Very good keyboard with a few minor problems

I (but not approve) was looking for a cheap keyboard that is suitable for both games as well as Office applications, and have landed SideWinder X4 after careful consideration at Microsoft. The main reasons were the positive reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, as well as the price.

On first use, I was rather skeptical. I come from a laptop keyboard with flat keys, and found the new unfamiliar deep and loud. However, you type it well, and I have, unlike other no problems with the shape and smoothness of the keys. She's definitely loud, but I think the normal key noise is not unpleasant and usually wearing headphones. What continues to be extremely disturb the spacebar. It is unnecessarily long and rattles very hollow and very loud, regardless of whether they are now pressed when typing in the middle or playing on the edge. Even after several weeks of use annoys me still every time.

The media keys are perfect, especially because my headset has no volume control. The 6 buttons on the Macro bar on the left I have not covered, since at the moment there is no need, but they also do not interfere. I've never caught accidentally a modifier key while typing or playing games.

On the key illumination I was initially rather not interested (let alone in red), but in practice it has proven to be very pleasant to work and play - especially if you're more of a night owl. Also very good, I find the indicator that shows the illumination intensity and the activation of the Caps Lock key.

The piano lacquer I can live quite well. By contrast, the palm rest is much too short and steep, fluted to still unpleasant. Their surface attracts dust like a magnet. I got it with a gel wrist rest compensated, works very well as a relief, but the keyboard-pad is not in my opinion useful.

Conclusion: Optical nice lighting and media keys very helpful and pleasant to write, good for games, only the cursed space bar and the ill-considered palm rest completely spoil the good impression a bit, hence the deduction of points.

ETA: I have the keyboard for almost a year now, and had no problems so far. The key label is still properly. I've even used to the rattling of the space bar, but not to the palm rest :). But I am still very happy with the Sidewinder and would definitely buy again.