Keypads, what is your opinion?

[Xtract]

My birth day is at the 23rd this month and besides that i am getting a new mechanical keyboard i thought about getting the Razer Orbweaver( http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-keyboards-keypads/razer-orbweaver ).
The reason why i want to buy this product is that gaming is always the same for me and a new kind of gear would really make my gaming experience much more fun in my opinion.
I know that the Orbweaver is very expensive but its a gift from someone and i dont really have another idea so i cant see why not, anyways i know that it will take my about a month to get used to it but when i will get used to it i think it has a lot of great things in it like that you can put 8 profiles and switch them on the fly and in every profile and can put 8 keymaps for every key and you can switch that on the fly too, also you can make unlimited macro for every key and another thing its all mechanical (Cherry MX blue) even the Dpad and the 2 other buttons so i think its kind of nice to have one of this products but you cant know until you use one..
Do you think that i should ask for it or ask for something else?

[terran5992]

I think its overkill

[Linkbane]

It seems foolish that instead of getting a mechanical keyboard, you get a keypad with mechanical switches that costs more than many full keyboards.
I mean, based on what you're saying, you seem much more into the hype about the keyboard rather than the effects it will have on you. Are you anywhere near such a level of gamer that a contoured macro pad will be more helpful than a mechanical keyboard or at all?

[zerone]

a) The Orbweaver is the most useless and overpriced item i've seen in a long time.

b) If you don't have anymore wishes for yourself i would suggest to wish something for anyone else. Ask the person to donate some money in your name.

Just my opinion.

[terran5992]

^^ this

[tbc]

ALWAYS, ALWAYS get the keyboard first.  a gamepad is a keyboard accessory.

I'm reading it as: he's DEFINITELY getting a keyboard, but he also wants to ask for the orbweaver as well.  everyone else seems to be reading it differently though.


as a orbweaver owner, it is most definitely overpriced....it's also the only product of it's kind.  If you must get one, you should try for the stealth (browns) (i'm assuming it's available) - unless you're an odd ducky that PREFERS gaming on blues to browns.

macros are macros. you either hate them or love them.  most people don't seem to be creative enough to find a use for them.

as a final note, if you have a heavier keyboard (greens, whites, etc.) that is optimized for typing preferences, the orbweaver gives you the option of having a lighter 'keyboard' to use for gaming without having to swap your board all the time.

[ynrozturk]

I can see how it would be useful, especially in an office environment. I would just bind a whole bunch of programs to macros and stuff like that. But it's way too over priced, I'd never pay that much money for it, ever.

[TheSoulhunter]

I like my Orbweaver, much less strain when playing for extended time

[xandr]

I've gone from a Logitech G13 to a Razer Orbweaver and I wouldn't want to play games without either of them anymore.

Interestingly enough, if you use them like they apparently are designed to be used - like having movement (wasd) mapped to the keys they map it to as default - there's not much benefit over using a normal keyboard to be honest. If you however use the joystick (G13) or the d-pad (Orbweaver) for movement, you're basically freeing up your fingers for macros and the thumb gets to do more than just hit the spacebar (for jumping usually).

But that's just me and your mileage may differ greatly.

P.S: The Orbweaver is definitely overpriced but sadly there aren't any alternatives except DIY if you want mechanical keys

[Xtract]

Like i said and some of you didn't understand if i will buy it it wont be instead of the mechanical keyboard i will just have both of them..

[Grim Fandango]

I can imagine that people like it. But for me personally, the keyboard itself is both more flexible and more comfortable.

The shape of these kind of products also does not work for me, since I use my thumb for more than just pushing the space bar in a game. Also, the best players in the world in RTS, FPS, and even MMO's tend to use a keyboard. The only "pro gamer" I know off that uses it (I admit, I am not really into the MMO scene so there could be more) is Swifty. But then again, he is also the only pro gamer I know of that is missing a finger...

Nevertheless I see the appeal. Kind off, but still kinda gimmicky if you ask me. Not to mention expensive.

[terran5992]

Like i said and some of you didn't understand if i will buy it it wont be instead of the mechanical keyboard i will just have both of them..

2 Mechanical keyboards is better than 1

[Architect]

I use auxiliary keypads (X-Keys specifically) for specialized uses in games. Highly complex games like LOTRO basically (MMOs). Otherwise I find using the keyboard to be better, because the gamepad can't do everything and so you need to keep going back to the keyboard anyhow.

[CPTBadAss]

Im biased since I got mine for free but I really enjoy it. It was fun to mod and I like playing video games with it. If I were more creative I'd figure out how to use it for more productive things like macros for CAD commands, Word documents (typing in bbcode commands for reviews maybe), and internet browsing.

[vun]

My experience with the Orbweaver is that it does make gaming more convenient, but not so much that it's worth the money. If you're going to indulge or get one for free then I'd say it's very much worth it, if only to mix things up a bit.

If you do a lot of cad/3d/graphic work then it starts being actually worth the cost, having a pad full of shortcuts next to my tablet is far better than having to reach for the keyboard and try to hit the correct shortcut.

Edit;
Also, I use an ergodox, so having the orbweaver means I don't have to think about adapting my edox layout to gaming. It also means I can move my edox out of the way and free up more space on my deskmat for mouse movements.

[Xtract]

Yeah it is for a gift but i guess that i could ask for money and spend it on something else later on, so it does matter if the Orbweaver will be good for me..
From all the places and people i asked i understood that its going like this: people that had patience and took the time to get used to it and even dedicated a few hours to make good layouts and macros counted this as one of the best things the have ever used but the guys that gave it a day or two to get used to it and didnt even bother to set a few layout really hated this product and wanted their money back.. It is a new way to play and people doesnt even dedicate some time to get used to it or set up the key currectly so they really cant like it since you really have to get used to it so by what i understand so far is that if i will give it some time and give it a few weeks to get used to i might like this thing a lot..
I am not sure its true but by what  i saw thats the way it goes..
Please tell me if you agree with me..

[Fragil1ty]

Used one of these back in college on Call of Duty 2, was pretty cool. It's useful, but I wouldn't buy one myself, nor would I buy it over a mechanical keyboard, it has it's purposes though, I think.

[metalliqaz]

I like the idea but I've never tried it.  That's why I started with the 'qazpad' design (see Sig). I still want to go with it because I only use TKL boards

[kuschl0n]

I use a Logitech G13 for some games, especially for MechWarriors. I'm much more relaxed when I use it, which makes gaming much more enjoyable. Also, the little Joystick is simply awesome. Luckily my special s.o. catched it at Gamescom 2012, but I don't know if I would buy one if it got lost/broken/etc. Keypads are just so expensive. However... isn't a good keyboard always expensive?