The Ideazon Merc Stealth takes a different approach to the idea of a gaming keyboard by including a dedicated gaming keypad built into the left-hand side of the keyboard.
This keypad area groups all of the usual gaming keys into a natural layout (assuming your mouse is naturally in your right hand), with direction keys larger than normal. In total there are 34 programmable keys, which can store macros for your favourite game actions.
The Merc Stealth also features full backlighting of all keys in a choice of three colours (red, blue and purple) with four levels of brightness (Subtle, Ambient, Intense and Off). While the backlighting might not be as flexible as the Saitek Cyborg, it does work well and gives you some choice over the appearance of your keyboard.
The gaming keys are programmed through Ideazon's Z Engine software, which is intuitive and easy to use. Once setup, the gaming keys are comfortable to use with a nice rubber coating, and give good tactile response when you press them. The layout of the gaming keys really is ideal for FPS games and is much more intuitive than a normal keyboard.
There are a few downsides to the Merc Stealth. The numeric keypad is a non-standard layout which takes some getting used to, something that Ideazon have had to do to keep the width of the keyboard manageable. The width is also an issue, being significantly wider than a normal keyboard at 22.3 inches (57cm), so check your desk before you buy. Finally, the tilt of the keyboard is fixed at 11 degrees, something that Ideazon claim is a 'natural wrist position', but that might not feel comfortable to everyone.
This keypad area groups all of the usual gaming keys into a natural layout (assuming your mouse is naturally in your right hand), with direction keys larger than normal. In total there are 34 programmable keys, which can store macros for your favourite game actions.
The Merc Stealth also features full backlighting of all keys in a choice of three colours (red, blue and purple) with four levels of brightness (Subtle, Ambient, Intense and Off). While the backlighting might not be as flexible as the Saitek Cyborg, it does work well and gives you some choice over the appearance of your keyboard.
The gaming keys are programmed through Ideazon's Z Engine software, which is intuitive and easy to use. Once setup, the gaming keys are comfortable to use with a nice rubber coating, and give good tactile response when you press them. The layout of the gaming keys really is ideal for FPS games and is much more intuitive than a normal keyboard.
There are a few downsides to the Merc Stealth. The numeric keypad is a non-standard layout which takes some getting used to, something that Ideazon have had to do to keep the width of the keyboard manageable. The width is also an issue, being significantly wider than a normal keyboard at 22.3 inches (57cm), so check your desk before you buy. Finally, the tilt of the keyboard is fixed at 11 degrees, something that Ideazon claim is a 'natural wrist position', but that might not feel comfortable to everyone.