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Technical Details
Style Name: Eclipse II
- Key characters and keypad illuminate through laser-etched keys
- Media keys for volume control, play/pause and skip tracks
- Variable backlighting adjusts through dimmer mechanism. Blue, red and violet.
- Angle adjustment and extendable wrist rest for maximum comfort to suit the way you type
- Weighted base with large area rubber feet to keep keyboard securely planted to the desk
- Familiar 104 key layout
- Quiet, cushioned keys for hours of stress-free use
Product Details
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Product Description
Style Name: Eclipse II
From the manufacturer
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.
- Key characters and keypad illuminate through laser-etched keys
- Media keys for volume control, play/pause and skip tracks
- Variable backlighting adjusts through dimmer mechanism
- Angle adjustment and extendable wrist rest for maximum comfort to suit the way you type
- Weighted base with large area rubber feet to keep keyboard securely planted to the desk
- Quiet, cushioned keys for hours of stress-free use
- Familiar 104 key layout
Product Description
True-vu key illumination in 3 colors blue red & purple 104-key keyboard features patented blue led key illumination & backlighting zero-slope design & adjustable wrist rest for ergonomic comfort features plug-&-play design with usb connector variable lighting levels compatible with windows 98/se/me/2000/xp silver & black finish features black keys with laser-cut lettering.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
159 of 168 people found the following review helpful
Style Name:Eclipse II
Fun:
Highly recommended, and the price on Amazon is more reasonable than many brick and mortar stores too. This keyboard has wonderful keys that are neither too springy nor too soft, great for typing, and great for games too. It's a pretty sturdy piece of kit too, and requires no extra drivers.
So, of course its main 'selling factor' is that it offers three different illumination colors - blue, red, and purple - and these can be dimmed or brightened. Worth noting is that the areas around the keys and the keys themselves are lit, so perfect for a darker environment. I like the blue color best, but that's probably the darkest, but I still find it's illuminated adequately. The purple color really shines though, and there's side strips that light up your desktop too.
Very blingin'? Yes, for sure. Overkill? Perhaps, but I don't think this keyboard looks too tacky, in fact I've found it super useful to have a comfortable and durable keyboard for those late night gaming sessions.
---
Nov 2011 update: This keyboard is still serving me well after five years, but here's a couple of things to note. First off, the lettering on the most used keys (W,A,S,D) has started to wear off a bit. This took a long time to happen, with constant use, so that's not so bad. I contacted Saitek (who are now owned by MadKatz I think) and a guy wrote back to me to say he'd send spare keys if he ever came across any. That was a nice thought, but I never heard anything back after that email.
Also, I've noticed the lighting is quite a bit dimmer than it once was, making it harder to see in the dark. However, the keyboard still works really well after all this time and shows no sign of any mechanical wear/problems.
Still recommended thoroughly, and I'm almost tempted to buy another one new just like it.
So, of course its main 'selling factor' is that it offers three different illumination colors - blue, red, and purple - and these can be dimmed or brightened. Worth noting is that the areas around the keys and the keys themselves are lit, so perfect for a darker environment. I like the blue color best, but that's probably the darkest, but I still find it's illuminated adequately. The purple color really shines though, and there's side strips that light up your desktop too.
Very blingin'? Yes, for sure. Overkill? Perhaps, but I don't think this keyboard looks too tacky, in fact I've found it super useful to have a comfortable and durable keyboard for those late night gaming sessions.
---
Nov 2011 update: This keyboard is still serving me well after five years, but here's a couple of things to note. First off, the lettering on the most used keys (W,A,S,D) has started to wear off a bit. This took a long time to happen, with constant use, so that's not so bad. I contacted Saitek (who are now owned by MadKatz I think) and a guy wrote back to me to say he'd send spare keys if he ever came across any. That was a nice thought, but I never heard anything back after that email.
Also, I've noticed the lighting is quite a bit dimmer than it once was, making it harder to see in the dark. However, the keyboard still works really well after all this time and shows no sign of any mechanical wear/problems.
Still recommended thoroughly, and I'm almost tempted to buy another one new just like it.
139 of 147 people found the following review helpful
Style Name:Eclipse III|Amazon Verified Purchase
Quick summary and a little about me to let you know where I'm coming from, in case people don't want to read the full review:
I'm a 20 year old college student (male), who plays games quite frequently, and is pretty particular with his keyboards. I loved my previous keyboard, the Eclipse I, which I had for about 2 years, and decided to buy this on a whim as a replacement (I spilled soda on my previous one).
APPEARANCE (cool factor): 9/10
-LEDs look great, laser etched keys are high quality
FUNCTIONALITY: 7/10
-a little on the long side, but I've got plenty of desk space
-hotkeys aren't especially useful
-touchpad with updated drivers works great and is very convenient
-headphone/microphone jacks are just pass-throughs from your sound card, meaning that if you want to use the feature, you'd have to plug your speakers into the keyboard (though you could buy extra splitters/audio cables)
QUALITY: 9/10
-Saitek still makes great keyboards. everything about this board looks like it was made with care.
-The keyboard feels like its going to last years
PRICE: 6/10
-Way expensive compared to the alternatives. Its a great keyboard, but only like $50-60 great. Not worth the $80 retail price, unless you've got the extra cash lying around. My advice is to wait for it to go on sale, if you're not in a hurry.
OVERALL(not an average): 8/10
PROS:
-Recently released drives from Saitek fixed all issues regarding the functionality and sensitivity of the touch pad: volume indicators work, media control works better, visual notification when touch buttons are being pressed (the buttons flash a few times when pressed), and no more accidentally activating touch keys (they're less sensitive but still functional)
-The quality of the keys and the feel of the keyboard is the same, if not better, than the Eclipse I (I wouldn't know how to compare it to the Eclipse II as I've never used one)
CONS:
-Yes the size is mislabeled as 18" instead of the actual 21" (but the original Eclipse I keyboard was 21" also)
-The $80 price point is a little steep; wait for the price to drop or for it to go on sale. I'd say a fair price would be in the $50-60 range.
IN DEPTH REVIEW:
First off, let me say that this keyboard isn't as bad as the other review(s) say. I've previously owned a Saitek Eclipse I keyboard, which this keyboard replaced after I accidentally spilled soda on my Eclipse I, and it's way better in construction, feel, and functionality.
The keyboard is in fact 21", not the 18" listed, but now that you know, if it isn't a problem, I'd recommend it. Sure, the Eclipse II was a compact 18", but the Saitek I never was, and it got phenomenal reviews despite its size.
[...]
The soft-touch keys feel great, and the two height adjustment is a very nice little feature to help you get the proper typing angle. With the updated drivers, the touch pad functions like it should, with a "lights off" button (turns all LEDs off until it is pressed again), 5 four-stage LEDs for the volume indicator to show current volume level, 4 media buttons (mute, pause/play, prev, next), and buttons to control the 4 brightness levels and 5 different colors (blue, purple, magenta, pink, red).
On the note of the LED colors, I don't find the touch pad being constantly blue, or the numpad/caps lock/scroll lock being green an annoyance. I think it actually looks pretty cool, since the LED colors provided contrast nicely with blue (especially red). Though if you find it an annoyance, I could understand.
To be honest, I don't use the hotkeys much, since I got pretty familiar with the windows equivalent of the hotkeys, though I'm sure someone would find them useful. To my knowledge there isn't a way to reprogram them, though I'm sure there's some software out there which would let you do that.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
In all, its a well made luxury keyboard with lots of good, convenient features. If you know your desk can't fit it comfortably, look for an alternative, like the more compact Eclipse II. The price point is high, so I'd only pick it up if it was on sale, or if you extra cash burning a hole in your pocket. If you're worried about how it feels, I'd see if a local store has it so you could try it out.
I'm a 20 year old college student (male), who plays games quite frequently, and is pretty particular with his keyboards. I loved my previous keyboard, the Eclipse I, which I had for about 2 years, and decided to buy this on a whim as a replacement (I spilled soda on my previous one).
APPEARANCE (cool factor): 9/10
-LEDs look great, laser etched keys are high quality
FUNCTIONALITY: 7/10
-a little on the long side, but I've got plenty of desk space
-hotkeys aren't especially useful
-touchpad with updated drivers works great and is very convenient
-headphone/microphone jacks are just pass-throughs from your sound card, meaning that if you want to use the feature, you'd have to plug your speakers into the keyboard (though you could buy extra splitters/audio cables)
QUALITY: 9/10
-Saitek still makes great keyboards. everything about this board looks like it was made with care.
-The keyboard feels like its going to last years
PRICE: 6/10
-Way expensive compared to the alternatives. Its a great keyboard, but only like $50-60 great. Not worth the $80 retail price, unless you've got the extra cash lying around. My advice is to wait for it to go on sale, if you're not in a hurry.
OVERALL(not an average): 8/10
PROS:
-Recently released drives from Saitek fixed all issues regarding the functionality and sensitivity of the touch pad: volume indicators work, media control works better, visual notification when touch buttons are being pressed (the buttons flash a few times when pressed), and no more accidentally activating touch keys (they're less sensitive but still functional)
-The quality of the keys and the feel of the keyboard is the same, if not better, than the Eclipse I (I wouldn't know how to compare it to the Eclipse II as I've never used one)
CONS:
-Yes the size is mislabeled as 18" instead of the actual 21" (but the original Eclipse I keyboard was 21" also)
-The $80 price point is a little steep; wait for the price to drop or for it to go on sale. I'd say a fair price would be in the $50-60 range.
IN DEPTH REVIEW:
First off, let me say that this keyboard isn't as bad as the other review(s) say. I've previously owned a Saitek Eclipse I keyboard, which this keyboard replaced after I accidentally spilled soda on my Eclipse I, and it's way better in construction, feel, and functionality.
The keyboard is in fact 21", not the 18" listed, but now that you know, if it isn't a problem, I'd recommend it. Sure, the Eclipse II was a compact 18", but the Saitek I never was, and it got phenomenal reviews despite its size.
[...]
The soft-touch keys feel great, and the two height adjustment is a very nice little feature to help you get the proper typing angle. With the updated drivers, the touch pad functions like it should, with a "lights off" button (turns all LEDs off until it is pressed again), 5 four-stage LEDs for the volume indicator to show current volume level, 4 media buttons (mute, pause/play, prev, next), and buttons to control the 4 brightness levels and 5 different colors (blue, purple, magenta, pink, red).
On the note of the LED colors, I don't find the touch pad being constantly blue, or the numpad/caps lock/scroll lock being green an annoyance. I think it actually looks pretty cool, since the LED colors provided contrast nicely with blue (especially red). Though if you find it an annoyance, I could understand.
To be honest, I don't use the hotkeys much, since I got pretty familiar with the windows equivalent of the hotkeys, though I'm sure someone would find them useful. To my knowledge there isn't a way to reprogram them, though I'm sure there's some software out there which would let you do that.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
In all, its a well made luxury keyboard with lots of good, convenient features. If you know your desk can't fit it comfortably, look for an alternative, like the more compact Eclipse II. The price point is high, so I'd only pick it up if it was on sale, or if you extra cash burning a hole in your pocket. If you're worried about how it feels, I'd see if a local store has it so you could try it out.
80 of 85 people found the following review helpful
Style Name:Eclipse II
I've been typing on various keyboards for 20 years now, and nothing is comparible to the old IBM mainframe keyboards, which had a great feel to them. I've hated every lightweight generic keyboard I've encountered, and this one stays put. On a whim, I purchased this keyboard from another site, at a great price. Well, my only regret is not purchasing another to use at work. The lighting is adequate if you're simply typing to the light of your monitor, like I frequently do at home. I wish it were a little brighter, but overall, I love this keyboard, and when the price is right, I'll get another. I prefer the purple, dislike the red, and can deal with the blue. When the computer is rebooted, it automatically reverts back to blue, which I don't consider an inconvenience whatsoever...
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great keyboard as long as you don't get it dirty
I've owned three of these keyboards now.
Overall the keyboard is great. It is well lit, the color changing ability is nice, but most of all the typing on it is very... Read more
Overall the keyboard is great. It is well lit, the color changing ability is nice, but most of all the typing on it is very... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Tim S
Awesome
I really love this keyboard, it's fantastic. The only gripes I have about it is that it's a little big for my desk (not the keyboards fault though) and that the LED lights seem to... Read more
Published 3 days ago by Amber Ramey
Great keyboard but with a few flaws.
I've been using this keyboard for a month now,right before I plugged it in, I painted each key with a layer of clear nail polish so the lettering wouldn't fade. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Anupam Chopra
Saitek Eclipse II - Outstanding Value
The Eclipse II that i purchased is a great value. The the keys have a solid feel and the keyboard does not slide around on my glass desktop
Published 6 days ago by Vince
BUY IT!
Great Keyboard, if you want a lighted keyboard buy it, it is a gamers keyboard so it is built to last..............
Published 12 days ago by Rick Pyle
Saitek Eclipse II Backlit Keyboard (PK02AU) by Mad Catz Inc
Saitek Eclipse II Backlit Keyboard (PK02AU)
This is a high quality, well build keyboard. Definitely weighted, adjustable and the keys have a wonderful feel. Read more
This is a high quality, well build keyboard. Definitely weighted, adjustable and the keys have a wonderful feel. Read more
Published 14 days ago by James Woodruff
i loved it while it worked
this is a great keyboard its really nice to type on and the lights look really good. been almost a years since i got it and some of the letter on the keys are wearing out mainly... Read more
Published 14 days ago by Marcial Naranjo
Great Colors, and Light Keys.
I debated on getting this keyboard for almost a year. I am very much a magpie when it comes to shiny things and pretty lights, but was concerned about how the keyboard itself... Read more
Published 18 days ago by Dellynn
HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE
I have a 9 month old keyboard, everything was OK kind of, hot keys and volume control bars didn't work, but oh, well it lit up nice so I could live with that. Read more
Published 23 days ago by SMoore
Lights up
This keyboard is soooo kwel. It lights up even through the letters. The side buttons lets you go to the internet, go back, refresh and more. The differtent colors are great also. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Dan
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