IOGEAR HVER PRO X Backlit Optical Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

1 review for IOGEAR HVER PRO X Backlit Optical Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

1. Rated 4 out of 5

   Ressie White
   November 12, 2022    Verified Purchase

   I’m not a gamer. I like having an illuminated keyboard so I don’t have to turn on the lights while I’m at my computer, so you might want to find a review by a hardcore gamer for a balanced view on this keyboard. When my trusty Saitek keyboard started acting up, I decided to look for today’s full-color keyboard lighting at an affordable price, and the IOGEAR HVER PRO X showed up right on time. Here’s what I like about the HVER PRO X: Full RGB color, with individually-addressable keys (although only a maximum of eight colors are selectable). Eight color patterns, six of them animated, built right into the keyboard, with three more do-it-yourself memories you can progroam yourself (but not animate), all without downloading any software packages. To your computer, it looks like a standard USB keyboard. Here’s what I dislike about the HVER PRO X: The symbols on the keys are a bit hard to read. The feel. I haven’t typed on a keyboard that felt like this since the Good Old Days when they were found at a terminal under a monochrome, text-only CRT in a bank. Even that irritating clacking sound is back. And THAT’S the only reason I haven’t given this keyboard a full five-star rating. The keyboard feel may be due to the use of optical keystroke-sensing technology, which should be bulletproof if it works as intended. I’m not about to pour a cup of coffee on my keyboard to see if it’s as waterproof as claimed. The free software download from IOGEAR comes without documentation, instructions, or help files of any sort — not even mouseover labels. Maybe a gamer will recognize what everything does on sight, but there are some parts I still can’t figure out. A phone call to IOGEAR Support was no help. It does offer lots more color patterns, plus macro key programmability (which I don’t need), but it will thoughtlessly wipe out any DIY color patterns you programmed into your keyboard yourself when you open it. At least you can do without the software if you don’t need the extra features.