Belkin Nostromo Speedpad n52
by Belkin Components
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List Price: Our Price: $39.99 You Save: $10.00 (20%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Belkin Nostromo Speedpad n52
Customer Review: Definately beats playing with a keyboard
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a console gamer for my whole life and have avoided PC games like the plague. Reason being is that one, I hate the idea of having to upgrade your hardware every year or two to play the latest games on their highest settings. And two, I couldn't understand how anyone could play an action game or FPS with a keyboard and a mouse. Well this past Christmas someone got me Half Life 2 and I decided to give it a whirl. As expected though, using a mouse and keyboard wasn't as intuitive as most controller setups I'm used to with consoles. But after some time I was getting more accustomed to the mouse targeting and even the WASD controls of the keyboard. But the keyboard setup was utterly uncomfortable. Always having to reach for certain keys and looking down to see if your hitting the right key. So what's a guy to do? I knew that there had to be a better way to play this and many of the other wonderful PC games out there. My answer came in the form of the Belkin Nostromo N52.
I've been using this beauty for only a little while but I can tell you that it is so much more comfortable than any keyboard setup. This is because of the palm rest. It's contoured prefectly so that your hand rests nicley and doesn't have to strain in a awkward fashion. That alone is worth it's price right there. But there's much more to it as well. There are a ton more buttons all right there within your finger tips as well, and all are able to be customized to whatever you want. And all the buttons feel very solid and "clicky". And the rubber base and added weight helps keep the device stationary which is important in heated games.
Now while I totally love this this I do need to mention it's shortcomings. The orange button above the D-pad, while nicely placed, does take some added force to press it which is a hassle because that button could be so handy for certain functions. Also I think my hands are kinda small so there are a couple buttons, like the space bar button, that can be tough to reach at times. I think it's possible to take off the hand rest and leave it off so that it's a tad easier to reach some buttons but I haven't tried it yet. And the mouse wheel is strangely placed as well. I can't help but feel that it might've been placed in a more comfortable spot.
Despite these downsides the N52 solved the major problems I was having with the keyboard. It is far more comfortable than a keyboard, the majority of buttons are much easier to get to and I never need to look down as to what button I'm hitting. Pressing buttons is now all a matter of feel, kinda like console controls are. I can't imagine playing a PC game without it. If you hate using keyboards as well, do yourself a favor and buy one now, it is the best bang for your buck.
Customer Review: Very handy for gamers, and even artists!
Summary: 5 Stars
This thing is quickly becoming a standard tool in my arsenal, not just for gaming but also for art programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya, and Toon Boom. The customizable keys are a lifesaver since all of my most frequently used hotkeys are always at my literal fingertips. I find this thing much preferable simply customizing the hotkey layouts in said programs, because it means that if I am ever at a desktop other than my own I do not have to spend as much time re-adapting to the programs' original layouts. This thing has sped up my workflow a fair bit, and it is also nice that I do not have a big bulky keyboard getting in the way of my Wacom tablet when I'm drawing. The Nostromo N25 has a much more manageable footprint, which is very nice, as is the ergonomic design which keeps my wrist off of the desk and my palm in its natural position. It is much more comfortable for long sessions than a regular keyboard, for me at least.
All of this obviously carries over into gaming, to. I can have my hands much closer together than I could with a traditional mouse and keyboard setup, which is very comfortable once you adjust to the slight learning curve. Said learning curve comes from the fact that you will be learning to reach for keys based using touch and muscle memory, rather than searching around for individual letters and symbols. Again, all the buttons you'd need are exactly where you choose to put them, and are never more than a finger's reach away. I have been playing Modern Warfare with this thing for a few weeks and I am quite pleased with the performance it's given me, and it is quite nice for playing Minecraft, too, since all the important stuff can be kept right near the arrow keys. I don't really play MMO's anymore but I imagine the customizable hotkeys would be very much welcome for MMO players. Another nice feature is that you can set it up to remember to use different key profiles for different programs, so you'll rarely have to switch manually if you take the time to set these profiles up.
The only things I really have to complain about it are that the "spacebar" key does not always feel responsive. You need to get used to hitting it in the center, because if you hit it off center your keystrokes will probably not register. Also, the modifier LEDs are pretty bright, which may be a minor distraction for some people, but it is not a major issue. Overall, I'd say it's a splendid device that is well worth consideration so long as you are not a southpaw (in which case, you have my condolences since you guys are always getting shafted). This thing is a true game controller for mouse control enthusiasts, and a very handy tool for graphic artists.
Customer Review: A Worthwhile Accessory for FPS
Summary: 5 Stars
Any game that requires constant key pressing (such as WSAD-style direction) or has a key for each function (such as sprint, go prone, etc.) will do better with either the n50 or n52 as a replacement for the standard keyboard.
I own both an n50 and an n52, and the n50 is adequate but the n52 is better in several ways, most notably for me in the d-pad feel and durability. For better or worse, I mapped my d-pad to WSAD. The extra keys (11-15) I found useful but not necessary. I did not experience the problems with the orange button that others have.
My n50 settings (for UT2k4 and BF2) migrated painlessly to the n52, thanks to the utility provided.
My only caveat would be for newer gamers to believe the n52 to be a "silver bullet" to "l33t pwnage of n00bz" that others might suggest. It will make a decent player better, but if you can't accurately fire, improving your mouse skills (or getting a better mouse) might be more worthwhile. It will make sucking less painful to your wrist no matter what -- carpal tunnel should not be the price of riding the learning curve.
Oops -- I forgot something -- those of you like me who tend to "push" their accessories may end up lifting their n52 from the rubber "feet" stuck to the bottom. My fix for that was to peel off the rubber and replace it with Velcro (which was how I attached my previous n50 as well.)
Update July 18, 2006 -- Broke the D-pad last night after approximately 300 hours playing time. The D-pad shaft snapped off at the button, much like how I broke my n50. Ordering another...now if I can just find the warranty info.
Update August 2, 2006 - I purchased and received a new n52 from Amazon a few days ago, but have not installed it. I'm still using my "broken" D-pad that I fixed using a small machine screw, J-B Weld (epoxy), and a vacuum plug intended for a carburetor. It feels more like the "thumbstick" from a Nintendo 64 controller and after a brief familiarization period, feels superior to the old way. I may modify the replacement in the same manner once my current n52 wears out completely.
Update September 14, 2007 - some time ago (a month or so) I broke the D-pad on my latest n52, and fixed it in the same manner as before. Not as easy to use this time, but I no longer sit at a large wooden desk with lots of Velcro to anchor the n52, having moved upstairs to use my Samsung HDTV. Once I get all of my furniture in place, things should improve.
Customer Review: Good for gaming, Great for work!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought the Nostromo n52 for gaming, but before I set up any profiles for my games, I started to work on perfecting my Photoshop layout. To start with, the profile editor is simple to use, but the loadout manager (The program used to switch which profile you want to use) was no so intuitive.
Still, in a few minutes, I had everything working. I have all of my most used tool commands mapped out, and with the 4 different modes (normal, red, blue, and green) offered by the n52, I also have some less common features at my fingertips. And it is really easy to tell which mode it is in by the LED indicators just below the thumb pad. Each profile can be programmed with around 100 unique key configurations, ranging from single key strokes to complex macro functions. However, certain macro functions cannot be created, such as a toggle. A button is only active when it is depressed, and there are no commands in the macro builder to write such a function in. A minor inconvenience.
Then I set out to try my hand at gaming. I'm a console gamer, so keyboard controls are not my favorite. I found that remapping the WASD controls to the Dpad allowed me to move about in a more comfortable manner, with virtually no loss in speed or reaction time. All of the keys are responsive and springy, and even the orange button is relatively easily pressed, despite other reviews which claim they were sliding their pad all over their desk trying to activate it.
The major downside is the scroll wheel. It is too stiff, so you must apply excessive pressure, and then it tends to roll father than you want it to. I still find it functional, and adds a grand total of three keys to the overall count. Still, don't use it to cycle modes, or you'll be jumping all over the place.
The grip is perfect, and is comfortable whether I have the palm rest in either postion. The rubber bottom seems to offer decent grip, though they gummed up within a day of use and began to slide. Probably my own fault for having a dirty desk.
I've been using Belkin products for years now, and nothing has failed me yet. It looks like the n52 will do the same.
Customer Review: Not just for games
Summary: 5 Stars
In my line of work I do an awful lot of data entry and when I worked from home, my laptop just wasnt up to the job (lacking a designated numberpad). So I bought the nostromo.
Everyone writes reviews of this product based on its (aparently) superb FPS uses. This review is about the Nostromo being a SUPERB method of navigating through windows and various programmes.
You can map any key to any function or macro, not only that but you can have four different functions for each key (by cycling through "shift states"). But what makes the Nostromo a truely excellent bit of kit is that you can have different profiles for each programme and the pad AUTOMATICALLY switches profile when you switch programme.
Lets face it, most of the time when using a computer we do the same tasks again and again (go to the same websites, launch the same programmes, enter the same information) with the Nostromo you dont have to go through all the repetition. Just lay your hand in the extreemely comfortable hand rest and hit one button to bring up internet explorer, (nostromo will now recognise you're in a different programme and switch profile accordingly) hit a button to go to your email accout, hit another to enter your login details, hit another button to go to your news website, then another to come to amazon, then another to close your browser. All done in a third of the normal time without ONCE having to use the mouse or move your hands to the keyboard!!! INCREDIBLE.
Incedently, for the original purpose I bought the product for the nostromo has excelled as a simple number pad. In excel I have a full numberpad, cut/copy/paste functions, backspace, tab, enter, and full directional movement ALL at my fingetips.
I really cant believe that this isnt the normal method of navigation. It becomes so intuitive. After about an hour you'll wonder how on earth you managed for so long without it.