Try pressing everything at once

Try pressing everything at once

A new keyboard boasting full N-Key rollover is both excessive and strangely fascinating.

For some reason or other, stories about keyboard technology have a habit of generating huge amount of interest from our readers.

So it was with interest that we spotted news about something truly impressive, in a tech-trainspotting manner of speaking - a USB mechanical keyboard with full N-Key rollover.

Even if you haven’t heard of N-key rollover, you might be aware of the problem it solves: the inability of many cheap computer keyboards to recognise more than a few keys being pressed at any one moment.

 

The "world's first mechanical keyboard offering full N-key roll over via USB".

For bashing out documents or even basic gaming, this isn’t usually a problem. In the gaming world though, gaming keyboards include the ability to press more than a few keys at once - a feature referred to as n-key rollover, sometimes limited to a set number of keys.

Full credit though, goes to QPAD, which not only decided to give their new MK-85 mechanical keyboard this ability, but decided to apply it to every key on the keyboard. As we understand it, you could mash both hands on the keys and it would recognise every single key-press.

While it's unlikely you'd ever need to do this, it's nice to know your hardware has the capability. This feature surely goes down as one of the more unnecessary, if slightly-obscure hardware features to have on your desktop.

 

Source: Copyright © PC & Tech Authority. All rights reserved.

See more about:  qpad  |  keyboard  |  pcbuilding  |  nkey  |  rollover  |  mechanical
 
 

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Comments: 4
ory_zm
29 November 2011
you'd think humans would never need more than 10 key rollover... but a gimmick is a gimmick.


Comment made about the PC & Tech Authority article:
Try pressing everything at once?
A new keyboard boasting full N-Key rollover is both excessive and strangely fascinating.

What do you think? Join the discussion.
asuperpower
29 November 2011
This feature is very good when one is raging. I do not understand this article though. NKRO keyboards have been around for what now seems like an eternity. Just take a look at this list:
Das
Filco
Deck
IBM (Not sure about this one)
SteelSeries
There are many more!
asuperpower
29 November 2011
USB NKRO is however a little new...
fourassedmonkey
30 November 2011
@asuperpower
You'll find that the IBM model M and variations only had 2 key rollover. Many USB "gaming" boards have optimisations that allow common key combinations to register.
Having used a Logitech illuminated in the past I can confirm that problems can arise when trying to jump while holding W and shift.
The big advantage of mechanical keyboards is nothing to do with NKRO but with consistency in actuation. With tactile switches such as Cherry MX blues or browns or buckling springs one can actually touch type without bottoming out which significantly decreases stress on the fingers.


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