Product Description

Built to conquer your enemy, the Nostromo SpeedPad n52 captures all the advantages of its critically acclaimed predecessor, the n50, and cranks up the juice with advanced options to dominate your game. It puts keyboard and gamepad functionality into one s

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50299 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Belkin
• Model: F8GFPC100
• Released on: 2004-12-14
• Platform: Windows 98
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 10.00" h x 12.00" w x 4.00" l, 1.63 pounds

Manufacturer's Description
Built to conquer your enemy, the Nostromo SpeedPad n52 captures all the advantages of its critically acclaimed predecessor, the n50, and cranks up the juice with advanced options to dominate your game. It puts keyboard and gamepad functionality into one small and easy-to-use device, delivering more tools for customizing your game than ever. Using feedback from hundreds of gamers, Belkin's engineers designed the n52's intuitive nature and stylish versatility to give you easy access to your arsenal of deadly maneuvers. So start programming up to 104 functions now and watch how dangerous you become.

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

Odd looking, but useful
The n52 looks odd but after a few days playing you'll wonder how you did without it. The key to the n52 is that it reduces the space needed to play games; you can put every function needed for a game at the touch of you're fingers without needing to push buttons all over a regular keyboard.

The unit is solidly built but not heavy, and USB cable it comes with is definitely the right length. This allows you to sit with the n52 in you're lap. The rubberised bottom means that sliding is at a minimum during play

The software is simplistic to use, it comes in two parts the profile manager, and the load out manager. The profile manager is used to map the keys from the keyboard to the n52, you can create a straight transfer of key to key, or create a macro key. The macro key function means that many keystrokes can be bound to one key, this is great in games where orders need to be given, UT2004 as an example, as you can access a command 3 submenus down at the touch of a button.

The load out manager is used to load you're newly created profile and tie it to the game. At this point I'm sure you're wondering how an entire keyboard can be bound to such a small device, it's done by the shift states. By shifting states between red, green and blue you can change what the buttons do, so one 'state' can be for orders, one for fighting, and one for miscellaneous.

There are a few issues with n52 the first one came when I installed it. My PC would not recognize it at as game pad, and resulted in hopping onto the web to get a fix (You just have to love Google for those PC questions).

Also the keys were a little stiff, nothing beyond new keyboard stiffness, and vanished within a week of play. The hand rest at the front needs a bring strong pull to get it to move but once in position you shouldn't need to move it again.

Having used the n52 in Half-Life 2, UT2004, and World of Warcraft I can say that the n52 improved my response times, and allowed for faster actions.

The Best Out There For Games
I`m a big fan of FPS (First Person Shooters).
I also belong to a Call Of Duty clan as well.
I was getting through keyboards like no ones business,until a few of the people in the clan said why dont you buy one of these there great,they never seem to go wrong,and are really hard wearing.
I took there advice "glad I did".It took me about a week to really get used to it,but my gameplay improved,I was a lot faster,and reactions were great.
I would not use anything else now,and swear by them,IMO the best game device ever brought out.
You can configure any game to the nostromo,just match the keys as you go,then save them or edit them.
The great thing is once you have created these configs you can save them to disc,and any time you have to format or you get a new pc just load the software,and the configs you have made,and your back up,and running.
The device is very comfortable,and fits any hand,it also has like a none slip pad underneath,which sort of makes it stick to the desktop,so when things do get hectic,it wont move.
You get a manuel as well to explain what to do,but it is very easy to get the hang of.
Get this,you will not be disapointed,but give it a week of bashing to get used to it.
If I could give this 10 stars I would.

Nostromo N52 Speedpad - The Dogs
Recently I purchased Half-Life 2 and Counter Strike Source, and realised that whilst playing the latter I was getting completely licked. Of course this was mostly due to lack of ability and practice, but I thought I'd try a game pad to increase my kill to death ratio.

This product is superb. As with my new Logitech mouse, I almost stopped using the N52 after about a week because it did not seem to make any difference - but you need to give it time.

After a months usage I find I no longer experience the same aches and pains in my left hand after a monster gaming session. You simply don't have to contort your hand, with all of the fingers hardly deviating from the normal relaxed position. It fits the hand perfectly, and I consider myself to have average sized hands.

If anything, there are too many buttons on the N52, but once you become more advanced I am sure you will start using the lot. It will take a lot of tweaking to assign the buttons correctly, but once you find the ideal one, you will not be disappointed. It all becomes incredibly easy.

My only gripe is that the buttons do not click, and there are no micro-switches in the N52. But that's because I'm used to using an old clicky IBM keyboard, so most people probably won't care anyway.

For 20 pounds you can't go wrong. Combine it will a new mouse and you'll have so many buttons at your disposal you won't know what to do with them.