A few months ago IO GEAR via their gaming gear brand, KALIBER GAMING, send a care package for the #PlayApartTogether initiative to help promote social distancing and to help flatten the curve during the Covid-19 pandemic. With the pandemic still on going, gaming has not only become the preferred form of escapism but also the preferred method of social interaction. Whether its meeting new people over a game of COD, trying to figure out who the traitor is with friends in Among Us or just entertaining people on a stream, the right gear is needed. Now I’m sure that there are plenty of gamers that have PC as their main way to play video games but also have either a PS4, Xbox One or a Switch (maybe all three) as their secondary. Most PC gamers prefer using a keyboard and mouse due to be able to have various macros to make different actions much quicker to do and for the precision they offer. One of the pieces of gear that was in the care package  that will interest PC gamers is the KALIBER GAMING Keymander 2 Keyboard/Mouse Adapter Plus Controller Crossover.

KeyMander 2 Keyboard/Mouse Adapter Plus Controller Crossover

Manufacture: KALIBER GAMING by IOGEAR

Make/model: Keymander 2 Keyboard/Mouse Adapter Plus Controller Crossover

Specs: weight- 10kg, L- 11cm, H- 2.3cm, D- 6.5cm

Contents: HVER PRO X RGB OpticalMechanical Keyboard

Warranty- 3 year limited warranty

Price- $89.00 on amazon.com

So what is the Keymander 2? Well simply put, the Keymander 2 is a keyboard/mouse adapter that allows console users (PS4, XBox One, Switch) to user a keyboard and mouse. “But don’t most consoles already support keyboard and mouse?” I hear you ask. While that is true, not all games support keyboard and mouse. This is where the Keymander 2 comes into play. The Keymander 2 has a free app that controls the Keymander 2. Downloading and installing that app allows players to be able to configure the keyboard and mouse to their liking. This ranges from the sensitivity of the mouse, macro functions, keymapping and so much more. Once you have your settings locked, you can save them and can have up to several configuration profiles for different games. No more having to reconfigure your set up when you want to play a different game that uses a different configuration. In fact the app offers several pre-configured profiles for some of the most popular games just in case you want to use those instead.

Now I’m not much of a PC player to be honest. The only games that I do play on PC are mostly RTS games and a couple of MMOs. I usually play multiplatform games (examples: COD, GTA, FortNite, APEX etc) on my console (my main is the PS4), however I do understand why so many PC gamers like playing with a keyboard and mouse. To test the Keymander 2, I used the KALIBERGAMING HVER PRO X RGB OpticalMechanical Keyboard (which you can read the review for it here) and the FOKUS II Pro Gaming Mouse (click here for that review). Now the biggest complaint about using a controller on a console is (depending on the game) the accuracy and the aim speed. You can adjust the sensitivity but in doing so you would have to adjust all the other buttons to compensate for the increase in sensitivity. With a keyboard and mouse on a PC, you would just have to adjust the mouse speed, every other action is on the keyboard macroed. Take FortNite on the PS4 for example: with the controller I would have to be aware what buttons to press in order to choose and build different structures. Using the Keymander 2 with the HVER PRO X and the FOKUS II, I was able to build much faster and more accurately due to no having to worry about switching to build mode. Using macros made playing much easier, though again I am not used to keyboard and mouse but did get used to it after a few matchers. Speaking of macros, using the Keymander II made it easier to play most console MMOs as I had access to proper macros on the keyboard and did not have to hold R2 to access a different action bar.

Keymander isn’t just for keyboard and mouse. There is a function called Crossover that allows you to be able to use different controllers. Say you have a PS4 but feel most comfortable with the Xbox One controller.  As much as I love the DualShock and its design over the years, my hands are not what hey used to be like in my 20’s. The Xbox One controller (especially the Pro model) is one of the most comfortable controllers that I have ever felt. And while there are alternative controllers for the PS4 that use the XB1 controller layout, the real deal still feels the best. So you just plug the XB1 controller via USB into the Keymander 2 and set it to Crossover mode in the app and just bind the buttons to your liking.

 

I’ll be honest, I was skeptical of the Keymander 2 at first as I have tried products like this before in the past. I think what makes the Keymander 2 work is the fact it has software (the app) supporting it and not just be another “plug n’ play” solution. I also like the fact that it has default profiles that cover the control layout for some of the most popular games if you happen to be coming from PC to console. Add in the ability to have multiple control profiles for different games and you eliminate the need to re-configure your controls each time playing a different game. At almost $90, the Keymander 2 is a bit pricey but really worth the investment.