Fact: we are all different. We all use our equipment in different ways. We don’t know what you will do with the Shift, but we can imagine a million different things – and we’ve designed the Shift to do all of them.
All-round use:
FPS, RTS, RPG
SteelSeries Shift can be configured, customized and personalized to do pretty much anything you can imagine. That’s why Shift is for everyone. Whoever you are. Whatever you do. It can reduce reaction time in First Person Shooters, it can increase Actions Per Minute in Real Time Strategy titles and it can do advanced macros (including timed delays) in Massive Multiplayer Online games.
Audio and USB hubs
The Shift base was also designed to make it easy to plug in your peripherals. We have included gold plated microphone-in and audio-out ports, as well as two 2.0 USB ports (one powered).
Media keys
Shift also offers easy access to Media controls, making it a convenient companion even when you are not destroying your friends and foes.
A keyboard chameleon
Just like our original patented concept from the SteelSeries Zboard, the new SteelSeries Shift also supports interchangeable keysets. The keysets are extremely easy to switch, just pull the rubberized lever to remove a keyset and insert a new one.
We offer a wide range of keysets; most are designed in close cooperation with the best developers and publishers in the games industry – from the world’s leading MMO title World of Warcraft® to triple A FPS titles like Medal of Honor®. Our keysets are designed with developers and expert gamers to provide players with an immersive, easy to use experience, to ultimately master their game. Critical game commands are grouped together, making it easier than ever to build, raid, frag or just simply… win.
Multiple levels of macros
Personalization allows you to shift the rules to your favor. You can program every single key on the Shift through our advanced software. In fact, you can do this multiple times. That’s because we have added layers to the Shift which can be easily activated through hotkeys on the base of the Shift. This means there is almost no limit to how much you can ask the Shift to do or how many times you can ask the Shift to do it. We have added illuminated indicators to the Shift to quickly and easily indicate which layer is active.
On-the-fly layer switching
The Num Pad and Function keys can also be utilized to access layers. Normally these are used for predefined tasks, but Shift makes it possible to apply macros to all of these buttons and in different layers to ensure that advanced gaming can be the main priority on your keyboard.
Record macros directly on the keyboard
You can record macros and actions on-the-fly. You can start recording macros directly from the base of the keyboard and quickly assign them to 8 specific hotkeys with 3 unique layers – giving you an easy access to a total of 24 keys. The Shift will even record your timing and delays on-the-fly, making it as easy as ever to configure and personalize.
Improved rubber domes for extended lifecycle
Normal keyboards are built to offer a lifecycle of 1 to 5 million keystrokes per key. We know that it is not enough for even an entry-level PC gamer, who will use and operate a keyboard a lot more than a standard office-type user. This is why SteelSeries Shift was designed with high quality silicone, which boosts the lifecycle to 15 million keystrokes per key and ensures the lifecycle of the Shift is Gaming Grade.
Enhanced tactile feeling
Basic operation of the Shift is comfortable, even for those really long gaming sessions. The keys on SteelSeries Shift are specifically designed to operate with a travel distance of 4mm, which is less than most standard keyboards. We consider 4mm the sweet spot for rubber dome keyboards, given it is faster, more responsive, and still offers a great tactile feeling during use.
Measurements
- Height: 40 mm (1.6 in)
- Width: 490 mm (19.3 in)
- Length: 190 mm (7.5 in) – With wrist rest 240 mm (9.5 in)
Keyset compatibility
On a hardware-level SteelSeries Shift and Zboard Keysets are fully compatible with both the Shift and Zboard Keyboards. However, the Shift Keyboard and Shift Keysets are exclusively supported by the new SteelSeries Engine, while the SteelSeries Zboard Keyboard and Zboard Keysets are exclusively supported by the Z Engine. We’re working hard to ensure cross compatibility, which is in the works for the Zboard Keyboards and the most popular Zboard Keysets to be supported by the new SteelSeries Engine. Look out for information on our keyset product pages to find out which ones are ready!
Fine-tuned heat spots
We have carefully fine-tuned the force you need to apply with your finger to operate the keys. Some keys are used more frequently than others, both when gaming and typing. The keys you use the most, like WASD for First Person Shooters, require less force than the keys you don’t use as often.
Tilt it to your preference
We designed the Shift with 3 different height settings. The adjustable, rubberized feet on the keyboard will ensure that you can operate the Shift at whatever angle feels natural to you to further enhance the ergonomics of the keyboard.
Compatibility
Operating systems:
- Windows XP
- Windows Vista
- Windows 7
- Mac OSX*
*Configuration software only available for Windows operating systems.
