Review and tests Genius GX Gaming Manticore Black. Advanced gaming keyboard

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Genius, with its GX Gaming brand, seems to be serious about conquering the market for manipulators designed specifically for gamers. We have already managed to get acquainted with the mouse, which left a very favorable impression.

Today we will get acquainted with a larger "weapon" - the GX Gaming Manticore keyboard, among the combat capabilities of which you can find everything that a serious e-sports player needs. Let's get to know each other.

Packaging and equipment

The keyboard is sold in a cardboard box of impressive size, which is decorated in dark colors. There are many pictograms on the packaging that tell about the main "chips" of the device inside.

In addition to the keyboard, the kit includes a user manual and a CD with drivers.

Design and ergonomics

The keyboard, as befits a gaming device, has a very aggressive design. Beveled corners, a combination of black matte and glossy plastic, as well as scarlet "metal-like" inserts on the sides - all this looks impressive.

The main blocks of keys are completely standard. Enter is big, both Shift keys are wide, Backspace is short. The keys have standard sizes and a fairly long travel. Pressing at the same time is of medium elasticity, the level of generated noise can also be described as medium. This keyboard is suitable not only for games, but also for typing.

What surprised me a little in the gaming keyboard is the WASD block, which is not highlighted either visually or tactilely.

To the left of the main unit are eight programmable G-keys, which have a somewhat unusual shape, expressed in the inclination of each pair of buttons towards each other. Thus, they are quite comfortable to the touch.

There are three functions available for each of these keys, which can be switched between banks using the P1, P2 and P3 buttons. They are in front of the Space button.

The MR key, located behind F11, is responsible for recording macros. To the left of it are four media player control buttons, as well as a button responsible for the backlight. With its help, successive presses can change the brightness of the backlight from minimum to medium, and then to maximum, or turn it off completely.

The Lock mode indicators are in their usual place, they also have an MR indicator, which, by its blinking, signals the macro recording process.

Noteworthy is the absence of one important detail for a gaming keyboard - a button that blocks the Win key.

Another useful feature of this keyboard can be the presence of two USB ports located on the rear end near its right edge. This is very convenient, because no need to bend over system unit to, for example, connect a flash drive.

Let's look at the bottom. Here we have five rubber pads that exclude any movement of the keyboard on the table, and two large folding legs that allow you to tilt the case towards you. Also in the back there are grooves that make it possible to put the cable in them and take it out of the case in the place you need: if you want closer to the left edge, if you want - to the right, or even in the middle.

The cable, by the way, has an impressive thickness and is placed in a fabric sheath. At its end are two USB connectors, because. for the operation of the keyboard, backlight and USB ports, one is not enough.

In work

With the help of Scorpion UI proprietary software, which is installed from a disk or downloaded, you can configure and reassign buttons, save up to three profiles on a computer or keyboard memory, and record macros. The "Advanced" tab also revealed the ability to disable the Win key in each of the profiles. In the last tab, you can customize the highlight color for each of the three zones.

As for the behavior of the keyboard in general, then, as already mentioned, it is quite suitable for typing. But after all the keypad game - what texts? Really. In games, the GX Gaming Manticore behaves with dignity, the keys have a good feedback, so regardless of the style of keystrokes, there are no problems.

All additional features in the form of G-keys, profiles and macro recording are implemented with high quality and work as they should.

It is also worth noting the backlight, which in the heat of night battles is very useful. The ability to change its colors is also not superfluous, because the default RGB combination is not entirely successful. But the yellow or orange backlight in the dark is very pleasant.

Conclusion

GX Gaming Manticore is a good alternative to more expensive gaming keyboards. She has everything you need for virtual battles: G-keys, the ability to change profiles, macro recording, built-in memory. Separately, it is worth noting the convenient buttons for controlling multimedia functions and high-quality backlighting, the color of which can be changed at your discretion.

Backlighting can come in handy in the evening and at night, and at the same time you are not limited to the color chosen by the developers. There were some annoying little things in the form of the absence of a separate button to disable the Win key, but it can be blocked in the profile settings, so this nuance can be forgiven.

Photos taken in TECHLABS studio, photographer Kirill Kruchinin

The dispute over what to choose - "mechanics" or "membrane" already exists for a long time, each solution has a huge fan base. But in modern models, mechanical keyboards are becoming less and less common. Genius GX Gaming Manticore is aimed specifically at advanced gamers, here the developers tried to convey the feeling of using mechanical keys.

Why are mechanical keyboards so good? Loved for their durability, less risk of breakage due to spilled liquids or drops, and the ability to clamp right away a large number of buttons. What do you need from a product that is aimed at advanced gamers? This is speed, the presence of additional buttons for macros and intelligent software for configuration. Nice additions are appearance and the possibility of customization, the latter is often solved by backlighting. It's all there in Genius Keyboard. But whether everything is so good in practice, we'll see during testing.

Video review Genius GX Gaming Manticore

Genius GX Gaming Manticore Availability

At the time of testing, the average cost of Genius GX Gaming Manticore, according to the Yandex.Market service, is 3175 rubles.

Equipment

The keyboard comes in a massive, brightly designed package made of soft cardboard. Inside the keyboard is fixed in a separate block. On the sides of the box is placed information on technical specifications and proprietary technologies of this model.

The buyer receives a CD with software and a warranty card.

Appearance

Representatives of the GX Gaming line stand out noticeably from model range Genius. We have already tested a number of mice from this series. This is manifested both in the design of the elements and in the dimensions of the case.

Bevelled corners, additional buttons, differences in the plane, inserts along the edges - all this makes a good impression.

The basis uses plastic, there is a combination of matte and glossy finish. The gloss area, unfortunately, is quite large, so there are a lot of fingerprints.

The Genius GX Gaming Manticore comes with a full set of traditional buttons. There are full-sized Enter and Shift buttons. The keys are standard size and have a lot of travel.

At first, the buttons are pressed with little effort, there is a not very pleasant creak. This effect disappears with use.

But the noise of clicks on the keys remains, here we have a reference to mechanical keyboards.

The case contains blocks of additional buttons. In the zone on the left are eight programmable G-keys. Additional software is required to configure them. Not a very convenient solution in terms of button placement - here they are arranged in pairs, it is problematic to determine the right one out of habit.

Another block from the bottom under the key - SPACEBAR. These are the P1, P2 and P3 buttons, they are responsible for switching settings profiles. In order not to get confused in the active profile, you can make your own backlight color for each.

Another useful button is located in the upper zone, it is responsible for starting macro recording. Thus, the necessary macros can be entered directly in the game without switching to the proprietary utility.

In the upper zone of the Genius GX Gaming Manticore, it is also worth highlighting the buttons for controlling the media player and the button for changing the backlight.

On the bottom edge there are five rubber feet that fix the keyboard well on a flat surface. To change the angle, two folding legs are provided. The angle of inclination is not so great.

A block with two USB ports is displayed from one of the corners. It is convenient if you need to connect a drive - you will not need to reach for the system unit. But for its operation, you will have to use two USB connectors on the case at once.

Since the keyboard is connected using two USB connectors, optionally only one can be connected. The cable itself is long enough and comes in a fabric sheath.

Soft

To unlock the full potential of the Genius GX Gaming Manticore Keyboard, a proprietary software download is required. Download it from the official site or a complete disk. Everything is problematic with the site at the moment, there is no download link on the Russian version, we managed to find only on the English version.

Scorpion UI is divided into four main tabs. A block for selecting the active profile is displayed in the lower part, including the ability to backup and downloading the finished profile. The last point is useful if the keyboard is taken with you to a LAN party or competition.

The main window offers a setting for the G-key block. The setting is in the form of a drop-down list. There is a pre-installed list of hot actions, but there are not as many of them as we would like. Each button can have its own macro.

The Genius GX Gaming Manticore works with macros in a separate tab. The tool makes it possible not only to record, but also to edit the time interval between clicks.

In the third tab, you can block the WIN button. We block it for each profile separately. You can also activate the profile when you open a game or a specific program.

The fourth tab is the backlight setting. Each of the three zones is configured separately. It is possible not only to select the color of the backlight, but also to turn on the ripple. The utility lacks the ability to check for software updates and keyboard firmware.

Testing

Used test stand:

Model	Data
Frame	Aerocool Strike-X Air
Motherboard	Biostar Hi-Fi Z87X 3D
CPU	Intel Core i5-4670K Haswell
CPU cooler	Deep Cool Ice Blade Pro v2.0
RAM	Corsair CMX16GX3M2A1600C11 DDR3-1600 16GB Kit CL11
HDD	ADATA XPG SX900 256 GB
Hard disk 2	WD Red WD20EFRX
Power Supply	There are no problems in everyday tasks and typing a large amount of texts. Although I did not really like the small area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe wrist placement area. Because of this, the angle of the brush is not very comfortable. Totals for Genius GX Gaming Manticore Genius GX Gaming Manticore is a keyboard with a good level of performance, it is quite capable of competing with offers from more hyped brands in the price range from 3000 to 5000 rubles. A set of additional buttons, a system of settings profiles, macro recording, built-in memory, good assembly, three-zone lighting, USB connectors on the case are offered.

Genius announces the GX Manticore, the next generation of professional keyboards for gaming in all categories. It's optimized controllable backlighting, a completely new mechanical keystroke experience, and the confidence to win.

With a palette of 16 million shades, you can choose your favorite backlight color within 3 clustered areas, as well as adjust the brightness using 4 different levels. Combined key illumination gives you a tactical advantage in low light conditions.

8 side macro keys will help to increase the number of "quick" commands. Allowing you to assign 24 macros, they will help you quickly and without unnecessary actions switch to the game mode. The tactile feel of the keys is so sensitive that you can play blindly.

The Scorpion user interface includes 3 game profiles for different game categories with the ability to quickly switch between them.

GX Manticore has built-in memory to prevent delay in command execution. 6 separate media control keys allow you to quickly control audio / video content. The anti-ghost function allows you to press up to 20 keys at the same time without the effect of delaying the execution of commands.

With two additional USB ports located directly on the keyboard, you can connect USB peripherals: headphones, mouse, speakers, etc.

I will sell a touch phone (smartphone) Duos communicator LG GX-500 DUOS with two (!, radio modules (2 simultaneously active SIM cards, you can talk on one SIM and receive and answer a call on the second), RosTest, in excellent condition : box, manual, battery, original USB cable and original wired headset LG GX500 is ideal for business people whose phones ring endlessly, makes your life much easier thanks to dual SIM support, you no longer have to carry two phones with you . WiFi module will provide access to the Internet. 1. Good battery - enough for about 3 days with 1+ hour of calls per day. Quite worthy for a dual-sim phone with two radio modules. 2. Convenient menu organization. 3. Very convenient organization of dialing and, in general, the whole philosophy of a dual-sim phone (no bullying from the device, no reboots, no keys on the side of switching sim cards and other nonsense like Samsung) to SIM cards, binding in the phone book - and calls are always made from the SIM card to which the number is tied, while in one click you can change the binding - everything is very logical. 4. Excellent design and assembly - No gloss and other nonsense, no squeaks, no backlash, and non-slip - beauty; not easily soiled, tactilely solid plastic; lock buttons, louder / quieter, camera, call / hang up and window manager are separate. Micro usb port with a plug and an external slot for a card with a plug (change without rebooting the phone) 5. WIfi. 6. loud speaker- Mp3 ringtone is audible well and does not wheeze. The speaker shortcomings listed below may be due to poor reception. 7. Good touch screen. (you need to get used to it, but the screens of dual-sim Samsungs from Philips rest as well as Gigabyte Gsmart) 8. The ability to turn on the qwerty keyboard mode when texting and browsing the Internet - I really need some skill to hit with my not very small fingers. 9. Ability to include a very large menu font. A very useful feature. 10. Installing Java applications. 11. Through Bluetooth, the phone on the computer is shared like a USB flash drive - i.e. add delete files without any software. 12. Weight - feels good in the hand - it's nice. 13. Lots of fun software tricks. Like the sound of rain (very realistic by the way) or the purring of a cat, a subway map, and much more. Among the advantages, you can write down a good sensor, a camera that takes good pictures, though only in daylight. The buttons on the sides are located very conveniently. In the dark, you can easily remove both from the lock, and enter the menu, and change the volume. Charges quickly. Yes, and the charge holds for a long time, well, in part. I often fall asleep with headphones, and when I wake up, the music is still playing. Charging lasts until the end of the next day. The ability to read documents on the phone, but before that, transfer to txt. Well, of course, we should mention the alarm clock. It's up to you whether it's a plus or not, but this phone has a beast built into it. You won't be able to sleep.