Gamertell review: Ideazon’s Zboard gaming keyboard

Product: ZBoard by Ideazon
Price: $49.99
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: A small keyboard with a lot of great features, key sets are interchangeable and easy to clean, store and program. Comes with two programmable key sets or you can purchase limited edition key sets for the popular PC games already available. Comes with two USB port hubs, nine hot keys and seven one-touch multimedia control allows you to control your music as you play.
Cons: Sometimes takes two tries to lock the keypad into place. If the keys are not properly lined up it will not lock into place and the key function’s won’t work properly.
Overall: The Zboard is awesome once its ready to play and works even better with the reaper optical mouse. It comes with two key sets, one for regular keyboard use if your used to the WASD key function and a game board set with a large butterfly direction keys and labeled and domed shaped action and command keys for faster gaming.

Ever get stuck with a bunch of keyboards that end up getting stacked in the back of the closet waiting for you to toss them out?

That is often the case in my house when I have my regular keyboard for internet surfing and a game board on standby for the days I want to play one of my PC games including Myst, Thief or World of Warcraft. I also have a few in the closet as backup just in case the keys stick or I lose my temper and smack the keys in frustration. What can I say. I hate to lose when I’m gaming.

When I received the Zboard I was hesitant at first since its base is a bit thin and I’d really hate to break the board just snapping a key set in. To my surprise its quite durable and the key set was easy to install although it did take me two tries to line the keys up, unfold and snap into place. Even regular computer use is made easier with the hot keys for commonly used functions along the top of the keyboard. I really liked the extra USB ports and the ability to switch key sets instead of keyboards for my needs.

Since I have my music blaring in the background while I play, the multimedia buttons let me control my music from tracks to volume control without having to minimize my game to adjust. This board was practically plug-and-play since the board, like a lot of Ideazon products, uses the Z-engine installation disk, which means its programmable with drag-and-drop editing and has more than 125 predefined key mapping layouts ready to be installed.

The other bonus I enjoyed about having the key sets is that it takes up less room to store in the closet as it folds up into a small 6 inch square, making it easy to stack. Being able to remove the key set makes it easier to clean and care for should you spill your soda in the throws of an intense battle. No more digging out lint and stray crumbs with a Q-tip and canned air pushing the individual keys out of alignment which in some cases cause the key to stick or not work at all. A gentle flip and it all falls out, add a quick spray of canned air and its good to go.

Design – Sleek yet compact design with an attachable wrist guard making it comfortable while gaming. The board itself is solid black and measures about 19.1 x 9.5 x 2.4 inches. With an inset measurement approximately 18.1 inches for the length of the key set and 8.5 inches for the width. The key set folds up into a 6 inch square that is easily stackable for storage and unfolds the full 18 inches to press and lock into place with a tab. The base has adjustable legs to raise or lower the keyboard for total comfort and a set of LED lights that let you know if the key set is correctly aligned and indicates whether your caps key is on and the other hot key functions in use.

Features – Hot keys for action commands, computer functions and multimedia within reach. Extra USB ports that can be used for memory, additional equipment such as an optical mouse or joystick. Two programmable key sets with more than 125 predefined key mapping layouts. The key sets are interchangeable between game sets. For any game not available in the mod set or for quick troubleshooting Ideazon offers technical support on the Ideazon website.

Performance – It handled regular keyboarding for internet surfing and office work and after a quick change to the gaming set it handled very well even during intense battles with the local residents of my game.

Overall – I think this is an excellent product despite a few hang ups when installing the key set into the keyboard. Once that key set is snapped into place gamers can enjoy hours of keyboarding fun with their Zboard.

Editors Note: The categories were weighted in the following manner to reflect the importance of some features over others (in our humble opinion). Design 30%, Features 20%, and Performance 50%.