If you’re a performance-driven PC gamer, there’s no way you’re choosing a mechanical keyboard for looks alone. Whether aesthetics on part with superb performance are are a top priority or not, the OPS XL Full Metal Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is as impressive to look upon as it is to play with.
We definitely won’t let it go unnoticed that this may be one of the most affordable highly recommended mechanical keyboards available anywhere, priced at $79.99 from ThinkGeek. Nor do we have any intention of overlooking its slick blue side illumination or six lighting effects (Breathing, Wave, Marquee, Ripple, Light Shadow, and Reactive Light) customizable in five speeds and four brightness levels. However, we just might be most impressed by the fact that its five pre programmed customizable lighting profiles are headlined by one tailored especially to “League of Legends”, along with CrossFire, Blade & Soul, Direction Keys, and Gaming Standard. The combined effects are nothing short of dazzling. Whichever combination of settings you choose, this keyboard will remember the preferences immediately prior to your last shutdown and restore them the next time you start up.
Let’s be honest about the realities of performance, though: hinging performance standards on personal preference alone is all well and good, as long as you plan on limiting your play to single-player campaigns or PvP matches. When it comes to co-op multiplayer, you won’t be a popular teammate for long if your hardware routinely holds everyone else back. Whether you’re raiding, battling for bragging rights, or vying for major money in elite esports competition, precision down to fractions of seconds can and often do draw the lines between victory and defeat.
All 104 anti-ghosting keys laid out on its 1.5mm aluminum alloy faceplate are fine-tuned with full N-key rollover function, floating ABS double-color injected keycaps designed for lightning-quick touch response, and adjustable 2ms, 4ms, and 8ms reaction rates. In the interest of immaculate intent communication, the OPS XL Full Metal Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is tethered to a 6 ft. braided anti-interference USB 2.0 cable. Its two-color hybrid Outemu (Gaote Corp.) switches in cyan (2.4mm travel) and black (1.5mm travel) have durable life-expectancies up to around 50 million keystrokes, guaranteeing long-lasting dependability up to any competitive or casual gamer’s muster.
Of course, you can manage this outstanding keyboard’s lighting settings using its 12 multimedia function keys instead of its proprietary software, but it also happens to be compatible with Windows 98+, Mac OSX 10.2+, and Linux media controls.
