TECWAREPhantom 104 Key Full Size RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Numpad, LED Backlit, Typewriter Sound, Clicky Switch, Outemu Blue

I've owned a Logitech G810 keyboard for about two years now. I love the thing to death, it's easily one of my favorite keyboards out there. I've always wanted a keyboard with a more tactile feel compared my linear G810. I was doing research on keyboards and this keyboard kept creeping up time and time again. I didn't really feel like shelling out upwards of $180 for a new keyboard and I figured with a price point of only $49.99 it was worth a try. Boy am I glad I bought this keyboard. This is easily one of the best keyboards I think I've ever used.I purchased the Outemu brown switch version of the keyboard. This keyboard features hot swap-able switches. Meaning you can take the switches out of the PCB and replace them with other Outemu switches such as the blues or reds. The keyboard comes with 4 spare switches which is a nice extra. I've heard people say you can put true Cherry MX switches in here. Apparently you would just have to file down the pins slightly to make them fit into the PCB. I don't know if that's true or not but just something that I read online.The typing feel is quite amazing. I don't spend alot of time typing out essays or other forms of text but when I start to type on this keyboard I seriously don't want to stop. The typing experience on this keyboard is that good. This is a personal preference thing but I will have to buy some rubber o-rings as I do bottom out my keystrokes 100% of the time and the noise from that is very noticeable. This isn't a big deal and not a design fault of the keyboard. The stock key caps feel decent, they have a slight texture on them but nothing too crazy. The font on the standard keys is very simple though some key fonts look thicker than others. I replaced the original key caps with the Hyper X Pudding Key caps (shown in my picture).The build quality of this keyboard is better than my Logitech G810 hands down. The top plate of the Tecware Phantom is steel while the rest of the case is built from a very sturdy plastic. This keyboard has no flex what so ever. I was expecting some sort of flex at this price point but I was surprised to find none. My G810 keyboard has slight flex in it compared to the Tecware Phantom. They keyboard has decent weight to it. It's not super light but not super heavy. I'm impressed with the build quality. It's sturdy and strong and not something that bend or flex.I then switched to some CS:GO as I primarily play games on my PC. I was a little worried that going from a linear switch to a tactile switch would be detrimental to my overall gaming experience. Again, I was wrong. Each key press felt distinct and precise. I didn't feel like I was missing the linear feel of my G810. The keyboard is full NKRO so you can hit and press as many keys as you like and not one key press will be ignored. I tried to pay attention to how the keys felt while gaming. They felt really good and responsive so no issues here.The RGB is impressive as well. While not as bright and flashy as other higher end RGB mechanical keyboards such as those from Corsair or Hyper X, the RGB lights on the Tecware Phantom are great. I highly recommend picking up the Hyper X Pudding Keycaps on Amazon. I purchased them alongside this keyboard. They really make this keyboard's RGB pop. The keyboard comes preset with loads of different RGB effects which can be triggered via different macros built into the board. If that isn't your cup of tea, Tecware offers software online that will allow you to create and edit RGB effects within the application.I don't really have any negatives to say about this keyboard. I guess my only negative with this keyboard is the lack of actual media controls. This isn't a deal breaker by any means. My logitech G810 had a dedicated volume wheel, pause/ play buttons, etc which I found really useful and something that I'm used to having. The Tecware Phantom has them built into the keys via the FN key. Not a deal breaker and not a feature I'd expect from a $50 keyboard but it would be nice to have some sort of scroll wheel for the volume. Also a USB passthrough would be nice and handy to have but again I would never expect that feature on a $50 keyboard.All in all for anybody looking for an amazing 100% true mechanical keyboard that won't break the bank, please consider this keyboard. I honestly would never buy a $150+ keyboard again after using the Tecware Phantom. Truly phenomenal to have a board of this quality at this price. Purchase this board, you will not regret it!

If you're looking for a mechanical keyboard that mimics a *real* keyboard like the IBM model M (the 5lb beast from the mid-80s, sold with the IBM PC XT and AT), get this keyboard with the BLUE switches. If you learned to type on an IBM Selectric typewriter way back in the day, get this keyboard with the BLUE switches.If you're looking for a gaming keyboard, do NOT get the BLUE switches (if you do, you won't be happy).My 35yr old IBM PC XT keyboard died. I didn't hold a funeral for it, but was seriously considering it. It was loud, It was heavy, it had more steel in it than my tower PC, and it worked flawlessly for 30+ years. All other keyboards felt like I was typing on a sponge; they had no "click" and the keys just "slid" down until they hit bottom. I *needed* the audible click and the tactile feedback because without those two features, it wasn't a real keyboard..The BLUE OutEmu switches used in this keyboard aren't the same as the original IBM keyboard switches, but they're fairly close. Importantly, they've got the audible click and the tactile feel of the click mechanism makes it feel like a real keyboard. The springs aren't as strong as the original, but they're very close (mind you that my IBM keyboard is 35 yrs old so the switches are a tad bit worn).The lighting is very cool, but wasn't something I specifically was looking for. Price was a big factor; I can buy a replacement from Unicomp for about $100 but this keyboard is half as much. For some reason, inferior mechanical keyboard can go up to $300 or more which I find absurd. This keyboard for $50 is a heck of a value and has features that more expensive keyboard (still) don't have.Not only are the keycaps replaceable, but individual switches are replaceable. If you have a bad key switch, on most mechanical keyboard it's time for a new keyboard or you need to break out the soldering iron to repair it yourself. There are much more expensive mechanical keyboard where switches are not replaceable.If you choose to use their software, you can program the color of each key individually. This isn't a feature I care about; I bought it for it's price and BLUE switches. For games this can be handy, you can assign arbitrary colors to shortcut keys for the game. Even without the software, there are 15 or 16 keyboard color patterns you can trigger, use rainbow colors or a single fixed color with the built in patterns, as well as control brightness, pattern speed, and pattern direction.Pros (BLUE switches):$50 mechanical keyboardBLUE switches are very close to the (worn) IBM keyboard I replacedSwitches are user replaceableIt's loud, it's heavy, it's clickly -- it's perfect for meComes with extra switches, switch puller, and keycap pullerCon:Haven't found one.Warnings:If you've never had a *real* keyboard that's clicky, you have no idea how loud a clicky mechanical keyboard can be.After you've used a clicky keyboard for a while, you will not want to ever go back to using a mushy keyboard.A note on switches:Cherry MX is considered the premier brand of switches for mechanical keyboard. OutEmu is a different brand. For the price of 104 Cherry MX switches, I can buy a Unicomp keyboard (google it). BLUE switches are great for typing but not so great for gaming; BROWN or RED switches may be more appropriate for FPS gamers.

The media could not be loaded. I bought this for $40. This is my first mechanical keyboard, I’ve only used laptop keyboards with a "scissor" mechanism before. Laptop keyboards are quiet, so this one still sounds loud to me. But in videos, the sound is even louder, in real life, it's about x2 time quieter. Most of the noise comes from the keycap hitting the case.The keyboard has a solid weight - about 1 kg. The build quality is excellent: the keypresses is light and the keycaps are pleasant, and there’s a metal plate under the keys. The keys don’t wobble.Its dimensions are 44 cm in length and 13 cm in width. The cable is detachable, and there are adjustable feet. I also really liked the packaging.I recommend it, feels somewhat premium. I might update my thoughts once I build my PC and start using it more. Design is cool.