Usage and Conclusion

Having used the OCZ Sabre OLED keyboard for a couple of weeks on my main system, I concluded up having mixed opinions. The standard 103-keyboard works just fine. I would accept preferred a larger, more pronounced wrist balance, simply other than that information technology gets the job done.

Full general typing and push button pressing takes a hair more than force than I am used to with my Logitech G15. This could easily be accredited to the fact that it is make new and I have owned the G15 for a few years, then odds are the keys will loosen a touch over time. I besides noticed the keys are a fleck more than audible than the G15. The Sabre keys are clickier and have a slight thud as each key is depressed whereas the G15 seems to have a slightly lighter overall tone. Nevertheless, the Sabre is nowhere near as loud as say, the Das Keyboard.

Overall build quality on the main keys is sturdy. There is very niggling wiggle room when moving a finger back and forth across a single key without pressing it. This is not the example on the G15 where I find a lot of horizontal play in each key.

The top of the OLED keys are flat unlike the slight concave typing keys. Since these keys are so large, it seems natural to want to printing them in the center, although I had no problem activating them past pressing anywhere on the key. Unlike the typing keys, however, the OLED keys weren't as rigid and did accept a good bit of play in them.

Also the OLED key bank, there are no other boosted features like USB ports or media controls to draw you in. The blue LEDs on either side of the board didn't seem to offering much functionality in a existent usage scenario every bit they were not bright enough to overcome the illumination from my monitors.

Anyone interested in this keyboard is clearly in it for the OLED keys. My everyday keyboard is a Logitech G15 which has a banking company of macro keys that I take come to love. Coming from that background the OLED keys on the Sabre provided me with a ton of functionality. Having i stroke shortcuts to oft opened programs and text strings that I type often similar my email address and passwords is a huge time-saver.

The main outcome I accept with the Logitech G15 is forgetting which programmed key performs which function. The Sabre eliminates this guesswork, allowing you to display a helpful visual reminder of exactly what each key does. This can go a long way in games and most any awarding where y'all can plan macros and have icons to remind you what each push button does.

The nine OLED cardinal limitation is easily overcome thanks to the included management software that can recognize and switch control layers based on the active programme or awarding at any given time.

Equally cool as the OLED keys are, the fact that they are monochromatic can exist problematic at times. The pre-loaded images look great, as they were designed for use on the yellow OLED screens. The outcome was lackluster still when loading icons or graphics that weren't designed specifically for monochromatic use. Images with multiple colors only looked bad when loaded onto the Sabre. For example, when you bind a push button to launch an application, the management program asks if you lot want to load an icon from the programme'due south icon set. Near all of the icons I tried had random dots lining the edge which looked terrible.


I tried changing the rendering option from dither to contour which didn't seem to help matters as you tin can encounter in the instance photos. I was, withal, able to find several usable graphics via Google's prototype search. The cardinal was to look for images with a solid black background and minimal color changes. You lot could but as easily create your own icons if you are somewhat versed in graphic blueprint. Unfortunately I am non.

I checked OCZ'due south support forums in hopes of finding some additional downloadable graphics to use just came up empty handed. I could see a user-created graphics gallery being a neat resource for fellow Sabre owners.


Aside from this, I had no other issues with the OLED keys. They worked every time, the layer images and functions inverse instantly as I focused on different programs and the keys were nice and bright and hands viewable from almost any bending.

The OCZ Sabre Keyboard tin be establish for around $145 at diverse online retailers. That means y'all are still paying a premium versus a standard keyboard, simply every bit things stand today the Sabre remains a very unique product. If you don't mind so much most looks every bit you do almost functionality, the Sabre is an excellent and affordable alternative to a full-color OLED keyboard.

Pros: Nine programmable OLED keys. Space number of layers. OLEDs employ little power. 128 MB on-lath retentivity. Affordable compared to other OLED offerings.

Cons: Monochromatic keys severely limit image usability – Aren't overly pretty. No Extras (USB Ports, Media Controls, etc.). Sidelighting is no more than a gimmick.