Diversity in your product lineup is a good thing, we suppose, but in any that’s how Logitech is approaching its mechanical keyboard lineup. The company has been packing its homegrown Romer-G switches onto its keyboards lately, but its new G610 Orion keyboards offer Cherry MX Red or Cherry MX Brown switches, instead.
Really, the G610 Orion keyboards are essentially the same as the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum, but with Cherry switches and white backlighting instead of Romer-G switches and RGB lighting. The chassis design and key layouts look identical.
Not that that’s a bad thing. The look (of both the G810 Orion Spectrum and G610 Orion Red/Brown) is simple but classy, and a welcome departure from some of Logitech’s gaudier designs.
These keyboards use Logitech’s LGS software, which allows you to program keys (including the 12 F keys), create macros, and set all manner of custom lighting effects. The customization options perhaps aren’t quite as compelling without colors -- you’re limited to white LEDs only -- but still, you get per-key lighting, and you can sync the keyboard lighting across multiple Logitech devices and employ built-in lighting modes, such as:
1 - Left to right wave 2 - Right to left wave 3 - Center out waves 4 - Breathing - brightness 5 - Light pulse from each key pressed 0 - Solid lighting - no effects _(-) - Slows down effect with each press =(+) - Speeds up effects with each press
The per-game profile feature allows you to configure certain keys to be off or on for a given application, program headset EQ and audio, and even define mouse settings.
There’s also the small matter of price. The G810 Orion Spectrum costs $40 more than the new boards, presumably because of the RGB lighting, but it’s possible that the Romer-G switches bump up the price, too. In any case, $119 (€139) seems like a fine price for what the G610 Orions offer.
Both the G610 Orion Brown and G610 Orion Red are coming to the U.S. and Europe this month.
| Make/Model | Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum | Logitech G610 Orion Red/Brown |
|---|---|---|
| Model Type | Standard (U.S) | Standard (U.S) |
| Switch Type | Romer-G Mechanical Switches | Cherry MX Red / Brown |
| Actuation Force | 45g | 45g (Red) / 55g (Brown) |
| Lighting | 16.8 Million Color RGB backlight | White backlight, individual per key |
| Additional ports | None | None |
| Cable Type | 6-ft USB | 6-ft USB |
| Key Caps | Standard Smooth Black white laser-marked lettering | Standard Smooth Black white laser-marked lettering |
| Estimated Keystrokes | 70 Million | 50 Million |
| Software | Logitech Gaming Software | Logitech Gaming Software |
| Weight | 41.6 oz | 42.3 oz |
| Dimensions | 153 x 443.5 x 34.3 mm | 153 x 443.5 x 34.3 mm |
| Accessories | None | None |
| Misc. | -12 programmable F keys-Gaming Mode (with dedicated button)-Numerous per-key lighting effects-Dedicated media buttons, including volume roller | -12 programmable F keys-Gaming Mode (with dedicated button)-Numerous per-key lighting effects-Dedicated media buttons, including volume roller |
| Price | $159 | $119 |
Seth Colaner is the News Director for Tom's Hardware. Follow him on Twitter @SethColaner. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube.
