Mechanical keyboards have recently found themselves a new home in the PC gaming market. This “retro” computer accessory, which was previously relegated to the desks of old school PC users, has seen something of a rebirth as of late. Companies like Razer and Corsair have dabbled with their own RGB-enabled mechanical keyboards, but these behemoth accessories not only take up precious real estate at your desk, they are also just a tad too heavy to lug around for gamers-on-the-go. Logitech, a company that has made a name for itself in the PC gaming world by keeping a finger right on the pulse of its target demographic, seems to have found a balance between the heavy machinery needed to accommodate your PC gaming needs and the desire to not have it take over your whole desk. This month they are launching the G410 Atlas Spectrum - a compact, tenkeyless RGB keyboard that houses smart lighting effects and an Arx Control dock to extend in-game information display to your smartphone or tablet.

To start with, Logitech slimmed down their device by eliminating the number pad from the keyboard. To get rid of some of the heft, they did away with the metal plate found inside most mechanical keyboards. In total, this brings the keyboard’s weight down to a very travel-friendly 1.8 pounds. Also missing are the Cherry-brand key switches found in most mechanical planks, which Logitech has foregone in favor of their own “Romer-G” switches. According to Logitech, these Omron-built key switches offer 25 percent faster actuation than standard competing switches and have an actuation point of 1.5mm. In theory, this allows it to receive commands faster, therefore providing a competitive edge to the user. As for creature comforts, the Atlas Spectrum is equipped with a gaming-centric wrist rest, which sits heavily on the left side and tapers off as you move to the right of the keyboard. While this design may not be the most comfortable for those hoping to do any actual typing on the keyboard, it is ideal for gamers – the gadget’s target audience.

Perhaps the biggest wow factor associated with the G410 is the center-illuminated RGB backlighting, which makes it ideal for gaming in the dark. Avid gamers will appreciate the option to customize their backlighting and sync various lighting effects to in-game situations, such as going red when health levels reach a critical low. Developers can even get in on the light show fun by having specific areas of the keyboard light up depending on the user’s current game play action. Plus, if the user owns other Logitech G devices, there is built-in technology that allows the lighting to be synced across similar products in the brand family. As you may have guessed, this gaming accessory costs slightly more than your average keyboard; $130 to be exact. But for a keyboard that is designed to withstand a whopping 70 million keystrokes (roughly 40 percent more than the majority of its competition), you may not mind dropping a wad of cash on it when it hits stores later this month.