to Cherry MX brown as a close comparison.  However, the switch is rated at 100 million actuation.  So, it’s about twice of that for a Cherry MX's rating.  Either way, I would be impressed if someone reached that many key presses.  Suffice to say that Metadot is confident of its durability.  Given Metadot’s history coming from software developers, I am not surprised that a solid, reliable key switch is a must have feature.

Short actuation distance is now in vogue.  The new standard is now around 1.5mm.  Anyway, this gamma zulu switch is no exception.  45g force is still the norm, but there’s some moment elsewhere to increase the key weight upward toward 70g or more.  That’s probably too much for most folks; but for heavy hitting typist, they are just getting started.  However, in that regard, gamma zulu stayed put.  It has a 1.5mm actuation distance, 3.5mm total travel and about 45g key weight, very similar to Romer-G.  Like Romer-G, it has a central LED lighting pipe that allows better lighting.  Since one main feature about this keyboard is the LEDs, I suppose it’s one of the reasons why Metadot went with Omron rather than Cherry.  One of the bigger MX weaknesses is the LED positioning.  Since the LED pipe is in the middle, Cherry MX key caps need not apply.  I am wondering if one can transplant Logitech’s Orion key caps to the 5Q and vice versa.  In any case, the LED lighting is crucial given that programmable LED lighting is the linchpin of the product.  It must work well.  So, the new Omron design solves a major problem for Metadot.

So Metadot has double down on this new keyboard design, trying to please both the gaming crowd and the coder/typist niche.  Let’s see if it works out.  I think Metadot is onto something, but they will need software development support and build momentum going forward.  I am keeping a close eye on this one.  Should be pretty interesting to watch.

Meet G810's little twin siblings, the G610

Either Logitech believes the G810 form and design has struck gold or they simply ordered too many shells, or both.  Or neither because I am just plain wrong.  No matter what is behind-the-scenes scenario, Logitech just introduced a pair of mechanical gaming keyboards patterned after G810 design DNA.

Meet the G610s, the Orion Brown and the Orion Red.  As the names imply, Orion Brown employs Cherry MX brown switches while you guessed it, Orion Red uses Cherry MX Red switches.  For some reason, MX blue version is missing on the first go around.  These two boards have the same design and features as the older sibling, G810.  The only major difference that I spot (besides the switch) is that two G610s do not have LED RGB lighting, but has white LEDs instead.  They all use LGS (Logitech Gaming Software) to control the lighting and other minor functions.  So, this is likely a host based solution like Cosair's implementation.  The expected street price is around $120 USD.  One can preorder from a few different retailers and Logitech itself now.  No street date has been given however.

In many ways, I see this as s shrewd move on Logitech's part.  They segmented the market into two tiers with this move by pricing the Cherry MX boards below the one with Romer-G.  Thus, this creates the perception that Romer-G is superior and make Cherry's products appear more pedestrian.  In a sense, they might be trying to dethrone the notion that Cherry MX is a premium brand.  Secondly, they get to test out the market more and see if people would be receptive to a more subdued and formal design and style.  I am still waiting for Logitech to make the next logical move, which is to introduce a K-line keyboard with the Romer-G switch.  This product announcement is a bit unexpected on my part because I thought they already covered the ground via the G710s.  However, these two elders are older products and are likely to be near the end of their product life cycle.  So, it kind of make sense in the short term and I missed it.  Instead, I jumped the gun and wanted to see what they are going to do with the Romer-G in the future.  Oh well.  Live and learn I guess.

Anyway, Logitech now cast a wide net to cover the gaming keyboard market, ranging from run-of-the-mill rubber dome to Cherry MX and up into the sky with Romer-G.  Let's see what their next move is.

Logitech introduces G810 Orion Spectrum mechanical gaming keyboard

Another day, another gaming keyboard announcement.  However, like Metadot's announcement that was covered previously, this one is a little different and deserve some attention.  Having the launched the G910 Orion Spark and its TKL version, G410 Altas Spectrum, Logitech or Logi (I think they went back to Logitech for the time being and then will phase to Logi entirely) cuts down some of the more gamer centered look, feel and pivots the keyboard appeal toward mainstream and perhaps have the no-nonsense and the minimalist crowd to take another look.  The result: G810 Orion Spectrum.  It retains many of the gamer centric aspects such as Romer-G key switches, macro keys, custom RGB key lighting and neat media controls buttons and volume level roller.  It is now available for pre-order, priced at around $160 USD.

However, one key aspects of the G910 was discarded in favor of a more traditional design, the key caps.  The word on the street is that while gamers love the radical 3 walled edge key cap design, the more traditional typist can't stand them.  Logitech is wise enough to offer key cap replacement for those who wants the classical cylindrical key caps.  However, one will have to pay $39 or so for the privilege.  The default G810 key caps are the cylindrical key caps rather than the one found on G910 or G410.  It removed the built-in palm rest and smart phone holder in favor of a more traditional layout and feel.  G810 also took out the dedicated macro keys and pressed the function keys into double duty.  So, Logitech trimmed down the look without removing what makes the G810 interesting and compelling to gamers.

So, two major, established vendors in the mechanical keyboard space go in somewhat opposite directions.  While Metadot is going all in with the gamer's market with Division Zero product line, Logitech seems to be thinking about expanding the market to the more traditional arena using technologies that are borrowed from the gamer's side.  G810 perhaps Logi represents dipping its toes in the water while not hurting the mainstream consumer/business K line of products.  Let's see if Logitech will go all in here by introducing a K labeled keyboard targeting business and consumers with Romer-G switch.  Now, the thing would have come full circle.  :)

Logitech introduces G410

Whatever they wanted to be call these days, Logi or Logitech is introducing G410 mechanical gaming keyboard.  It's basically G910's little sibling, a TKL version of G910.  Aside from that, it shares many features from G910 such as RGB lighting, the Romer-G switch and assorted gaming profiles controls.  It however, does not have the macro keys that G910 has on the left side.  This board also does not sport the funky key cap surface G910 has, but instead opted for the more traditional shape.  So, for those who cannot stand the key caps on G910, but loves Romer-G, here's your board.  Logitech bills this keyboard as the keyboard on the go.  So, it's designed to be smaller than its larger older sibling while retain many of its major features.  Interestingly, the keyboard interface cable is not detachable.  For traveling keyboard, I can see that detachable USB keyboard cable is extremely useful even though I don't need such thing.  However, I can certainly see this as a breaking point for some people.  The talk is that it will retail for about $130 US dollars.  It's a little less than $170 that Logitech is asking for G910.

After G910 was introduced, the immediate questions was when Logitech will introduce a TKL version.  There was some rumbling in summer 2015 when prototypes were shown.  Now, we have an answer.  Indeed, Logitech intends to make more boards with the Romer-G switch.  I wonder if they will build one for the mainstream K keyboard line with this switch.  I would like to see that sometimes as I don't have a good reason for gaming keyboard, but I love to try out new key switches.  I guess we will see how confident Logitech is with the Romer-G's appeal to business and regular consumers.

Popularity problem

Cherry MX switches have a problem: popularity.  It’s a good problem to have, I suppose.  Since Cherry is the only company that supplies genuine Cherry MX switches, they are having trouble keeping up with the demand.  So, there are talk of advanced order for at least one year at some point.  As how the market works, there are a few ways to correct this problem without impacting the supply curve (namely, changing price).

So, a company facing an entrenched competitor have a few options.  One, they can build a better or cheaper mouse trap.  Two, they can invent a new kind of mouse trap, namely a new way to do the same job.  Route two is a rather disruptive path and rarely taken, but companies such as Microsoft, Apple and Google have done so just to name a few.  After the MX switch patents have expired, there are quite a few cloners that popped up.  Kailh is one of the best copies out there, but there many of them who can also match the Cherry’s ability to produce switches massive quantities and while costing less.  Thus, there is no big surprise that some of the keyboard companies have gone to cloners instead of Cherry.  Das Keyboard for example decided to go with Kalih with their latest TKL keyboard and so has Truly Ergonomic Keyboard with their new TECK models.  The other way is to outdo Cherry at their own game by making a better mouse trap.  That’s the route Logitech and Omron have chosen apparently regardless of the motivation behind it.  Omron brings a lot of switch making expertise to the table since not only have they mastered micro-switches, apparently, they have made keyboard switches before as well.  Given Logitech’s mindshare in the peripheral market space, this is a potent alliance that just might tip things in their favor against the mighty Cherry.  This is definitely worth keep an eye on since those guys are likely in for the long game.

Logi’s Orion Spark, G910

I should have noticed this earlier, but didn’t pay closer attention.  Apparently, Logitech too, wanted to capture a piece of the gamer’s keyboard market and decided that they can make a better switch then the common Cherry MX family has to offer.  Logi does market keyboard that has Cherry MX switches (the G710+ comes to mind).  However, it is possible that this might be another case of NIH (not invented here) and the company has set out to outdo Cherry.  On the other hand, I have heard enough whispers that Cherry simply couldn’t keep up with demand.  Therefore, Logitech may simply hedging its bets by going to another supplier.  I guess the general public will never know, but interesting to speculate none the less.

Omron mouse switches are reputed to be some of the better made ones out there and since Logi moves millions of mice, it makes sense that Omron would be involved in the new Logi collaboration.  The Romer-G switch is the result.  Supposedly, it address one glaring weakness of the Cherry MX switches, which is the LED lighting mechanism.  Obviously, the Cherry MX switches weren’t designed with lighting in mind back then as the key cap stem is right in the middle of the switch.  There are other advantages, but some are rather amusing, such as shorter travel distance to activation.

Anyhow, I am interested in testing the G910 sometimes when I have chance.  So, as usual, if I can source one with relative reasoned price, then I will see what I can do.