The Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum Mechanical Keyboard Review
by E. Fylladitakis on October 6, 2016 8:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Peripherals
- Logitech
- Mechanical Keyboards
- RGB
- Omron
Conclusion
I always try to use every keyboard that we review as my personal keyboard for at least a week. My typical weekly usage includes a lot of typing (about 100-150 pages), a few hours of gaming and some casual usage, such as internet browsing and messaging. I personally prefer Cherry MX Brown or similar (tactile) switches for such tasks, but I do not consider linear switches to be inconvenient either. The very subtly tactile Romer-G was almost perfect for such tasks, as it was very comfortable and relatively quiet, but I found it nearly impossible to get accustomed to its short travel distance and stop bottoming keys down. Still, even with the keys bottoming down, the G910 Orion Spectrum was very comfortable over long typing sessions. Note however that the tactile feeling of the Romer-G switch is nearly imperceptible and cannot provide effective feedback - you should consider the Romer-G to be much more like a linear rather than a tactile switch.
The intended market of the G910 Orion Spectrum is that of advanced and professional gamers. In terms of comfort, gamers will love the keyboard, as it is highly responsive and very convenient to use. The limited programmability however is disappointing considering the target group of the keyboard, with only the nine G keys being programmable on the entire keyboard. This limits the flexibility of the G910 Orion Spectrum, especially for hardcore gamers, but also for advanced professionals.
The Setpoint software is quite good, being visually appealing, simple, and effective. We feel that the macro recorder could include some more advanced options, especially the ability to record/insert mouse movements. Very few manufacturers implement such advanced macro capabilities but it is a feature that we do expect to see with keyboards this costly.
The ARX Control application however, in our opinion, does not really provide any useful information or features. It can only monitor the system’s hardware or provides options that are directly accessible via buttons found right on top of the keyboard itself. It could be useful if applets for popular games and applications were readily available, but there are only a few available applets. Most of the available applets were developed by individual programmers and offer very limited information or are buggy. Logitech’s support of the ARX Control software seems to be minimal at best, leaving the development of applets almost exclusively to volunteer enthusiasts. For the majority of users, the ARX Dock will be nothing more than a nice stand for their phones.
Aesthetics are a subjective matter but we feel that the designer achieved a perfect balance of elegance, modernity and extravagance. Some could insist on a metallic top body for a keyboard of this price range, but that would be nothing more than an aesthetic preference. Despite its plastic body, the Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum is a very high quality, solidly built keyboard. It is also very functional, with a healthy number of macro keys, mode switch buttons, multimedia controls and a good volume control wheel. What the keyboard lacks is the presence of USB pass-through ports. We consider that to be a significant issue for the G910 Orion Spectrum because of the ARX Dock, as the intended Android/iOS device requires a power source.
Overall, the G910 Orion Spectrum is a very good keyboard but we feel that it does not live up to Logitech’s expectations. Generally speaking, it is the same keyboard as the G910 Orion Spark, just with cylindrical keycaps and a straight palm rest. These corrections do make the G910 Orion Spectrum much more comfortable to use, but they are unlikely to prove enough to convince advanced users that the G910 Orion Spectrum can justify its price tag. With an MSRP of $180, the G910 Orion Spectrum is one of the more expensive keyboards on the market, and a user’s expectations at this price point are very high. Lacking full programmability and with very limited support for its unique feature, the ARX Dock, we feel that the G910 Orion Spectrum will be easy prey of its competition, at least until Logitech brings down the price.
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klagermkii - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
How much lateral wobble is there on the keys? One of the things I dislike with the Corsair K90 that I currently use is that the key caps feel very wobbly and seem to make it easier for my fingers to "slip" off the keys when I'm trying to press them.BurntMyBacon - Friday, October 7, 2016 - link
I don't have the Specturm, but I can tell you that the Spark is more stable than the K90 as far as lateral key wobble goes. I'd expect the Spectrum to be similar as they both use Romer-G switches that support the key closer to the edges rather than the middle. There is also no keyboard flex to speak of that might, in other keyboards, contribute to lateral instability. The Spark's key caps are not easy to slip off of either, but it seems many people don't like the ridges.I actually didn't mind the Spark's key caps after I got used to them. I found myself more accurately hitting the middle of the key and less often catching the edge. The palm rest looks to be a big improvement, though, and I'm wondering if I could acquire a spectrum palm rest for my spark. They look to have the same mount. Of course, I paid less than $100 for my Spark, and certainly don't think it is worth an extra $80 to change the keycaps and palm rest. That said, I wouldn't recommend skimping on it if the key caps bother you either. I always find it funny how much some people will spend on the internals of a computer while neglecting the three devices that make up %90+ of your interaction with the computer (Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse).
Perhaps the keys are slightly different on the Spectrum than the Spark, but I very slightly disagree with the authors assessment (at least in regards to the Spark). While I agree that the tactile bump is certainly less pronounced than Cherry's MX Brown switches, I do not think they can be compared to Cherry MX Red switches. Perhaps I'm more sensitive to the bump, but I have no trouble feeling it. Where Reds give me a dissatisfying lack of feedback, Romer-G provide a subtle, but distinct response only a little less satisfying than the Browns for typing. A slightly longer throw might be better for typing as well, though I consider both the feedback and throw to be some of the best for gaming.
xerandin - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
It's not technically wrong to use myriad in noun form, but please...reconsider doing so.In the headline:
"Logitech is perhaps the most reputable manufacturer of peripherals on the planet, with [myriad] products for PCs, mobile devices and consoles."
I realize I'm being overscrupulous, but many Grammarians argue that the noun form doesn't make sense.
Ryan Smith - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
Thanks!mjrpes3 - Sunday, October 9, 2016 - link
Also, the use of "sit on their laurels" (page 1) is reversed from the right context. Logitech would be "resting on their laurels" if they had created the best keyboard out there, only for it to languish over time to the competition.plsbugmenot - Tuesday, May 29, 2018 - link
myriad is an adjective and a noun.Your reply contains a myriad of inconsistencies.
I groan at the myraid inconsistencies within your reply.
xerandin - Tuesday, September 8, 2020 - link
I started my comment with a pre-emption of your response; the noun form is not technically incorrect.However, any serious wordsmith avoids the syntax produced by the noun form. "the sedan can be ordered with a myriad of options" is obviously inferior to "the sedan can be ordered with myriad options."
It's hardly debatable...
cmdrdredd - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
Man $180. I thought $99 for my Leopold Mechanical keyboard about 5 years ago was a lot.Vayra - Friday, October 7, 2016 - link
This is a lot for a mechanical keyboard with RGB. Sharkoon's MK80 can be had for far less and is 100% programmable as well, only lacking the macro and multimedia keys - which is more of a matter of preference than production cost.damianrobertjones - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
To think that, back in the day, mechanical keyboards were on everything and super cheap. It's amazing how companies rip people off.