racedude Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Belkin Nostromo n52te "Tournament Edition" - $69.99 Intro After buying the Saitek Cyborg Command Unit, I thought I was going to have an even better experience while playing my games. I was wrong; the profiler was too complicated, buggy, and confusing. I than returned it for the Belkin n52te. Though $30 more expensive, it is definitely not as bad. Overview The Belkin Nostromo n52te (the predecessor to the n52 and n50.), is your answer to constantly having to move your hand around on the keyboard. It is somewhat like a mini-keyboard, in that you have a total of 14 keyboard-like keys, a clickable scroll wheel, a programmable 8-way thumb pad, with removable joystick, and two other buttons. The Difference between the n52, and the n52te The main reason why it is better than the n52 is for a number of reasons. For one, the n52te's most noticeable feature is the backlighting. Belkin decided to team up with Razer (famous for their illuminated keyboards and mice) and put a nice gamer-blue backlight that you can switch on and off, so you can see if you are playing late into the night. Secondly, it has different software, again teaming up with Razer. Personally (and as many others have said), I like the n52's software. But once again, the n52te is using software created by Razer to program the keys and buttons. This software also allows you to save your profiles to the device itself. That way you can take it to a friend's house, and literally plug and play whatever game you like, whether it be a MMORPG, FPS, RTS, etc? Additionally, it has a removable joystick on the improved control pad. I don't use this myself, but many others like it. I find it an annoyance, as once you take it off; your thumb is more comfortable. Rather than a SNES style control pad, found on the n52. You have a control pad that is a 8-directional pad, that you might find on something such as the Xbox 360's controller. Software b>The software included with this device, allows you to program every single button and control on this device. The device and software have the ability to shift key maps. This means that when you press a button, it can switch to either a red, green, or blue key map. So for instance, let's say I have button 1 set to press the "c" key. Then if I press a shift button, it would go to the red key map. Then, if I set that button to be a different key such as the "l" key on the red key map, then it would simulate you pressing "l" rather than "c" since it is on the red key map. Not only does the software support multiple key maps, but it supports macros as well. Macros are a series or a combination of keys that can accomplish many things, at the touch of one button. For instance, let's say you were playing "World of Warcraft" and you wanted to cast a series of spells in a particular order. Instead of having to press each key on the keyboard that binds to the spell, and having to remember what keys to press in which order, you can set up a macro, so it presses all of those keys in an order you set, all at the touch of one button. Not only can the macros simulate key presses, but it can simulate mouse clicks as well. The software also has support for the profiles to launch, when you launch an application. For instance you could set one profile for World of Warcraft, and have that only activate when you open that application. Then, you could set another profile for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and have that profile load when you open up that game. This is a convenience because you don't have to take the time to manually switch profiles, and you can get into the game faster. Feel b>As soon as you rest your hand down on the device, you may not want to move it again. It is truly ergonomic and in my opinion, is the best way to game. Even someone with small hands can access and one of the keys with ease. The wrist pad is also removable and adjustable, so if your hand is a little larger or shorter, you can adjust the wrist pad. The pad is made of soft rubber that exactly fits your palm so you get the most comfortable experience. bPictures b>(Sorry for the quality, camera has no memory card, webcam pics.) The unit itself, with the backlight on.i> i> The box.i> i> i> The inside of the box.i> i> Ratings: b>Use of the product: 5/5 Software: 4/5 Feel: 5/5 Pricing: 3/5 Overall: 4.5/5 Conclusionb> You can find this product at most electronic retail stores, such as Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, Amazon.com, Newegg, etc? It normally goes for around $69.99 (not including tax.) In my opinion, it should have been priced a little less; I would love to see it around $50-$60. The software could be better, though Belkin has stated they are working to release better revisions of the software later this year. With its comfort, ease of use, and features, it is sure to give you the edge in the game. I would definitely recommend it over the Saitek Cyborg Command Unit any day! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post, or send an email at racedude at gmail dot com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circaflex Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 nice writeup, we have one at work (best buy) i never really got into these but each to their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racedude Posted April 20, 2008 Author Share Posted April 20, 2008 nice writeup, we have one at work (best buy) i never really got into these but each to their own. Thanks! Its my first review, and my internet went down, so I decided to write a review! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NienorGT Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 I wish someone could compare the n52TE to the Ideazon Fang. I have a Fang but the n52TE seems better in customization and support other stuff than games (right?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racedude Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 I wish someone could compare the n52TE to the Ideazon Fang.I have a Fang but the n52TE seems better in customization and support other stuff than games (right?). Ya it does, in the software you can set it to change the profile when any program launches for instance I have one for photoshop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NienorGT Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Nice, that's what I want, something to port beyond games :) Sad that the price is a big step from my Fang... How is the stability of the device? I heard it was pretty unstable and it was moving when pressing buttons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunkPhenomena Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 I liked the n52... it had a bit of a learning curve, but eventually made an improvement in gameplay. Though I only used it for online gameplay... now it collects dust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts