I got about 2 solid years of constant use out of my first Phantom 87 with brown switches. Still works but one of the LEDs is stuck on blue now. Decided to hand it down to my nephew who has never owned a mechanical keyboard and get a shiny new one. Got the blue switches this time around and really liking it. The keycap font has changed and the keycaps themselves are slightly textured compared to the old one. Supposedly they added more sound dampening to get rid of the slight ringing sound when typing but this new one still does. Not a big deal I'm use to it. This is in my opinion the best off brand, sub $50 mechanical keyboard on the market. Extremely well made and didn't hesitate buying a second one. On to my original review...
I have owned several name brand mechanical gaming keyboards including Corsair, Kingston and Cooler Master over the years all of which have been good keyboards but quite expensive. I also own a cheap $40 E-Elements Z88 with knockoff Brown Switches. Not a bad little keyboard for the money but also not super impressed. My current daily driver is a Corsair K70 with Cherry MX Speed Switches (Linear Gray Switches). Its been my go to keyboard for about 2 years now. I wanted a more compact keyboard for my HOTAS setup to replace my Z88 and didn't want to drop a ton of money but after owning such high quality keyboards, my standards are pretty high. Did a fair bit of research and finally decide on the Tecware Phantom after reading overwhelmingly positive reviews. The hype train is usually never and good as the product so I set my expectations somewhere in the middle. Literally upon receiving the keyboard the packaging was surprisingly not just some plain cardboard box with the brand spray painted on it. It is very professional looking, glossy pics and descriptions etc. Very professional presentation. Some people look past these things but you can tell that Tecware put extra thought into first impressions. That usually says something about how proud they are of a product and I was not wrong about that here. This Keyboard is flat out impressive feeling and looking straight out of the box! Very simplistic and classy looking with a Steal top plate, Zero flex heavy ABS plastic shell and the Outemu Brown switches feel FANTASTIC! No gaudy graphics not even a Tecware logo. This thing just speaks for itself. I have a Cooler Master with Cherry MX Browns that I spent over $130 for. In comparison to be dead honest, this Techware Phantom looks more expensive. The mechanical difference being the Outema switches, have a very slightly more pronounced tactile bump. Yet still are super quiet and fluid otherwise. Absolutely the best MX knockoff switches out there IMO. This keyboard is an absolute pleasure to type on both stock and now with the O-Ring Dampeners I added yesterday. If you're not familiar, for less then $10 you can get a bag of mechanical keycap O-Ring Dampeners. They go on the underside of the key cap stem and essentially don't allow the keys to completely bottom out. Which gets rid of the extra click sound and quickens up the key travel. Its a super easy mod for cheap and works excellent on these Outemu Brown Switches. I have my Corsair K70 and my Cooler Master sitting off to the side as I write this review with the Phantom. Don't miss them at all.
Pros- (There are a LOT of them)
-Quality Packaging
-Steal (not aluminum) top plate
-Thick ABS plastic shell (No flex)
-Medium/heavy overall, won't slide
-Floating key design for easy keyboard cleaning
-Double injected key caps
-Individual per-key REAL full RGB lighting
-Vibrant and accurate RGB lighting that can be turned off
-RGB and Macro programming software from Tecware's website (very few budget keyboards get software support)
-Hot Swap-able Outemu switches (Keyboard comes with 4 extras, key cap puller and switch puller
-Braided and gold plated USB Cable
- ITS ONLY $45 !!!!!!!!!!!!
Cons-
In fairness I will be nitpicking here..
-Font on stock keys is a little small for my taste. I have replaced a few of them with Corsair gaming keys which I like better.
-Non-detectable cable
-No wrist rest included
Conclusion:
The simple answer is OMG yes! BUY THIS KEYBOARD! Amazon is flooded with cheap Chinese mechanical keyboards. Some good, some not so good. This one is BY FAR top of the food chain in that category. Its less then 1/2 the cost of name brand keyboards with like features, some if which I own. The Phantom easily rivals them all in build quality and feel. Best bang for the buck purchase I've made in a long time.
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Recommended Uses For Product: Gaming
Item Length Longer Edge: 14 in & above
Included Components: Keycap Puller
Item Height Surface To Top: 1 to 1.9 in
Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous
Number of Keys: 82 to 92
Special Features: Backlit
Special Features: Customizable Display Keys
Item Width Shorter Edge: 5 to 5.9 in
Keyboard Backlighting Color Support: RGB
Connectivity Technology: USB-A
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Product Description
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About Us
At Tecware, we create high-quality, minimalist designed products equipped with essential functions.
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In 2012, TECWARE was founded in the Philippines, introducing unique PC cases to the D.I.Y PC builder market locally. In 2016, Global Headquarters was set up in Singapore. Since then, TECWARE has expanded its reach to new markets and evolved its range of products to meet the growing needs of PC builders & gamers today.
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This Item  TECWARE Phantom 87 Key Mechanical Keyboard, RGB led, Outemu Brown Switch | |  |  | |  | |
| Price | $45.99 | -35% $30.00 List: $45.99 | $42.99 | -37% $20.00 Typical: $31.99 | $31.99 | -22% $69.99 List: $89.98 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 25 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Quality of material | ||||||
| For gaming | ||||||
| Ergonomic | ||||||
| Brightness | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| Sold By | TECWARE | TECWARE | twenty-one | TECWARE | TECWARE | J-Devol |
| connectivity tech | USB-A | USB-A | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | Bluetooth, USB-C, 2.4GHz |
| number of keys | 87 | 87 | 87 | 104 | 104 | 81 |
| compatible devices | PC | Gaming Console | Gaming Console | PC | PC | Laptop, Tablet, PC |
| keyboard description | Gaming | Gaming | Mechanical | Mechanical | Mechanical | Mechanical |
| operating system | Windows | Windows | Windows 10 | — | — | Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows 8 |
Reviews with images
A very good $45 keyboard, good features for the money. Better value than some major brands.
A very good TKL keyboard with hotswap switches for under $50!Sure it's not top of the line, but its quite good for the price. The unit I use came with tactile browns. But I installed in Akko Ocean blue switches for the alphabet keys and Kailh Box Navy (click) for Caps Lock.*Important* Kailh switches are slightly too big and will bend/break the pins on those switches if you attempt to install them!It's pretty much a GMMK1 keyboard with a slightly bigger body and with cheaper ABS keycaps that are double shot and generally okay. There is some hot spots with white for the RGB backlight but that's because of the keycaps. The ABS keycaps actually feel good as they have some texture vs the smooth you'll find on typical cheaply made keyboards or mainstream brands - but the keycap fonts are cheaply made with connected double-shot parts. The LED colors are rich, they are bright but not the brightest.The weight and feel of the keyboard is nice.It uses a slight variant of the GMMK1 PCB, even uses the same keyboard drivers... even the software functions somewhat between the two! They both power up the same with the lighting effects.The only negative is that there is a bit of a slight "pinging" sound from the case when typing, which adding some foam between the bottom and the PCB should take care of. It's not a deal breaker for me.The angle of this keyboard is perfect and common for keyboards, it's where it needs to be without popping out the feet. (Exact same feet on the GMMK1) The angle of the keyboard is exactly why I choose the Techware Phantom over the GMMK1, even thou the GMMK1 doesn't have the pinging issue.Oddly, the GMMK1 doesn't have padding between the plate and the PCB while the Tecware Phantom does. These effects sound a bit, better for the Tecware Phantom. GMMK software will get fewer complaints from Windows about the software certification.The software (Glorious or Techware) is worse to use than RK's. I would like to see something more like EVGA developed. It comes with 18 color presets with minimal options per preset. Most of the color effects look nice. There is a custom option that allows PER KEY color assignments. While the sub-menu includes 10 choices, you're only allowed one per profile. Once you customize it, it doesn't matter what you set it too. This, each of the three profiles allows you a color set and macros. There should be at least 5 keyboard profiles to handle most people's needs. FIX THIS.The keycaps are easy to replace with PBT versions. If you compare the pricing, a GMMK1 barebones is about $55 ($100? when not on sale). About $72 with keys. (Both brands with cheap font designs that look oddly ugly). Vs the techware for $45... with switches and keycaps installed. The switches in the Techware are fine and of course, are hot-swappable. Four extra Outemu switches are included with the generic switch puller.The bottom of the keyboard is nice and solid. The angle is nicer than the GMMK1, in my opinion at least as well as its common for many other keyboards.Important notes:1 - The software from Techware gets typical complaints from Windows 10+ as being legit. I wish all manufacturers will fix this. Glorious GMMK1 software is compatible with this keyboard without complaints from Windows. The software is the WORST thing about this product.2 - My experiences with switches are from Kailh, Outemu, AKKO and Royal Kluge. Kailh is one of the top 4~5 makers of switches without about 50 different types, these DON NOT fit well into the Techware. Ths pin holes are a bit small and will BEND the pins on your switches! (Guess how I know?) The only socket the Kailh fit in okay was for the Caps Locks. (I like Kailh for the option, but AKKO for not being scratchy)3 - Techware sells an optional Magnetic Shroud Keyboard Cover for about $13. This will cover the floating keys. It's a bit on the big side and not as nice looking are Royal Kludge's covers which are included. Both brands of TKL keyboards end up costing $57~59 if you don't want floating keys. RK87's LEDs are slightly less bright than Techware's Phantom LEDs.4 - The included brown switches are fine. Overall keyboard sounds good with them. But Akko switches are too noisy for spacebar. Stick with the included browns for such keys.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2019
Color: Outemu BrownVerified Purchase
I got about 2 solid years of constant use out of my first Phantom 87 with brown switches. Still works but one of the LEDs is stuck on blue now. Decided to hand it down to my nephew who has never owned a mechanical keyboard and get a shiny new one. Got the blue switches this time around and really liking it. The keycap font has changed and the keycaps themselves are slightly textured compared to the old one. Supposedly they added more sound dampening to get rid of the slight ringing sound when typing but this new one still does. Not a big deal I'm use to it. This is in my opinion the best off brand, sub $50 mechanical keyboard on the market. Extremely well made and didn't hesitate buying a second one. On to my original review...
I have owned several name brand mechanical gaming keyboards including Corsair, Kingston and Cooler Master over the years all of which have been good keyboards but quite expensive. I also own a cheap $40 E-Elements Z88 with knockoff Brown Switches. Not a bad little keyboard for the money but also not super impressed. My current daily driver is a Corsair K70 with Cherry MX Speed Switches (Linear Gray Switches). Its been my go to keyboard for about 2 years now. I wanted a more compact keyboard for my HOTAS setup to replace my Z88 and didn't want to drop a ton of money but after owning such high quality keyboards, my standards are pretty high. Did a fair bit of research and finally decide on the Tecware Phantom after reading overwhelmingly positive reviews. The hype train is usually never and good as the product so I set my expectations somewhere in the middle. Literally upon receiving the keyboard the packaging was surprisingly not just some plain cardboard box with the brand spray painted on it. It is very professional looking, glossy pics and descriptions etc. Very professional presentation. Some people look past these things but you can tell that Tecware put extra thought into first impressions. That usually says something about how proud they are of a product and I was not wrong about that here. This Keyboard is flat out impressive feeling and looking straight out of the box! Very simplistic and classy looking with a Steal top plate, Zero flex heavy ABS plastic shell and the Outemu Brown switches feel FANTASTIC! No gaudy graphics not even a Tecware logo. This thing just speaks for itself. I have a Cooler Master with Cherry MX Browns that I spent over $130 for. In comparison to be dead honest, this Techware Phantom looks more expensive. The mechanical difference being the Outema switches, have a very slightly more pronounced tactile bump. Yet still are super quiet and fluid otherwise. Absolutely the best MX knockoff switches out there IMO. This keyboard is an absolute pleasure to type on both stock and now with the O-Ring Dampeners I added yesterday. If you're not familiar, for less then $10 you can get a bag of mechanical keycap O-Ring Dampeners. They go on the underside of the key cap stem and essentially don't allow the keys to completely bottom out. Which gets rid of the extra click sound and quickens up the key travel. Its a super easy mod for cheap and works excellent on these Outemu Brown Switches. I have my Corsair K70 and my Cooler Master sitting off to the side as I write this review with the Phantom. Don't miss them at all.
Pros- (There are a LOT of them)
-Quality Packaging
-Steal (not aluminum) top plate
-Thick ABS plastic shell (No flex)
-Medium/heavy overall, won't slide
-Floating key design for easy keyboard cleaning
-Double injected key caps
-Individual per-key REAL full RGB lighting
-Vibrant and accurate RGB lighting that can be turned off
-RGB and Macro programming software from Tecware's website (very few budget keyboards get software support)
-Hot Swap-able Outemu switches (Keyboard comes with 4 extras, key cap puller and switch puller
-Braided and gold plated USB Cable
- ITS ONLY $45 !!!!!!!!!!!!
Cons-
In fairness I will be nitpicking here..
-Font on stock keys is a little small for my taste. I have replaced a few of them with Corsair gaming keys which I like better.
-Non-detectable cable
-No wrist rest included
Conclusion:
The simple answer is OMG yes! BUY THIS KEYBOARD! Amazon is flooded with cheap Chinese mechanical keyboards. Some good, some not so good. This one is BY FAR top of the food chain in that category. Its less then 1/2 the cost of name brand keyboards with like features, some if which I own. The Phantom easily rivals them all in build quality and feel. Best bang for the buck purchase I've made in a long time.
I have owned several name brand mechanical gaming keyboards including Corsair, Kingston and Cooler Master over the years all of which have been good keyboards but quite expensive. I also own a cheap $40 E-Elements Z88 with knockoff Brown Switches. Not a bad little keyboard for the money but also not super impressed. My current daily driver is a Corsair K70 with Cherry MX Speed Switches (Linear Gray Switches). Its been my go to keyboard for about 2 years now. I wanted a more compact keyboard for my HOTAS setup to replace my Z88 and didn't want to drop a ton of money but after owning such high quality keyboards, my standards are pretty high. Did a fair bit of research and finally decide on the Tecware Phantom after reading overwhelmingly positive reviews. The hype train is usually never and good as the product so I set my expectations somewhere in the middle. Literally upon receiving the keyboard the packaging was surprisingly not just some plain cardboard box with the brand spray painted on it. It is very professional looking, glossy pics and descriptions etc. Very professional presentation. Some people look past these things but you can tell that Tecware put extra thought into first impressions. That usually says something about how proud they are of a product and I was not wrong about that here. This Keyboard is flat out impressive feeling and looking straight out of the box! Very simplistic and classy looking with a Steal top plate, Zero flex heavy ABS plastic shell and the Outemu Brown switches feel FANTASTIC! No gaudy graphics not even a Tecware logo. This thing just speaks for itself. I have a Cooler Master with Cherry MX Browns that I spent over $130 for. In comparison to be dead honest, this Techware Phantom looks more expensive. The mechanical difference being the Outema switches, have a very slightly more pronounced tactile bump. Yet still are super quiet and fluid otherwise. Absolutely the best MX knockoff switches out there IMO. This keyboard is an absolute pleasure to type on both stock and now with the O-Ring Dampeners I added yesterday. If you're not familiar, for less then $10 you can get a bag of mechanical keycap O-Ring Dampeners. They go on the underside of the key cap stem and essentially don't allow the keys to completely bottom out. Which gets rid of the extra click sound and quickens up the key travel. Its a super easy mod for cheap and works excellent on these Outemu Brown Switches. I have my Corsair K70 and my Cooler Master sitting off to the side as I write this review with the Phantom. Don't miss them at all.
Pros- (There are a LOT of them)
-Quality Packaging
-Steal (not aluminum) top plate
-Thick ABS plastic shell (No flex)
-Medium/heavy overall, won't slide
-Floating key design for easy keyboard cleaning
-Double injected key caps
-Individual per-key REAL full RGB lighting
-Vibrant and accurate RGB lighting that can be turned off
-RGB and Macro programming software from Tecware's website (very few budget keyboards get software support)
-Hot Swap-able Outemu switches (Keyboard comes with 4 extras, key cap puller and switch puller
-Braided and gold plated USB Cable
- ITS ONLY $45 !!!!!!!!!!!!
Cons-
In fairness I will be nitpicking here..
-Font on stock keys is a little small for my taste. I have replaced a few of them with Corsair gaming keys which I like better.
-Non-detectable cable
-No wrist rest included
Conclusion:
The simple answer is OMG yes! BUY THIS KEYBOARD! Amazon is flooded with cheap Chinese mechanical keyboards. Some good, some not so good. This one is BY FAR top of the food chain in that category. Its less then 1/2 the cost of name brand keyboards with like features, some if which I own. The Phantom easily rivals them all in build quality and feel. Best bang for the buck purchase I've made in a long time.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2018
Color: Outemu RedVerified Purchase
Update Aug 2020:
"W" switch died after 2 1/2 years, I suspect "Q, E, R, A, S, D, F" are soon to follow based on the majority of my gaming. This is what I would call normal wear, no complaints here. "W" was the switch with the most strokes on it. Replacing the key was super easy, and they give you extra switched when you purchase the keyboard. Awesome! Total down time < 5 min.
Still very satisfied after 2 & 1/2 years. Felt good enough about this keyboard to grab some new key caps & this thing really pops now. Matches my Glorious Model D 😍
Original Review:
TL;DR: Buy this keyboard. If you are coming from another low/mid-end mechanical you will be very happy. If you are coming from membrane you will be ecstatic. If you are coming from a higher-end keyboard & don't pro-game this will fit the mold just find, you & your wallet will be happy.
Initially I was hesitant to purchase this product with it's lack of reviews, but consider this is a relatively new product (introduced to amazon on Jan 2018) I looked to their other keyboard reviews and was pleasantly satisfied. That being said, if you are uncomfortable with the lack of review I suggest looking at the other products they make and then come back to read the (currently) 3 positive reviews on this keyboard. My review will be two parts, first the product as a stand alone item and second this product against similar items I own.
Part 1
Pros:
Price: only $40 keyboard I can find with red switches
87 key design: personal preference, but I like a full 16.5” of mouse space to play fps's
Lights: it's real pretty, there are 18 different pre-set LED modes with 9 different LED color options.
Software: If you want more lighting options download the free software. It's free, super easy to use (easier than the Corsair software IMO) and now my keyboard looks awesome
The switches: only red's I can find at this price range. I am not good enough at typing or video games to be an expert of this but the activation point seems to be consistent. They all seem to activate at around 40% of the entire stroke.
Peripherals: comes with extra switches, two key pullers, and an easy to follow quick start guide (explains the lighting modes)
Build quality: Sturdy, no flex, replaceable switches
Cable routing: there are three different channels to route the cable through
Aesthetics: aside from the pretty lights, many people enjoy the floating key design. I find it easier to keep clean and looking nice
Neutral:
The switches (yes, again): While these are nice for $40, if you are coming from Cherry MX or the like you will notice a different. They are not as “snappy” for lack of a better work, but still leaps and bounds over membrane, obviously.
Cons:
Guided keys: the space bar & shift keys are both on the mushy side. Not a deal breaker, but def noticeable when compared to the other keys that operate with no little metal guide bar.
Part 2
Tecware Phantom vs:
-Red Dragon 87 key w/blue switches
At roughly the same price (Tecware is $3 cheaper) I would recommend the Tecware simply due to the fact you can get it with red switches which I prefer. If you were comparing blues vs blues, it's a toss up that boils down to personal preference. The red dragon has a lot more reviews, but the initial quality of this Tecware product is very impressive. Buy whichever one you think looks cooler. UNLESS, you don't care about RGB. In that case get the Red Dragon because it cheaper without RGB.
-Corsaire Strafe
Keep in mind this is a $110 product to a $40 one... The Cherry MX switches in the corsaire are nice. If I didn't have the two side by side or had never touched Cherry MX I would have zero complaints about these OUTEM switches. The Corsaire has a few other features I won't really dive into it's not hard to compare specs. The biggest difference I notice is a more consistent key stroke on the Corsaire notable in the guided keys (space & shift). This can make a difference in gaming, but at the level I play it is not worth an extra $70. Bottom line I do not think my Strafe is $70 better than this Phantom. It is without a doubt nicer.
-Drevo Gramr
I love the size of this little keyboard, but the switches/keys were bad. Noticeably worse than this Phantom. It was about 1.5-2” shorter on the width which is nice, but I have a huge mouse pad and would rather have nicer switches than that extra space. If desk space is at a premium and an extra 1.5-2” is going to make a difference (insert phallic joke here) then go for the tiny Gramr. Otherwise this Phantom is better in every way for a few bucks less.
If your wondering why I own(d) all these keyboard...
Quick background, my first mechanical keyboard was the Red Dragon 87 key. I loved it, but the blue switches were annoying my wife. Also I felt a linear switch would be a (slight) advantage in fps's. In practice I'm not getting any high K/D with red switches and am no better a CSGO player, which is disappointing. But you can learn from my mistake, nice hardware won't make you suck less. Second keyboard is a friends used Corsair Strife, and I instantly fell in love with the red switches. After hitting my thumb on the 10-key pad a few hundred times I decided to go back to 87-key, but cannot justify spending over $50 on a keyboard when my highest rank is Gold in Overwatch. I tried the Drevo Gramr mostly for work where desk space is at a premium and the minimalist design seemed practical, but couldn't get over the switch quality and the lighting scheme which never worked for me. Now I have this Phantom & love it.
"W" switch died after 2 1/2 years, I suspect "Q, E, R, A, S, D, F" are soon to follow based on the majority of my gaming. This is what I would call normal wear, no complaints here. "W" was the switch with the most strokes on it. Replacing the key was super easy, and they give you extra switched when you purchase the keyboard. Awesome! Total down time < 5 min.
Still very satisfied after 2 & 1/2 years. Felt good enough about this keyboard to grab some new key caps & this thing really pops now. Matches my Glorious Model D 😍
Original Review:
TL;DR: Buy this keyboard. If you are coming from another low/mid-end mechanical you will be very happy. If you are coming from membrane you will be ecstatic. If you are coming from a higher-end keyboard & don't pro-game this will fit the mold just find, you & your wallet will be happy.
Initially I was hesitant to purchase this product with it's lack of reviews, but consider this is a relatively new product (introduced to amazon on Jan 2018) I looked to their other keyboard reviews and was pleasantly satisfied. That being said, if you are uncomfortable with the lack of review I suggest looking at the other products they make and then come back to read the (currently) 3 positive reviews on this keyboard. My review will be two parts, first the product as a stand alone item and second this product against similar items I own.
Part 1
Pros:
Price: only $40 keyboard I can find with red switches
87 key design: personal preference, but I like a full 16.5” of mouse space to play fps's
Lights: it's real pretty, there are 18 different pre-set LED modes with 9 different LED color options.
Software: If you want more lighting options download the free software. It's free, super easy to use (easier than the Corsair software IMO) and now my keyboard looks awesome
The switches: only red's I can find at this price range. I am not good enough at typing or video games to be an expert of this but the activation point seems to be consistent. They all seem to activate at around 40% of the entire stroke.
Peripherals: comes with extra switches, two key pullers, and an easy to follow quick start guide (explains the lighting modes)
Build quality: Sturdy, no flex, replaceable switches
Cable routing: there are three different channels to route the cable through
Aesthetics: aside from the pretty lights, many people enjoy the floating key design. I find it easier to keep clean and looking nice
Neutral:
The switches (yes, again): While these are nice for $40, if you are coming from Cherry MX or the like you will notice a different. They are not as “snappy” for lack of a better work, but still leaps and bounds over membrane, obviously.
Cons:
Guided keys: the space bar & shift keys are both on the mushy side. Not a deal breaker, but def noticeable when compared to the other keys that operate with no little metal guide bar.
Part 2
Tecware Phantom vs:
-Red Dragon 87 key w/blue switches
At roughly the same price (Tecware is $3 cheaper) I would recommend the Tecware simply due to the fact you can get it with red switches which I prefer. If you were comparing blues vs blues, it's a toss up that boils down to personal preference. The red dragon has a lot more reviews, but the initial quality of this Tecware product is very impressive. Buy whichever one you think looks cooler. UNLESS, you don't care about RGB. In that case get the Red Dragon because it cheaper without RGB.
-Corsaire Strafe
Keep in mind this is a $110 product to a $40 one... The Cherry MX switches in the corsaire are nice. If I didn't have the two side by side or had never touched Cherry MX I would have zero complaints about these OUTEM switches. The Corsaire has a few other features I won't really dive into it's not hard to compare specs. The biggest difference I notice is a more consistent key stroke on the Corsaire notable in the guided keys (space & shift). This can make a difference in gaming, but at the level I play it is not worth an extra $70. Bottom line I do not think my Strafe is $70 better than this Phantom. It is without a doubt nicer.
-Drevo Gramr
I love the size of this little keyboard, but the switches/keys were bad. Noticeably worse than this Phantom. It was about 1.5-2” shorter on the width which is nice, but I have a huge mouse pad and would rather have nicer switches than that extra space. If desk space is at a premium and an extra 1.5-2” is going to make a difference (insert phallic joke here) then go for the tiny Gramr. Otherwise this Phantom is better in every way for a few bucks less.
If your wondering why I own(d) all these keyboard...
Quick background, my first mechanical keyboard was the Red Dragon 87 key. I loved it, but the blue switches were annoying my wife. Also I felt a linear switch would be a (slight) advantage in fps's. In practice I'm not getting any high K/D with red switches and am no better a CSGO player, which is disappointing. But you can learn from my mistake, nice hardware won't make you suck less. Second keyboard is a friends used Corsair Strife, and I instantly fell in love with the red switches. After hitting my thumb on the 10-key pad a few hundred times I decided to go back to 87-key, but cannot justify spending over $50 on a keyboard when my highest rank is Gold in Overwatch. I tried the Drevo Gramr mostly for work where desk space is at a premium and the minimalist design seemed practical, but couldn't get over the switch quality and the lighting scheme which never worked for me. Now I have this Phantom & love it.
Images in this review
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