The main idea behind Roccat’s latest keyboard, the Skeltr is “integration”; to create a streamlined communication hub between the user’s smart devices and the PC in front of them. Unlike other peripheral companies, Roccat puts in a lot of effort in their software solution. Whereas most of their competitors think of software as an afterthought, Roccat uses software as an asset to drive home the gamer lifestyle and is more ambitious in its scope of delivering an ecosystem with the hardware, which in turn elevates the hardware beyond just another replaceable peripheral. Everyone has a mobile device and everyone needs a keyboard so the marriage just seems natural to Roccat when it came to creating the Skeltr.
The idea of a premium membrane keyboard is very rare and almost sounds crazy these days with the hype of mechanical backlit keys in full swing. With a retail price of $135.99, the Roccat Skeltr is going for the high-end membrane keyboard market, a segment that many manufacturers have all but abandoned. The last keyboard to dominate in that segment was Logitech’s G510S and that was released over three years ago.
[sc:sponsor sponsor=”Roccat” product_link=”http://www.roccat.org/en-CA/Products/Gaming-Keyboards/Skeltr/” product_name=”Skeltr” product_price_link=”http://amzn.to/2g8h9XZ” product_price=”$135.99″ ]
The Roccat Skeltr is packed in a large measuring 55 x 26.5 x 5.5 cm box with full-color graphics on the front and back. It is quite a feature packed keyboard so there are plenty of text although most of it is relegated at the back with multi-lingual translations. The keyboard layout version is marked on the upper right hand corner of the packaging.
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A thicker black box containing the Skeltr keyboard and accessories are inside the full-graphics slip cardboard cover. The keyboard itself is covered in an anti-static bag while the cables and cable accessories are stored on the upper compartment area and detachable wrist-rest is housed on the bottom compartment.
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In addition to the wrist-rest, quick-install documentation is provided with Roccat stickers and a disposal information sheet. Cables for the phone TRRS audio and Android charger are bundled as well.
Key switch Membrane Macro 5 programmable dedicated macro keys Extra Keys 3 programmable thumbster keys Polling Rate 1000Hz Backlight Yes, RGB LED Processor
ARM 32-bit Memory
512kB Palm Rest
Yes, Detachable Audio Passthrough
Yes USB Passthrough
Yes Software
ROCCAT Swarm (download here) OS Windows 7, 8, 10 Extra Features Roccat Easy-Shift[+], Roccat Talk, Multimedia Keys, Bluetooth V3.0
[section_title title=Packaging and Specifications]
[section_title title=A Closer Look at the Roccat Skeltr Keyboard]
A Closer Look at the Roccat Skeltr Keyboard
Measuring 52.5 x 8 x 3.5 cm, the Roccat Skeltr is slightly larger than most gaming keyboards. This is due to the extra set of five dedicated macro keys on the left side and extra room on top designed to hold tablets and smartphones. There is the usual flappable feet that raises the back up to 4.75cm from 3.5cm.
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Roccat calls the Skeltr a “Smart Communication gaming keyboard” and it has plenty of other features catering to that specifically. At the upper left hand are pass-through ports for audio so users can plug-in their 3.5mm jack headsets through it. In the middle, is a USB charging port and a 3.5mm jack audio pass-through for the mobile device. On each corner of the Skeltr are special mobile communication function keys which are used to answer the phone or tablet when it is paired with the Skeltr. The left side has the voice link buttons while the right side has the text/shared keyboard link and the Bluetooth pairing option.
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There is a rubberized groove running along almost the entire length of the top edge where users have 10mm of space to hold their phones or tablets in.
Aside from the extra bank of macro keys, the Skeltr’s US layout deviates from the typical 104-key ANSI by having three extra thumb keys at the bottom and having shorter function row keys. The alignment is otherwise standard with the ESC key lined up with the rest of the key banks with the tilde key below it, unlike some gaming keyboards which align the ESC key with the macro bank. The thumb keys are independently remappable although by default the left and right are used for profile toggling and the middle is used for launching the Roccat Swarm Software. The keys used are typical of membrane gaming keyboards with a soft-touch UV coating and having a transparent stem. Extra LED lighting is available on the sides that can be independently set from the key set. The keycap legends are all centered and the secondaries are stacked with the primaries. The only lighting that cannot be changed are the indicator lock keys and corner feature keys which have a white LED.
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Secondary functions are accessed via the FN key located where the right side Windows key typically is. By default, here are the FN functions available:
FN+F2 = Lower Audio Volume
FN+F3 = Increase Audio Volume
FN+F4 = Launch Windows Calculator
FN+F9 = My Computer/This PC
FN+F11 = LED Brightness/Toggle
There are also secondary functions accessed via the Roccat [+] EasyShift feature, which is actually mapped to the Caps Lock button by default. Users would have to install the software and remap it to Caps Lock if they want it to permanently capitalize when toggled. Only the macro bank of keys, the function row of keys and the thumb keys have the secondary EasyShift function capability. All other keys can be remapped otherwise via software with the exception of the dedicated mobile device keys in the top left and right corners.
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The keycaps and the stem are a single piece, typical of a membrane keyboard. The stems are clear however to allow for the light from inside the keyboard to shine through.
Disassembly and Modding Options
In addition to the screws visible from the back, additional screws underneath the rubber pads and the center labels must be removed as well. Needless to say, this will void the warranty as it damages the serial number label. After removing the screws, the top and the bottom are latched together so it needs to be pried open (a thin flathead screw driver would do such as one from a precision tool kit). To pry it open, I suggest placing the flat edge on a small opening at the bottom, then pull the bottom by leveraging the flat tool while it pushes the top part. Continue doing this while going around the keyboard and the top should be separated with the bottom after. The keycaps do not need to be removed for removing the enclosure. All screws are accessed at the back.
The USB connector for the keyboard function and the USB charging port with the smartphone audio pass-through are attached to the same PCB.
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Each of the buttons on the corners also have their own small PCB’s. These buttons use tactile square switches The actual main PCB is on the right side above where the numpad block is. In here there is an NXP LPC1752FBD ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller that operates up to 100MHz and handles most of the advanced functions onboard. A Broadcom Bluetooth V3 BCM20730 for the Bluetooth pairing functionality is soldered onto this main board as well.
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There are 10 individual RGB LEDs lined up at the bottom connected tot he main PCB controller. These LEDs are then diffused through the white-backed transparent diffusion plate which serves as a backboard for the membrane film but also distribute the lights from the bottom row throughout the entire area of the keyboard.
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Disappointingly, the membrane film is not any thicker than typical membrane keyboards. I would have hoped Roccat used a thicker, more durable one here considering the price. For the particularly hardcore at gaming, this will only provide as much longevity as any membrane keyboard.
On more of a good news, the keyboard matrix is indeed mapped to provide some extra input functions simultaneously compared to a typical membrane, non-gaming keyboard. It does not look as comprehensive as it could be nor does it look like it accounts for the left hand cluster specifically but it has some redundancies mapped for certain combos. Jump to the last page of this review to see how it did on this test.
[section_title title=Roccat Swarm Software]
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While the Roccat Skeltr is perfectly functional without installing the Swarm software, it truly comes alive when it is installed and is frankly necessary when pairing via Wi-Fi. By default, the software is set to update the firmware and the software versions so this will be the initial screens upon launch. Although it does not tell the user to restart before full functionality, it must be done in order for the pairing to work correctly (believe me I tried). You can download this software on the Roccat Skeltr product landing page.
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With the Swarm software installed on the desktop, installing the Swarm app on a mobile device is also necessary for the pairing to work. After installing and launching the app on mobile, the screen will prompt a host selection where the IP of the host PC will be listed. Both have to be connected to the same local network for it to work and must be confirmed on the client side and the host side as well.
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Once it says “pending” on the client side, the server side will have a device pairing request window popup where the user can screen unwanted connections. After clicking yes, the two devices will be in-sync and are paired to allow Swarm connect functions.
Using the software, users have much more options to choose from with the preset and sub-menus within them reveal more options. The color wave preset for example, has four presets for direction that users can choose from.
The main screen is a monitoring window that also has multimedia controls. It shows CPU and GPU temperatures with a network activity graph and RAM/CPU load levels.
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There are more monitoring options under the monitoring tab and some of the controls found on the desktop Swarm software can also be accessed wirelessly on the tablet including light presets, key assignment and profiles.
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There is also an APM counter for those who want to test their typing skills.
For more advanced and detailed controls, users would have to use the Roccat Swarm desktop software. The Swarm is an all-in-one software interface for Roccat products and it downloads a module for each product you have that it supports. It also has AlienFX and TalkFX available but we are not going to discuss those for now since they do not work on the Roccat Skeltr.
The layout of the software is very clean and easily navigable. It is also a lot more streamlined compared to most gaming peripheral software. The profiles tab at the bottom with the profile manager and macro manager are persistent as well as the module/device selection menu at the top. Only the middle area changes depending on the tab selected. The first tab is the settings tab where users can adjust character repeat rates, pair a blue-tooth device, LED feedback adjustment and sound feedback adjustment. That last part can be annoying for users who want silence (since that’s usually who goes for membrane keys) but those who want more interactivity have four sound options to choose from and users can also set which function the audio notification is for. The settings tab is also where users can reset the profile settings to default.
The second tab is the key assignment tab and it allows users to completely remap almost all keys with the exception of the ESC key and the dedicated mobile buttons on the top corners. Even the FN key can be remapped. By default, Roccat annoyingly has the Easy-Shift functionality turned on in place of the CAPS lock so if you want to have a standard profile, I suggest changing this immediately. Luckily, it is quite easy. All users need to do is select the function they want to replace it with from the selection on the left then drag and drop it to the key they want the function to work on.
The easy-shift function only works on certain keys, providing a secondary option accessible by combo with the easy-shift. These buttons include the row of dedicated macro keys, F1 through F12, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause, and the three thumbster keys.
Users can also set their own macros, created from the Macro manager. There are already several handy presets available there that users can edit to their liking including from popular games such as CS:GO, and more. The input delay can be set or adjusted and users can also set its repeat rate. Like the profile manager, users can import or export these settings to the local computer or USB drive.
The key illumination tab allows for color selection. There are two modes here including a preset mode and a custom mode. Preset mode allows for custom color adjustment and behavior preset although most of the settings are not available such as color gradient which only works with other Roccat keyboards with individual key lighting. Do not expect per-key backlight control similar to a mechanical keyboard. As shown in the disassembly the LEDs are edge lit and distributed with a diffusion plate across. There are instead five different zones of illumination: the keys themselves are one group, and the LEDs on the edge are two different groups each. In custom mode, users can set the colors and their behavior as well but can now add key events which trigger specific illumination (add key even button at the bottom of the custom mode tab).
[section_title title=How did it Perform?]
Experience and Final Thoughts
Roccat packs quite a number of features on the Skeltr and the good news is that these work extremely well. Billed as a smart communication hub, the Roccat Skeltr working with the Swarm software and app combo lives up to the claim, showing a relatively snappy, lively response paired via Wi-Fi. The ability to seamlessly move from gaming to talking or typing on the phone is remarkable and certainly ground breaking. It is one of those features that you simply have to try to realize how useful it can be. I was also doubtful at first that it would work well but I was proven wrong after trying it out. Please note however that since it is an audio pass-through, users have to set the audio levels first on their operating system (Sound Manager in Windows, then recording tab) so that the voice levels and recording levels are coming across accordingly. The Swarm software itself is also equally impressive, not just for its integration and swift performance but in terms of layout and ease of use. It is largely intuitive and non-intrusive, using 2MB of system memory.
In terms of its credentials as a gaming device however, that required some testing. Using common gaming combos for FPS games tested in AquaKey Test under Windows 10, the Roccat Skeltr passed with some minor hiccups:
AWS = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
WSD = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
ASD = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
AWZ = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
AWX = Yes (with Shift modifier only, CTRL does not work)
AWC = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
AWV = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
WDZ = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
WDX = Yes (with Shift modifier only, CTRL does not work)
WDC = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
WDV = Yes (with or without CTRL+Shift modifiers)
The arrow key cluster and the numpad are also equally versatile, allowing for even more simultaneous multi-key input. While not a full NKRO, it is perfectly serviceable for a gaming keyboard and I will certainly give it a passing grade on this test.
The one major factor in holding back this keyboard is of course the price. At $135 USD, it is in mechanical gaming keyboard territory and even though the Skeltr offers a lot more in terms of functionality, durability is a concern. Since there are no other high-end membrane keyboards in the market, let alone one with functional smartphone integration, I could understand Roccat’s rationale to price the Skeltr at those rates. The idea itself is very strong, having an all-in-one communication/gaming hub ecosystem while sitting in front of the desk, I just wish the Skeltr was made of sterner stuff physically with thicker membrane or maybe in the future, a fully mechanical switch version. In the end however, it is the users who decide how much the value of a device really is and what is important to fit their needs.
[sc name=”recommended_hardware_award” ]
Roccat Skeltr Keyboard Review The main idea behind Roccat's latest keyboard, the Skeltr is “integration”; to create a streamlined communication hub between the user’s smart devices and the PC in front of them.
