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Keyboards with a hardware option to disable Windows key?

kingmustard
By kingmustard
in Peripherals
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There are plenty of software solutions but I remember a few years back, a keyboard or two had a phyiscal switch (or button/binding, I can't remember) to disable the key on demand (such as when you're about to play a game).

 

I'm happy if a piece of software can writing a keybind to the keyboard's memory. At least then, I can uninstall the software afterward.

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1 minute ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

I'm not aware of any that exist.

 

How do you mean "disable Windows key"?

Whilst you're playing a game, the Windows can be anoying if acciently pressed.

 

There are plenty of software solutions but I remember a few years back, a keyboard or two had a phyiscal switch (or button, I can't remember) to disable the key on demand (such as when you're about to play a game).

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my Logitech G610 has a programmable one. You can go to the software and select what keys you want this switch to disable, not necessarily just the windows key. Many other gaming keyboards also have this function.

CPU: i7-2600K 4751MHz 1.44V (software) --> 1.47V at the back of the socket Motherboard: Asrock Z77 Extreme4 (BCLK: 103.3MHz) CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 RAM: Adata XPG 2x8GB DDR3 (XMP: 2133MHz 10-11-11-30 CR2, custom: 2203MHz 10-11-10-26 CR1 tRFC:230 tREFI:14000) GPU: Asus GTX 1070 Dual (Super Jetstream vbios, +70(2025-2088MHz)/+400(8.8Gbps)) SSD: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB (main boot drive), Transcend SSD370 128GB PSU: Seasonic X-660 80+ Gold Case: Antec P110 Silent, 5 intakes 1 exhaust Monitor: AOC G2460PF 1080p 144Hz (150Hz max w/ DP, 121Hz max w/ HDMI) TN panel Keyboard: Logitech G610 Orion (Cherry MX Blue) with SteelSeries Apex M260 keycaps Mouse: BenQ Zowie FK1

 

Model: HP Omen 17 17-an110ca CPU: i7-8750H (0.125V core & cache, 50mV SA undervolt) GPU: GTX 1060 6GB Mobile (+80/+450, 1650MHz~1750MHz 0.78V~0.85V) RAM: 8+8GB DDR4-2400 18-17-17-39 2T Storage: HP EX920 1TB PCIe x4 M.2 SSD + Crucial MX500 1TB 2.5" SATA SSD, 128GB Toshiba PCIe x2 M.2 SSD (KBG30ZMV128G) gone cooking externally, 1TB Seagate 7200RPM 2.5" HDD (ST1000LM049-2GH172) left outside Monitor: 1080p 126Hz IPS G-sync

 

Desktop benching:

Cinebench R15 Single thread:168 Multi-thread: 833 

SuperPi (v1.5 from Techpowerup, PI value output) 16K: 0.100s 1M: 8.255s 32M: 7m 45.93s

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2 minutes ago, Jurrunio said:

my Logitech G610 has a programmable one. You can go to the software and select what keys you want this switch to disable, not necessarily just the windows key. Many other gaming keyboards also have this function.

Do you mean the software creates a hardware keybind? Does it write that information to the keyboard's memory?

Ideally, I don't want the keyboard software to be running in the background just for this one function as I never really use keyboard software.

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2 minutes ago, TrigrH said:

if you have a mechanical Keyboard, just lift the keycap off, that way you can still press it but never accidentally. 

It's only temporary, just during gaming.

 

I'll want to use it often whilst not gaming.

 

I don't want to keep taking it off and on again.

 

Plus, it'll be ugly when it's off.

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2 minutes ago, kingmustard said:

It's only temporary, just during gaming.

 

I don't want to keep taking it off and on again.

 

Plus, it'll be ugly when it's off.

each to their own, i leave my capslock keycap off permanently for that reason. 

Insert ram related question here: https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1197132-setting-ram-speed-xmp-docp-for-dummies/

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11 minutes ago, kingmustard said:

Do you mean the software creates a hardware keybind? Does it write that information to the keyboard's memory?

Ideally, I don't want the keyboard software to be running in the background just for this one function as I never really use keyboard software.

Me: 17 background apps on the bottom right, more hidden

 

Without software this keyboard locks the windows keys only, but you're also forced to use the default light effect instead of a static one. You can turn the backlight off with a hardware switch, but that means no lights at all.

CPU: i7-2600K 4751MHz 1.44V (software) --> 1.47V at the back of the socket Motherboard: Asrock Z77 Extreme4 (BCLK: 103.3MHz) CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 RAM: Adata XPG 2x8GB DDR3 (XMP: 2133MHz 10-11-11-30 CR2, custom: 2203MHz 10-11-10-26 CR1 tRFC:230 tREFI:14000) GPU: Asus GTX 1070 Dual (Super Jetstream vbios, +70(2025-2088MHz)/+400(8.8Gbps)) SSD: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB (main boot drive), Transcend SSD370 128GB PSU: Seasonic X-660 80+ Gold Case: Antec P110 Silent, 5 intakes 1 exhaust Monitor: AOC G2460PF 1080p 144Hz (150Hz max w/ DP, 121Hz max w/ HDMI) TN panel Keyboard: Logitech G610 Orion (Cherry MX Blue) with SteelSeries Apex M260 keycaps Mouse: BenQ Zowie FK1

 

Model: HP Omen 17 17-an110ca CPU: i7-8750H (0.125V core & cache, 50mV SA undervolt) GPU: GTX 1060 6GB Mobile (+80/+450, 1650MHz~1750MHz 0.78V~0.85V) RAM: 8+8GB DDR4-2400 18-17-17-39 2T Storage: HP EX920 1TB PCIe x4 M.2 SSD + Crucial MX500 1TB 2.5" SATA SSD, 128GB Toshiba PCIe x2 M.2 SSD (KBG30ZMV128G) gone cooking externally, 1TB Seagate 7200RPM 2.5" HDD (ST1000LM049-2GH172) left outside Monitor: 1080p 126Hz IPS G-sync

 

Desktop benching:

Cinebench R15 Single thread:168 Multi-thread: 833 

SuperPi (v1.5 from Techpowerup, PI value output) 16K: 0.100s 1M: 8.255s 32M: 7m 45.93s

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My Razer Blackwidow has this option, its called gaming mode or some sh*t that disables Win Key and other options that I can choose like Alt+Tab and more. This mode can be turned on/off both via soft and on the keyboard itself FN+F10

Main system: Ryzen 7 7800X3D / Asus ROG Strix B650E / G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO 32GB 6000Mhz / Powercolor RX 7900 XTX Red Devil/ EVGA 750W GQ / NZXT H5 Flow

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My Logitech G910 has a dedicated button to deactivate Windows key. Haven't tested it on any other operating systems yet, so not sure if it's programmed directly into the keyboard or the result of their Windows software.

print "Hello World!" ("Hello World!")

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At least some Ducky keyboards seem to have dip switches for disabling the Windows key. 

:)

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There are keyboards that use a 2 key combination (normally a dedicated function key combined with the windows key) to disable and enable the windows key without the requirement for any software.

 

My steelseries apex RAW has that ability so there is the possibility that current models have the same function, and check the product descriptions as they might mention if a specific keyboard has a windows key lock function.

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my redgragon keyboard has a disable windows key button like you press both fn and windows key and its disabled, to re-enable it, you just press both those keys again

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