The word thocky is thrown around a lot these days, and, frankly, its not even a real word. But damned if I can find any better way to describe the Logitech G316 X keyboard. The thing is, legitimately, thocky as all hell.
Allow me to explain.
A learning thock
One of my favourite things about reviewing keyboards is getting to type the review out on that keyboard. It feels wonderfully meta and, luckily, the G316 X itself feels wonderful to type on.
This is a 98% keyboard, so a little wider than my usual 75%, with keys in places I didn’t expect them to be. However, after a couple of hours hitting the wrong keys (and again, my apologies to anyone who received emails from me before I retrained my muscle memory) it’s back to our usually scheduled programming. But I liked having a larger profile on my desk, after so long spent with the 75% G915 TKL. There’s something almost nostalgic about having a num pad again. I mean, I barely used it, but I’m sure it’ll come in handy some day.
The multifunction control knob is an interesting quirk, letting you control volume, key brightness, music, and report rate (Hz). Now, I have never in my life felt the need to adjust report rate on the fly, but I don’t know what you crazy kids are up to; I’m just glad it’s not a dedicated button. Music I could also give or take, but that’s mostly because I’m set in my ways. Keyboard brightness and global volume are great to have accessible for tweaking, and a little dot matric screen shows you what the knob is currently up to. Overall? A fun knob.
Another interesting point is the depth of keystrokes. It’s not something you’d think about in its absence, but when it’s there it’s very noticeable. Essentially, the keys go down more than you’d think. How much more? I mean, ask an engineer, right? But in terms of vibe-reviewing, the vibes are very much on. It’s difficult to quantify, really. Logitech materials call it “optimised sound and feel”, but I will instead choose to fall back on my new favourite neologism; it adds to the thock.
A thocker for the people
Logitech have done something I really love, and made a keyboard that sacrifices a few bells and whistles to give the people an affordable peripheral that still has a smack of the premium. And that’s really true; while not quite entry-level, the G316 X feels much higher-grade than it is. So what’s been sacrificed? Well, not much.
Being wired may seem like a problem, but tell me, honestly; when was the last time you actually moved your wireless keyboard around in a way that necessitated it being wireless? Because for me, it’s maybe once a month. If anything, it’s the most portable wired keyboard I’ve ever used, since the wire itself is just a USB-C. This just pops out, leaving you with a sweet and easy rectangle for easy storage and transport.
Look, I may be showing my age, but until you’ve experienced tech not working because you bent the base of the wire a bit too much, or if you lost the bespoke cable the device came with, you do not know true despair. Unplugging a USB-C for a few minutes every four weeks is not the end of the world.
The physical height and angle of the keyboard isn’t adjustable, so I hope you like the exact angle it’s sitting at, because that’s what you’ve got. Thankfully I do happen to like it, and I think you will too, but it’s notable. But really, all we’re missing here is Bluetooth/ Lightspeed, and adjustable feet. Nowhere close to dealbreakers, especially for an entry-level peripheral.
Not all fun and thock
But it is my duty to find issues, and find one I have. My main – and really only – complaint is the dot matrix screen. Which, ironically, is also something I like; behold, the duality of man. The dot matrix has its obvious uses, like telling you what the control knob does at any given time. This is, without doubt, both useful and valuable. But I ask you, did it really need to be animated? And, more to the point, did it so desperately need to be animated that there is no option to turn off said animation?
I’m already easily distractable, so really I don’t need my keyboard trying to prevent me from working any more than I’m doing myself. My solution has been an artfully sized sticky note, behind which I occasionally peer to make sure I’m on the right setting to raise the brightness and not deafen myself by accident. But, and call me crazy on this, I don’t think that should be necessary.
Whenever I talk about Logitech kit, I gush at length about how great Logitech G Suite is for customising your experience. And so I’m genuinely surprised by the lack of a ‘Turn off animation’ option for the G316X. Honestly, an oversight.
However, are these minor gripes enough for me not to recommend the G316 X? Of course not, because I’m not a lunatic. The thing does literally everything else beautifully, and I’m not one to advocate for throwing the baby out with the bathwater-slash-mildly-annoying-screen.
… Do you ever wonder if your metaphors are getting too weird? Or is it just me?
Thock it to me
As said above, Logitech have really made a good one here. The solid typing, the matt finish, and the dot matrix screen all add class and heft to what is a reasonably affordable keyboard. You’re really getting a bargain with this one.
Overall, I’m a creature of habit, and my G915 TKL isn’t going anywhere. But if you’re in the market for something with more thock than clack, and you don’t want to break the bank, the new G316 X is a fantastic option.
