Overall this keyboard is fine but it has some issues that really make it kind of frustrating to use. First the instructions are basically a folded up semi glossy thick piece of paper that really doesn't explain how the keyboard works. So you will have to learn how to use the keyboard by trial and error, but I will explain what I know in this review later. There is NO software which is both a pro and a con. Pro because you won't have any software related issues with drivers and such especially now in the win 10 era where any single auto update from MS might break it's compatibility. Con because you won't be able to keep settings stored on your PC and upload them to the keyboard so you will be limited to what the keyboard can hold (5 customized setups). The font on the keys is terrible, take a good look at it in the images because while not a deal breaker it sometimes make me pause when I look down at the keyboard keys. The number '8' looks like an 'H', the 'G' and '6' look the same, the '5' and 'S' look the same, the '&' looks like a strange 'Z', 'O' and '0' looks like and upside down 'U', and 'B' looks like a '13'. And last thing I need to mention is the keyboard is LOUD when you type. I don't mind it so much but I haven't had a keyboard this loud since the late 80's early 90's and I can tell you that for some people it will definitely be a major issue along with anyone else in the room. I don't think I could sleep in my bedroom which is near my PC if someone were typing a lot on this keyboard. Each keyboard key only has 7 possible colors.



Now for the programming aspects of the keyboard. The first and foremost thing you need to understand is FN+ESC completely resets the keyboard. For the longest time I was using it to go back to solid color mode but that is a mistake. It wipes all your custom made setups. What you should do is press FN+F12 to cycle through the modes to go back to the mode you want. Once you do that you can start customizing things.



You setups are stored in 5 keys to select them you press FN and one of the following keys (Home | PgUP | Del | END | PgDn). There are some default setups stored in them so you can select them immediately. To modify the setup just press FN+Ins and you will see the num lock light flash and all the keyboard lights turn off. You can now press the keys you want to light up and keep pressing them till you get the color you want. This is a very time consuming process. To exit and save it press FN + Ins again. If you forgot a key or have a key turned on that you want off or a different color, your a SOL. You have to press FN+Ins again and it wipes out the layout you had there and you have to start from scratch. Remember what I said earlier. DO NOT press FN+ESC it wipes ALL the customized layouts and puts back the default factory ones. You have to FN+F12 and cycle through all the options sequentially to get back to solid color mode.



Here is a list of the main Function keys minus the obvious multimedia ones F1-F11. All are accessed by holding down FN + the following key:

ESC - resets the keyboard to almost factory defaults (wipes all customized slots to factory default)

Home - Custom Slot 1 ; PgUp - Custom Slot 2 ; Del - Custom Slot 3 ; End - Custom Slot 4 ; PgDn - Custom Slot 5

Ins - Customize selected Slot ( Warning wipes out selected slot current config )

PtSc - Turns off the keyboard lighting ( pressing it again does NOT turn the keyboard on again)

F12 - Cycles through the keyboard modes or Turns it on again if you turned it off with PtSc function.

ArrowUp - Increase Brightness

ArrowDown - Decrease Brightness

ArrowLeft - Change all keyboard keys to previous color

ArrowRight - Change all keyboard keys to next color



To quickly go back to your default single color mode rather than to just cycle through all the modes with FN+F12, I found it's best to use FN+PtSc to turn off the keyboard lights, then FN+F12 to turn the keyboard lights on which will default to the single color mode setting.



For the price I paid for this keyboard it still is an excellent value. And so far it has been working flawlessly. It feels very good to the touch when typing and I have had no issues with it other than the losing my customized settings for the time I was using FN+Esc as my shortcut to get back to single color mode. That was technically user error, but only an error because it was never mentioned in the documentation that FN+ESC reset the custom slots to factory defaults. The sound profile is just too loud IMHO to be used by anyone that has a shared PC used near bedrooms or living rooms where others might be watching TV or Movies. It might also be distracting to some gamers who don't use headphones. So it's okay, but I don't think I'd buy it again.