If solid-state drives are gaining popularity in the storage space, the keyboard market is steadily seeing a rise in the amount of mechanical keyboards making their way into the scene. Even with all the hype surrounding mechanical keys, it doesn’t really elevate your game. What it does offer is a sensation and tactility that regular keys just don’t give.
That said, many manufacturers try to differentiate themselves and offer a series of mechanical keyboards for every gamers and some just don’t. Tt eSports is one of those companies that do offer multiple mechanical keyboard solutions in their Meka line. Today we have the top offering of Tt eSports’ Meka series: the Meka G-Unit. Let’s make this showy and see if this ain’t just no 50-cent keyboard thang.
Tt eSports has made their presence felt in the eSports community starting off from the days of their Challenger keyboard. Jumping into the mechanical keyboard trend, they introduced the Meka series with offerings for each market segment from the humble Meka, the souped-up Meka G1 and today’s subject, the big daddy Meka G-Unit. We were supposed to have this review up by late December but no thanks to Philippines Customs hanging out at the local EMS center, we’ve got delayed up to this point. We’ll fill you guys in regarding that matter on a future post. For now, let’s get on with this review.
[toggle title=”SPECIFICATION”]-  Tt. Breakaway Gold-Plated USB Connection Cable(2 Meters in Length) - They mean you can unplug it from the body•            Audio/Microphone Jacks Onboard - Should be a staple for all high-end keyboards
- 7 Easy Access Multimedia Keys -Â Another must-have especially for audio geeks
- 60 Macro Keys across 3 Profiles -Â I’ve yet to meet anyone using more than 5 but more is always welcome I suppose
- Tt Game Mode Option (Disables Windows Key) -Â I love when they call such a simple function with fancy names
- Authentic Cherry Black Mechanical Key Switches
- Selective Backlighting -Â this is kinda misleading, but it means that only selected keys are illuminated and NOT that you can select which keys are lit
- Cable Management Slots Located on the Bottom of the Keyboard
- 64KB Onboard Memory
- 1000 Hz Polling Rate Limit
- Detachable Wrist Rest for Maximum Comfort -Â sweet sweet wrist rest
- 50 Million Keystroke Lifespan
- 2 Onboard USB Hubs
- USB to PS2 Adapter included
- Body dimensions (LxWxH): 430x160x40mm
PRODUCT IMAGES
[tabs tab1=”Packaging” tab2=”Closer Look” tab3=”The Software”] [tab]PACKAGING
| [singlepic id=4909 w=200 h=120 float=center]Tt eSports packages the Meka G-Unit in black box that has a metallic theme going on. Upfront we can see an image of the keyboard as well as some marketing bullets on the cover. the Meka G-Unit name is tagged with an “Armed for Battle” slogan. | [singlepic id=4910 w=200 h=120 float=center] Flipping the box over we have a shot of the keyboard layout highlighted by marketing bullets and a feature list. Again we see that “Armed for Battle” catchphrase. |
| [singlepic id=4911 w=200 h=120 float=center]Opening up the top flap, we an insert that shows us the software UI of the Meka G-Unit. To the left is a cardboard insert that holds the manual and a couple other things. | [singlepic id=4912 w=200 h=120 float=center]Removing the inside cover reveals the keyboard itself protected by a plastic bag. Up top we see some cardboard spacers and beneath this (not picture) is the USB cable along with a small pouch and undearneath the entire keyboard is a carry bag for the Meka G-Unit itself. |
| [singlepic id=4913 w=200 h=120 float=center] The Meka G-Unit’s packs a couple of Battle Dragon stickers as well as a manual. Not included in the picture is the carry bag for the keyboard. The manual states that the package includes an installation CD but our sample did not have one. The configuration software can be downloaded from Tt eSports’ website. | |
CLOSER LOOK
| Â [singlepic id=4916 w=200 h=120 float=center]Here is the Meka G-Unit without its wrist-rest. A completely different looking creature altogether than its full-sized depiction. | [singlepic id=4914 w=200 h=120 float=center] Now here is the keyboard with its full-sized glory. The wrist-rest really adds some flavor to the entire look as well as comfort. Tt eSports decide to go with a matte finish on the Meka G-unit which is similar to their entire keyboard line including the Challenger. |
| Â [singlepic id=4915 w=200 h=120 float=center]The undersized of the Meka G-Unit shows some industrial design with some parts extruded. Rubber feets are present and screw-covers are abudant. There is a groove provided for the USB cable. | [singlepic id=4917 w=200 h=120 float=center] The lighting on the Meka G-Unit is done in all-white with the “Tt” logo up-top having a reddish glow. The Num Lock, Caps Lock and Scr Lock keys are also illuminated to show their status. The Meka G-Unit uses “selective” lighting, as Tt eSports puts it, for illumination meaning only relevant gaming key clusters are lit such as the WASD and arrow keys. |
| Â [singlepic id=4918 w=200 h=120 float=center] Lighting is not as intense compared to other keyboards we’ve seen. We did like the toggle feature which quickly cycles the lighting option to Low, Medium, High and Pulsating. | [singlepic id=4921 w=200 h=120 float=center] Here are the extra keys found on the Meka G-Unit’s top shell. We have a mini-USB port for the cable which in-turns power the two USB ports and audio hub on the keyboard. |
| Â [singlepic id=4923 w=200 h=120 float=center] The USB end is capped in gold-plating which is a nice touch and always appreciated. | [singlepic id=4924 w=200 h=120 float=center]The cable that comes with the Meka G-unit is a 1.5m long braided USB cable. An in-line velcro strap is included for cable management and easy storage. |
SOFTWARE
| [singlepic id=5028 w=200 h=120 float=center] The configuration software is a tad bit too flary for my taste. We really have to ask manufacturers to really keep their UI simple but functional. Things like this are for kids. Going back to the UI itself, the software allows us to modify the extra keys on the left side of the keyboard and assign different functions for them including macros pre-recorded using the software. The Meka G-unit stores this data onboard its 64KB memory. | [singlepic id=5027 w=200 h=120 float=center] The macro recording interface is a basic macro recorder that allows keystrokes to be set as well as delay times. One can set the macros they’ve created to the extra keys. The Meka G-unit has a quick profile switcher to instantly switch between 3 profiles with differing key assignments. |
PERFORMANCE, COMFORT, FUNCTIONALITY
Just like any new keyboard, the Meka G-Unit requires a bit of getting used to. The Meka G-Unit doesn’t have much alteration on its key layout but it’s worth pointing out that similar to what we’ve experienced with keyboards that have extra keys on their left side (examples here and here) there is a tendency to mistake the farthest key as the control left Ctrl key.
The Meka G-Unit uses Cherry MX Black switches. These particular switches have a softer more sensitive feel than Cherry MX Blue switches and has a slightly lighter tactile feedback that their blue counterpart. Notable amongst mechanical keyboards are their distinct sound when a key is pressed. Again comparing with Cherry MX Blue (which is what this reviewer is accustomed to), the sound made by Meka G-Unit has a noticeably more suppressed, albeit dull “clunk†instead of a click.
Descriptions aside, we move on to overall performance and user experience. Tt eSports’ Meka G-Unit feels good for overall, day-to-day typing. The provided wrist-rest is a highly appreciated addition and one that this reviewer regards a must-have in keyboards claiming to be “high-end.†The extra keys are a nice touch and having two USB ports on-hand as well as audio ports, powered by its own internal audio processor, are great value for a top-end gaming offering. The Meka G-Unit only utilizes a single USB cord to power itself and its internal audio as well as both USB ports it packs. Do note that we do not suggest plugging in high-bandwidth devices on these USB ports. Mice and/or thumb drives, etc. are the typical suggested devices intended for these ports. Feeding off one USB port, the G-Unit has 6KRO meaning you can simultaneously press 6 keys effectively, which is typical USB lim
Although this keyboard comes with a lot of bells and whistles, we feel like all these additions do need a bit of refinement. First the multimedia keys need a bit of tweaking; the Play button automatically opens Windows Media Player in our test bench and did not control Winamp at all as it was running. Volume control was fully functional though. The internal audio itself, is a bit on the weak-side but we feel like most gamers that will prefer this keyboard will have some higher-end audio solution on-hand. It’s an okay solution but simply not gamer-class. I also felt that the upper row of keys needed a bit more inward angle so that their more in-reach. But that’s being too nitpicky already. The included configuration software is also too dull with an overly-stylized yet not-too-functional GUI. Negative observations aside, we couldn’t really find anything deal-breaking with the Meka G-Unit, unless you’re going to be overly dependent on the media keys.
CONCLUSION
So wrapping things up, we got one solidly constructed keyboard from Tt eSports here in our desk. Lots of features here and there that will come in handy for everyone and an accompanying laundry list of extras give the Meka G-Unit some considerable value. Coming in at around ?4,900, it is priced well under the top ranks of the gaming keyboard market. Contenders include Razer’s BlackWidow Ultimate and CM Storm’s Trigger (which has been recently announced) just to name a few, the former sporting Cherry MX Blues and Brown variants whilst the latter are reported to be having MX Blue, Black, Red and Brown models. Tt eSports also has other mechanical offerings in their Meka line with the Meka being the most vanilla of all versions and Meka G1, a souped up version of the original or a cutdown G-Unit, whichever way you want to look at it. You can check out a review of the G1 here.
[singlepic id=4920 w=320 h=240 float=center]Like we’ve stated earlier, having a mechanical keyboard doesn’t improve your game from the get-go. It does however give you feedback response which you can utilize to gauge key presses that can technically give you advantage in-game. The Meka G-Unit’s lack of selection in terms of switches used leaves the buyer with only one choice of keys which is the Cherry MX Black. We recommend the Cherry Black for people who prefer a much quieter experience with their mechanical keyboard as well a softer tactile feedback.
Some might argue also that the Meka G-unit lacks complete illumination or On-the-Fly macro recording but Tt eSports makes up for it with a complete array of extras that most gamers like. If you’ve had experience using Cherry MX Black keys or are looking for a quieter alternative to their high-end MX Blue keyboard, we recommend checking out Tt eSports’ Meka G-unit. We can’t recommend it outright to anyone, but those who are already in the mechanical keyboard game and just checking out if the features are worth it, then the Meka G-unit is for your consideration… or if you just like something named after a hiphop crew.
EDIT 4/24/2012: Rating update
