The Tesoro Gram Spectrum Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard Review

Conclusion

I always try to use every keyboard that we review as my personal keyboard for at least a week. My typical weekly usage includes a lot of typing (about 100-150 pages), a few hours of gaming and some casual usage, such as internet browsing and messaging. As I am used to switches with a 4 mm key travel, I am usually worried with any type of switch that alters the travel distance, but I rarely actually encounter any significant problems. The Agile switches of the Tesoro Spectrum Gram were, unfortunately, an exception. The high action force and strong tactile feedback in combination with the shortened key travel were alien to what I have been used to up to this date, and it took several days for me to get used to typing without bottoming down every keystroke. It did not feel very comfortable even after I got used to it, as the shortened key travel is not ideal for long typing sessions. In combination with the relatively high operating force of the switches, the Gram Spectrum increased my fatigue levels significantly.

The primary purpose of this keyboard however is not typing, but gaming. The Gram Spectrum did feel practical and comfortable for long gaming sessions. The shortened height of the keyboard counteracts the lack of a wrist rest and the keyboard did not stress my wrists even after hours of gaming. Tesoro’s Agile switches are a little stiff but provide good audible feedback, which some gamers will appreciate but others will discard it in favor of lower noise solutions. The programmability of the keyboard was relatively limited, but I did program a fairly effective gaming profile, adjusting the layout of a few keys and having others launch macro commands compiled with an external application.

As for the shorter actuation distance, Tesoro’s Agile switch is virtually no different than any other “gaming” switch that we have encountered to this date. The shorter actuation distance does technically reduce the time required for actuation, but the difference is just a few milliseconds at best. With tactile, heavy switches such as these, there is virtually no pragmatic advantage over the standard counterpart of the switch.

Wrapping things up, Tesoro baptized the Gram Spectrum with a showy name but the actual product is based on a very subtle, minimalistic design. The combination of a flat, plain metallic top and low profile keys can mislead even experienced users into believing that this is a typical office keyboard. Aesthetics however as a subjective matter and there are those who will appreciate the simplistic appearance of the Gram Spectrum, especially users who dislike the tallness of typical mechanical keyboards.

The software of the Gram Spectrum is acceptable but could use some upgrades. As a keyboard, the fully programmable Gram Spectrum has virtually unlimited potential, but for gaming use it is hampered by the simplistic, unsophisticated software that allows only for very basic macro programming and advanced commands. Tesoro’s software is basically limited to the remapping of the keys and basic keystroke macro commands, forcing everyone who would like to execute more advanced macros or text input commands to use external applications.

Overall, the Tesoro Gram Spectrum is a very good keyboard, especially for users that combine professional use with gaming. It is subtle, well made, features RGB lighting and is fully programmable. The low profile keys are more of an aesthetic rather than a practical upgrade, and while they aren't well suited for typists, they will definitely be appealing to gamers who dislike the height of mechanical keyboards. LAN gamers will also appreciate the compactness of the keyboard and the removable cable.

The only serious drawback that the Gram Spectrum has is its retail price. It can be found retailing for $130 at the time of this review, which is steep for a keyboard based on Kailh switches and without any extra keys or special functions. This puts the Gram Spectrum in a bit of a difficult spot, placing it directly opposite some very good keyboards from numerous other manufacturers.