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I'm disappointed that swapping the Windows and FN keys wasn't a feature added to the Poker III. Making the Windows key act as FN is great, but losing the functionality of the windows key entirely is very undesirable. Also there's no reason the multimedia keys needed to be removed. Z, X, and C would have been perfect for these, App could have gone to V or replaced the Calculator key, which makes the least amount of sense on a 60% keyboard, or a tenkeyless. Having the multimedia keys next to the windows key would have also complimented the option to make the Windows key act as FN. App could also have been where the SECOND delete key is now. On a keyboard with limited keys to fit features, which is exemplified by the fact that the three multimedia keys were removed, having a second delete key is a waste. And nobody was asking for the Delete key to be moved. It was in a good place for all but a few niche individuals. I'm trying to be constructive for the Poker IIII here, but the 2nd delete key kinda made me mad, it was a really silly decision.
Some people like the option to have the arrow keys separate from the WASD keys, personally I don't. I prefer that you can swap it from being on the WASD keys, or on the right side of the keyboard. Also, again if the Windows and FN keys could be swapped, then you could both easily reach FN + Arrow Keys, and even do it with ONE HAND. That makes the act of using the arrow keys much more intuitive, and easier to adjust to. In their new position, the arrow keys are significantly easier to reach while holding Right-FN than they were on the Poker II. However, now it requires you to make one of several choices:
1.) Take your hand off the mouse to hold FN and use the arrow keys. CON: This requires you to let go of the mouse 2.) Take your left hand and hold Right-FN while using the arrow keys CON: This is stressful on the wrist and inducive of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. 3.) Switch Windows key to act as FN, and while holding Windows-FN with your little finger and stretching your hand to touch the arrow keys with your pointer finger. CON: This is slightly less stressful, but more awkward and slower to execute.
The problem with each of these options is that it alienates graphical artists and video editors as potential users. The reason being that most shortcuts for photo and video editing software is centered around the left side of the keyboard, where having Ctrl, Alt, and Shift act as modifiers allows dozens of possible combinations for shortcuts. Having the Arrow keys on the left side of the keyboard like this cuts down on the number of times an editor needs to move their hand away from this cluster of keys. The same goes for PC gamers who don't want to move their hand away from WASD in order to move through UI menus like inventories or options menus.
The Home and End keys were also moved three keys to the left, from just above and to the left of the FN key on the Poker II to the left of the arrow keys on the Poker III. This is pretty far away for keys that a lot of people use even just for moving around a web page, similarly to the arrow keys. They were good where they were, and people weren't asking for them to be moved either. The reason these keys were moved I think has to do with the position of the Default, Layer 2, Layer 3, and Layer 4 keys. It seems most of the rearranging of the right side of the keyboard was to accommodate these keys being placed here. Not having placed these keys here might have alleviated many of the issues I listed above.
This next one is an aesthetic point, so it's anecdotal, and should be taken with a grain of salt. One of the things that makes the Poker II unique is the font, which remains unchanged, and when I look at it, the look of the centered text on the larger keys like Shift, Tab, Enter, etc. I think the Poker III has lost some of the unique look the Poker II had because of this, since the Poker III has bottom corner aligned text. Except the Esc key, this perplexingly has remained center aligned.
The loss of backlighting options, even for DIYers out there, is also a major disappointment. While there's some rumors that two-color backlighting may be an option in the future, I personally hate the execution of any manufacturer who uses it. However I do understand it. Blue and Red are the two most commonly desired backlighting colors, followed by White as a neutral all-around color. Personally I've always preferred White as a backlighting color, and have White backlighting on my Poker II. I'm not the only one however. White backlighting has always been an option for the Poker II, and in fact it has always been the ONLY backlighting color option for it, notably because a neutral white matches the grey or white color of the Poker II.
Lastly, the new change to cast aluminum cases in the Poker III is the only desirable change I see in the Poker III. It nearly doubles the weight of the Poker III over the Poker II, without it needing to be an extra hefty price tag, and increases the manufacturing quality I'd want to expect from a keyboard so small, yet so expensive. Aesthetically I think visibility of the key switches adds much more to the minimalist look and feel of a 60% keyboard I find almost necessary, or at least iconic of the form factor. Aside from this large, yet single change, I feel that overall the Poker III is a regression - a step down from the Poker II. It's less functional, more difficult to use some important features, perhaps even poorly thought out. I wish the Poker II had simply been given an official cast aluminum case option that wasn't $69 instead of a whole new keyboard as we got in the Poker III.
The image below is how I think the Poker IIII should be laid out.