Genius SlimStar i250

Genius SlimStar i250
Branding	Genius
Layouts	ANSI, ISO
Keyswitches	Rubber dome over membrane
Interface	USB
Rollover	2KRO
Dimensions	437 × 147 × 19 mm
Weight	452 g
Price	ca. €15 (2014)

SlimStar i250 is a low-cost rubber dome over membrane multimedia keyboard from Genius.

Description

The key layout is largely standard ANSI or ISO depending on version, with the one exception being that the right Windows key is replaced with Fn. The twelve function keys each have a media function depicted in blue. No manual can be obtained, and the media legends are confusing. However, the Genius website does explain the three impossible-to-guess functions, which target Windows 8 specifically. From left, the media functions are: a computer (My Computer?), write text (compose e-mail message?), e-mail client, a stylised "e" suggesting Internet Explorer (hopefully opens the user's default browser), browser favourites, switch application in Windows 8 (the symbol suggests Copy), close current application in Windows 8 (the symbol is a circled cross), search current application in Windows 8 (the symbol is a magnifying glass), volume up, volume down, mute, and Facebook. When tested in 2014 by ComputerBase, the Facebook key did not work.

The keycaps are chiclet style, but tall and with a stepped surface. The website and box advertise them as "concave"; in reality, the front and back rows are slightly cylindrically convex, and the remainder of the rows are subtly concave. The concave keys appear to be spherical rather than cylindrical, but only by a very small amount. The top surface around the keys is gloss black, while the remainder of the case is matte black.

The flip-out feet lack rubber coating for grip. The wide keys lack stabilisation, depicted below with right shift.

Key travel is 3.5 mm, and actuation force is low at 50 g. Space bar uses a black dome, while right shift uses a green dome, suggesting possibly a heavier force for space bar.