Tt eSPORTS Knucker Gaming Keyboard Review
A little while back I reviewed Tt eSPORTS’ Saphira gaming mouse and was quite impressed, it only seemed fitting to continue this trend and transition to their keyboard range. In this hardware review I’ll be checking out the Knucker gaming keyboard to see what it has to offer.
The packaging for the keyboard again features a prominent figure in the eSports community, this time sporting a picture of Hermes, one of the most popular CrazyRacing Kartrider players in the Taiwan eSports League. In the box you’ll find a USB to PS/2 adapter, a Tt eSPORTS sticker, a few booklets, 8 removable keys, a key puller and the keyboard itself.
Technical Specs
As usual, lets get down to the nitty gritty and see exactly what Tt eSPORTS’ midrange keyboard has to offer.
| Feature | Knucker Gaming Keyboard |
|---|---|
| Color | black |
| Interface | USB |
| Membrane, Mechanical, Plunger | Plunger |
| On-Board Fan Device | No |
| Anti-Ghosting Keys | 12 (USB) / 16 (PS2) |
| On-Board Memory Size | 0 |
| No. of Game Profile | 0 |
| No. of Macro Key | 0 |
| Polling Rate | 250 Hz |
| Back-Light | No |
| Write Rest | Yes, undetachable |
| Graphical UI | Yes |
| On-Board Audio Jacks | No |
| Smart Cable Management | No, just SR |
| Gold-Platted USB | Yes |
| USB Cable Detachable | No |
| Multimedia Keys | 7 |
| On-Board USB Port | 2 |
| Keystroke Lifecycle | 15 million |
| Cable Length | 1.8m braided |
| Dimension (LxWxH) | 45 x 18.5 x 28.5mm |
| Other Features |
- Plunger CHERRY Black switch feels like mechanical switch. - Repeat Rage Adjustment: 1x/2x/4x/8x in PS/2 modeI - Ideal for FPS game genre |
Look & Feel
One design aspect you’ll notice immediately is the minimalistic design that the keyboard embodies. You won’t find media keys, volume adjustments knobs, LED screens, USB ports or backlit keys. I’d go as far to say that if it wern’t for the signature Tt eSPORTS “Battle Dragon” logo the device wouldn’t look all that much different from a regular keyboard. Those looking for all the bells and whistles in their gaming peripherals should definitely look elsewhere.
The Knucker gaming keyboard has a predominately black matte finish and features hints of red on the sides of the device. The cyan coloured printing on the keys is definitely a unique design decision and something that differs greatly from the traditional white coloured keys we’re used to seeing on dark keyboards. Credit is due for trying something different but points are deducted for practicality as the keys are difficult to read at night and contrasts terribly with the included alternate red key caps.
One of the heavily advertised features is the inclusion of the plunger switches, with good reason too as it’s difficult to find other brands willing to hinge their bet with this technology. For those unfamiliar, the plunger switch fit roughly between the membrane and mechanical switch in terms of quality and cost. Personally, this is the first time I’ve experience a plunger switch keyboard and it feels exactly how it should. Moderately better than a membrane based switch but no where near the quality of a full mechanical switch keyboard. The plunger keys definitely feel like a middle of road solution and one that I can’t imagine being a lasting format.
The overall build quality is in line with the Knucker’s price point. The body feels solid enough to withstand quite a few LAN adventures and a quick glance at the specs shows that the keys will take a beating of 15 million keystrokes before throwing in the towel. The weight of the device is far less than that of a full mechanical keyboard which is great for those looking to travel with their gear.
Features
As mentioned previously, the Knucker keyboard sports a super minimalistic design. The few features is does have are quirky and will likely be looked over by potential buyers. The F1 to F4 keys also double as S1 to S4 keys. The ‘s’ here presumably stands for sensitivity as it controls the repeat rate of keys as they’re pressed and held down. Overall it seems like an extremely odd choice to add this on a gaming keyboard.
The function key serves only one other purpose here, which is to toggle the light towards the lower half of the device, lacklustre right? Between this and the sensitivity feature it would’ve been a much superior decision to instead make the entire function key row double as media keys and shortcuts. This is a feature that’s commonly found on Microsoft and Logitech keyboards and is a feature that is genuinely helpful.
The keyboard lacks on-board memory and as such does not feature gaming profiles or macro keys. Hardcore MMO players are definitely not the target audience here.
