I think this keyboard is great. It feels solid when typing, makes a satisfying sound when keys are pressed, and has really nice lighting effects, compared to my old NPET RGB keyboard. I'm not an overly greasy person. That being said, the plastic material is, surprisingly, not getting smeared with skin grease as I expected, given the type of plastic it is. Not all keyboards fare as well, -- lookin' at you, Dell and Lenovo -- but after a week or so of using it about 6+ hours a day, I can't see any smearing or discoloration.
When I received the keyboard, the box was pretty beat up. The inner boxes looked fine, but at least two keys were 'popped off' and freely floating inside the bag with the keyboard. I was able to pop these back on with prior knowledge of mechanical keyboards. However, as a point-of-fact, my wife has very little IT experience and had no idea how to reseat a popped-off key. I can imagine if this happens to others with the same skill level as my wife, they may need to search online for how to reattach the keys.
Outside of that, I'll echo what others have mentioned here in other reviews. The placement for the macro keys is annoying. If you're a proficient typist, then you've liked developed a technique to cheat and find the home-row by sliding your hand from the edge of the keyboard to the shift/ctrl etc. With this keyboard, you will die, fall off things, and time stuff incorrectly in every single game you play as you frustratingly hit a key that doesn't do what you expect it to. If you attach actual functions to the macro keys, you'll likely end up in worse shape if those macros open or close apps or processes.
I have no idea why the macros had to be placed on that side. Most of us game, which is what this keyboard is marketed to, with a mouse in our right hand and our left hand on the left-most portion of the keyboard. Why EVGA decided to put the macro keys on the side you place your hand over the most, is beyond me. It would have made 100x more sense to put it on the right side, and not just for the reason of accidental pressing. Let me explains:
If you've ever bound any key on your mouse (such as a forward/back button) or used the mouse/keyboard for work tasks, you'll likely have used your mouse-thumb to hit enter or something similar on the keypad. The macro keys would have made a lot more sense on that side, allowing for quick taps of your macro keys with your mouse-hand, ensuring the placement of your left hand was always in the right spot. Just like cupholders in cars, I am pretty sure these designs look good on paper but suck in real-world practicality.
Not wanting to admit defeat, I am going to keep the keyboard and either try to find a way to prevent macro keys existence by removing them, or look for a 3D printable option to prevent accidental use. If I find a way to workaround it, I'll come back here and post an update with my method.
This is a good keyboard. It feels nice, it sounds nice, the colors are fluid, and the construction feels solid. The placement of those macro keys prevents this from being a 5-star, in my book. Oh, and if you use a standard keyboard at another location, prepare to be frustrated for the opposite reason -- getting used to the hand placement with the macros on the left, only to have your hand be off with your other keyboards.
| Brand | EVGA |
|---|---|
| Item model number | Z12 |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Item Weight | 3.19 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 18.5 x 5.96 x 1.38 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 18.5 x 5.96 x 1.38 inches |
| Color | Black |
| Manufacturer | EVGA |
| ASIN | B09C2DLCPG |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Date First Available | September 1, 2021 |
