Genius SlimStar T8020 Multi-Touch Keyboard – Review

 

The Windows 8 UI is great for tablets and other mobile devices, but as a PC interface most of the coolest features available to a touch screen go to waste.

Genius’ SlimStar T8020 is the perfect solution for those who want a PC running Windows 8 and who don’t have a touch screen or tablet device.

Genius SlimStar is an elegant keyboard featuring a three mode, multi-touch number pad. While the number pad can still be a number pad, it triples as a mouse with multi-touch capabilities, a gesture control area, and a number pad. The touch mouse and gesture controls of Slimstar is a genius concept and if utilized correctly, could negate the need for a touch screen.

Before we get into what else the Slimstar offers and if it is an enjoyable experience, lets open up the packaging and show some specs for the device.

System Requirements:

• Supports Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP
• Intel/AMD processor 500 Hz or above
• Available USB port

Package Contents:

• SlimStar T8020
• Pico USB receiver
• Two AAA batteries
• Multi-language quick guide

Slimstar T8020 retails for $44.90 but we have found it for $39.72 on Amazon or $30.99 at costcaptain.com.

 

 

SlimStar’s right side is where most of the magic happens. While the rest of the keyboard feature tactile keys, the right is a flat touch-capable surface. On top of that is the battery and mode LED indicators which we will revisit in detail soon.

 

 

Genius’ SlimStar T8020 is a wireless keyboard which runs on a 2.4Ghz wireless USB pico receiver, and two AAA are batteries included with the device.

SlimStar has a range of up to 15 meters, and we found this distance to be just about the range where the keyboard would stop working properly.

 

 

 

The back of the packaging highlights most of the important feature of SlimStar T8020: Gesture and mouse controls, 11 FN keys similar to those seen on laptops and more.

 

 

SlimStar T8020 stays true to its name, coming in at only 1.8cm thick and weighing only 289g. SlimStar is truly thin and lightweight, making it extremely easy to transport.

The battery department in the back of the device also has a nice wireless receiver storage area. With the weight of the device and its small profile the keyboard is easy to move around as you wish.

Genius calls the keys on the SlimStar T8020 “stylish scissor type keys.” While they don’t have the exact precision of a mechanical keyboard, the keys are tactile and responsive. While gaming with the keyboard was enjoyable, we wouldn’t recommend it for long periods of time as our hands became fatigued over many hours of use.

 

 

 

SlimStar’s Touch Pad and FN keys:

 

SlimStar has a FN/Mode key to control both the 11 FN keys and to change the touchpad modes of the keyboard.

On the top right of the keyboard we have two blue LED indicators. One is used to indicate a low battery, which also flashes when the keyboard is turned on. The other indicates the touchpad modes.

Possibly the best feature of the keyboard is the touch enabled number pad.

Something that SlimStar could be compared to would be a touch screen laptop with a multi-touch mouse pad. It essentially combines those two things in one compact area. The number pad is usually a large area and incorporating touch and gesture controls in the same area is a smart idea – that works.

 

Touch pad:

SlimStar has a very simple setup: plug in the 2.4GHz wireless receiver in a USB port and switch on the keyboard and it is ready to use. No software or drivers are needed to run SlimStar.

Switching between the number pads modes is rather simple. Pressing the FN/Mode key on the keyboard will trigger a series of flashes on the LED indicator depending on which mode it is entering.

1 flash enters mouse mode; 3 flashes enters number pad mode and enabling gesture control mode requires you to tap the top-middle of the number pad twice and the slide your finger to the middle of number pad.

 

 

Our biggest gripe we have with the keyboard is that it is is confusing to remember what mode the device is in and we often find ourselves tapping for numbers, while two taps also equals highlighting onscreen text. Genius could have made the device a lot better with a few better design choices.

Instead of a double-tap and swipe sequence or LED flashes, why not include LED indicators for what mode the keyboard is currently in and have it tell you what is happening?

The current mode switching becomes easy to remember over time but it is just confusing and a small nuisance at times to keep track off.

 

 

Shown above are the gesture controls available to you in Windows 8 when using SlimStar.

SlimStar’s pre-defined swipe controls are super easy to remember and it will have you using the device like you would use a touch screen laptop or mobile device in no time. It would have been nice to create custom gestures or change what the device already does.

We found ourselves using our actual mouse for point and click browsing over SlimStar’s touch based mouse. Other features of SlimStar did make us want to use the touch area and actually have fun doing so.

These features include: using one finger to move the mouse, three fingers to right-click on screen, one-finger double tap to left-click, two fingers to scroll left/right or up/down, and pinch controls for zooming in and out.

 

 

FN Keys:

 

Genius decided to make the main keys larger than the function and arrows keys on SlimStar. The design stays flush with the smaller keys, but there was enough room to make them the same size as the rest of the keys.

We didn’t mind the slimmer FN keys as they are only used for specific purposes. The slimmer arrow keys weren’t bad either, but they could have been bigger.

The picture below shows what the 11 FN keys do. We do wish we could customize these keys to our needs – like FN+F2 opening Google Chrome instead of IE, but they work great otherwise.

 

 

Battery life:

 

SlimStar uses two AAA batteries to power itself. We usually use our keyboards for typing and gaming for an extended period of time. In our experience, SlimStar’s battery life is superb. We have used it for almost two weeks and have yet to see the low battery indicator turn on.

 

Final Thoughts:

Genius’ SlimStar is impressive and we can see future keyboards using many of the smart and innovative ideas of Slimstar. The touchpad has its quirks but it works fantastic once you get it down. Extra features, like what the 11 FN keys do, really make SlimStar stand out.

Genius thinks of the little things when designing their products with extra features always being included. Genius decided to include a special “right-click” key to circumvent the need for the three finger tap of the touch pad that acts a a right-click, an excellent design choice.

 

 

SlimStar doesn’t quite replace a standard mouse for us yet. The combination mouse, keypad, and gesture area in an all-in-one package gives you a whole new experience with Windows 8. Utilizing those features reserved for those on a tablet or mobile Windows 8 device on a keyboard is exciting and feels extremely fresh.

Even when we did switch back to our mechanical gaming keyboard for gaming, we missed the multi-touch and functionality of SlimStar. For $45 dollars, SlimStar is impressive and well worth the money. It’s an easy recommendation for any Windows 8 user and winner of our Innovation award.

Pros

– Long battery life

– Slim, lightweight, and functional

– Three mode touchpad, 11 FN keys, tactile and responsive keys

Cons

– Mode switching can become a little confusing

– Arrow keys could be bigger