Sentey Phoenix GS 5700 Gaming Keyboard Review

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A Closer Look at the Sentey Phoenix GS 5700 Gaming Keyboard

The full package includes (from top left to bottom right), a Door hanger that states “NOT NOW I’M GAMING” on one side and “IT’S SAFE” on the other side, mini installation CD, spare key caps bag, A Poster that says “TAKE YOUR GAME TO THE EXTREME!”, Red Warranty registration card, The Phoenix Keyboard, user guide sleeve, Sentey product catalog, protective keyboard travel case, two Sentey logo stickers and the user guide. That is actually a lot of stuff in a keyboard box.

My very first impressions using Sentey Phoenix Gaming Keyboard are not just it’s wicked looking but the weight. Lifting 664g or 1.46lbs was a feature I found to be a real plus. Handling the Sentey Phoenix Gaming Keyboard one handed with ease made me realize how cumbersome the heavier keyboards are. The backlit LED settings made a nice ambiance and gave a perfect visual while viewing in dim gaming light. The matte black finish keeps it looking good with almost no handling marks keeping it looking fresh and clean.

The Phoenix uses 8 ROLLOVER KEYS, known as NKRO or n-key rollover. Here is some brief information about what “Key Rollover” means. Thanks goes out to the sources we used to help get the information. Please visit the site to learn more about Key Rollover

n-key rollover ¹ Certain high-end keyboards have “n-key rollover”. This means that each key is scanned completely independently by the keyboard hardware, so that each keypress is correctly detected regardless of how many other keys are being pressed or held down at the time. – “TechEncyclopedia: n-key rollover ¹TechEncyclopedia: n-key rollover” ²Most music keyboards use isolation diodes in their keyboard matrix to implement full n-key rollover (sometimes abbreviated NKRO), making them immune to both key ghosting and key jamming.-However, to reduce cost and design complexity, most computer keyboards do not isolate all keys in this way. Instead, they use a matrix of key switches, without any isolation diodes, that assumes that only a limited number of keys will be held down at any given time. With these keyboards, pressing as few as three keys can cause ghosting effects,[4] although care is taken when laying out the matrix arrangement that this does not happen for common modifier key combinations. – ² Dribin, Dave. “Keyboard Matrix Help, section 8: “Getting Rid Of Ghosting and Masking

Multi-key rollover However, to reduce cost and design complexity, most computer keyboards do not isolate all keys in this way. Instead, they use a matrix of key switches, without any isolation diodes, that assumes that only a limited number of keys will be held down at any given time. With these keyboards, pressing as few as three keys can cause ghosting effects,[4] although care is taken when laying out the matrix arrangement that this does not happen for common modifier key combinations.

A keyboard with “2-key rollover” can reliably detect only any two keys used simultaneously; in other words, a user can hold down any key on the keyboard and press a second key, and be sure that the keypress is correctly detected by the computer. However, if the user has two keys depressed and attempts to strike a third key, the third keypress may create a “phantom key” by shorting out the switch matrix. This is not acceptable for quality keyboards because there are many cases when more than two keys need to be depressed at the same time, such as Ctrl-Alt-Delete, or when more than two keys are depressed because of fast typing (“rolling over” more than two keys).”Multi-key rollover” is considered essential for quality keyboards and for English touch typing. This is where the most common key sequences have been studied and keys in the same common sequence are placed in the electrical switch matrix such that three keys down cannot produce a fourth “phantom” key by shorting out the matrix. The simplest way to accomplish this is to put all keys in the same common sequence on the same X or Y line of the switch matrix. As long as the electronics does not see more than two keys on different X and Y lines, which would create a phantom key, it will continue to process the next key depressed. This typically produces 4- to 5-key rollover for the most common key sequences.

Ten function buttons are available to control applications such as web, email, media player, etc. without all the extra controls that many users don not use. You choose the applications you want and set it up through the software. The left side has five of the seven macro key/buttons and the right side has the other two macro key/buttons along with a profile selection button, 3 level LED brightness button and Windows button Lock-out.

The content packaging lists a total of 4 orange keycaps are included, but this sample had 8 and included keycap removal tool in a nice little Sentey bag.

The USB cable is fairly standard at 1.8 Meters or 6ft and is encased in a dense black braided sleeve. A Velcro cable tie is attached to the outer sleeve and a gold plated USB connector is featured to ensure proper electrical contact. Included in the package is a Nylon Protective Travel Keyboard sleeve/bag, great for any of those LAN Parties.

The keyboard lettering is different than the “standard” keyboard lettering you may be used to. Notice the numbering 1 and ! key, instead of the basic key value below the shift/# key value, they are side by side with the basic key left and shift/# on the right.

The Phoenix has four function LED indicators, NUM, Caps, Scroll and Win indicating Numlock, Caps Lock, Scroll lock and Windows button Lock-out.

LED lighting has three brightness levels and the LEDs can be set to off, controlled from one of the side buttons. In the photo above, the brightness of the LEDs has been set to the maximum and the photo was shot in full daylight. When a profile or macro has been chosen, the corresponding keyboard LED blinks as an indicator.

The User Guide has 23 pages of English and the same for PR and ES language formats with clear guides and instructions on set-up and software for programming the 21 gaming profile/macros settings.