Logitech, once one of the very best in PC gaming peripherals, kinda just skulked out of the market, leaving people like Steelseries and Razer to take over. Now they’re back in a big way with a new range of their “G” branded gaming peripherals. One such peripheral is their top-of-the-line G19s keyboard, which packs a wealth of functionality in to it that you didn’t know you even wanted.

One such bit of technological frivolity is an adjustable 50mm by 38mm LCD screen. Of course, this is really nothing new for Logitech; their G15 keyboard pioneered the concept of a second, keyboard-mounted screen to offer additional information. Back then, the screen was an amber, pixelated LCD though – and hardly of much use. In the new G19s though, it’s a full colour, sufficiently-high resolution screen that’s capable of so much more.

275-logitech-g19s-gaming-keyboard-57-1376236371

You can display images, play movies from your drive, or straight from YouTube, check RSS feeds or POP3 email accounts, show your PC’s CPU and GPU usage along with their temperatures or time things with a handy stop-watch, all in real time. It also allows you, in a small selection of supported games, to see things like ammo counts, health and all the other stuff you’d generally look to your main screen’s HUD for. Right in a little LCD screen, on your keyboard.

It’s really rather amazing, immeasurably cool stuff. For exactly 8 minutes. You’ll watch a YouTube video on the tiny screen, see your ammo count down, or watch an email alert and it won’t take very long for you to realise that all of this is just better on your actual screen. You’ll also struggle to find more than a handful of games that actually support the thing. That’s the keyboard’s biggest selling point – and right at the beginning of this review I’m telling you that it’s something you’ll barely use. That’s not a good sign.

g19s_icon_g19s_gamepanel_lg

Nope, and it gets even worse. Because it’s such a bright, somewhat crisp little screen, it sucks an awful lot of power; far more than you’d get from just a USB port. So yes, you’ll need to actually plug the keyboard in to a power outlet to get it to work. That power isn’t being used purely for the screen though; the rest of the electrical juice is used to power up the lights under the keyboard. In what’s becoming a bit of a trend in gaming peripherals, the G19s allows you to set the colour of the under-key illumination -and the software allows you to set the colour of the keys using any one of the 16.8 million colours the human eye can apparently perceive.  As somebody who is male and not an interior decorator, I’m convinced that number is closer to 12. It’s neat, but hardly something you’ll buy a keyboard for.

Another of the keyboard’s high-end features is a bank of programmable “G” keys to the left that allow you to set up macros and shortcuts and make your life easier in certain games – but even that comes with a caveat; you’ll have to retrain your hands because they’re where your brain expects critical PC gaming keys like Tab, Shift and Ctrl to be. On the top left is another set of “M” keys that allow you to create different profiles that you’re able to switch on-the-fly. You can have different illumination settings for each profile, which is neat as you barely have to glance down to see which profile setting you’re on.

g19s_icon_programmable_keys_lg

Of course, being a high-end keyboard means it’s got the usual range of multi-media keys you can use to set your volume, stop your porn playing when you mom or wife walks in or skip tracks or whatever else it is you kids do with your fancy new technology these days.

As far as build quality and aesthetics go? It looks kind of gaudy, in my opinion. It’s largely made of plastic, accented here and there with bits of aluminium – but it’s large and unsightly, and just not what I’d consider to be an attractive keyboard. It’s got some decent cable management, with channels in the bottom that you can use to tuck away your cables (much like Darryn does with his own cables when he does his “Vaginaman!” bit)  and two USB 2.0 pass through ports for a headset or a mouse or whatever other USB peripheral you need instant access to. It’s ugly, and that’s still not its biggest problem.

g19s

For a high-end, expensive keyboard – the thing’s running at a ludicrous R2499 RRP at the moment – the lack of mechanical switches is pretty unforgiveable. Yes, it’s a rubber-dome membrane keyboard, the sort of tech usually reserved for cheap keyboards. To that end, the keys feel really mushy, without that satisfying “click” you get from a decent mechanical keyboard. And for twice the price of just such a keyboard, the Logitech G19s is terribly difficult to recommend.

Last Updated: October 24, 2013

Logitech G19s gaming Keyboard
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Logitech G19s gaming Keyboard was reviewed on PC

100 Comments

  1. Otto_ki

    October 24, 2013 at 15:03

    Nice looking keyboard, I have always been a sucker for LCD screens on a keyboard that show temp CPU or GPU ( i know i never look at them they just look pretty). But for that price I hope it has an “autopilot” button 😛

    Reply

    • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

      October 24, 2013 at 15:05

      To a mech

      Reply

      • Otto_ki

        October 24, 2013 at 15:06

        You could probably really pilot a mech with all those buttons…

        Reply

        • Unavengedavo(aka. IceCreamMan)

          October 24, 2013 at 15:19

          I thought it would take something more advanced…

          Reply

          • Otto_ki

            October 24, 2013 at 15:28

            This was a great cartoon and super funny. I miss my childhood damnit!

          • Unavengedavo(aka. IceCreamMan)

            October 24, 2013 at 15:33

            A live action film of this would be epic 😛

          • Vampyre Squirrel

            October 24, 2013 at 15:40

            MEGAS!!!! Love that show… and you’re never too old to enjoy an animated show.

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 15:47

            Still watching Megas, Scooby Doo, Adventure Time, etc etc

          • Grant Hancock

            October 24, 2013 at 15:55

            Adventure Time ROCKS !

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 15:56

            AMEN BRUDDA!

            “come on grab your friend”

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:55

            I’m doing a Batman AS marathon. (watch one each day before I leave for work) Almost done with Batman Beyond, then I’ll have to find my next morning cartoon.

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 15:58

            Thats cool man! I LOOOOOVED the BB series, that suit is just too damn cool!

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 16:00

            Me too. Huge fan of BB. Doubt we’ll ever see that one made into a movie. Sad really.

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 16:01

            Never say never Johnny!

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 16:07

            I should be posting this on the Batman article actually…

          • Grant Hancock

            October 24, 2013 at 15:55

            This cartoon was ‘okay’ during the day… but for some reason it became absolutely awesomely brain numbingly cool once the clock ticked past midnight ! 😀

  2. ToshZA

    October 24, 2013 at 15:05

    I can barely justify R1k on a keyboard. R2.5k? Never. Not on my life.

    Reply

  3. SaintsRowNigri

    October 24, 2013 at 15:07

    Holy Flying Fuck! This keyboard is R500.00 cheaper than a bloody Xbox 360!

    http://www.takealot.com/gaming/all?cat=consoles&platform=Xbox+360

    Reply

    • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

      October 24, 2013 at 15:09

      I actually really considered buying a 360, but then thought about the graphics card I could buy…

      Reply

      • SaintsRowNigri

        October 24, 2013 at 15:11

        Even that… My most expensive graphics card was about R1200.00. There has to be limits somewhere…

        Reply

        • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

          October 24, 2013 at 15:12

          Exactly! If your keyboard is more expensive than your graphics card… then you’re doing it wrong.

          Reply

          • SaintsRowNigri

            October 24, 2013 at 15:14

            Yeah. Sorry. My R100.00 keyboard from Game stores still works very nicely thank you very much…

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:16

            Presies.
            But I like to go a bit crazy with my gfx card, it makes all the difference, though I still have my limit.

          • TiMsTeR1033

            October 24, 2013 at 15:18

            I still gotta say, must feel bad when one pays like R5000 for top end Gfx card..

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:19

            That’s above my limit. Way. I just like to buy something that’s about twice as good as the consoles. So anything above the R200 mark really. Trololololol

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            October 24, 2013 at 15:20

            Nicely done lol.

          • TiMsTeR1033

            October 24, 2013 at 15:21

            🙁

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            October 24, 2013 at 15:19

            I got a R5k gfx card… for 50% off 😀

          • TiMsTeR1033

            October 24, 2013 at 15:21

            That must have been sweet!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            October 24, 2013 at 15:23

            It was & still is heh. I was going to get something far cheaper when last upgrading, then I saw that & sucked up the old budget.

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:24

            There’s something very magical about buying new hardware for your pc.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            October 24, 2013 at 15:25

            I’d imagine it’s how yesterday’s ION feels about plastic surgery. 😉

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:27

            Man, I agree. There are few things that can scare me as much as someone who’s had plastic surgery. But I think that one in particular may have had more than one RAMA bakkie stapled to her.

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 15:32

            Heh, indeed. Even today, swapped out a faulty under warranty HDD on my SAN, and even that was cool!

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:34

            I’m spending my Sunday fixing my desk, still have a few issues with the pc in there. They make it look much easier than it is.

  4. Alien Emperor Trevor

    October 24, 2013 at 15:09

    It needs it’s own power source. GODDAMN FAIL! right there. Never mind the gimmicky screen. And that price!

    Hold me Razer Lycosa, you’re an old friend & make me feel warm & safe.

    Reply

    • ElNicko

      October 29, 2013 at 15:58

      My Razer Black Widow Mechanical keyboard keeps me company just fine……and that was less than half the price of this monstrosity….

      Reply

  5. SaintsRowNigri

    October 24, 2013 at 15:10

    Tell me Geoffrey, does this thing get delivered by five lingerie clad supermodels when you order it?

    Reply

    • Otto_ki

      October 24, 2013 at 15:10

      Why “clad”? for that price they can….

      Reply

      • SaintsRowNigri

        October 24, 2013 at 15:12

        Hey, never let it be said that I am not a gentleman…

        Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      October 24, 2013 at 15:14

      Mine wasn’t. I tell you this though; I was actually /glad/ when they said they’d be coming to collect the review sample.

      Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        October 24, 2013 at 15:15

        Let them take their crap back!

        Reply

      • SaintsRowNigri

        October 24, 2013 at 15:15

        Yeah, just now it gets deducted from your salary…

        Reply

  6. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    October 24, 2013 at 15:10

    At that price, it better be able to make me coffee and pleasure me at night…. 😮

    Reply

    • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

      October 24, 2013 at 15:17

      You limit your pleasuring to the night? If I was a walking banana I’d take every chance I get.

      Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        October 24, 2013 at 15:18

        He’s old skool!

        Reply

      • Admiral Chief Ninja

        October 24, 2013 at 15:21

        LOL

        Reply

    • SaintsRowNigri

      October 24, 2013 at 15:21

      Fleshlight: R800.00
      High end coffee machine: R1115.00
      GTA V: R650.00
      = R2565.00

      Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        October 24, 2013 at 15:22

        How on earth would you know how much a flesh light is??? You sick little man!

        Reply

        • ToshZA

          October 24, 2013 at 15:38

          Until I clicked his linky, I actually didn’t even know what one was. I’m a touch horrified.

          Reply

      • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

        October 24, 2013 at 15:22

        I really hope you just googled the price for that fleshlight.

        Reply

        • SaintsRowNigri

          October 24, 2013 at 15:26

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:28

            Can’t access that from work. So, point made.

          • ToshZA

            October 24, 2013 at 15:37

            I have unrestricted access – being the dude who handles all social media and web related stuff. His point is made, trust me. Def NSFW.

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:40

            Thanks

      • HvR

        October 24, 2013 at 15:48

        You can not get a high end coffee machine for under R12k, R4k if you go second hand.

        Reply

        • Grant Hancock

          October 24, 2013 at 16:01

          Amen ! … ain’t no filter or piss-willy makro special espresso machine good enough for the good Lord’s favourite beans 🙂

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 16:01

            DeLonghi ftw

          • HvR

            October 24, 2013 at 16:35

            You coffee peasant.

            Nothing less than a Sprada, Bosch, Jira or Saeco and none of this capsule crap either.

        • SaintsRowNigri

          October 24, 2013 at 16:02

          Okay, Next time I’ll say most expensive coffee machine I could find on Kalahari

          Reply

      • Willem Swanepoel

        October 26, 2013 at 19:35

        No need to buy a flashlight, you can google how to make your own and it will cost you under R50. It is also reusable but it is a bit sticky after the first use

        Reply

    • Willem Swanepoel

      October 26, 2013 at 19:34

      With a keyboard like that, you should have your left or right hand free so that you can pleasure yourself while playing games…just imagine if you squirt on it… then it will be the most expensive sticky keyboard on earth….

      Reply

  7. Admiral Chief Ninja

    October 24, 2013 at 15:11

    Pfff, Razer FTW

    Reply

    • Otto_ki

      October 24, 2013 at 15:12

      Razer high five* Loving my Ananzi but since I got the Nostromo I don’t use the keyboard anymore…and its sooooooo comfy!

      Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      October 25, 2013 at 10:55

      razer keyboards firmware is the worst ive seen on a keyboard
      my lycosa has been giving me trouble since day 1.

      but so pretty.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Ninja

        October 25, 2013 at 10:58

        Oh? I too have one. What issues do you have?

        Reply

        • Matthew Holliday

          October 25, 2013 at 11:04

          the only word to describe it is “spazzing”
          every now and then it just stops working, if i have music playing the touch pad goes haywire and keeps hitting the next button.
          have to unplug it and plug it back in.
          quite inconvenient when it happens ingame.

          its not my pc, i replaced my motherboard recently, and tried it on my work pc, same problems.

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 25, 2013 at 11:06

            That’s really weird. You tried Razer support?

          • Matthew Holliday

            October 25, 2013 at 11:12

            been meaning to update the firmware to the latest version.
            but ive been meaning to that for almost 2 years now.

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 25, 2013 at 11:29

            LOL

  8. Devourer of Small Bunnies

    October 24, 2013 at 15:21

    Billion bucks for no mech keys? Nee man. What is this? THE DARK AGES?

    Reply

  9. ElimiNathan

    October 24, 2013 at 15:21

    This is insane, my Logitech G510 KBoard is basically the same thing and goes for R1300 new

    Reply

  10. Alien Emperor Trevor

    October 24, 2013 at 15:21

    This reminds me though, I think my Xmas prezzie will be a new mouse. The old left click button is getting a bit worn.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Ninja

      October 24, 2013 at 15:21

      What mouse?

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        October 24, 2013 at 15:24

        I’ve got a Roccat Kova, not sure what I’ll get to replace it.

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief Ninja

          October 24, 2013 at 15:28

          My Razer Diamondback is now 8 years old, and still going strong, not even signs of wear and tear, and believe me, it has taken a pounding over the years!

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            October 24, 2013 at 15:29

            Yes I’m partial to getting a Razor. Just have to be careful when buying a mouse because I’m a lefty.

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 15:30

            The diamondback is ambi (but old).

            There are ambi’s available

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 15:31

            *Razer

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:33

            Learn something new everyday on this site.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            October 24, 2013 at 15:34

            I know, who’d have thought I’d want a Razer.

          • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

            October 24, 2013 at 15:34

            Haha

          • Matthew Holliday

            October 25, 2013 at 10:52

            the deathadder does a lefty version, which most places have in stock.
            just wouldnt go for the 2013 model, its looking a bit expensive.

            steelseries are looking good lately though, when it comes time to replace my parts, im going to strongly consider them.

    • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

      October 24, 2013 at 15:24

      I’m thinking that too. My roller is now just one smooth moving wheel. Automatically switching weapons in FPS games while you’re in a fire fight isn’t as handy as you might imagine.

      Reply

      • SaintsRowNigri

        October 24, 2013 at 15:26

        Yeah, but it does keep the game interesting…

        Reply

        • John's (JJ's) Steaming backlog

          October 24, 2013 at 15:28

          I agree. And a lot more tense.

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief Ninja

            October 24, 2013 at 15:29

            Switch to secondary….NOOO NOT A GRENADE NOOOOOOOO HOSTAGES DEAD

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        October 24, 2013 at 15:29

        I was playing Borderlands 2 co-op & one of the guys started a duel. We were pretty close & I accidentally switched to my next weapon – which was a rocket launcher. One shot was all it took. His response was, “Fuck. Rocket launcher.” lol

        Reply

  11. Lourens Jordaan

    October 24, 2013 at 15:47

    Looks like a ligit good buy. I’ll take two!

    Reply

  12. HighlanderZA

    October 24, 2013 at 16:37

    Nah, no mechanical switches and that price. Get yourselves a Gigabyte Osmium keyboard

    Reply

  13. UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy

    October 24, 2013 at 16:43

    If it doesn’t have mechanical switches then why go for it above R1k at all?

    Das-Keyboard… Now THERE is a keyboard!

    Reply

    • Guest

      October 24, 2013 at 17:08

      Indeed. Real men use a Das Keyboard Model S Ultimate…no markings on the keys, mechanical key switches 😉

      http://shop.daskeyboard.com/collections/products/products/das-keyboard-ultimate-model-s

      Reply

      • UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy

        October 25, 2013 at 14:25

        I’m not there yet, but I am seriously thinking about getting a Das-Keyboard. I spend at least 70% of my life behind a keyboard. Just no shops in SA that stock it and I can just see customs screwing me on importing it!

        Reply

        • Guest

          October 25, 2013 at 16:39

          Same here man. It isn’t sold locally and will probably cost R2K+ with customs.
          As cool as this keyboard is and regardless of how much I want it, I can’t justify that kind of price for a keyboard.

          Reply

  14. Weanerdog

    October 24, 2013 at 17:55

    For that price it should be able to pause online multiplayer games.

    Reply

  15. FSR

    October 25, 2013 at 09:52

    Is it just me that finds it extremely unattractive visually? I’ll stick with my K70 thanks.

    Reply

  16. Matthew Holliday

    October 25, 2013 at 10:50

    Its so cheesey
    logitech keyboards havent evolved since they were awesome in 2006.

    Reply

  17. Berretta

    October 25, 2013 at 14:26

    I have one of these 🙂 I’ve got the G19 and I love IT !!!!!!! The LCD display works like a dream, can do loads of stuff with it. like LCDhost, create you’re own LCd headsup display etc etc. If you have the money buy one. 🙂

    Reply

  18. FirstShop

    December 11, 2015 at 14:21

    Absolutely love the look of the Logitech G19s Gaming Keyboard.

    Reply

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