Conclusion:

The overall experience of the Mad Catz Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Elite USB gaming keyboard was positive. As someone who goes through a lot of keyboards, mostly due to my own destructive nature, I can say that this one can hold up pretty well to lots of aggressive use. The keys are nice and responsive, and the addition of illuminated keys is nice in low light situations - if you actually need to look at the keys for something. The touch-pad controls for volume and lighting are also very responsive and easy to operate in most lighting.



I did run into a few minor glitches in the early use of the Mad Catz Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Elite USB gaming keyboard. First, I accidentally plugged both of the USB connectors in and after some trial and error - and actually reading the instructions - figured out that only the "keyboard" plug can be plugged in during the initial installation. Secondly, once I got both the drivers and software installed, I unplugged the keyboard and rebooted. When the system came back up, the keyboard not only disappeared, but failed to function with the exception of the under-key lights. A quick uninstall, reinstall and reboot fixed the glitch. The only other negative I noticed had to deal with the wrist rest. While the rubberized surface is nice and helps to prevent fatigue while gaming, the awkward placement of the cutout takes some getting used to and because my hand kept slipping, typing was a challenge until I got used to it. This is however not the case when gaming, as most folks will also be using a mouse.

Geeks.com lists the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Elite USB gaming keyboard at $47.99, but unfortunately they are presently out of stock. A quick check of the Bigbruin.com shopping engine shows that the Mad Catz Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Elite USB gaming keyboard is available from Amazon.com for $74.99, making the Geeks.com price look far more impressive. Considering everything that this keyboard does, the Geeks.com price is quite a bargain!

Even with the software install issue experienced, the Mad Catz Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Elite USB gaming keyboard earns the Bigbruin.com "Gaming Approved" award.



Pros:

» Illuminated keys are great for low-light typing and gaming
» Programmable keys aren't just for fragging
» Rubberized surface is comfortable and reduces fatigue
» USB port and audio pass through make peripherals easier to swap out

Cons:

» Software and drivers may have to be updated in order to install
» Wrist rest may take some getting used to
» Manual may actually be required reading

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