As crazy as
Thermaltake's fan-equipped keyboard is, we're sort of shocked that something like this hasn't made it to market earlier. The gaming keyboard comes with a small 6,000rpm fan that plugs into the top of the panel and blows air across it to keep your tired, perspiring hands cool. We expected it to be a total gimmick, but the fan actually moves a decent amount of air for its size. Beyond the added blades, the keyboard is of the typical "clicky" mechanical variety and has two USB ports along with a mic / headphone jack on its backside. The Challenger Ultimate is the most premium version with 256 backlight cool options, 64KB of memory and 14 macro keys. The mid-range Challenger Pro only has 10 macro keys, while the entry level Challenger has only 6 and 32KB of memory. A marketing rep on hand told us that all three models will retail for under $100, and mentioned the Pro version landing in the $65 range. In other news, Thermaltake also introduced its red-glowing, 4000dpi Black gaming mouse at the show. We know you're probably dying to see what that small fan feels like (trust us: it's exactly what you think), but the best we can give you from here are the shots below.
posted June 4th 2010 3:51PM
keyboard with a fan, nice...
@Bublik25
As America gets fatter, innovation will continue to remedy the previously unnecessary problems that come with it...
@Phenom
What does America getting fatter have to do with this?
Most peoples' hands get sweaty if they use a keyboard for a long period of time. And my I remind you the highest ranked guild in WoW is European? Why don't you just gtfo?
@bigdonny easy, big guy. I use a keyboard about 8 hours a day and my hands don't get sweaty. Seriously, even during long gaming sessions (playing through KOTOR was my last really marathon one), I'll develop cramps and fatigue, but never sweatiness.
And I'm not skinny. I'm not saying that some fit people's hands don't get sweaty using a keyboard, some might, but I think it's more about you being predisposed to sweaty hands as opposed to dry hands.
@Bublik25
Wow, a fan on a KB... DUMB
The industrial ducted fan I hooked onto my mouse: Fracking GENIUS!!!
Everyone knows the hand that gets really clammy is the mouse hand. Helloooooo!
FAIL. Talk about ghetto DIY-looking. Better wouldve been a fan that blew from beneath keys and air came up between spaces of keys. Oh well.
@Mister Warmth Would you want a keyboard which is 2 inches fat?
This is PERFECT for people with Hyperhidrosis =)
Good job Thermaltake!
@Bublik25
the old usb fan is not doing it anymore?
@Ryan Trevisol I think it wold be a good idea for people without A/C my hands gets sweaty if it above 80 out so its a decent idea
Thats a terrible place for the fan. It needs to pull air in from another area and blow it out from the spaces between the keys. Thermaltake, if you take this idea, i will destroy you.
@Chris Stoll have you ever turned a keyboard over? all that shit would be blowing on your face! designfail.
@Ignoramus I'm not talking about a 6000rpm fan that you can feel near your face. A gentle breeze across your fingers would be nice and wouldn't have the power to pick any debris up.
@Chris Stoll Totally agree. I would love something that blew air up through the keyboard.
6000 rpm? That's going to sound just lovely...
A keyboard with some type of a/c that turns they keys cold would be nicer than this fan.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
What kind of sweaty fatties need this? Seriously!
Eh, I can't think of a time my hands were sweating so bad I needed a fan for the keyboard.
The only time a fan ever came in handy was an old third party Xbox controller I had with a built-in fan. Now THAT came in really handy, as my palms would sweat all the time holding a controller. Too bad the trigger buttons died in like 6 months, but those were the most comfortable 6 months ever for a controller.
@Prevacator
I had these controllers too and they were awesome, except they drew too much power and so the controller would disconnect on first gen xboxen, and they started shorting out near the end, so they'd shock you randomly when the controller vibrated
I'll wait for someone to come out with a water cooled keyboard, thanks.
This Keyboard is old. They were promoting it at the Cebit 2010.
256 backlight options and they're all cool? Lies!
@Matt1122 - 256 backlight options that don't light through the keytops. I'll stick to my Saitek, thank you.
no way thats a mechanical clicky keyboard. they might be mechanical scissor switches, but "clicky" usually refers to a different type of switch
My hands never sweat on the keyboard...
but I think the price of this keyboard will make me sweat... a heck lot!
One mouse with palm heater please. Thank you.
uh...
i'll stick with the g15
This was already showed off at Cebit
Do they have one that comes with a tissue dispenser? One way or another I'm going to need it for WWDC on Monday :o
Fans...
Why isn't this in a Crapgadget column?
Can a $65 gaming keyboard be any good?
FTA: "We know you're probably dying to see what that small fan feels like (trust us: it's exactly what you think)..."
;)
Am I the only one that thinks this keyboard looks like a terrible mod done by an obese World of Warcraft addict?
@DeadPlayerWalking
No
For all the people that are talking about 'fatties': my sister has bad circulation and her hands sweat like crazy. She has to use a towel all the time when on the computer and had a motorola razr rust into oblivion from the moisture.
This would be a good solution for her. But so would be a small fan next to the keyboard.
@whiskers
P.S. No, my sister isn't a fattie, quite the opposite. No pics for you.
Tits or GTFO
@whiskers
I'm sure they were thinking about her, and not about raking in some dough from gullible gamers with a stupid gimmick when they were designing this
Buy some velcro, a 12V fan and take the usb cable from some old piece of hardware thats broken and dont need it nomore. That should help you keep those 100 bucks in your wallet.
I've never sweat while playing games, but eh it might be useful for those flash sites with moving pictures of people naughty things.
Boy, we must have it easy in first world countries, if this is really a problem that needs a solution.
If you're so fat you get sweaty from typing, you blew it.
@DirtyVegas
You probably also ate that deep fried twinkie.
my Blackbird 002 will still heat up a room faster than a keyboard fan can cool it down (not that my hands get very sweaty)
but id rather crack a window or use a real fan
I'd prefer to keep the chunks of Cheetos and other particles of debris underneath my keys instead of blowing them back into my face. Thank you very much.
why dont they stick the fan under the keys?
Looks like something i would have made on my spare time. Doesn't look good. I've seen concepts with fans inside mice, that was nice. This is just garbage.
I live only a few miles from the hottest place in the US and I have never had sweaty hands of any kind while gaming, lol.
Meh... Real pro gamers don't have sweaty palms, they use Bèta blockers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_blocker#Anxiety_and_performance_enhancement