Mechanical Keyboard with LCD Screen

[arktec12]

My friend pointed this out to me recently:

Why are there NO mechanical keyboards that's also equipped with a LCD screen.
I'm talking about like the Logitech G510, or the G15 before that.
My friend uses the LCD Screen constantly, to see what's the song that's currently playing while he's gaming, and doesn't have to always alt+tab.

What are your guys' thoughts?

P.S. First post , long time lurker

[mars-bar-man]

LCD screens seem like gimmicks to me, only decent use I can think of is on something like TS.. but then I can recognise people by voice now :/

Seeing my CPU usage doesn't seems all that important, neither does what song.

If you want one badly, wait for the Logitech G710+++GamingRoxorz..

Sent from the Starship Enterprise

[stingrae]

Tell your friend to buy another monitor?

Or that G13 thingy...+mech board.

[fohat.digs]

A second monitor is wonderful.

I got one from my next door neighbor for $10 in a garage sale a year ago, so now I have a constant internet browser beside whatever else I am doing.

And if I need to open multiple copies of something and drag-and-drop, no problem.

[nullstring]

Agreed. Buy a second monitor.

[stingrae]

I've had 2 monitors for years (granted some years they were 'borrowed' from friends) but it helps a ton, I was shocked when I got office space at my university to only get 1 17 inch 4:3 ratio monitor :Z...

[wetto]

LCD screens are gimmicks, and besides, who the hell would want to use a god damn power supply on your own keyboard? Would you?

Ask for anyone who has a G15 or G19 and if they have at least an IQ of 30, they'll tell you that "unfortunately, the LCD screen thingie just a gimmick".

[IvanIvanovich]

LOL. It's true it's a gimmick I had a couple friends that thought they would be so cool. One of them never even learned how to configure it to do anything...

[bounce]

Hm, I used to run LCDSirreal's app on my G15's LCD and it was quite handy but nothing I miss while typing this on
my G80

[Sifo]

I say they're pretty lame... I couldn't think of anything I could do on a little LCD screen that I can't on my second or third monitor. And they charge you about the same price for it LMAO

[tcv]

The lcd screen sounds like a bad idea that drives the price of the keyboard up.

[Skull_Angel]

I think they're kind of silly myself, considering I never pull my tray out far enough to see the back end of my board any way.

[gameaholic]

Before I got into mechanical keyboards I had one of the logitech g15 keyboards I got for cheap and a g13 I got for free.  My main complaint about the g15 is that the WASD, shift and space didn't just fade off - they scratched off revealing the backlight and it looked pretty bad.  With regards to the LCD yeah I think it was kinda gimmicky.  Not many of the games I played supported it and even the ones that did didn't really provide any useful information.  Some owners would make their own applets but I thought that logitech or the game maker should be doing that. 

For a while I had the G13 next to my IBM Model M and I would use it to monitor gpu and cpu temps as well as FPS but now I just use MSI afterburner to put that information in the top left of the game.  I removed it because it ended up being used as a fancy "clock".  There's a company called mimo monitors that makes 7 inch monitors.  I was thinking of getting one of those but they're a bit overpriced.



Before I get second full size monitor I will have to get a bigger desk because the 30" HP takes up most of the real estate.  Now that logitech is making mechanical ones I wouldn't mind a backlit, tenkeyless, cherry mx red, board with a removable wrist rest, a handfull of macros and the lcd for under $120.  Just the basic lcd is fine.  No need for color.  They're gonna need something good because right now in my humble the cm storm quickfire rapid is the keyboard to beat and the new G710 doesn't cut it.  I know logitech has a trade in program though and I can see a lot of people trading in their G15's or G19's towards this new one.     

[rowdy]

What tcv said.

You are already paying a premium for a mechanical keyboard, then add the R&D costs for a LCD screen on top of that (as most mech keyboard manufacturers are not setup to add LCDs, and the manufacturers that do LCDs now do not do mech keyboards).

Then add the cost of developing drivers, and marketing.

[Skull_Angel]

What tcv said.

You are already paying a premium for a mechanical keyboard, then add the R&D costs for a LCD screen on top of that (as most mech keyboard manufacturers are not setup to add LCDs, and the manufacturers that do LCDs now do not do mech keyboards).

Then add the cost of developing drivers, and marketing.

You forgot to add branding and the "gaming" label 

[laffindude]

Too many "gamers" infest this board lately. They should go back to OCN.

[Neo.X]

A LCD with a mechanical keyboard? Then there must be backlit, macro or other gimmick come with it too. This can easily push the price to 300-400 range.

[furosuto81]

Too many "gamers" infest this board lately. They should go back to OCN.

Like it or not, that's probably who's buying most mechanical keyboards these days. That's how I got back into mech boards recently after using them when I was young. Not that I ever cared for LCD screens or macro keys, but I do like a nice backlight.

[quake4mhg]

Omg, I guess they should educate people about how productivity using macro keys in the office,
how useful using a backlit keyboard in a dim lighting office environment,
how much space save with a LCD on the keyboard instead of a second monitor,
how much help when editing multimedia files with volume knob & headphone jack on the keyboard.
Agree, they should put away the "gaming" label.

[rowdy]

how useful using a backlit keyboard in a dim lighting office environment,

This one, definitely!!!

The end of the office where I sit is shrouded in perpetual twilight.

[ih8]

LCD is pointless, back when I was rocking the old logitech it served no purpose

like others have said if you spend alot of time on the computer there is no reason to not have 2 monitors

[tp4tissue]

how useful using a backlit keyboard in a dim lighting office environment,

This one, definitely!!!

The end of the office where I sit is shrouded in perpetual twilight.

Blank key caps.. why do they exist.

[tp4tissue]

LCD is pointless, back when I was rocking the old logitech it served no purpose

like others have said if you spend alot of time on the computer there is no reason to not have 2 monitors

Well this is true for people using small monitors.  I just use 1 big one. This saves me the time to drag things and resize all the time.

3007wfphc, Never looked back. 

[Skull_Angel]

If it comes down to it you can always make your own programmable LCD do-hickey. You'll get a 1000000x more awesome point for doing it too!   

[rowdy]

Blank key caps.. why do they exist.

To confuse your boss, except mine is stressed enough as it is now.