Bloody palm: test of the Bloody B188 keyboard and Bloody Light Strike Neon N50 mouse

A4Tech is known for its budget gaming devices, which have been sold under the new Bloody brand for the past few years. Our Test Laboratory received two devices of this brand. Will they be able to maintain the manufacturer’s reputation? Let’s figure it out.

 

The first thing that catches your eye when you get acquainted with the keyboard is its compact size. It has a standard layout without additional keys. Only the right Windows button has been replaced with a service Fn, and Enter has a slightly unusual shape. The second is the eight dedicated gaming keys: Q, W, E, R, A, S, D, F. They are orange, made of silicone rather than plastic, and have a rough surface. But this is not their main difference: while all other buttons have membrane switches, this gaming eight uses Light Strike mechanical switches.

 

 

The manufacturer claims a response speed of 0.2–0.3 ms, which is 30% faster than conventional mechanical switches. We didn’t take any measurements, but in practice these keys are really very smooth and comfortable to play. Their full stroke is 2.2 mm, before operation – 1.5 mm. True, mechanical switches would not hurt on other buttons that are often used in games – Z, X, C, V, Ctrl, Shift and spacebar. But what is not there is not there.

 

The keyboard has rubberized supports. It stands confidently, and you need to make an effort to move it, so you don’t have to worry about stability while playing. There are also two retractable legs, also rubberized, to raise it a little.

 

Equipped with a keyboard and backlight. True, the manufacturer’s website claims all the colors of the rainbow, but in practice we only have three – green, blue and turquoise. The backlight is adjusted using the cursor keys: intensity (three levels available) – up/down arrows, and color switching – right/left.

 

The proprietary utility, which can be downloaded from the website, allows you to program buttons, record macros and set key combinations. But since the Bloody B188 does not have additional buttons, this functionality will probably seem unnecessary to many.

 

 

With all this, the price of the product is about $60. Considering that fully mechanical gaming keyboards with a number pad and mechanics cost from $100–120 and above, this is a good option for those who are not ready to spend several thousand hryvnia on a keyboard. The impressions from its use were the most positive.

 

Bloody B188

• Connection: Wired, USB
• Keyboard key type: Membrane + 8 mechanical buttons
• Backlight: Yes, 3 colors
• Number of buttons: 104
• Dimensions: 466×38×205 mm
• Weight: 912 g
• Supplier: EDG Group
• Price: 1500 UAH.

Rating:

+ eight mechanical buttons with fast response

+ compact size and traditional layout

+ stable position on the table

+ Fn button, expanding functionality

+ proprietary software with the ability to program buttons

+ price

+/- no additional buttons

- not all “gaming” keys are mechanical

- few backlight colors

 

 

 

Gaming mice with a symmetrical body are not so common. Let’s see what A4Tech offered this time.

 

Although the Bloody N50 body is symmetrical, there are additional side buttons only on the left side. Left-handers, of course, will not be delighted, because then the additional buttons end up under the little finger. You can get used to pressing them with this finger, but there is little convenience here. In addition, the body is too small for a gaming mouse. Because of this (and also due to the lack of grooves), the little finger and thumb often slide on the rug. In itself, this is not very pleasant, and if there is a hangnail, it causes noticeable discomfort.

 

 

There are three buttons on top of the body, which by default are responsible for different shooting modes that can be used in games. The wheel is almost silent and pleasant to the touch. And the main buttons have good feedback. They use the same technology as the keyboard – Light Strike. In general, all eight buttons (including the wheel) are programmed in proprietary software. The resolution of the laser sensor is 4000 dpi. This is not enough compared to other gaming models, but it is quite enough for comfortable gaming and work.

 

The design of the mouse is quite unusual. There are “cracks” across the entire surface that glow in a variety of acidic colors. It looks really cool, although a little unusual.

 

 

The proprietary software also did not disappoint. Here you can program the buttons, adjust the sensitivity, adjust the backlight, select the operating mode for specific games and calibrate the device. And since the mouse has 160 KB of built-in memory, the programmed functions will work on any computer.

 

In general, taking into account the price (which is about 800 UAH), the manipulator left a pleasant impression. With the exception of the described shortcomings arising from the small size, there is nothing else to complain about. And the advantages of the device speak for themselves.

 

Bloody Light Strike Neon N50

• Sensor type: Optical
• Resolution: 4000 dpi
• Response time: 1ms
• Number of buttons: 7 + 1 scroll wheel
• Memory: 160 KB
• Dimensions: 122.46×70.42×40.16 mm
• Supplier: EDG Group
• Price: 760 UAH.

Rating:

+ original design

+ beautiful lighting

+ functional proprietary software

+ price

- the body is too small

- no additional buttons for left-handers