Logitech G213 Prodigy RGB Gaming Keyboard Review

Logitech's G213 Prodigy RGB gaming keyboard goes under the spotlight today as we determine if it's a winner or not.

Published
Updated
Manufacturer: Logitech
13 minutes & 35 seconds read time
TweakTown's Rating: 93%
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The Bottom Line

A strong contender to be your next keyboard! The Logitech G213 and its hybrid switch layout is nice to use, the LED lighting could use a little love, but the software that comes along with it is top notch. We honestly could not ask for much more for just $69.99.

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

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Continuing with the Logitech Prodigy series of devices, they have also sent over a keyboard to get our opinion on. Again, the idea behind the Prodigy series is to allow customers to get the majority of the features found in other top-tier offerings, yet at the same time, being much more affordable than those products. This allows Logitech to build their user base, as well as putting their devices in many more customers' hands so that they will appreciate what Logitech is doing, and hopefully upgrade down the line to more Logitech devices. Since it is possible to test most everything Logitech has to offer in such devices, get accustomed to, and learn to appreciate what it is that they offer, it only makes sense that one would step up when it does come time to change devices.

In this instance, Logitech is offering a lightweight, full-featured keyboard, with things like a built-in wrist rest, dedicated multimedia keys, RGB backlighting, customization via the Logitech gaming software, and even spill resistance. A major part of any keyboard design comes down to the type of switches used, and Logitech has opted to go the route of hybrid switches. This is made to make using the keyboard up to four times faster than a conventional rubber dome solution via mechanical top halves of the switches. The key caps only travel 4mm, much like a mechanical switch keyboard, but this has also been engineered to require 50g of activation force to have the rubber pad inside contact the traces to enable the keys being pressed.

It is easy to ascertain with what has just been presented that the Logitech G213 Prodigy RGB gaming keyboard does not boast the features of the best of the best keyboards out there. However, the feature set is rich, you get all of the conveniences of the more expensive offerings, and the product is cleanly designed. All of this is obtained, plus the ability to match a theme to any of the 16.8 million color options out there today, and can even be made to match lighting effects of other Logitech devices as well. From what we have gathered thus far, the Logitech G213 Prodigy is a robust design and is more than capable of handling anything you can throw at it and is why we suggest you take the time to see what the other side of the Prodigy series is all about.

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The chart, which was copied from the Logitech website, offers just about everything one would need to know before making an educated decision on whether to buy it or not. There is the 920-008083 part number, but we will stick to calling it the G213 Prodigy RGB, and we also see that it is backed by a two-year warranty. It is designed to work with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and Windows 10 without issue, but it requires a spare USB port and an internet connection to obtain the software to customize its functionality. Inside of the box, you should find a keyboard and some user documentation.

On a technical level, Logitech first addresses the spill resistant ability of this keyboard. It is here that we see the testing was done with only 60ml of liquid, which is slightly more than two ounces, or a little more than a shot of liquor. We would also assume they are using a clean liquid for testing, as anything with sugar will inevitably gum up the works. The connection type at the end of the cable is USB 2.0, and the G213 can use the full speed that USB 2.0 offers. There are RGB LEDs, there is no screen, and the cable which connects this keyboard is six foot in length. Physically, the G213 Prodigy RGB is 218mm from the front to the back, 452mm from side to side, 33mm in height without the feet extended, and weighs in at just 1000 grams.

At this moments, it does not seem to matter which of the big name shops you buy from, as they all list the G213 Prodigy RGB at the same price. Whether looking to Fry's to grab and go, or Amazon or Newegg to order and wait, the cost is set at $69.99. Compared to many other hybrid switch offerings, this is inexpensive, and with the fact that mechanical keyboards that are similarly equipped will most likely take you well beyond $100, we find the G213 to be reasonably priced and affordable to the masses. With such a minimal investment required, a keyboard such as this can easily find its way onto the desks of many users, without having to beg, borrow, or steal to get one of your very own.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

Packaging, Accessories, and Documentation

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Even though we have a Prodigy series product in hand, the packaging is typical to any Logitech offering. Flat black is used for the bulk of the front panel, and it is accented with bright blue around the edge and is also use to highlight the G213 Prodigy name. The majority of the panel is used to show off the keyboard found inside of the box, with a small notation to the 16.8 million colors, and then we have the Logitech G at the bottom.

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One of the shorter sides of the box keeps things very simple with what is offered. On a bright blue panel, using thick white text, we are given the G213 Prodigy name across this panel.

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Right where you are to open the box, this long side panel is also bright blue. As for the information here, all we are presented is the Logitech G name right in the middle.

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The second of the smaller side panels is again done with a blue background. On the left edge of this panel, we are shown the specifications in a fine white text.

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The last of the thin side panels is blue again, but this time we are told what is needed, what is in the box, and also mentions the two-year warranty.

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As we opened the box, we find the G213 Prodigy taking up most of the room, and it is wrapped in a clear plastic bag to keep dust and debris out, while also aiding in protecting the finishes. The wrist rest extends under the blue portion at the leading edge of the box, and under the black part at the back, the cable has been tucked into it to keep it from flopping around while in transit. Our sample of the Logitech G213 arrived in great shape, and give no indication that we should expect anything wrong with it.

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You will also find some included paperwork under the G213. Logitech offers a guide for installation and where to obtain the software, but they also include a separate insert on safety, compliance, and warranty information.

Logitech G213 Prodigy RGB Gaming Keyboard

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The left edge of the G213 Prodigy is made with a thin profile, with a fair amount of body to the design above the keys, as well as the angled wrist rest we see below the keys. Without the feet extended, the key caps lean away from the user, but having a wrist rest does raise your hands, making the angle of attack much more usable.

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The central section of the G213 offers everything we are used to in a US layout. There is the G logo at the top left corner, some LEDs to the right, and the key caps are slightly textured. We also can see that the top panel encloses the caps, and will make light bleed almost nonexistent.

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The LEDs we mentioned in the last image are to indicate which locks are active. From left to right, we have been given a LED for the number lock, the caps lock, the scroll lock, and the last one is for the game mode or the Windows lockout feature.

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The right third of the 104-key layout also delivers what is expected. The command keys are there, the arrow keys are there, and we also get a full number pad with optional arrow keys.

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At the top edge of the G213, we are given a pair of buttons. The button to the left with a joystick icon activates game mode, and the button to the right with a light icon addresses swapping colors when powered, without the need to address it in the software.

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Still at the top, but now at the far right edge of the G213, we find dedicated multimedia keys. At the top, there is a mute button, and a paddle style button to reduce or increase the volume. The row below those offers a play/pause button, one to stop the track, as well as being able to go to the previous track and the next track.

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The right edge of the keyboard is identical to what we found on the left, except that this side has G213 printed on it near the back edge. We have also extended the feet for this image, which now all of the key caps are angled towards the front of the G213 Prodigy for easier access.

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To connect the keyboard to the PC, Logitech offers six feet of braided cable. At the end of the cable is a mundane looking connection, but it does sport the G logo so it may be easier to find. As for the USB 2.0 connector, it is left in its natural state and is not gold plated.

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Under the keyboard, we see angled sides to allow for a bit of grip if the need to move the keyboard arises. The bulk of the bottom has an angled design which does not do much more than look good, it is supported by five rubber sections to keep it from sliding around, and the product sticker is found near the back edge of the keyboard. We do not, however, see any drainage holes to help with spillage.

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While not a big deal to some, we appreciate the small things when it comes to design, and the feet are one we like a lot. Where most feet flip out to the back and are easily collapsed when moving the keyboard, on the G213 they flip out to the side, and are nearly impossible to collapse them accidentally.

Inside the G213 Prodigy

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After some disassembly, we can look inside of the top half of the keyboard. This is where we find that all of the key caps are locked into the frame, and use stems that we have seen on mechanical keyboard offerings in the past. We also noted at this point that the wrist rest is removable, and one could make a new cover with the aid of a 3D printer.

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The lower half of the keyboard looks like any other rubber dome keyboard we have seen. There is a PCB near the back with LEDs for the locks, a white plastic plate which carries the key LEDs across the keyboard, and there is the main PCB near the front that is the logic board.

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The G213 does differ from many keyboards in the way the switches are activated. Rather than a metal pad on the bottom of each rubber dome making contact, the G213 uses a pair of trace layers, and the rubber tips force these to make contact with each other.

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Even though the G213 Prodigy does not have a ton going on with its feature set, the software does allow for quite a bit of changing and whatnot. This is why Logitech employed the 32-bit ARM STM32L100 R8TG MCU to control this keyboard as well as offering onboard storage to save changes and various profiles.

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We chose to show the G213 in Logitech blue coloring. There are quite a few preset color options to be used via the light button along the top, even a wave mode of color changing LEDs. If you download and install the software, you can customize the colors or set modes to use.

Logitech Gaming Software

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When the software is installed and initially opened, the home tab shows the G213 in the large pane of the window, and the F-keys, as well as the game mode and LED buttons, flash. If you click on the F-keys, the software will take you to the next window.

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The second tab offered allows users to change the functionality of the row of F-keys. Via the menu on the left, you simply find the command in the list you wish to use, and drag and drop it onto one of the 12 F-keys. At the top of this window, you can also select which of the six profiles you wish to address for changes.

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The LED color tab allows a user to address the way in which the keyboard is illuminated. In real-time it will show what is selected on the image of the keyboard, and you can select color cycle, all lit, or turn off the LEDs, and even adjust the rate in which the colors will change. Below that, you can also sync the keyboard and mouse together, or even the headset if you own all three.

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There is also a game mode tab to play around in. This window will allow a custom layout of functional and dysfunctional keys when the game mode is active. By default only the Windows keys and the Function buttons are disabled, but you can eliminate as many or as few keys as you wish, again over six profiles.

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Just like we saw with the mouse we just reviewed, you can check into this bit of the software to see what keys are used most. It can display a heat map with green on less used and red on most used keys, and can also show the amount of time each key is pressed.

Gaming and General Impressions

DOOM & OVERWATCH

Typically when we get a new peripheral, we install the software, have a look around and dive right into some games, and with the G213 Prodigy, this is also the way it happened. Playing DOOM and OVERWATCH, we found no issues with the way the G213 allows us to move around, change weapons, jump, or anything else where the keyboard applied to gaming.

We do tend to go back to some classic titles as well and found that no matter the game we chose, while we preferred to use the G213 with the feet extended, it is comfortable under our left hand, and not muddy feeling like a standard rubber dome offering. The extra force offered in this design also kept resting fingers from accidentally pressing keys or otherwise disrupting our gameplay in any way.

We also like that you can disable any keys which the game does not use via software so that you can be confident that while in game mode, you will not be bouncing to the desktop or pressing anything that may otherwise get you into trouble.

Windows and Productivity

As for our daily driving of the Logitech G213, things started off promising, but quickly things turned south. It took us a bit to have to use the "L" key of the "." key on the keyboard, as we typically do not punctuate messages, and just happened not to use many "L" words it seems. However, when we went to rename the Logitech folder or try to write anything at great length, these dysfunctional keys quickly showed their ugly heads.

To explain this a bit further, they do "work" to some extent, but normal presses on the keys would not allow them to function. It took a serious whack at the keys, and you could use the "L" or end a sentence, but all of the rest of the keys were fine and functioned properly. After we finished gaming and found this issue, it was not too long before the keyboard was removed from our desk and replaced with one which was fully functional.

Final Thoughts

Logitech's G213 Prodigy is a decent keyboard to enter the Logitech realm with. It has terrific software options to allow for customization of the keyboard, and the game mode system is one of the best we have seen to date. The feel of the keys is good with the use of hybrid switches which require quite a bit of force to actuate, and the 4mm of the throw to the switches does make it feel more mechanical than rubber dome. Having the ability to use many solid colors to choose from to match a theme is nice, but we do with there was more involved with the RGB end of it rather than a color cycle mode. It is large as the wrist rest is built into the design, but its light weight and the way the feet flip out in the back makes using the G213 Prodigy a treat.

We are not going to harp on Logitech too much about the two keys not functioning properly, as they sent us another keyboard, and it is highly likely any customer would get the same treatment. We did seem to lose the lottery with the pair of samples that we just tested for Logitech, but we do have to give thanks to Logitech for their full support and willingness to provide us with replacements. Logitech even took it a step further and requested that we send our original samples back to them, which many companies do not do, to ensure that issues, while small, do not happen again. Beyond the small issues we have found, there is still a lot to go to Logitech products for, and their combined all-in-one software suite is one of those.

Likely the best part about the G213 Prodigy RGB gaming keyboard to the bulk of potential customers has to be the pricing. While there are products out there that offer more features or functionality, not many can anywhere near this price point. We have even seen rubber dome offerings with similar features cost more than the G213, and this keyboard is a hybrid switch based design which feels so much nicer to use. For just $69.99, we feel that Logitech and the G213 Prodigy are worth the investment. While we did run into issues with our sample, it is highly likely that this is a one-off issue, not present in the bulk of the G213 Prodigy keyboards, and so do not let that sway your decision.

If it were our money, knowing what we do about this specific sample, we would still shell out our hard-earned dollar to have a go using the G213 Prodigy RGB gaming keyboard on our desk long term.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

TweakTown award
Performance 91%
Quality including Design and Build 95%
General Features 92%
Bundle and Packaging 90%
Value for Money 95%
Overall 93%

The Bottom Line: A strong contender to be your next keyboard! The Logitech G213 and its hybrid switch layout is nice to use, the LED lighting could use a little love, but the software that comes along with it is top notch. We honestly could not ask for much more for just $69.99.

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Chad joined the TweakTown team in 2009 and has since reviewed 100s of new techy items. After a year of gaming, Chad caught the OC bug. With overclocking comes the need for better cooling, and Chad has had many air and water setups. With a few years of abusing computer parts, he decided to take his chances and try to get a review job. As an avid overclocker, Chad is always looking for the next leg up in RAM and coolers.

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