SteelSeries Shift MMO Gaming Keyboard Review

SteelSeries Shift – One Unique Keyboard!

What really makes the SteelSeries Shift keyboard unique is its ability to swap out keysets. On the right side of the keyboard is a lock which, when pulled up, allows the keys to be removed. After removing the keyset, we can see the rubber domes which are made of high quality silicone which SteelSeries claims will extend the life of the keys to about 15 million keystrokes. This also allows the keyboard to be cleaned easily with some canned air or a vacuum which I think is also a plus.

New keysets can be purchased for about $30 and come in various title themes. Currently there are about five keysets: AION, Starcraft II, Medal of Honor, World of Warcraft and a generic MMO keyset. The keyset is loaded from left to right and then locked down on the right side. Once a new keyset is in place, the SteelSeries Engine is able to recognize the new keyset and load the profile with macros for that keyset.

The nice thing is that the macro keys that I programmed in the Shift keyset carried over into the Starcraft keyset macros. The Starcraft II keyset has a lot of features readily at your fingertips which is really nice. I know that SteelSeries worked with professional gamers to design the various keysets, but Im really not sure how I would actually use the Starcraft II keyset. It would be great to see a video of a professional gamer using the keyset in a game so I could get an idea how I would use the macros easily. The Starcraft II and World of Warcraft games are designed to have one hand on a mouse and one hand on the left side of the keyboard. Trying to use the keys on the right side of the keyboard seems a little awkward, but maybe I just dont understand the concept properly.

The SteelSeries Shift MMO gaming keyboard is a one of a kind keyboard allowing the professional gamer plenty of flexibility and functionality. Compared to other keyboards that I have reviewed in the past, I have to say that I like the Shift the best. There is one thing that needs to be fixed and that is the automatic profile trigger which did not work with executables that were not located on the C: drive. One other thing that I did not mention earlier, which bothered me at first, was that the space key was actually two keys. This took a little getting used to because right below where the space key is split is a hinge. When I hit the space key when typing in chat or an email, I would hit the hinge and there would be no space. After using the keyboard for a few days, I eventually retrained my thumb not to hit the hinge and all was well.

Knowing the SteelSeries tradition of working with professional gamers, Im not surprised that the Shift is such an awesome keyboard. I personally like how the keys feel when Im playing a game or typing in general. Being able to remove the keyset to clean under the keys is a huge bonus since we all usually eat over our keyboards while playing games. Customizing the keyboard with a gaming keyset such as Starcraft II or World of Warcarft makes the keyboard look cool and adds new features that a normal keyboard doesnt have. Being able to program macro keys on the fly is another nice feature that I really like. This keyboard allows up to 24 macros to be programmed while another gaming keyboard we recently reviewed did not even have this feature and only allowed 30 macros total to be programmed on the keyboard. Every key on the Shift can be reprogrammed or combined with up to three layers. We think this is far more customization than any gamer would ever need. Well done, SteelSeries.

The SteelSeries Shift comes with a one year limited warranty and for less than $100, you can get one of the best MMO keyboards on the market today.

Legit Reviews Bottom Line: The SteelSeries Shift is an excellent gaming keyboard with tons of flexibility and functionality. Considering the quality and design, the Shift is well worth the price and should make every gamer quite happy.