SteelSeries - Merc Stealth Gaming Keyboard

I'm using a SteelSeries Merc Stealth gaming keyboard. I've had it for several years after the previous one of the same model had to be retired after just over 12 years in service. Not because it technically broke, but it was an older version that required software to handle the key bindings correctly. But after a Windows update, the software stopped working. Luckily, I had a second, newer version which doesn't need that software. I hope that will last until the end of my gaming days because I'm not sure if I can handle any other format on a keyboard now. Paired with a RedDragon M908 mouse, I hardly need to move my hands over to the rest of the keyboard.

Steel series bought out Ideazon. They must have been doing pretty good for them to do that. Admittedly, Steel Series eventually discontinued it.

That's just it, you don't have to. The z-board is gimmicky, but you still have a full keyboard and the steel series Merc is just a normal keyboard with the layout of the Fang to the left of it. You don't have to switch anything.

Everybody is crapping on these, but they must still be in demand given how much they're going for on eBay. There's plenty of stupid PC peripherals that are dirt cheap, but the steel series Merc is hundreds of dollars.

yeah I'm still using my merc stealth till it dies.

I still have a Steel Series Merc Stealth. I thought about buying a second one back in 2011, but decided against it because it was too expensive. Should have gotten it then when it was only $200. The butterfly keypad is by far the most comfortable gaming layout I've ever used. I will genuinely cry the day it stops working.

My steel series stealth merc is the best keyboard I’ve ever had 15 years now

The Merc Stealth is one of the greatest keyboards ever made. Still use it. I have a 2nd broken one that I salvage for parts/keys if and when they break. It's old as hell but damn if I can't find anything to replace it with.

I have one sitting in my cupboard. I loved it, don't know if I want to go back to it or try to sell it. Going from mechanical back to membrane might be tough...

I agree. Not sure why everyone is complaining about the ergonomics, I had a Merc Stealth and it was so comfortable to game with. The slight angle on the left side helps a bunch, and the buttons are positioned so you don't need to position your hand the same way as with a standard numpad like the G13 or Tartarus.

I had a Merc Stealth and a G13. The G13 was way less comfortable because it was basically just a numpad with no ergonomics in mind. The butterfly WASD and positioning of the keys on the Fang/Merc were waayyyy more comfortable to use and it was much easier to hit all the keys. I might be remembering incorrectly, but I thought you could actually map the buttons to whatever you wanted with the software, just like modern keyboards (though you'd have to ignore the printed characters on them).

Another voice for the Merc Stealth and the Fang, here. Don't really care about the swappability, but that Fang/Merc's layout was amazing. Any attempts to do something similar like Razer's Tartarus or Logitech's G13 are pale imitations because they're basically just straight numpads without any ergonomics thought of. The Fang's/Merc's butterfly keys, along with the numpad across two rows, and the different feels for the different buttons, were unbeatable. Steelseries, since having bought out ZBoard, are fully aware of how popular the Merc Stealth is. People are BEGGING them for a new one, and they even made a big deal about giving away their last one(s) from their warehouse. There must be some reason why they won't redo it...maybe the manufacturing cost is just too high?

I had that SteelSeries Merc Stealth, and it was by far the best keyboard I've ever owned. It was the most comfortable thing ever for gaming, and I still can't understand why they discontinued it. The worst part is I replaced it while it was still working with a mechanical one, and none of those lasted as long or came even close to 1% of its comfort. I played so much WoW with that keyboard, Cataclysm times!

Sounds like someone who never owned a merc stealth. There is a reason why everyone who owned one considers it the best keyboard they ever had.

Bro what? I'm still rocking mine and am sweating the day it finally kicks the bucket. NOTHING out there comes close to the merc stealth in ergonomics for MMO/FPS.

I regret not buying a new in box one for $200 on ebay 10 years ago. Now they're like $600. Still have my original but it's worn down and I don't know what I'll do when it finally dies. 😭