There are two kinds of gamers. There are those who liken to smaller, compact keyboards without number pads so they have weight to haul into a LAN and more space for the mouse, and there are the gamers who like a full sized keyboard for their tactile keys, number pad, and familiar design. Everglide t-1000 pro Professional Gaming Keyboard falls into the second group. There aren't any extra buttons for launching your web browser, e-mail client, or anything extra that probably won't be used. It's a basic 104-key USB keyboard with a traditional layout that will make you remember the days before keyboard manufacturers started messing with layouts and adding all sorts of extra buttons.

Look, Feel, and Design

First impression after unwrapping the t-1000: black, slim and lightweighted. The edges are curved, and the black keys have white letters. Only the blue Everglide logo above the function keys adds a colored spot. The status blue LEDs Caps, Num Lock, Scroll Lock) are on their usual spot in the upper right part of the keyboard.

Features:
- Ultra-thin profile keys
- Built-in Headset Port
- Built-in Microphone Port
- Built-in USB 2.0 Port
- 5 Multimedia Hot Keys
- Minimal Acoustic Response Keys
- Unique Key Design Layout

Specifications:
- USB Keyboard - Operating voltage: 5+5%V
- 104 keys - Power consumption: Max 220mW
- Headphones extension port - Keyboard cable length: 5 feet
- Microphone extension port - Component design life: 5 years
- 5 Multimedia keys - Key switch life: Over 10 million cycle

I hope that the many pictures I provided help convey the solid build quality of this keyboard. There are many signs of good design and attention to detail. As I mentioned above, the t-1000 has a standard layout with a full complement of function keys, regular "inverted T" arrows with the usual Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down layout above it (in two rows of three). There's a typical numeric keypad, too.

The t-1000 also has two audio ports (Mic, headphone), one USB port, 5 multimedia keys (replay, pause and volume adjustments) and three special system keys namely "Sleep", "WakeUp" and "Power" for controlling the computer's state. The additional ports (USB and audio) are just normal extensions to your computer bound ports. The audio ports are on the left-hand side of the keyboard, while the USB ports are on the top edge/side of the keyboard, close to where the LEDs are above the numpad. That way, they are both accessible and unobtrusive. The bottom of the t-1000 is quite plain, has four rubber feet, two of which can be raised to tilt the keyboard up a few extra degrees.

Installation

Installation is a no-brainer. With its USB-only connection the Aurora plugs nicely into any PC, and the USB port on the keyboard also allows for easy connection of mouse or other device. This can simplify connections since you will only have the keyboard's USB connector to hook up to the back of your computer, if you choose to plug the mouse into the t-1000 keyboard. If you choose to use the audio cables, they are color-coded in the standard scheme so there is no confusion.

Testing

It works :-) The keys have a very smooth pressure point and give almost no acoustic response and the standard layout shouldn't cause any usability problems and requires no learning curve. Perhaps the most important thing to know about this keyboard is the laptop-like action and feel of its keys. As you can tell from the pictures, the keys have a very flat profile and are probably less than half the height of normal keyboard key caps. They also have less travel than regular keys, and as a result, typing on this keyboard feels more like typing on a laptop keyboard than a regular, full-sized keyboard.

The keys have a very smooth pressure point and give almost no acoustic response. For me, it's a bit too quiet. I like to having a firm clicky response when I'm typing. Another my complaint is that the "inverted T" arrows set is located __too_close__ to the usual Delete/End/PageUp row of keys. Actually I have the same problem with the PrintScreen/Scroll-Lock/Pause row of keys, which are too close to Insert/Home/PageUp row of keys. Whether you like this really depends on your preferences. I prefer classic design/layout with strictly separate island for the arrows - so I like to quickly smack them without looking.

Conclusion

The Everglide t-1000 pro Professional Gaming Keyboard is a keyboard that not only looks good, but is constructed well. It'll go well with any system, especially those with black cases / monitors, and has a professional look to it. Its price is quite high, however, it does offer many nice features such as a slick, quiet design and a USB/Audio ports.. While there aren't any extra buttons, the t-1000 focuses on implementing a traditional design that will be attractive to many.� The layout, key response and behavior are subject to one's personal taste, so you should testdrive the t-1000 before you buy! Also, if you do not like the laptop-like action (thinner keys, less key travel) then this keyboard will not be for you.

Pros:
- looks pretty good - slim and compact design
- good manufactoring quality
- built� Headset, Microphone and USB ports
- volume control

Cons:
- keyboard design/layout could be better
- price

Special thanks to IndiWEB for providing the Everglide t-1000 pro Professional Gaming Keyboard.