The Logitech G410 Atlas Spectrum mechanical keyboard may be geared toward competitive players but it makes a great accessory for all PC gamers. Aside from the quality and care that has gone into the design, it really offers more for gamers both in and out of game. Every feature from the third-party software down to the components that comprise this piece of hardware come together to create something very special.
Perhaps the simplest design decision of the Logitech Spectrum is the absence of a number pad which allows for a more sensible gaming setup. This makes it an ideal item for taking on the road if you participate in competitive events or simply enjoy taking your high-end gear with you when you travel. It features durable exclusive Romer-G mechanical switches with a 1.5mm actuation point. Keypresses are registered 25% faster than other current mechanical keyboards with a 70 million keystroke durability which allows it to surpass the lifespan of most other high-end keyboards.
I could feel a significant improvement when I switched from my lower-end $20 keyboard to the spectrum. I primarily game with a 360 controller on my PC, but there are games with partial to absolutely no controller support for gamepads so having a good keyboard on-hand is essential for playing certain titles.
The Atlas Spectrum keyboard has an incredibly intuitive backlight system. When using the Logitech Gaming Software application in conjunction with the keyboard, you can customize the light of every individual key and create custom presets that will switch when you go between different games or software. Within each profile you can choose to add different lighting zones to your light schemes, allowing you to assign a single color to a large number of keys easily. These zones can also be labeled individually and altered on a whim allowing you to control the color scheme as well as that color's brightness in real time. This is one of my favorite features because backlit keyboards can often times be a little on the bright side. It can also help if you decide to use similar colors in one profile by allowing you to have brighter or darker shades of the same color mixed together.
You can set the colors on the keyboard to cycle through the lighting spectrum in multiple ways as well. Have a cascade of color spiraling constantly in between games or while your computer idles or set it to a specific color. (Just watch the video above, peoples.) If you have other Logitech peripheral devices with customizable lights hooked up to your computer, you can sync all of them together so that their lighting schemes are similar to each other.
The profiles you create can be tied to more than one game or program at a time. This makes it easy to have similar layouts for similar games and software so you don’t have to remake lighting schemes constantly. Although it registers non-game software as a “game” when you create profiles assigned to them, nothing changes in the functionality of the lighting.
There are also a few other modes that aren’t based around the cosmetics of the keyboard. The Game Mode setting menu allows you to disable certain keys when a game is active, allowing you to cancel out keys you could accidentally hit while in game that would disrupt the experience. The Input Analysis mode allows you to record your keypresses while using the keyboard. Afterwards it translates the information lighting up the section of keys that have the highest heat register. This can help anyone who wants to determine exactly which section of the keyboard they use the most.
For those who want a little bit more than sleek design and pretty lights, you’ll definitely get it. A new app that works directly with Logitech Gaming Software called Arx Control enables you to access in-game display information on your mobile device including system performance information and the ability to control certain media. As long as your PC can be located through Wi-Fi, the application will recognize it and load up the profiles you’ve created through the Logitech software.
At $129.99, the Logitech G410 Atlas Spectrum is a rather fair price for the amount of functionality and quality you get from the Atlas Spectrum. Most backlit keyboards come with a few color options at best. This keyboard has seemingly endless color combination possibilities and high-end durability. Add to that the fact that you can virtually turn your phone into a wireless remote to cycle through the presets you create and you’ve got an amazing gaming accessory at your literal fingertips.
