Perfect for gaming, not so much for anything else. That pretty much sums up how the WolfKing Warrior XXTreme will fit into your life. The classic Warrior configuration has now had an additional custom QWERTY setup added onto its right side to allow for a little more than just a midnight Warcraft run. While innovative in its design, this keyboard remains best suited for frag fights and MMO’s than cranking out term papers, though I’m sure there’s someone out there crazy enough to try it.

The Warrior XXtreme adds onto the concept brought by WolfKing with the regular Warrior keyboard. Take all of the crucial keys off of a standard keyboard and place them in easy to reach positions so that the hardcore gamer no longer has to worry about meddlesome things like hand movement or concentration. With this keyboard it is now possible to have a few more practical implications put to use with it, even if it becomes cumbersome to re-learn the tried and true method of typing on it. It does remain good for simple tasks that only require one hand, but for the more intense and engaging prospects like say, writing a game review, it remains best to have that trusty standard keyboard lying around.

In game though this is a treasure to have around, since all the movement keys and weapons have been relegated to the area directly under the palm of your hand. This makes any quick strategy changes that much easier when engaged in a high pressure situation when timing is crucial. The keypad lines up well with either hand, although the configuration seems to be leaning towards those fond of cranking out commands with their left hand. The vertical space bar is in a perfect position for the thumb and all numbers lie directly at fingertip range.

The keyboard also contains a handy “K-lock” feature which lets you have constant voice communication mid game, making it much easier to bark out orders or relay strategy to team members. The only odd choice lies with the placement of the “esc” key, which has been transformed into a small silver button in the top center of the board. This is easy to overlook though, when using the main keys themselves is so easy.

Not to say that it doesn’t take some getting used to. The formation of the keys may have some newcomers scratching their heads, but it all becomes worth it when a few rounds have flown by, and everything merely becomes second nature.

The keyboard features a nice blue backlight behind all of the keys, perfectly suited for those times when you need to be stealthily playing games in the middle of the night. The light is bright enough that it does its job, but doesn’t hurt your eyes if you glance down in the heat of a midnight battle.

While all this new game functionality is great, the best option for anything outside of the gaming universe is to simply plug in your standard keyboard. The additional circle QWERTY setup on the right hand side is fine for simple tasks and data entry, but any effort put into forming complex words and sentences should just be put into unplugging it from your tower. So then one question remains, do you need to spend $80 on basically an elaborate game controller? Well, if you are truly devoted to games on your PC, then the answer is yes. While shelling out that much money may put a strain on your heart, the rewards you’ll get are far greater than any financial loss. But if you are just a casual weekend Warcrafter, then you won’t be missing anything by sticking to your trusty setup that you have now.