The Logitech G213 is a full-sized keyboard with mech-dome keycaps to mimic the feel of a mechanical keyboard without the exorbitant price. At $50, and a list of features that you tend to see on higher-priced keyboards like multi-zone RGB lighting and dedicated media controls. The Logitech G213 Prodigy Gaming Keyboard seems to be a great bang for the buck keyboard that can get some work and gaming done.

For the last couple of weeks, this keyboard has become my daily driver for everything, from writing reviews to gaming and some video editing.

Over the last two weeks before writing this review, the Logitech G213 Prodigy Gaming Keyboard was used for a variety of games and tasks, including

-Barony

-RoboQuest

-Monaco

Contents Of The Box

Out of the box, the Logitech G213 Prodigy only came with the keyboard itself and a quick start guide. Although some higher-end keyboards come with a myriad of extras, it was nice to see this keyboard not waste a lot of plastic on items that most people will never use. The keyboard was packaged safely in some inflatable packaging bags and arrived in perfect working condition.

• Logitech G213 Prodigy Gaming Keyboard
• Quick Start Guide

Design and Features

To get it out of the way, the G213 is massive, measuring 17.8" long and

8.5" wide, this keyboard will take up a lot of room on most gamers' desks. That is largely due to the built-in wrist rest, which, while adding a nice comfortable slope for your hands, makes it hard to fit into smaller spaces. The size itself is not an outright con for this keyboard, but if you have a small desk space, be aware you will have to make some room for it before gaming.

On the top of the keyboard is a set of media controls, including play/pause, forward and back, and a volume rocker. I prefer a volume wheel instead of a rocker, but that is mostly because I like to fade in and fade out my own music. Personal preference aside, these media keys are nice to see at this price point, and they all have a different feel to them, making it easy to pick out which one I'm on without having to look.

Also on the top of the keyboard is a gaming mode button; using Logitech's software, you can use this button to set different lighting setups for different games, and key presets.

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The prominent feature of the G213 is the mech-dome keycaps that create the feel of a mechanical keyboard with membrane switches. While this keyboard will not give you the same exact feel as a Cherry MX mechanical switch, it does rival pretty closely and for about half the price of a mechanical keyboard. Logitech has tuned the keys to require 50g of actuation force, which is close to a real mechanical keyboard. The keycaps themselves feel a little cheap, but it is an improvement over bargain bin keyboard keycaps.

The RGB lighting is well implemented, like Logitech is known to do at this point. It is bright and colorful without being over the top. The built-in braided USB 2.0 cable is a nice touch, although my model took some working over to lay flat on my desk and not kink up.

Comfort

Comfort and ergonomics are actually where the Logitech G213 Prodigy's bigger footprint comes in advantage. The built-in wrist rest gives your hands a nice gentle slope to sit on while typing or gaming. While typing on this keyboard, I rarely got a wrist or finger cramp. Plus, if you have larger hands, this keyboard gives them space to spread out and sit comfortably on the home row.

You can either have the adjustable feet at full height, which adds a

5° incline to the keyboard or not at all, which has the keyboard sit at a 2° incline. It would be nice for this keyboard to have a medium incline setting to suit more people's preferences. Most of the time, I had the feet out while typing, and the incline was nice but not too extreme to cause my wrists to flex. However, it is worth noting that when you have the feet out, the keyboard does become a little unstable and wobbles while typing with force behind it.

Game and Work Performance

The keycaps on this keyboard are not the best, and because it is a membrane keyboard, you will not get the advantages in games like a mechanical keyboard. Overall the G213 offers a pretty good gaming experience and certainly won't hinder most gamers. If you are looking for a membrane keyboard, the tuned actuation of 50 grams makes it feel much better than most other membrane keyboards, but you won't get that tactile bump that is expected with mechanical keyboards.

As I mentioned earlier, this keyboard is massive, so if you are an avid FPS gamer or like to have a lot of space for your mouse to move around your desk, make sure you have enough room for this keyboard before making this purchase. I have a fairly small desk, so for games like RoboQuest, it was hard to give my mouse all the space needed, with this keyboard taking up most of the room.

Working with this keyboard was quite a joy. I spent most of my time with this keyboard writing and the rest of it editing videos. This keyboard has a pleasant, quiet typing experience to it. Although I usually work in a room alone, when I am in meetings or have other people in the room with me, I am sure they appreciate this keyboard's quieter nature than the clicky mechanical sound. It has been a while since I have used a true full-sized layout keyboard, and having a Numpad again made me realize how much I missed it.

Software

Unlike some PC peripherals, this keyboard is pretty self-sufficient as a plug-and-play keyboard. But if you want to get some extra customization or Logitech-designed layouts for games, the software offers a nice experience without a ton of bloat. There is no single key lighting for the RGB effects, but with the software, you can customize the lighting to 5 different zones.

Also, you can create or use Logitech's pre-created layouts for gaming macros or control layouts with software. For example, Battlefield 1 has a game-specific lighting scheme and control presets. After creating these presets, you can press the joystick button on the top of the keyboard and select which profile you want by choosing F1 through F12. While reviewing this part of the keyboard, I am unsure if I used it to its full capability, but the different lighting schemes were an excellent way to shift moods in gaming.

This game-specific lighting control is nice in an affordable product but will not compete with a lighting system like the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit. Govee uses AI to sync up what is happening on your screen with desk lighting to really immerse you in the game. The Logitech G213 tries to do that, but at least in my attempts wasn't able to get it to that immersive experience it seems like Logitech was going for.

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Is The Logitech G213 Prodigy Right For You?

The Logitech G213 Prodigy does not mimic mechanical keyboards perfectly, and honestly, the marketing term of mecha-dome or mechanical-like might be a hindrance for this keyboard. If I was sold this keyboard as a membrane keyboard with better performance than most membranes, this keyboard would be excellent. But because it is sold as an affordable mechanical alternative, it will be constantly compared to real mechanical keyboards. It does not hold a candle to a real mechanical keyboard.

If you are looking for an affordable keyboard that offers pretty great ergonomics and an excellent membrane typing feel, the G213 is a perfect option, given that you have enough space on your desk for it. But if you want a mechanical keyboard, do not think this is a good alternative. The Kono 67° Keyboard is a much better option and is only $30 more than the G213.

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FAQ

Q: Is Logitech G213 good for Fortnite?

The Logitech G213 is a pretty good keyboard option for Fortnite fans. It is incredibly affordable and has pretty decent gaming performance to help get a couple victory royales.

Q: Is the G213 keyboard clicky?

The G213 Prodigy keyboard does have a clicky sound to the keys, but it is not a mechanical keyboard. Instead, it is a rubber dome keyboard with some extra action to the keys to emulate the feel of a mechanical keyboard.