Introduction

Belkin? Don't they make stuff for people who wear suits? Most of Belkin's product line can be found in any companies supply closet. These guys produce a whole host of computer-related accessories: wrist rests, mouse pads, you name it they make it. They've been making mice for some time, but none have garnered any particular attention, unlike many of Belkin's other products. So what happens when they step into the computer gaming arena, a region typically filled with consumers that want their products to go above and beyond the call of duty with not one, but five different products. Belkin announced their Nostromo line of products and rolled out three game pads, a mouse and something else called a SpeedPad. Interest was sparked and stuff was done. Today we have the Nostromo n50 SpeedPad and Nostromo n30 Game Mouse for review.

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The Nostromo n50

In case you haven't heard the term "id fanboy", you mightn't know that the office is filled with FPS addicts. Before Title IX and that other equal opportunity stuff, proficiency, if not outright mastery, was pretty much a requirement in order to get some respect in the office. If you couldn't hold your own with a keyboard and mouse, the curb was a mighty hard place to fall on, especially from a second story window. Those two peripherals are almost sacrosanct here. Many of us don't want our settings touched, much less the grubby oil of other people's hands on our keyboards or mice. But to actually replace the keyboard? Many attempts have been made to convert FPS gamers over to some wacky design, and many have failed miserably. We overcame the stigma long enough to give this product a shot and actually enjoyed some of its features.

Shape

What better place to start than the shape? The Nostromo tries to take on the ergonomic motif with its curved surfaces and quirky shape. Forgotten in this attempt at being comfortable to all hands, the ability to adjust parts is nil. That's the reason the wacky looking Aeron chairs are so darn comfy. The SpeedPad only had one configuration option; the large curved thingamabob could be removed. We would have like the ability to raise the key section, akin to a keyboard, and possibly even adjust the distance of the curved section from the keys. If you are going to try and replace the keyboard, you might as well try and one up it.