For PC gamers, there are two points with which they interact with their games – the mouse and the keyboard. Because of this, hardcore PC gamers tend to be pretty picky with the hardware they use. Mad Catz is hoping to have the gaming keyboard for gamers, no matter their preferences, with the $300 S.T.R.I.K.E. 7. It’s modular, and can be adjusted to suit the needs of the different players. It even comes with a touchscreen that can perform all kinds of cool actions that make interacting with the PC more enjoyable.
Of course, the modular features and the screen are unique touches, but in the end, the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 needs to deliver the comfort and performance gamers expect from a top-of-the-line gaming keyboard. Does it? Is the screen just a gimmick? Is it worth the effort to tweak the layout? All these questions and more are what we are going to take a look at in this review.
Introducing The Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 Modular Keyboard
What really attracts you to the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 is how different it looks. This membrane-based keyboard looks top-of-the-line, and retails for $300 despite not having mechanical keys — that’s more money than most mechanical models such as the $150 Corsair Vengeance K95, which we reviewed Corsair Vengeance K95 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard & M95 Gaming Mouse Review and Giveaway Today, we are going to look at two high-end gaming mice and keyboards: Corsair's Vengeance K95 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard and M95 Performance MMO and RTS Laser Gaming Mouse. Read More .
Most likely, you’re paying a premium for features like the touchscreen, and for that, we look to PC peripheral powerhouse Razer and its DeathStalker Ultimate. Razer’s offering retails for $249, which is slightly cheaper, but it lacks to modular features offered by Mad Catz. So if modularity doesn’t interest you, and the nifty touchscreen is all you care about, the Razer might be a better way to go.
This is definitely a keyboard that’s built around being cool, but Mad Catz — a company known for making quality gaming accessories — can deliver on playability too. For $300, it’d better deliver.
Initial Impressions
The first thing you will notice about this model is that the box is quite a bit bigger than you’d expect. When you open it, you can’t help but be a little confused — each of the larger sections of the keyboard are packaged in tiers, one on top of each other. Finally, at the bottom you’ll find a smaller box that contains some support pieces and screws you’ll need to hold everything together.
While most keyboards are pretty much plug-and-play out of the box, this one takes a little more work. You’ll need to put the sections together, slot the screen into place, and plug in the cables that link them together. There’s a quick guide that shows you how to set everything up, and it was easy enough to do. The sections can also be screwed together, keeping them locked. If you don’t plan on moving the keyboard around and want to be able to adjust the sections quickly, you can just leave the screws out as the sections do click together tightly enough.
Setting the keyboard up with the PC is pretty standard, but one thing to note is that it does need to be plugged into a power source in order to work. This is obviously for the screen, as the USB connection isn’t able to draw sufficient power from a PC for it to work.
I did encounter a problem where Windows automatically installed keyboard drivers when I connected the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7, and then the drivers from Mad Catz website wouldn’t install. I had to launch Device Manager, remove the drivers Windows installed, unplug the keyboard, and then run the software. Everything worked easily enough from that point on, but it was a slight annoyance.
Overall, I was quite impressed with the keyboard. I still have a hard time accepting the fact that a $300 keyboard doesn’t use mechanical keys, but perhaps spending some more time with it will change my mind.
Design
Let’s start by looking at the keys — they are membrane-based, but Mad Catz has taken steps to deliver some of the feel that mechanical keys offer without the noise. After having just used the Corsair K95 mechanical model, I can say that the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 does an admiral job of simulating the mechanical feel, but it doesn’t quite stack up. Still, as far as non-mechanical keys go, the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 offers a solid feel across all of the keys.
With any gaming keyboard, you usually want to see keys for macros, and there are plenty of the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 from Mad Catz. In fact, there’s a total of 24, with some extras on one of the optional sections which attach to the side of the keyboard. If you like being able to make your own custom string of keys, the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 has you fully covered. Additionally, the macro keys are placed on the various sections, which means you can get access to them in different places.
The modular features of this device are pretty cool, but a lot of gamers probably wont take advantage of them. For me, and many other gamers, our PC is at a desk, and it doesn’t move very much. The amount of space doesn’t change, so if the keyboard fits with everything attached, it’s always going to fit. However, for gamers who do need to move around, or those that might find themselves playing where space is limited, some of the different configurations can be quite useful.
So just how can you configure the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7? To start, you can have a full US QWERTY keyboard with a number pad, the screen attached on the right or left side, and the extra macro keys. You can remove the number pad and macro keys to have a very small keyboard that will work great for general typing. You can use just the number pad and arrow section to have a small one-handed gaming configuration. You use the section of the wrist pad that normally sits on the left side to do this — the scroll wheel and extra button on that section make that mode a little more flexible. There are a lot of options, and it’s definitely something you won’t find with your traditional keyboard – whether one for gaming or otherwise.
Overall, the design of this keyboard just screams cool. It has a touchscreen, color-changing LED-backlit keys, obscene level of customization, and separated wrist supports that function well for comfort and modularity. Sure, some of it is a little gimmicky and most gamers don’t necessarily need them, but they provide the visual “wow” factor.
Software
The software, which is downloaded from Mad Catz’s website, is pretty simple, but it gets the job done. With it, you are able to set up your macros for each of the profiles you have stored. The keyboard has a ton of macro keys, as we mentioned before, and the software offers a nice graphical way to tweak and adjust them.
Also, you can use Mad Catz’s software to adjust the launcher on the touchscreen. It shows you a bunch of games and programs, but you’ll need to manually browse and add Steam games. Still, it’s an easy process, and it’s a cool feature. We will dive more into the touchscreen and its features next, but as far as customizing with the PC software, the process couldn’t be much easier.
All in all, the software is solid. It’s simple and effective, and it does a great job of enhancing the features of the keyboard. If you use the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7, you absolutely should install it.
The Touchscreen
The touchscreen is definitely a novelty, but it also does have some pretty useful features that enhance your computer usage. The launcher stands out the most — it allows you to store programs that you can launch with a single tap. The touchscreen also lets you control media, volume (with the ability to adjust levels for individual programs), plus it also includes a stopwatch and timer. It does quite a bit, so even though it may seem like a bit of a gimmick, it’s also pretty functional.
A small but underrated feature of the touchscreen is the clock. When you have a fullscreen game running, you can’t see the Windows clock in the taskbar. So having a nice big one on the touchscreen can come in handy if you want to keep track of time, and don’t have a clock in your gaming room.
A feature of the touchscreen that isn’t a gimmick at all is Teamspeak TeamSpeak 3: The Original Cross-Platform Voice Chat For Gaming Teams and Clans I’m a big fan of voice communication when it comes to gaming. Wearing a headset while gaming adds a social element that makes the gaming experience that much better. While TeamSpeak may have started off... Read More integration. For gamers who use this program as a way of communicating with their team and guild mates, the ability to control your Teamspeak from the touchscreen is amazing. No more pressing Alt-Tab to switch from your games, you can do what you need to from your keyboard’s touchscreen. It’s downright awesome.
Personally, I love the touchscreen, even though it’s not essential to my daily routine, Mad Catz has done a great job of making it useful.
Playing Games On The S.T.R.I.K.E. 7
Ignoring the fancy features and modular design, this is ultimately a gaming keyboard. All of its features are aimed at creating an optimal gaming experience. Even the touchscreen and mobility of the device are made with gaming in mind. Its price tag reflects that of a device built for only the most hardcore gamers, and that brings us to the one big question: is it a good gaming keyboard? To put it simply, yes it is, but it’s still a little on the expensive side for what it offers.
The main issue as far as gaming goes is the lack of mechanical keys. Sure, it does a good job of replicating the sensation, but it just doesn’t have the same tactile feel that a mechanical keyboard delivers. Despite that, it’s really comfortable to use, even after many long sessions (I recently got back into playing World of Warcraft Getting Started With World Of Warcraft: A Complete Newbie’s Guide Here’s what you need to know if you’ve never tried World of Warcraft before. Read More , which means I’ve had far too many eight-hour long gaming sessions), my hands never felt sore thanks to its cleverly designed support.
Out of the box, you get standard WASD keys, but Mad Catz actually included some extra tacky ones if you prefer a little extra grip. Personally, I was happy with the default keys, but it’s the little extra touches like those optional keys that remind you that this is a very high-end keyboard.
Again, I have to mention the touchscreen here: it actually adds to the gaming experience in some minor but noticeable ways. Having quick access to launch games is a time-saver, and being able to pull up Teamspeak without leaving your game is a fantastic convenience.
Using The S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 As My Daily Keyboard
This keyboard is clearly designed for gaming, and while I absolutely love it for that, as something to type with daily, it just feels a little weird. The separated wrist supports are great for long gameplay sessions, but they’re not as conducive for typing — the gaming-centric design makes them feel little weird, at least when you have all of the pieces attached.
If you remove the extras and use just the alphanumeric section, typing feels a little more natural. However, the far left wrist support – the one with the scroll wheel and button – seems to get in the way a little while typing and just isn’t as optimal as a run-of-the-mill wrist support.
Basically, if you plan to play PC games only occasionally and spend most of your time on the keyboard typing, you should not get the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7. First of all, at $300 it costs way too much for a casual gamer. Plus, you’ll find that a more traditionally-designed keyboard will serve you better.
Wrapping Up
All in all, the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 is a really cool gaming keyboard. The touchscreen may be perceived as a bit of a gimmick, is really nifty to have. As for the modular features: personally, I can live without them, but for gamers who need to move their setup around, the flexibility could really come in handy. It’s not great for writing and general computer usage, as this was clearly designed with gaming as its primary purpose.
The biggest drawback is the price — at $299, it’s too much money to ask for a keyboard. Even Razer, a company known for high-end, expensive peripherals charges $249 for its touchscreen-based model. Still, if money is not an object, this is a well-built piece of gaming hardware; I just wish it was it had mechanical keys.
MakeUseOf recommends: Only buy it if money is no object and you plan on making use of the modular features and touchscreen. Otherwise, get a cheaper, mechanical keyboard.
How Do I Win The Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 Gaming Keyboard?
Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 Modular Gaming Keyboard
For mobile users, click here to enter.
The winner will be selected at random and informed via email. View the list of winners here.
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Explore more about: Keyboard, MakeUseOf Giveaway.
who is the lucky winner?
My MS keyboard died; I'm using a borrowed keyboard now, but the STRIKE 7 Modular is what I really want.
Fantastic design.
The rice is best!
EVERYTHING! its so cool!
Touch screen was an awesome idea.
I love the great design.
id like it for world of warcraft
I like the touch screen the best.
I like the design of the keyboard. Its way way cool.
love the touch screen
I would give this to my son. He would love the gaming advantage.
I prefer separated wrist supports both for gaming and for regular typing so that's my favorite feature.
Looks like a great design!
The design and the screen.
Looks really great
very nice keyboard!
I like the great design
I like very much the design!
The touchscreen
I love the touch screen and it looks comfortable to use.
I've been drooling over this at my local electronics store. Would absolutely love this.
I like that touchscreen, nice touch. Eh, see what I did there. I also like that it is moveable.
I love the aesthetics! Looks very mecha-ish.
I like the design! it is so cool! i will definitely enjoy playing & typing with it!
its a very nice keyboard...one that a gamer could ask for ...and the touchscreen is awesome..hope i could get my hands on it ....
I like the unique design
All the different functions.
You all lost, it's mine...
The look of it is one of the best I've ever seen!
looks like a great design
I love the looks
I really like the design
I like the design
I think it's incredibly good-looking! I love the modular design the best, though.
Great Giveaway
The touchscreen nice idea.
The design and quality
custom WSAD keys. looks out of this world!!
Would LOVE to give this keyboard a try!!
stunning design! look @ the mechanical feel,is it a high tech military equipment?? :D
this is a beast!!! i really like its badass look! good luck for everyone !!
I really like the design and the mechanical feel.
I like the idea of a keyboard with a more mechanical feel.
I really like the appearance of the keyboard and I like the idea of a mechanical feel.
I like the design!
the entire design is awesome!
i like everything about it
I like how configurable it is.
The design and functionality is what I like.
Regards
I like the design.
I love the modular features!
Looks like quite the keyboard.
I like the total unique style it has and the way it lights up and the other extras. Thank You, Jerri Davis
I hope to win !!!
awesome that you can customize it the way you want it
Touchscreen is freaking awesome,love it!
I like its modularity.
Mechanical keyboard
I like the touchscreen :D
Touch screen seems great!
The touch screen sounds amazing!
Love the modular function!
I love its bad ass looks and that very helpful touchscreen.
What I like most about the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 is that it has a lot of buttons!
Touch screen is amazing.
The touchscreen just is awesome
Definitely, the touch screen
Sounds good! does it run on Ubuntu? I mean, not just as a keyboard, but the touchscreen etc?
The futuristic look.
i like the look
Gotta be the modular function and touchscreen.
So many options, I like the keyboard best.
I like the entire design with being modular and can reconfigure the entire thing. I also really like the touchscreen too.
Everything except the price and no mech keys.
Keyboard looks awesome. And then add that touch screen there in there - it becomes epic.
I love the keyboard itself, the wrist stuff, and the SCREENS!
Touch screen <3
Cool design.
I like the idea of the touchscreen. I have a screen on my Logitech Gamepad, and it is quite useful. Mostly for, as you mentioned, having a clock always displayed.
The screen is too great to be true
1 word AWESOME
hamster likez modularity and design
Looks great!
loving the touchscreen and modular setup!
I like everything about Strike, it's Cool
The touch screen is unique.
I would love to win this keyboard. This keyboard is very stylish and very customizable which I really love.
Everything
I like all of its features, but I don't think it is worth money.
i love the keyboard and the touchscreen!
Love the Touch screen..
The touchscreen looks cool.
love all the features of this amazing looking keyboard
It looks freaking awesome
I like the modular setup, I don't always need the full layout (like when I'm working from home)
The level of design and innovative features is awesome!
Each smallest detail is considered. Very stylishly and functionally
Love all the extra features it has over the competition.
The touchscreen. Hands down.
the ability to detach every thing apart
Definitely the touchscreen!
gimmick me up I love the touchscreen lol
That is one motherload of features on a keyboard O.O
I don't even game on PC that much, but that thing is AWESOME!!
Very helpful when I win this
Everything about it. The modular features, the design is really spectacular, adjustable to our needs and that touch screen really hits the jackpot with TeamSpeak incorporation, smooth move by Mad Catz =)
This design of awesomeness... like it totally! : D
looks and i bet it plays great
I really like the touchscreen!
It appears that Money need not be part of the equation for this ultimate GEEK input system.
The Lamborghini of Keyboards
It may be overkill, but it's cooler than hell. This is how I'd steer MY starship!
I like most its modularity :)
Awesome review and keyboard! I love that joystick-handle-thingie! And the touchscreen display! :)
I would like to try a keyboard thats worth about the same as my whole PC :D
I love the modular and futuristic aspect, with bells and whistles and things! :D
the design and touchscreen interface
It looks sooooooo cool
looks awesome...like transformer keyboard :D
The design is awesome! The keyboard would make my gaming experience much, much better. I'm not that technically minded to comment comprehensively, but I know it would make my life much easier :-)
Cool giveaway! This is the giveaway i always aiming for!
Its like a full on command center.Just look at it a way into the future no one can see.When time to battle don't think about it you are a winner way before it starts.S.T.R.I.K.E all!
Keyboard with macro keys, touchscreen with Teamspeak integrated , and extra wasd keys EPIC <3 Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E 7 . Srsly keyboard look from the future.
I really liked it's whole design!
I love the touchscreen!
I have an MMO7 by Cyborg and also some amBX Cyborg Gaming Lights. I'm very happy with the mouse, although the configuration software leaves a lot to be desired. I couldn't get the lights to work at all though.
The keyboard would go nicely with my mouse though.
I really like the touchscreen teamspeak part.
This Keyboard is a bit overkill. It is a nice offering for its price, maybe a bit overpriced because of the brand awareness. What I like about it is modularity which makes for great customization for different scenarios like work, gaming, office, etc. The touch screen module design is poor and it isn't really useful. I would like to see manufacturers go to back to the drawing board with the key design so that they can bring more reliable and thinner designs. the keys still look like the typewriter ones. For me, this keyboard isn't exactly a need, but having it would help me to avoid some frustration.
look
it's free :)
he Awesomeness of its looks and because it is Modular Keyboard
The touch screen is an amazing innovation
Touchscreen is the most amazing part . :-) <3
Dude, I like the modularity. Gaming on the go on a real keyboard. I'd love to check out how different the key's are from my mechanical keyboard. and the screen. It's almost a must have these days.
the Awesomeness of its looks and because it is Modular Keyboard
Useful thing.
The whole thing just looks so bloody cool!
I really like the touchscreen teamspeak part.
Just the fact that it's modular is great. Haven't had something like that yet.
With us so far? Well, the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 keeps the requisite keys, of course, but plays fast and loose with the standard blocky design: this is a modular, edgy-looking beast. It isn't the first time we've seen the Catz's industrial style, either the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 borrows its sharp lines, matte surfaces and metal undercarriage from the company's Rat line of mousing peripherals.
I like how you don't have to use all the components. They're detachable & can be used when necessary.I didn't liked the keyboard driver issue which could be pretty annoying.
It's a real shame it costs so much
I love the bad ass look of it!
I like everything about this keyboard!!
I like the "darth-vader"-esque design!
I think the touchscreen feature is neat and the design looks great!
S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 is amazing and i really like the design, im a gamer! i've seen this a lot on tv and im thinking that i wanna have this someday and this is my chance
super
Nice keyboard...!
The touchscreen.
I like its cool appearance the most!
Awesome design
Honestly, everything!
That thing look cray
The design that it looks so great for gaming
Believe it or not, my favorite part is backlit keys. I've never had a gaming keyboard and that will be a lot to learn. Thanks for this giveaway.
that fatty space bar haha
I like the epicness of the keyboard, I hope other keyboard companies start following suite
Believe it or not, my favorite part is backlit keys. I've never had a gaming keyboard and that will be a lot to learn. Thanks for this giveaway.
This is such an interesting keyboard! I think I would try to use it in gaming as well as an everyday keyboard; there should be a way to incorporate some of the extras offered into simplifying menial tasks!
I think the touchscreen is awesome!
the design
when i see it
it's look alike modular panel from spaceship cockpit
I like modular customization.
Touch Screen is so pretty and it's really a welcome feature that helps to talk with friends easily =D
The modular features are really great too =D
I just think the concept of taking it modular is awesome. Those interchangeable keys are really cool too!
That touchscreen is awesome!
Back lit keys
Crazy-awesome touch screen and gaming keys :D
I like that it has good support for your wrist.
Touchscreen.
I like design
The Touchscreen... For $300, it may not be worth it... but still it's a pretty cool feature. Thanks for the review!
modularity
I like a space keys and also a dedicated keys for games :)
Touch screen. For $300 it may not be worth it.. but still pretty cool feature
It's modular.... to the extreme!!!
I like the touchscreen the most.
I love the modular part of the keyboard - really good for different types of activities ( ie. gaming, essays, accounting,etc.), especially with he number pads and multi-lit LED keyboard.
The Touch Screen is really a neat feature with its Teamspeak integrity :)
And definitely the design is really awesome.
the fact that a keyboard is more advanced than my laptop!!
The touchscreen is pretty kick-ass!
The modular stuff is pretty cool.
I love bells and whistles and want one now, and S.T.R.I.K.E while the iron's hot!!
The touch screen is pretty cool. Definitely want to try that...
love the touch screen and the awesome modular.
I love that you can access teamspeak from it
I like the strike 7 because it wirless
I like the idea of the versitility, quite frankly
I love the modularity. I can get rid of the right side of the keyboard which I hardly use in gaming and get back some desk space for my mouse.
Looks great actually! I love it!
I love the touch screen. My son is an avid gamer and he would love this
I like the modular design.
What I like the most about the keyboard is the immense configurability...so many options!
I love that it's modular and has a touchscreen.
Overall design is pretty extreme, especially space key. I like that style.
I really like the design that it has. The modular concept make it can be used at different situation depend on my confort.
How modular it is
I like the overall design, honestly. It may not be the prettiest princess, lol, but it's actually pretty sharp, especially the modular design.
The touch screen.
Love everything about this keyboard!
I'm speechless :-) though i love that it's modular and customizable
Love everything about this keyboard! I've actually been looking into this keyboard and been wanting it for a while. Fingers crossed :D
Love the modular concept and the touchscreen. Awesome! Love to win this giveaway as I can;t afford buying it.
I liked the modular feature of this keyboard as I can use it at anywhere no matter small or the big table I get!
Awesome Modular Gaming Keyboard Review And Giveaway. Impressive Features , Many Thanks for this awesome Giveaway.
I think I can be more productive at work and play with this keyboard.
I like the modular concept
The modular concept is what I like the most.
I like the modular concept
Love the modular concept and definitely a plus to have the additional keys for the WASD gamers.
My current keyboard is a Razer Tarantula I picked up for cheap at Goodwill. Doesn't have mechanical keys, but it has ten macro keys and ten-key rollover, so it's pretty decent.
That screen seems rather gimmicky, although I'd be all over those macro keys.
Modular design
i like modular design and comfort when using it.
Split layout!!
the touchscreen functions are apparently well-thought-out
I love its agressive look
I like the touch screen, gimmicky or not it's cool!
Haven’t played on this keyboard. Thank you giveaway!
I like the modularness.
dont know
Haven't played on this keyboard, but really wanna try to!