INTRODUCTION

   For the past 5 years or so we've literally witnessed a rain of gaming peripherals designed and manufactured by a large number of companies around the world, some well-known ones and some well not so much. Regardless however no matter how many gaming peripherals we get to test most of them seem quite similar in both design and features while only a handful really steal the show each year (and that's not even certain) either because of their innovative nature or due to their second to none performance. Now as many of you know purely gaming oriented keyboards are perhaps what we see least when it comes to gaming related peripherals (mice and headsets are obviously more in number) and although many manufacturers keep releasing extremely durable mechanical keyboards their lack of features robs them from that classification. Of course currently in the market there are quite a few "pure" gaming oriented keyboards by manufacturers such as Razer and Logitech but as with all things there's always something above everything else and the latest S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 gaming keyboard by Mad Catz aims for the throne.

   Mad Catz is a leading global provider of innovative products for the interactive entertainment industry. Mad Catz develops and markets accessories for videogame systems and PCs under its Mad Catz (casual gaming), Saitek (simulation), Cyborg (pro gaming), Eclipse (home and office) and TRITTON (gaming audio) brands. Mad Catz also operates e-commerce and content websites for videogame and PC products under its GameShark brand, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary earphones under its AirDrives brand and publishes and distributes video/PC games. Mad Catz distributes its products through most of the leading retailers offering interactive entertainment products and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia.

   When Mad Catz announced the availability of the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 i was caught of guard because honestly when you're dag up inside a room and you have to prepare countless reviews and arrange several giveaways you really don't have time to check with all your contacts (my leg injury was also partially responsible for that). Still one of the latest S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 gaming keyboards did find its way to us and we've been putting it to the test ever since against my all-time favorite G19 by Logitech and the TteSports MEKA G1. Now if i had to describe the S.T.R.I.K.E.7 gaming keyboard I’d probably say it belongs in the cockpit of a small spaceship (if you check Chris Roberts Star Citizen you will see what i mean) since it really looks like nothing else I’ve ever seen. Specifications wise i was surprised when i learned that the S.T.R.I.K.E.7 is not a mechanical keyboard but rather a membrane model much like the G19 by Logitech. This is not necessarily a bad thing since I’ve been using the G19 since launch without the slightest problem so unless you plan on keeping a keyboard for a decade it shouldn't matter at all. I could mention everything else about this keyboard in this paragraph but its better if i show you which is also why we did our best to make this by far the most thorough/complete S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 review possible.