iPhone 3GS from AT&T. Free ShippingSaitek Eclipse II Illumintated Keyboard
Manufacturer: Saitek Part number: PK02
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- If all you want is a backlit keyboard, Saitek's Eclipse II does that very well. We wish that Saitek had also refined the key feel and added a few other features. Aside from lighting up, it doesn't offer gamers much to get excited about.
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CNET editors' review
Saitek Eclipse II Illumintated Keyboard price range: $44.59 - $51.22
- Reviewed by: Rich Brown
- Reviewed on: 12/11/2006
- Released on: 05/10/2006
The good: Lower price compared to that of other backlit keyboards; three LED color options; easy setup.
The bad: No additional keys or customization software; keys feel cramped and mushy; not as fully featured as the competition.
The bottom line: If all you want is a backlit keyboard, Saitek's Eclipse II does that very well. We wish that Saitek had also refined the key feel and added a few other features. Aside from lighting up, it doesn't offer gamers much to get excited about.
The Eclipse II has many pros going for it. Its no-driver setup means that you can simply plug it in and go, its full backlighting lets you type with the lights off, and the different color options (red, blue, purple, or "off") let you make the Eclipse II your own. Ergonomically, you're better off typing with your keyboard lying completely flat on your desk, but if you must prop it up, Saitek added two different feet on the underside of the Eclipse II, giving you a couple of options for typing at an angle.
For all of its useful features, our biggest problems with the Eclipse II lie in the parts that should be the most refined: the keys. We have two major concerns here. The first is that the keys feel too bunched up. We fell in love with the Razer Tarantula recently, partly because its wide key tray gives your fingers plenty of space and allow each key room to breathe. The Eclipse II's keys feel cramped in comparison. And considering that the Tarantula is only about half an inch wider than the Eclipse II (counting the Eclipse II's feet), it's not like the Tarantula is a bigger desk hog.
Our second gripe with the Eclipse II is that the keys feel mushy compared to the Tarantula's crisp response. The low profile keys on the Tarantula have the quickness of the best laptop keyboards, where the Eclipse II's have a swimmier feeling. This is not to say that it's a bad keyboard. Most people won't mind it, especially if you prefer to work in the dark (Saitek claims that the submarine community is especially fond of the red light option). But for gamers who demand performance first, the Tarantula is the board to beat.
To be fair, you have to pay extra for the Tarantula. At $99, it's even more of an indulgence than the Eclipse II. We should also note that only some of the Tarantula's keys light up, not all of them like the Eclipse II's. But Razer's gaming board outshines Saitek's board in other ways. It has 10 additional customizable function keys which, along with the media-control and image-zoom keys, line the side of the Tarantula, making them easy to reach. The Eclipse II has its own media-control keys, but they sit above the number pad and are crowded by the backlight dimmer knob. The Tarantula grabs your desk more firmly than the Eclipse II, and in a heated gaming session, it's conceivable that the Eclipse II could lose its grip more easily. We should also point out that the Tarantula has USB inputs on it, as well as headphone and microphone jacks. The Eclipse II has none of those amenities. Saitek's keyboard delivers on the backlighting, but that and the slightly lower price are its only advantages.
User reviews
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Tried this AND G11
by fastethanfelson on April 3, 2007
Pros: Solid Feel, good construction, good typing feel
Cons: Light bleed through, knubs on corners, multimedia keys
Summary: I bought both the Saitek Eclipse II and the G11 (did not buy the G15 because I did not see the LCD as useful). I wanted to see which one ...
Summary: I bought both the Saitek Eclipse II and the G11 (did not buy the G15 because I did not see the LCD as useful). I wanted to see which one was better, and figured they?re both probably pretty good, I?d use one at work and one at home.
My preference is the G11, but both are great keyboards. Some of this decision comes down to taste, not quality / features.
Typing: The G11 has a deeper key press ? this does require a little more effort for typing, and the keys do feel a little farther spaced apart (this may not be the case, but it definitely feels that way even asking other friends to try both). The feel of the keys is a little less ?clicky?, and makes a much quieter noise with each button press than the Eclipse II. The concavity of the keys on the G11 is noticeably deeper or more pronounced than on the Eclipse II. Some of the large keys do feel a little more resistant on the G11, I believe because all the keys seem that way, and so the larger ones don?t get stuck, but can feel slightly more ?gushy? ? which is actually what I would prefer all the keys to feel like.
The Eclipse II keys are much flatter and feel closer together, and typing winds up feeling a little easier as the key press is also shallower and less resistant.
Lighting: G11 by a mile. Each key lights up through the letters only, no bleed through, very impressive in the dark. The Eclipse II has almost no light coming through the key letters because so much bleeds through elsewhere. While you can cycle the colors on the Eclipse II and not on the G11, it?s not worth it. Both keyboards could be brighter, but neither is that bad, but with the flatter keys and shiner material on the Eclipse II, if you do have the light, on, it is not easy to see the letters ? G11 is easy to see in light and dark.
Features: G11 by a mile. 18X3 extra, programmable keys are key (ha ha, punny) for gaming. Multimedia buttons on the Eclipse II are out of the way and will therefore probably never get used, whereas the G11 puts them top and center, and has volume as a dial, not a button ? crucial for proper use. USB on keyboard is awesome, Eclipse II doesn?t have it.
Construction: Tie. They both feel solid, and are heavy (in a good way). Both have great rubber feet that keep them in place on your desk.
Aesthetics: G11 is very large ? but I am not sure what the deal is with all the size complaints ? if you use a keyboard in a tray, it should fit fine. If you use it on a desk, it should definitely fit fine. If you really do have some weird setup with cramped space for a keyboard, get the Eclipse II ? it?s much smaller. I think the G11 looks better, but a friend suggested it looks more Tron-ish, and he likes the Eclipse II look better. To me, the Eclipse II?s silver is too shiny and plasticky looking, and the G11?s muted steel look is better,
Both keyboards protrude from the bottom in odd ways preventing flush use of a 3rd party wrist rest, which I highly recommend trying if you have not already. The hard plastic wrist rests they both come with can be tossed out of the box. Go get a gel keyboard and mouse wrist rest at an office supply store, and use them for a couple of days ? you?ll wonder how you lived without them, especially on the mouse. Way more stamina for those 18 hour gaming sessions. I was also considering the Tarantula, but the darn thing forces you to use its built in wrist rest. Boooo. Get with it keyboard designers, just keep the bottom flat.
Price: About the same, between $50 and $60.
Conclusion: If you like a slightly gushy but solid feeland game a lot, get the G11. If you like a little more ?clicky? and loose, shallow key presses, or for everyday typing and nothing special, the Eclipse II will serve you well. They?re both good keyboards ? you might consider trying both yourself if you can find a store with both on display.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This keyboard has been through a lot.
by dacopper on May 12, 2009
Pros: Durable, absorbs all kinds of abuses.
3 backlights
Looks cool.Cons: Neon-blue backlight makes keys hard to ready in the dark. Luckily there are other 2 colors to chose from.
The mute button is oddly paired with the backlight color switch, not an inconvenience, just not very logical.Summary: I've had this baby for 3 years, 3 years of heavy-duty gaming. I spilled coffee, tea and beer on it, mashed the ASDW keys and the spacebar to the ...
Summary: I've had this baby for 3 years, 3 years of heavy-duty gaming. I spilled coffee, tea and beer on it, mashed the ASDW keys and the spacebar to the pulp but they still work! Soft to type and very quiet. The 3-phase backlight was something revolutionary when it just came out, now just about everybody does it. The only reason why I'm retiring it now is I got myself a new gaming rig with programmable Saitek Cyborg keyboard and I love it too!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awsome keyboard
by codestp202 on July 26, 2007
Pros: Responsive keys(not mushy), lit keys, wrist wrest, usb
Cons: maybe could of added a few macro keys, but i can overlook that easily
Summary: This keyboard is awsome. The keys are well lit throught the board. This keyboard is really solid. It is comfortable to type with and is great for gaming or for ...
Summary: This keyboard is awsome. The keys are well lit throught the board. This keyboard is really solid. It is comfortable to type with and is great for gaming or for typing reports or just normal use. The colors are great. The brightest is the purple. GET THIS KEYBOARD!!! The only other keyboards i was looking at were the Logitech G 11 and the Razer Turantula, but the G11 has a big learning curve with the macros same with the turantula. Both need software so u cant just plug and play like you can with the Eclipse 2. I think everyone in the world should be using this keyboard.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best lookign bad keyboard on the market
by genFX on December 28, 2006
Pros: Nifty looking, multiple LED colors, dimmer knob, media controls
Cons: Cheap feeling keys, blue about 1/2 as brights as an Eclypse I, cheap feel to other buttons, glossy back is a finger print magnet
Summary: I love my Eclypse I, it is easily one of the best keyboards I have ever used. Solid feel to the keys, well backlit... The Eclypse is a giant step ...
Summary: I love my Eclypse I, it is easily one of the best keyboards I have ever used. Solid feel to the keys, well backlit... The Eclypse is a giant step backward. It has a cheap feel, the keys are mushy and the lighting is too dim.
2 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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good keyboard, well lit
by freqhz on January 19, 2010
Pros: plenty bright in dark,not a lot of unwanted keys,dimmer excellent,color choice
Cons: kinda weired shaped,not enough backlight color choices
Summary: i'm glad i got this keyboard, plenty useful as a gaming or everyday use keyboard. used it a lot for a year now and no problems despite my abuses.
Summary: i'm glad i got this keyboard, plenty useful as a gaming or everyday use keyboard. used it a lot for a year now and no problems despite my abuses.
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Better then others
by prodigyfg on June 4, 2009
Pros: The keyboard itself is great imo, I had a g11 and it broke within 6 months of hardcore gaming, I've had this one for 4 months and nothing so far has gone wrong, awesome lighting purple is still the brightest, key response is great.
Cons: none who the hell needs extra crap on a keyboard the g15 has a lcd who cares the g11 and side keys for macros l2 macro your non used keys then you dont use them all.
Summary: I play tourneys I travel for tournaments, all gaming my pc and my mouse as well as keyboard take hits this one has lasted forever, the keyboard doesn't make ...
Summary: I play tourneys I travel for tournaments, all gaming my pc and my mouse as well as keyboard take hits this one has lasted forever, the keyboard doesn't make you a better player in gaming the mouse has more of that then anything as to why I run a g5, my pc set up is hot amd denab 3.0 quad oc'd to 3.9 fan cooled 4 4870's, asus m479 deluxe, 1200 watt pc power and cooling psu, 8 gigs of ddr3
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Great looking but wears out quickly.
by jd4133 on May 30, 2009
Pros: Looks great on your desk, attractive blue lighting is non-intrusive. Comfortable to use.
Cons: The worst part about this keyboard is how quickly the keys wear out. Not their function but their readability. After less than a year the keys were unreadable as the characters simply wore off.
Summary: Bottom line is simple: if you don't mind replacing your keyboard each year, depending on your use, because of worn faces on the keys, then this product is fine. ...
Summary: Bottom line is simple: if you don't mind replacing your keyboard each year, depending on your use, because of worn faces on the keys, then this product is fine. HOWEVER, once the faces on the keys, especially the e, a, o, n, m, t, and other busy keys are worn, you'll find yourself having to try to figure out what that key was! I wrote to the maker and they said they are aware it is a major problem. They send me a handful of replacement keys and, although I appreciated it, they too were quickly worn and once again I found myself write the key's name with a magic marker. It is user friendly, I enjoyed the soft light, it is attractive in appearance. But again, if you can't see the keys you're looking for, then what good is the light? I bought two of them because after I had the problem with the first one, the company said the product is now better. It wasn't. Then after receiving the replacement keys in the mail and THEY too wore off, I decided its time to warm potential buyers of this problem that even the manufacturer can't correct. If you use your computer often, stay away from this keyboard. If you simply use it for surfing the now and then, then I would think it may be OK for you. In general I'd say to stay away from this one. I wasted over a hundred dollars on the two I bought and already threw in the trash.
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Horrible. Don't buy it.
by gamergirlie on April 22, 2009
Pros: There are none.
Cons: They letters on the keys rub off. So you have back-lit mush. Super annoying while gaming or typing. Mind, this happened after only a few months of gaming.
Summary: Hate it, waste of money.
Summary: Hate it, waste of money.
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Crummy keypad ,I doubt the newer version is any better,
by sbram1 on March 14, 2009
Pros: Not one thing!
Cons: I've had mine over a year now and disliked it from the start.
Bad back lighting, mushy and sticking keys and now they are breaking,Summary: I am now buying a new Logitech G15 and can only hope.
It's tough research and very hard to compare keypads,
I've been at it all day,Summary: I am now buying a new Logitech G15 and can only hope.
It's tough research and very hard to compare keypads,
I've been at it all day, -
Nice night light, bad keyboard
by bliggidy on March 10, 2009
Pros: Lighting is fun, relatively small size.
Cons: The keys are so mushy, half of the time I have to retype my letters e, h, t, y, and r (I had to retype "h" 5 times just to write this sentence).
Summary: My wife is encouraging me to get a new keyboard because this one is so horrible, even though she only uses it once in a while. I've had it ...
Summary: My wife is encouraging me to get a new keyboard because this one is so horrible, even though she only uses it once in a while. I've had it for over a two years, and just felt like letting my frustration over it out now. It seems like sometimes manufacturers make keyboards without realizing that the responsiveness and feel of the keyboard is the most important part...
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Saitek
- Part number: PK02
- Description: The Saitek Eclipse II keyboard builds on the success of the backlit Eclipse and Gaming keyboards, now offering a choice of colors - purple, red and blue - selectable by the user and adjustable via a dimmer mechanism. The key characters and keypad illuminate making the Eclipse II keyboard ideal for use in any lighting environment. Solidly constructed from high quality materials including a stylish silver casing, the Eclipse II's weighted base and large area rubber feet keep it firmly planted to the desk, while cushioned, silent keys mean hours of fatigue-free use.
General
- Device Type Keyboard
- Form Factor External
Input Device
- Interface USB
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Keys Qty 104
Expansion / Connectivity
- Connections USB - 4 pin USB Type A
Software / System Requirements
- OS Required Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition
Interface(s) Required
- Port(s) / Connector(s) Required USB 4 pin USB Type A
