Gigabyte Aivia Osmium review

The Aivia Osmium keyboard is refreshingly understated for a gaming keyboard. The version we tested has Brown-type Cherry key switches, signified by its white backlighting. There’s also a version with Red switches, which is denoted by a blue backlight. The Brown switches have a smooth response with the keypress registering about a quarter of the way through the key’s travel distance. The keys have a grippy coating and are slightly concave, making typing very easy and comfortable.

The unit weighs a very solid-feeling 1.5kg, and as a result tends to stay put on your desk. It also comes with a detachable wrist rest. At the top of the keyboard are two wheels, similar to those you’d find on a mouse. One is assigned to adjust the brightness of the backlight while the other is a volume controller.

The keyboard also has two USB ports, one of which is a high-speed USB3 connector, as well as 3.5mm jacks for a set of headphones and a microphone. The keyboard’s cables are a generous two metres in length, which is useful if your PC is under a desk.

The five programmable “G” macro keys can be assigned in Gigabyte’s GHOST profiling software, and you can define five different sets of macros to the five keys, switching between sets by pressing the plastic panel above the number pad. The positioning of the G keys is strange, however. They’re above the F keys, meaning you have to take your hand off the keyboard in order to access what should be quick, spur-of-the-moment shortcuts.

You won’t have any problems with ghosting, where the keyboard fails to register keypresses when too many keys are held down at once; you can press down every single button on the keyboard simultaneously and your PC will register every press.

The Gigabyte Osmium is a very good keyboard: it’s comfortable to type on, and the addition of USB ports and 3.5mm jacks is a bonus. However, its gaming credentials are slightly diminished by the impractical placement of its macro keys. If you can do without the programmable keys, the Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire Ultimate is a cheaper alternative.