When it comes to modding PC components, there isn’t much that hasn’t been tried. And the natural course of action has been that manufacturers catch on to some of the more common mods and launch components that are available “pre-modded.” The trend started with little touches like case windows and is really taking off in many directions. We now have custom cases, power supplies, mice etcetera. The trend has caught on with keyboards, and today I get to look at one of the coolest keyboards I have come across. The EluminX from Auravision is one of the most compact, durable and well lit keyboards to date.

The box arrived just days ago, and I couldn’t wait to rip into it and see what all the hype was about. From the front, the box shows a shot of the keyboard with a graduated light fading from dim to dimmer; showing the illumination.

All that is inside the box is the keyboard wrapped in bubble wrap and a manual/warranty card.

Note how tiny this board is. Here it is next to a standard 101 key old school PS/2 type

Of course, this too is a PS/2 keyboard

And for the best part… the illumination. Look at that puppy glow.

The technology behind the EluminX keyboard was developed by Auravision for military purposes in their mobile units in the field where light can be a problem or just plain limited. Built on the same design, but for the retail market, the EluminX is a very solid feeling keyboard and the illumination is great for night owls like me who find themselves chatting away on ICQ much later that they would like to admit.

The main thing to note is the overall size. This is the smallest keyboard I have come across; yes, it’s even smaller than those puny iMac deals. It takes very little of my coveted desktop real estate (the worn-out desks here in the 3DV dungeon are repossessed from an old elementary school that was being condemned) And it is by far the thinnest keyboard I have seen as well, tapering from about an inch tall at the top (F keys) to just under a half an inch thick at the front (spacebar).The area with the keys is almost exactly the same dimensions as the keyboard on my laptop which has proven to be a good thing as I no longer have to adjust back and forth from my huge ergonomic keyboard to my laptop every time I change machines.

Unfortunately the small size makes it uncomfortable for gaming (at least for me). I tried playing a little Quake III and some UT2K3, but even after a couple of hours I just could not adapt. I am grateful for my n50 Speed Pad, so I can have the best of both worlds because I really like the EluminX for typing and “cool factor”. This may not be an issue for everybody as we all have preferences for hand position while fragging away (I think that last sentence out of context would get me strange looks in an elevator)

However, all of this “cool factor” comes at a premium. As you probably noticed at the top of this review, the EluminX retails for around a hundred bucks making it not only one of the coolest, smallest and brightest keyboards around, but aside from some specialty ergonomic models, one of the most expensive. This is definetly something to consider when looking at an upgrade or a mod. A Ben Franklin can go a lot farther than a keyboard when it comes to PC gear; then again, this is a very slick keyboard. My only question is… “Where’s the matching mouse?”