LOGITECH G915 TKL AND PRO WIRELESS REVIEW: QUALITY KEYBOARD AND MOUSE
Logitech has definitely changed direction in recent years, especially on the design front . We are now far from the extreme lines seen in the G910 Orion Spark keyboard of a few years ago , but even in the mice something has changed compared to the great recent classics such as the G903 and the G502.
The Swiss house is trying to make gaming equipment more
minimal, with more modern and sober lines. Judging by the G915 TKL keyboard and
the Pro Wireless mouse, the operation was perfectly successful.
Minimal design and many
functions
The sales packs of the two products are well made and
minimal, there is a bit of visual coherence in the graphics but it is not a
problem, since they belong to different lines. The G915 TKL keyboard has a
basic bundle that includes the instruction booklets and the good quality canvas
charging cable, as well as the USB receiver for wireless connection. Slightly
richer than the Pro Wireless mouse: also in this case we find a cable for
charging and the USB pen for wireless connection, in addition, however, there
are also four additional buttons, to be inserted in the appropriate side slots
in case of need. .
The build superiority of the keyboards is very high, the
whole upper body is in satin metal, while the lower part is made of high
quality plastic. The weight suffers a little, reaching 810 grams, but that's
not a problem.
A total of eight quick buttons are available, four of which
are dedicated to managing multimedia playback, with which to forward-backward
an audio track, pause playback or minimize the volume. The possibilities
offered by the other four shortcuts are interesting, thanks to a truly complete
hardware design.
In fact, the G915 can work both through a low latency
wireless connection, using the supplied stylus, and through a standard
Bluetooth connection.. A significant advantage, because in this way the fields
of use increase: it is possible, for example, to associate the keyboard with a
PC with Wi-Fi and then connect it to another device via Bluetooth. Thanks to
the two dedicated buttons, switching from one to the other is simple and
immediate.
There is also a key for Game Mode, which deactivates
unnecessary function keys during the game. Finally, there is a wheel for
managing the volume, which can be customized, together with the other buttons,
thanks to the Logitech software. On the body there is also a LED that indicates
the state of charge of the battery.
Being the TKL version there is no numeric keypad, a choice
made to minimize the dimensions. The keyboard offers a complete and totally
customizable RGB lighting thanks to the Logitech G Hub software, with which to
synchronize the colors of all the connected peripherals. Too bad for the
absence of the Italian layout, which is not available in any version of this
keyboard.
The Pro Wireless mouse, on the other hand, is a different
product, less attentive to the look but more to the practical aspects. It is a
classic high performance gaming mouse, with a symmetrical design meant to fit
right and left handed . In all, up to eight buttons are available, four of
which are located on both sides, but it all depends on the configuration you
choose. In fact, it is possible to replace the keys with small plastic covers
if they are not used.
However, the most striking element of the Pro Wireless is
its weight, of only 80 grams, really not bad for a mouse that also includes the
battery inside.
The more "Pro" soul of this mouse is also
manifested in the lighting, available only under the "G" logo, after
all it is an aesthetic tinsel that is not fundamental for a peripheral that
aims at maximum performance . The three status LEDs are used to quickly see the
level of DPI in use and adapt to the color chosen for the peripheral. Speaking
of DPIs, the button to change them is at the bottom of the mouse , near a small
compartment where you can insert the stylus when the mouse is used in wired
mode. A bizarre choice, because in fact changing the PPE during a game becomes
inconvenient.
However, this choice was made to avoid placing the selector
in an area where it could be activated by mistake. A professional already knows
at what level of DPI to play, for normal gamers, however, a dedicated and
easily accessible button during the game remains a more convenient solution.
Summing up, the G915 TKL keyboard is a product that makes
the care of the look a strong point, without sacrificing performance and
focusing on small dimensions for a mechanical keyboard. A goal achieved in
full, the design of this keyboard immediately catches the eye without being
extreme, choosing the path of minimalism. The Pro Wireless mouse, on the other
hand, is designed for maximum performance, pushing less on design, a correct
choice for a mouse of this type.
Road test and management
software
Logitech has focused on proprietary solutions both as
regards the mechanical switches of the keyboard, and in the sensor chosen for
the mouse. The GL Tactile mechanical switches are quite particular , as are the
keys, with a very low profile, rare in the gaming world. Forget the classic
"click" of mechanical keyboards, the keyboard we tested, combined
with the GL Tactile switches, offers very light feedback on the finger, just a
little pressure to start the actuation and when this arrives the sound it
produces is just perceptible .
The button travel is very short, to the benefit of
responsiveness, but when writing it is easier to run into errors, at least at
the beginning, when you are getting carried away with this configuration.
The Pro Wireless mouse, on the other hand, uses a Hero 16K
sensor , capable of operating between 100 and 16000 DPI, when enough even for
gamers with the most sensitive hand. If you exclude the low-latency wireless
connection, possible thanks to the Wi-Fi standard, and the symmetrical design
of this mouse, there are no differences compared to other products that use the
same sensor.
Hero 16K has been used in several Logitech mice and has
always offered responsiveness and speed in executing commands at the highest
levels: even in this case, expectations are fully respected. On the autonomy
front, the two peripherals amaze , we were not even able to download them
during the test. The mouse, from specifications, works for 48 hours with active
lighting, 60 hours without, an estimate that we can confirm even after our test
of use. The keyboard, on the other hand, should guarantee about 40 hours from
specifications and even in this case we can confirm the estimate made by
Logitech.
However, this value can also go up a lot by turning off the
key illumination. The autonomy is therefore excellent in both devices and, in
the event that they run out, it is still possible to use them with the cable.
For the configuration of mouse and keyboard Logitech has
created G Hub, a graphically well done software that offers different options
to customize the lighting of the two peripherals, obviously synchronizable to
have the same effect on both.
In the case of the mouse, it is possible to assign specific
functions to the keys, for example by setting the DPI selector in the side
buttons, while on the keyboard there is the possibility of creating macros,
using the keys from F1 to F12. Overall there are options in good quantity,
practically nothing is missing to better customize the two devices.
