Tesoro Excalibur SE Spectrum Review
Category : Keyboards
Published by Marc Büchel on 06.09.17
With the Excalibur SE Spectrum, Tesoro offers a gaming keyboard with optical, mechanical switches and standard layout. As with all other high-end gaming keyobards these days also this one features RGB backlight and there are different macro modes. Apart from that Tesoro chose to use very solid plastic for this keyboard, which adds a lot to the stability and the overall feel. On top of that this keyboard even features a decent price point.
Today we are going to have a close look at the Excalibur SE Spectrum keyboard from Tesoro. Our sample is equipped with optical RGB switches from Gateron. On the following pages we will analyze the main features as well as look for any drawbacks of the Tesoro's new gaming keyboard.
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Conclusion |
Preview
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Conclusion |
Features
| Model number | Excalibur SE Spectrum |
| Keys | Gateron RGB optical |
| Keycaps | ABS |
| Materials | ABS |
| Interface | USB 2.0 |
| Cable | 1.8 m |
| Dimensions | 450 mm x 150 mm x 34 mm |
| Weight | 1.30 Kg |
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Conclusion |
Closer Look
Having a look at the exterior of the Excalibur SE Spectrum, this keyboard has been made from high-quality plastic and weighs in at a whopping 1.3 kilogram, which leads to a secure stand on any desk. A quick look around reveals a standard layout without any additional makro keys. This helps saving space, which is a neat thing if you should take the keyboard with you every once in a while to attend for example a LAN party. Nevertheless there is still the possibility to record makro’s and for that purpose not even an additional software is necessary.
The most important feature about this particular keyboard is the actuation technology used in the case of the switches. Therefore it’s worth having a closer look at those. At a first glance the switches look very similar to the Cherry MX ones. Especially the case looks almost identical. In the case of our sample there are switches from Gateron, which basically mimic the behavior of Cherry MX Blue’s. At this point the only difference is the transparent chassis, which allows for illuminating the casing of each and every key and therefore realize nice RGB lighting effects.
Taking the switch apart even further reveals that even the internals are basically the same as with Cherry MX switches. There is for instance the metal spring, which is used to create the typical clicking noise and feel. Nevertheless there is one key aspect that is different. Gateron/Tesoro is using an infrared barrier to register the command. As soon as the key stem passes the barrier a key stroke is registered. In case of the Excalibur SE Spectrum the actuation point comes after 2mm, while the keys have 4mm of travel. An infrared barrier brings additional possibilities such as individually setting the response time to as low as 0.1ms. Apart from that the endurance of those switches is higher since they’re spilling liquids over the keyboard almost can’t damage them. If you for example flood the keyboard with Coca Cola you can take it and clean it using tap water. After that you let it dry and it works again. Below we’ve added Tesoro’s marketing video, which visually explains the benefits one gets from those switches.Back
The back of this particular keyboard isn't special. There is the usual label showing the serial of the product and there are four rubber feet, on in each corner. Obviously there are two small feet, also with rubber ends, which allow for tilting the keyboard to a certain angle.
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Conclusion |
Conclusion
| General | + | - | |
| Our global verdict about this keyboard is generally positive as Tesoro managed to create a solid product. We like the fact that this keyboard is heavy, features simple, standard design and therefore also a standard layout. Apart from that there is a nice backlight, which is clear and precise and definitely bright enough. Furthermore the mechanical switches on this keyboard have been upgraded with infrared barriers, which help increasing the durability of mechanical switches even further. |
- Weight
- Lightning effects - Infrared switches |
||
| Manufacturing quality / Ergonomics | + | - | |
| The Tesoro Excalibur SE Spectrum gaming keyboard is comfortable to use. All the keys are well placed and easy to reach so you will not find yourself pressing the wrong key by accident. There are programmable F-buttons, through which you can access makros by pressing FN and the corresponding F-key. In addition there are also multimedia functions already pre-programmed. Regarding the Gateron switches we can say, they're precise and linear while providing good tactile feedback. Apart from that the backlight is very nice and it comes with different lightning effects to choose from. |
- Build quality
- Backlight - Switches |
||
| Recommendation / Price | + | - | |
| The starting price of the Excalibur SE Spectrum on Amazon is $104 US excluding shipping costs. In terms of value, the keyboard is certainly a good product with attractive features and optical, mechanical switches. | - Price is a bit steep | ||
| Rating | |||
| We gave the Excalibur SE Spectrum from Tesoro 4 out of 5 stars. | |||
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Conclusion |