Logitech Illuminated Keyboard

The Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is about as simple as it gets, so you get no built-in USB ports, scroll dials, or any of the other features in more expensive devices such as the Logitech G15. Instead, for $80 it offers a sexy, quiet keyboard with a very minimalist design that looks just as good as it performs. If you're a night owl gamer or just want an attractive, comfortable input device, the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard is an outstanding choice.

The keyboard has a very subtle, professional appearance; aside from the extremely thin 9.3mm profile, the entire keyboard is black with a small clear plastic border that doesn't serve a purpose other than to highlight the flat surface of the keys. A built-in wrist rest fixed beneath the keys is covered in a soft rubber material to prevent your hands from slipping while you type. After using the keyboard for a few days, the natural oil on our hands made small prints on the wrist rest, creating blotches that marred the otherwise clean design.

Underneath the keyboard, you'll find two small plastic feet that extend from the base, letting you slightly angle the keyboard forward. Finally, as the title says, the keyboard comes with embedded microlens reflectors under each individual key that produce a light-blue backlit effect. You can adjust the intensity of the light to three predetermined settings; you can also turn it off, if you so choose.

The keyboard is plug-and-play, so you don't have to install drivers, but if you want to specify macros or customize any of the 12 shortcut keys, you need to install Logitech's SetPoint 4.6KB software. The included CD lets you designate each key to perform a variety of functions including opening a Web page, showing a custom menu, opening a specified file, or launching a program. The SetPoint desktop software also includes a help center that contains tips on how to get the most comfortable experience out of the Logitech keyboard.