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In preparation for this review I unplugged my trusty Razer Black Widow Tournament Edition and replaced it with the SpeedLink Ultor for all of my typing and gaming duties. Just like anyone buying this keyboard, I have used it on a daily basis but before I talk about the switches and overall performance, let's take a look at the software that comes bundled with the keyboard.
When you open up the SpeedLink software you are presented with a simple layout. You can switch, edit, create and load profiles, you can also assign individual keys to other functions, for example, you could bind tab to one of the number keys for quicker weapon switching in a game.
Unlike most ten-keyless boards, the SpeedLink Ultor has a set of dedicated macro keys, though they also double as the ‘Insert', ‘Home', ‘Page Up', ‘Delete', ‘End' and ‘Page Down' keys. This does limit you to six macro keys but they can be dedicated to those functions, which you couldn't really do with a number or letter key.
The macro functions work as expected, giving you room to create custom shortcuts and commands for many functions, whether it be in-game or within Windows. If you aren't really big on macros, you could at least turn these keys into dedicated media controls, rather than placing those commands on the function keys.
In the advanced window you can change the USB polling rate anywhere from 125Hz to 1000Hz. You can also turn the Windows key completely off without needing to activate ‘game mode'. The lighting on this keyboard is blue, so there is no customisation for that but you can change the intensity of the backlight. Finally, you can also adjust the response time for each key.
Polling rate and response time options are simply there for legacy purposes. Some older systems featuring older USB standards may not work well with higher response times or polling rates. By default, the software sets these options quite low, with 250Hz polling and 8ms response time.
In all, the software works just fine and offers a good level of customisation. However, I do think it is a tad misleading to say that this keyboard comes with customisable LED lighting when in reality you can only adjust the brightness. The lights on this keyboard are blue, aside from the WASD keys, which are white instead. Given that the frame of this keyboard is bright red, I think red LEDs would have suited better.
Now with that out of the way, let's talk about the user experience. I have spent quite some time with this keyboard at this point, using it for my daily news writing duties as well as gaming. If you have never used a mechanical keyboard before, or if you simply prefer linear switches, then you will probably be quite happy with the SpeedLink Ultor.
This keyboard uses Kailh Red switches, which are quick to actuate as they don't require a lot of force to press down. If you are coming from a standard membrane keyboard, you will immediately notice the difference in feel. However, they are also a linear switch, which means you won't feel the key actuate when you press it down.
This isn't a negative point because, after all, red switches are preferred by many and I imagine if this were to be your first mechanical keyboard, you would be happy with it. However, as a regular typist, I do tend to prefer tactile feedback switches like Blues or Browns. Perhaps in the future SpeedLink could offer varying switch types to suit more preferences.
For gaming, the SpeedLink Ultor works as well as you would expect, I didn't encounter any issues with keys not responding or any similar issues, which was great while spamming hotkeys while running through dungeons in the new WoW expansion. In all, the Ultor delivers where it counts, making it a solid keyboard all around.
