Usage & Final Thoughts
So I’ve been using the Gram SE Spectrum as my main keyboard for about 3 weeks now. The keyboard has a great feel to it and no flex in it at all. As I mentioned we received the version of the keyboard with Blue switches so they have nice tactile bump and of course that audible click. Even though these are optical switches, not mechanical switches they feel exactly mechanical switches and Tesoro has designed them this way. When it comes to typing on this keyboard there really is not much to not like.
I have been playing mostly FPS games with this keyboard like Fortnite Battle Royale, Counter-Strike: GO, and Overwatch. Gaming performance was really good and it was nice not having to worry about double-pressing a key, or wear and tear on the switch that would effect performance. With the optical switches I know everything I am pressing is being registered and if you are serious about gaming this should be the most important thing to you. You don’t want to miss that last kill, switching weapons, or reloading because a key switch does not register or is faulty. Optical switches are definitely the future and I expect them to be adopted by many larger companies this year. Also optical switches are interchangeable and spill resistant.
The lighting on this keyboard is pretty good. You have per-key RGB lighting and a handful of cool effects. As I mentioned on the previous page I wish Tesoro would have installed a reflective top plate so the lighting would show up better in the daylight. You can cycle through different colors and modes using key on the keyboard or the software, which you can download from Tesoro’s website. The software also allows you to completely reprogram the keyboard and create macros.
While the software will get the job done, it seems like it could use a make-over. It does seem pretty dated compared to Corsair’s CUE software or SteelSeries Engine 3. The only other real gripe I have with this keyboard is the miniUSB connection, this also seems dated. I would have really liked to see a microUSB.
Right now the Gram SE Spectrum is selling at my favorite online retailer for $119.99, which I feel is a great price for what you are getting with this keyboard. Overall ThinkComputers gives the Tesoro Gram SE Spectrum Gaming Keyboard a 9 out of 10 score.
Pros:
– Price
– Optical switches are the future
– Optical switches can be swapped
– Per-key RGB lighting
– Great feel and no flex at all
Cons:
– Lighting could be a little better
– Software seems a little dated
