Tesoro Lobera Supreme RGB Mechanical Keyboard, first time mech keyboard owner

[Faceman]

Tesoro Lobera, Tesoro Lobera, Tesoro Lobera.  Where do I begin.  I guess some preamble and back story so that you as a reader get a better idea of my knowledge and expertise or lack thereof in mechanical keyboards.  If you want to skip straight to the review of the Lobera, scroll down because I have a bunch of preface to work through so that you get an idea of how I came to my personal conclusions about this keyboard.

 

     I've never owned a mechanical keyboard before, but knew I wanted one after hearing about them from other users on the forum.  The hardest part about buying a mechanical keyboard is deciding which switch type is right for you, and no matter how much you read up on the different switches, nothing substitutes actually using those switches on a keyboard.  Those switch testers are a nice novelty, but I personally don't think they will provide you a good enough experience to be able to make an experience based decision.  This is a sensory product, and the switch tester doesn't give you enough of a sensation to make your decision.

     Since this is a specialty type item(that is growing in popularity), it is not readily on display, or available for testing in most major retail stores.  BestBuy, TigerDirect, or a small computer shop that doesn't specialize in repairs or virus removal is the best place to get some hands on experience with a mechanical keyboard. 

 

     So this is where the quest for my first mechanical keyboard begins, at a Tigerdirect and BestBuy in Northeast Florida.  The most experience I've had before buying the Lobera was playing Wolfenstein New:Order in a Tigerdirect on a Corsair K70 with Cherry MX Red Switches and mindlessly typing on a Razer Blackwidow Ultimate with Razer(Kailh) Green Switches, which most closely resemble Cherry MX Blues in a BestBuy.

 

     This was the first mechanical keyboard that I knowingly used.  The Corsair K70 was a dream to game on.  I'd never played Wolfenstein: New Order before, but it came so easy to me on that keyboard.  It felt so damn comfortable, I don't know any other way to put it.  If you're #1 priority is gaming, without a doubt, buy a red switch.  It is very linear, making it ideal for extremely fast actions in games.  It feels smooth, it feels good when gaming, its a rewarding type of feeling. 

 

     I didn't get much of a chance to type on it, just a few practice phrases.  Its not bad, I just didn't like it.  At least not enough to go out and spend ~$100 on a keyboard with that switch type.  I love typing, so that is where my personal distaste for the red switch comes from.  I really liked the layout of the K70, its solid construction, and especially the volume wheel. 

 

     The LEDs were bright, and could be dimmed or brightened, but I hate the spill over.  I really dislike that the light shows out of the bottom of the key cap, it looks messy to me.  The key caps were very wobbly, I wasn't sure if this was by design, unique to this switch type, or because it was a display keyboard and was badly worn in.  I wasn't using a word application, so I couldn't really see what I was typing, but I could definitely understand the concern about accidentally pressing keys.  I was kind of unimpressed after this experience.  I didn't feel like that keyboard warranted spending $100.  Only trying one key switch, I knew there was more out there, but I left feeling dejected because that keyboard wasn't what I was looking for.

 

 

 

     I got to try the Razer keyboard out at BestBuy.  It wasn't plugged into anything, just bolted down as a display model.  I didn't know as much about key switches as I know now, so in case you don't either, Razer uses Kailh switches which are made in China, not Germany like the Cherry switches.  Kailh switches are supposedly not as good as Cherry, but I have never used these keyboards side by side, or of the same switch type so its not for me to say how their quality stacks up against the highly regarded Cherry MX mechanical switches.

 

     Reviewers who do have experience with these keyboards, and all of the switch types claim that the Kailh switches feel almost identical to the Cherry switches.  Some of the common "complaints" about the Kailh switches(whether they are true or not), are numerous. 

 

• They are chinese, so they must be bad
• The key caps are very uneven, they aren't all on straight
• The key caps have a lot of "play" they wiggle easily
• The switches are not consistent, they don't all feel the same
• The keys are "mushy" and not satisfying

 

     Without knowing or bothering to check for any of these "weaknesses" of the Kailh switch in the Razer Blackwidow I can't comment on how this particular keyboard felt.  What I can comment on, is how amazing it felt to type on.  This is what I was expecting when I hear people talk about how amazing a mechanical keyboard is.  This was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.  It felt so satisfying.  I loved the tactile feel, I loved the clicking, I loved how effortless it felt to actuate the switch.  I felt as if I was flying while typing.  This experience had me hooked.  I wanted a mechanical keyboard after trying out the Razer.  The green LED would not work for me, so I had to continue searching elsewhere, but I knew I was on the right track.

 

 

The Tesoro Lobera.  The Wolfslayer.

 

The Tesoro Lobera Supreme is an RGB Mechanical Keyboard that uses Kailh switches.  The available switches are Red, Brown, and Blue.  It has a very gamer-y aesthetic, and comes with a ton of features at a very reasonable price point.

 

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Blue

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Green

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Purple

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Red

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White

 

 

These are just a few examples of the different colors available through the software.  I would also like to mention that the colors are much more vibrant when the plastic cover is not on top of the keyboard.  I kept the cover on during my photos to keep the keyboard as fresh as possible.

 

 

In my search for the right mechanical keyboard, I didn't want to make any compromises.  If I am going to pay $100+ for a keyboard, it had better come with everything on my wishlist.  Since the K70 RGB doesn't come in Blue, and it costs almost $200, I knew I would have to make some compromises.

 

My wishlist was as follows, in no particular order, with slight flexibility:

 

Full keyboard

Blue, White, or RGB Backlighting

Media Keys, preferably dedicated

Brown or Blue Switches

USB Passthrough

N Key Rollover

Macro Keys

 

 

     The Tesoro Lobera ended up being on sale on for a great price, well below what I was willing to spend on a mechanical keyboard, and the reviews were overwhelmingly positive.  Here is where I made a mistake.  I ended up buying the Brown switch.  Without ever having tried a brown switch, I decided on the brown.  Based on everything I have read, and my experience with Reds and pseudo blue Kailhs, I thought that the Browns might end up being the best of both worlds solution.  Comes with a tactile bump, but no audible click, with a nice blend of gaming and typing.  Now, these do deliver on that, but you shouldn't make purchases based on what you have read when it comes to a peripheral that is so hands on.

 

     The keyboard came very well packaged inside its respected box, but that box was not packaged very well.  It was placed inside of a larger box, with just a piece of packaging paper, not padding.  So this keyboard was just sliding around inside of the bigger box from one side of the country to the other.  A big freaking no-no.  Its a good thing that the manufacturer's packaging is so good, because a lesser packaging method would have surely resulted in a defective product.

 

     It uses very high quality foam, firm, yet soft.  I am also a massive fan of the clear plastic keyboard cover.  This thing is a MUST if you ever like to eat something near your workstation.  Just keep it close by, and whenever you want to grab a quick snack, just cover it up.  There is no included software disc, just a thin cardboard CD case that has a piece of paper directing you to visit the website to download their software, and the warranty information.  This keyboard comes with a one-year warranty.  This is a pretty big gripe I have about mechanical keyboards in general, their warranty periods are just too short.  If the keycaps are rated for millions of strokes, then stand behind that rating with a longer warranty, especially on the keyboards that cost upwards of $100.  The keyboard did not come with any sort of keycap puller, a big freaking deal when you pay this much for a keyboard, even a crummy plastic one should have been included.  Nothing.  Pretty disappointed about that.

 

     The build quality of this keyboard is really exceptional.  It is predominantly plastic, but it is very rigid.  It has this great brushed aluminum look to it, which matches my Enthoo Pro, I really dug that.  It did have this overly gamer aesthetic though, which I wasn't too wild about, but the price and the features won out.  It had almost no flex when I tried to bend it, and it has some heft to it, which is always good.  You don't want your keyboard sliding around while typing or gaming.  Additionally, the keyboard had three different height adjust levels so that you can get it just right.  This is something I wish more keyboard manufacturers would incorporate.  The keyboard comes with two USB ports, a headphones, and a microphone pass through.  Additionally, the USB ports can be powered to allow for speedy device charging.  A nice touch if you need it.

 

     The cable was one of the best I have ever seen.  Very well braided, very thick, very robust.  All of the connectors are gold plated, which is nice.  I also really liked the placement of the macro buttons.  It is a lot easier to use these when they are within thumb's reach than being on the left side of your WASD hand.  The macro buttons are membrane, and a little hard to actuate, but not so hard that made them unusable.

 

    

 

     The software and RGB back lighting is not as bad as the big reviewers claim.  Perhaps they updated it since those guys got their hands on the keyboard, or they have more experience with other keyboard software and this one is just bad by comparison.  Its definitely not great, but its not as bad as they make it out to be.  It isn't pretty, it looks really archaic actually, like early 2000s, but it is easy to navigate, and it has a lot of functionality.  There is a huge aray of colors to choose from, and  3-4 different key lighting modes/settings. I love the colors to choose from, because I was able to get the exact same color on my keyboard as my Logitech G502 mouse.  It looks spectacular when your peripherals are matching. Here is the caveat though.  It is not individual key RGB, it is full keyboard RGB.  You cannot pick and choose which keys are which color, it is one color for the full board.  Take it as you will.  A positive for some, for others, they want a fully customizable RGB experience.

 

     These keys are stupid bright though, and the "less bright" setting, was not any less bright than the "more bright" setting, at least not by my eye.  It was distracting.  The modes were not bad though, Off, On, FPS, MOBA, and the two(same) levels of brightness.  There are 5 different profiles that you can switch to on the fly, which is nice for some, but something I would never use.

 

  Creating macros is easy, and really specific.  You can change the time between commands down to the millisecond, as well as record macros on the fly.  I thought this was a real strength, along with the macro button placement.  Macros aren't something I frequently use, but having them where they were was convenient for games like League of Legends.

 

   

     The typing experience was the biggest letdown for me.  After about thirty minutes of typing, I knew that I wouldn't keep the keyboard. That doesn't mean the keyboard is bad, its just not for me.  This is an important distinction to keep in mind when reading any consumer's review on such a personal item like headphones, mouse, keyboard.  Would I be happy if I kept that keyboard?  Yes I would be, but if I'm going to spend $100+ on a keyboard, it had better be damn near perfect.

 

     The keycaps are nice, they have a good groove to them and don't collect grease or dirt easily.  The lighting through the symbols was strong, too strong for my liking, but at least not weak like I see on other keyboards.  It shines through evenly across the entire key, very nice.  Much better than other keyboards that have an uneven lighting on their keycaps. I will take too strong an LED over too weak if I had to choose.  The symbols on the key caps are laser etched, which is a good thing, they won't disappear or fade away with heavy use. The font is boring, and dated, at least to me. The keycaps don't easily attract finger prints, which is something I cannot say about a lot of other keycaps.

 

     The biggest problem I had with the keyboard was how hard it was to push the key caps down.  It felt like I needed a lot of force in order to get the key to actuate.  I thought the brown was supposed to require the same amount of force as the blue, but it was pretty hard to push down.  It was very similar to an old dell buckle and spring keyboard I still have on an older rig.  Based on all of the videos I watched, I perceived the amount of force needed to actuate to be akin to the Cherry MX Blacks(60mg). Perhaps I didn't give it enough break-in time, or my fingers just weren't used to the amount of force needed for a mechanical keyboard.  I only had the keyboard unboxed for about five hours, so as a reviewer, I might not have given the caps enough of the break in that they deserve.

 

     The key caps were super sturdy, and very straight/even.  They were attached well and had no wiggle whatsoever.  Dislodging them was hard, which is good.  You want them to be snug, and only removed when you really want them to be removed.  One of the main complaints I hear about kailh switches, is they wiggle a lot. These key caps exhibited none of that.  These suckers are on there tight.  The keys around the edge of the board, specifically the right Shift, and backslash(\) keys, did require even more force to actuate.  They were mega stiff, and had this very springy sound and feel to them. It would throw me off, and the springy sound was not enjoyable.  Good thing these are not frequently used keys.

 

     Something I did learn about the Tesoro Lobera Supreme that is a big plus, is that the larger keys that use stabilizers use very high end stabilizers.  Costar stabilizers.  These stabilizers are preferred over Cherry MX stabilizers.  If you read through this review, you will see my problem with the Ducky Shine Legend I just bought, and the Cherry MX Stabilizers.  I actually have to return the Ducky because of the Cherry stabilizers.  The Costar stabilizers in the Lobera are very smooth, and you get a nice and even feeling when pressing down.  I much prefer these stabilizers over the stabilizers in my Ducky keyboard.

 

     Even though there were these initial problems that I had, I still really enjoyed typing on this keyboard.  I just had high expectations for a keyboard of this price, and I didn't want to compromise on the most important aspect of the keyboard to me, which is the typing experience.  Typing is still damn good, much better than a membrane.  I'm back on my Microsoft Sidewinder X4 right now, a very good membrane keyboard which I do enjoy typing on, but it was rough to go from mechanical back to this.  There is something so nice about typing on mechanical keys.  I was doing WordRacer just to hear myself type because I liked the sound, and I liked the feel of the keys.

 

 

     The gaming was also pretty good, not as good as a red though, at least not in the game I mainly play that I am the most competitive in, League of Legends.  When you are gaming, you want ultra smooth, quick twitch keys.  Playing a game like League of Legends, where key presses decide life or death, this keyboard was not as enjoyable as I would have liked it to be.  A lot of factors could explain this, but I think its just not the right switch for me.  Now using an MX Blue, the brown is definitely better for gaming, but I enjoy typing more than gaming.

 

     This leaves me to my conclusion.  Is it a good keyboard?  Yes, absolutely, its a damn good keyboard considering what I paid at the time of my purchase, and the features I got at that price point.  Its just not what I was expecting, and we all know that high expectations often lead to disappointment.  There are a lot of "ifs" surrounding this product review, and I admit, I didn't give the keyboard enough use to really see if the key cap issue was a break-in problem, or if that's how they really are.  I am confident in saying that if I had just stuck with the switch type that I had tried, and knew I liked, I wouldn't be looking to sell this keyboard.  I should have just bought the model with Blue switches instead of Brown.

 

     I have ordered a Ducky Shine Legend with Blue Switches and Blue Backlighting, so I might be updating my review on the Lobera when I get more experience with different mechanical keyboards and switch types, as well as write a review on the Legend because there is barely any info out there on it.  I came to realize that a lot of those features I was drooling over, I was never going to use.  A part of me knew this before clicking Order, but the novelty of having those features if I would ever need them took over.  That and the great price. 

    The USB passthroughs, even though powered for device charging, I already have many open USB ports that can charge devices just fine.  The headphone and microphone pass throughs, also not going to be used because I have a headphone amp and my microphone is USB powered.  The RGB backlighting, a nice gimmick, something cool to show my friends, but I would personally never deviate from white or blue, so again, a feature that goes un-utilized by me.

 

     What I really want, which the Shine Legend has, are dedicated up, down and mute volume buttons that don't need to be pushed in conjunction with a function button.  The MX Blues, which is what I should have bought all along being a typing fiend, and the blue backlighting which is what I will use 99% of the time.

 

     There is a lesson to be had in this review, and that is try before you buy.  Particularly with sensory peripherals.  Do not go by what you have read, do not go by what your friends tell you, do not make assumptions.  You have to try the product before you buy it.  There is no substitute.  I don't regret buying this keyboard at all.  I got invaluable experience with mechanical keys, and I will likely break even, once I sell the Lobera.  So I guess the quest continues.  I am hopeful that the Ducky Shine Legend is the one, but if not, at least it gives me more mechanical keyboard experience under my belt.

[Crosseyed Sniper]

Very informative review! Nice job! 

 

You're right about the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate having very wiggly keys. I tried it out at my local Walmart and was shocked at how loose the keys were. It did feel nice typing on it, though.

 

I do not have any other local stores that have mechanical keyboards on display for me to try out. Walmart is the only one, and they only have the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate and the Logitech g710+ available to try. Meh, the Logitech keyboard felt okay to type on.

 

I am actually interested in the Brown switches, but like you said, it is best (if possible) to try each switch type out before buying. Sadly, I'll just have to roll the dice and hopefully I choose a switch I'll be happy with. I know for sure that I do not want a loud ass typing experience.

 

Do update us with your thoughts on the Ducky Legend.

[Faceman]

Very informative review! Nice job! 

 

You're right about the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate having very wiggly keys. I tried it out at my local Walmart and was shocked at how loose the keys were. It did feel nice typing on it, though.

 

I do not have any other local stores that have mechanical keyboards on display for me to try out. Walmart is the only one, and they only have the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate and the Logitech g710+ available to try. Meh, the Logitech keyboard felt okay to type on.

 

I am actually interested in the Brown switches, but like you said, it is best (if possible) to try each switch type out before buying. Sadly, I'll just have to roll the dice and hopefully I choose a switch I'll be happy with. I know for sure that I do not want a loud ass typing experience.

 

Do update us with your thoughts on the Ducky Legend.

Actually it was the Corsair K70 non-RGB with MX Reds that was really wiggly, not the Razer BlackWidow.

 

Try before you buy is the best solution, but like you, the amount of keyboards available to try out is extremely limited. 

 

The reason I first went with the browns over the blues(which I had pseudo tried) is because I didn't want a very loud typing experience.  Problem is, I just didn't like the Browns.  So I said screw it, loud typing here I come because the Blues are the only switch that gives me that wholly satisfying typing experience.  The browns weren't bad, I prefer them over MX Reds for typing, and definitely over membrane, but if I'm shelling out $100 for a keyboard, it had better damn be the keyboard I am in love with.  The browns are just too far removed from the blues that I know I like.

[DildorTheDecent]

Sorry OP, but you're not allowed to like a Razer product, that's not how it works around here. 

 

/jk

 

My BWU 2013 has slightly wiggly keys but i still like it a lot. Not a huge issue though. 

[arnavvr]

Actually it was the Corsair K70 non-RGB with MX Reds that was really wiggly, not the Razer BlackWidow.

 

Try before you buy is the best solution, but like you, the amount of keyboards available to try out is extremely limited. 

 

The reason I first went with the browns over the blues(which I had pseudo tried) is because I didn't want a very loud typing experience.  Problem is, I just didn't like the Browns.  So I said screw it, loud typing here I come because the Blues are the only switch that gives me that wholly satisfying typing experience.  The browns weren't bad, I prefer them over MX Reds for typing, and definitely over membrane, but if I'm shelling out $100 for a keyboard, it had better damn be the keyboard I am in love with.  The browns are just too far removed from the blues that I know I like.

 

I was looking at a Mech Keyboard, the Quickfire Rapid with the Blues. I was looking at it, but then I said, why drop $80 on a keyboard with no backlighting or numpad, and just save up for a K70 w/ Blues

[Faceman]

I was looking at a Mech Keyboard, the Quickfire Rapid with the Blues. I was looking at it, but then I said, why drop $80 on a keyboard with no backlighting or numpad, and just save up for a K70 w/ Blues

Unfortunately, Corsair no longer makes K70 keyboards with Blues. I'm not sure if Corsair makes any keyboards with Blues nowadays.

Might want to look elsewhere.

[Faceman]

Sorry OP, but you're not allowed to like a Razer product, that's not how it works around here. 

 

/jk

 

My BWU 2013 has slightly wiggly keys but i still like it a lot. Not a huge issue though.

No kidding man. The second you mention Razer around here everyone attacks you. I kinda sorta do the same to people with FX processors, but I can prove why they are bad. With something as subjective as keyboards, you can't prove that they are bad.

[Faa]

@Faceman

Jay (who uses cherry blue) recently tested the Razer RGB one with the green switches which actually are "blues", actuation force which was advertised as 50g as well (like the cherry mx blues) were just feeling a lot heavier than blues.

If you can, return your keyboard and try one with cherry mx switches instead. 

[Faa]

Unfortunately, Corsair no longer makes K70 keyboards with Blues. I'm not sure if Corsair makes any keyboards with Blues nowadays.

Might want to look elsewhere.

You can order them here; http://www.corsair.com/en/vengeance-k70-fully-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-anodized-black-cherry-mx-blue

[Faceman]

You can order them here; http://www.corsair.com/en/vengeance-k70-fully-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-anodized-black-cherry-mx-blue

Oh right!I forgot about the non-RGB that comes in MX Blue. That's a good buy if you like red backlighting

[Faceman]

@Faceman

Jay (who uses cherry blue) recently tested the Razer RGB one with the green switches which actually are "blues", actuation force which was advertised as 50g as well (like the cherry mx blues) were just feeling a lot heavier than blues.

If you can, return your keyboard and try one with cherry mx switches instead.

Yea, I saw that video by him just the other day. I wonder if this is because these keyboards need time to wear in, because the BWU I tried in store was light, it was very easy to type on, and definitely way below 60g force required. My Ducky Legend arrives Tuesday/Wednesday, so I will have more to say about mechanical keyboards then. As far as returning the Lobera, I bought it from NCIX when they had a super deal, it was less than $100 including shipping. I'm trying to resell it on eBay or craigslist because NCIX would only give me store credit, I wouldn't be reimbursed the $12 I had to pay to get it shipped to me, and it will probably cost me another $10 just to ship it back.

[Guest]

Sorry OP, but you're not allowed to like a Razer product, that's not how it works around here. 

 

/jk

 

My BWU 2013 has slightly wiggly keys but i still like it a lot. Not a huge issue though. 

I have a blackwidow tournament and a modded abyssus. Come at me bruh...

[Faceman]

So I just got my Ducky Shine Legend with MX Blues and Blue LEDs.  We're not off to a great start.

The packaging was a massive letdown.  Considering the Tesoro Lobera Supreme(Kailh Brown) I just came from was packaged insanely well.  The keyboard wasn't protected by foam or anything, it comes in a thin brown cardboard box without any sort of protection except more cardboard keeping it in place.  It doesn't come with one of those clear plastic over-the-keys type protectors and the larger box in which it was packaged had a lot of free space for this thing to bounce around during shipping.  Twice NCIX has failed with shipping keyboards.

The build and feel of this keyboard is spectacular though.  Zero flex.  None, nada.  This thing is built like a tank.  In a zombie apocalypse, this keyboard could smash a head in. The sandblasted silver finish is gorgeous.  The pictures online don't do it justice.  It looks so much better in person.  The keyboard feels so sturdy, so hefty, so metal and well built, that you would think nothing would be wrong with this keyboard.  Looks can be deceiving.

So at first I gave the miniscule manual a read over.  It is explained well enough, but not as good as I would have liked for a specialty product.  This is a minor gripe.  

The keys though, this is a big one.  I am noticing a heck of a lot more inconsistency out of these keys than the Kailh Brown switches on my Tesoro Lobera Supreme.  Specifically the P, S, I, T, and 5/% keys.  They are stiff, very stiff, and I find myself having to repress them while typing because they aren't actuating the first time I hit them with my normal typing force.  I'm hoping that this goes away after some break in.  I am also noticing that it is harder to double tap, you really have to lift your finger all the way off the key before being able to actuate it again.  Words that have two of the same letter back to back are causing me problems because I am a fairly quick typist and am not used to having to completely lift before pressing down again.  Growing pains, nothing more.  Just have to get used to it, but I can understand why seriously competitive gamers don't like blues.  I am not seriously competitive, and FPS isn't my main genre, so this isn't as big of a deal to me as it would be others.

The backspace key is REALLY bad.  It is mega stiff, and I have never felt a mushy key before, but I now know what mushy is, because the backspace key is mushy.  It is hard to actuate, doesn't have a good click, sounds more springy than anything, and is super mushy.  I'm really upset over the backspace key.   This key alone has me thinking of returning this, and that is something I want to avoid at all costs because NCIX is really unforgiving with returns, especially shipping costs.  It is expensive, and it takes a long time.  I hate NCIX shipping with a passion.

The Enter key is not as bad, its not as stiff, but doesn't have the same satisfying click as the other keys, is also mushy, but not as bad as the Backspace key, and it has that horrendous springy noise.  Cheap.  My membrane keyboard sounds better on the backspace and enter keys.  I'm hoping it will go away with some break in, but I'm not as hopeful about it going away as I am with the other keys that are just stiff.

What is a good program/website to use to record sound so that I can upload it to the internet for others to hear?

The replacement  WASD keycaps come in a nice grayish silver that matches the frame.  Problem is, the replacement keys are ever so slightly elevated, so they stand out more.  A plus for gaming, a big minus for typing.  I would have replaced them if they were the same height, but they aren't, so in the bag they stay.  The included keycap puller is actually not bad if you only have to use it for the regular sized keys.  A keyboard of this price should really come with a wire puller.  Good thing I bought one myself.

The LED lighting effects are really cool.  I love the explosion and reactive settings, as a gimmick, but I use full LED color as my preferred lighting mode.  I really like the different levels of brightness, it is not just one or two levels, it is a nice range of brightness so you can get it exactly how you want it.

The Capslock, ScrLk and NumLk keys are all dimmed by default.  The only light up when you click them, and this is to let you know that they are on.  I like and dislike this.  I like that it lets you know when those settings are active because it lights the key up, but I dislike it because it looks really awkward.  I first thought that the LEDs arrived broken because of it.  I rarely use Capslock, so the LED will be off most of the time.  It just looks weird.

Brightness of the LEDs across the keys is as to be expected.  The LED is above the switch, so the lightening beneath the keycap isn't going to be completely even.  My problem, is that the brightness across all keys is not even.  The keys off towards the left, the punctuation keys are not the same brightness as the others, no matter the setting, low, high, in between, it is not even.

 

This is also really undesirable for such an expensive keyboard.

The keycaps are really nice and laser etched.  They look fantastic, the ones that are actually even and bright enough.  They attract finger grease like no other though, and I am very particular about keeping my keyboard and mouse clean.  I have a bottle of hand sanitizer right next to my desk precisely for keeping my peripherals as clean as possible.  So if this is collecting grease even after a hand wash and a sanitizer bath, that doesn't bode well for keeping this clean in the future.

I'm really at an impasse.  The keys that work great are great, and I love them, but I feel like there are way too many negatives on a $130 keyboard for me to not return it and at least try my luck at a more consistent one. I definitely like the feel of Blues way better than Browns, and no, its not because the other was Kailh.

 

[Faa]

Seems like you got badly binned switches. They shouldn't need a break-in time. All the switches on my K90 red are equally consistent after almost 3 years of use

[Faceman]

Seems like you got badly binned switches. They shouldn't need a break-in time. All the switches on my K90 red are equally consistent after almost 3 years of use

Yea.. this backspace key is the worst.  Its awful.

 

What about that inconsistent lighting though.  That whole portion of the keyboard is badly light up.

[Crosseyed Sniper]

Yeah, way too much money to be spending on a half-baked product. Can you post a video up showing the keyboard and you typing on it to get an idea of the issues you're having? Certainly don't go through any trouble, though, it's not that big a deal. 

 

Hell, after reading about all the issues with the mech keyboards I have been interested in, I might just settle for a nice membrane keyboard. Cheaper, too!

 

Anyway, good luck with what ever you decide on.

[Faceman]

Yeah, way too much money to be spending on a half-baked product. Can you post a video up showing the keyboard and you typing on it to get an idea of the issues you're having? Certainly don't go through any trouble, though, it's not that big a deal. 

 

Hell, after reading about all the issues with the mech keyboards I have been interested in, I might just settle for a nice membrane keyboard. Cheaper, too!

 

Anyway, good luck with what ever you decide on.

Yea, that is what I have come to realize.  This is a somewhat risky venture because you never know what you are going to get, and all it takes is one commonly used key to screw it up for you.  Even if you narrow it down to which switch you like, which brand you like, you still run the risk of possibly getting a defective product.  The problem with my backspace and the LEDs should just not be happening with a brand new product.

 

I have never posted a video before, how would I go about doing it?  The video and audio on my cell phone is probably not very good.  I do own a Snowball, so you could hear how bad the backspace key is, but I am so unfamiliar with recording and sharing stuff I would need someone to walk me through it.  I am up for it though because I would love to learn how to do this stuff.

[Purplehazeffc]

Iv'e got the Tesoro Durandal Ultimate mechanical keyboard.

Has MX red's & blacks. Got it for less that $100 AU
I agree with you on the quality of the keyboard, cable & plugs.

No problem at all with mine. Very happy with it.

 

[Faceman]

Iv'e got the Tesoro Durandal Ultimate mechanical keyboard.

Has MX red's & blacks. Got it for less that $100 AU

I agree with you on the quality of the keyboard, cable & plugs.

No problem at all with mine. Very happy with it.

 

 

Oh yea, its a fantastic keyboard.  I just wasn't a fan of the Brown switches.  Also, I think my above complaints were overstated.  The inconsistencies I felt in the Lobera surely will go away after some break in.  I have had the Ducky keyboard for about 10 hours now, typing on it heavily, and the keys that were problematic(much worse than the Tesoro) have started to ease up slightly.  I bet if I gave the Lobera a little more wear in time, it would have been perfectly fine, but again, not a personal fan of the Browns.

 

I also got mine for a song, so all things considered, if I had bought one with Kailh blues, I wouldn't have ended up buying the Ducky because the features and price point of the Lobera is amazing.

[Faceman]

 

 

 

So, talking with some people on the Ducky Owner's Club at OCN, I was able to figure a few things out. The LEDs are actually not a problem, its just that the punctuation keys are etched off-center, so it appears like they are much more dim than the others, when really, its just the LED not shining through the etchings properly.

 

Thankfully, this one guy was able to diagnose exactly what is going on with the Backspace and Enter keys.  It is the stabilizers. He said the exact same thing happened to him on one of his Duckys, shift key though.  He said the way to test is to remove the keycap and test the switch, if it feels normal compared to the switch of a properly working key, then it is the stabilizer.  I am hoping this will be a quick and painless fix because other than the Backspace key being janky, this is a nice keyboard.  I am waiting on him to recommend me some lubricant and I will try lubing it up to see if that solves the problem.

[MRL]

Actually, on the Razer Blackwidow it's not 100% Kailh switches.

 

As Razer does claim, they design the keys which is based on Kailh switch (which I guess, it's fair to say they are Kailh switches but I tend to say modified Kailh) but I heard the manufacturing of the switches was done by multiple manufacturers, not Kailh alone which I think a lot more fair to say they are "Razer" switches rather than Kailh. If the switches failed early, I can't blame Kailh if the switches was not manufactured by them.

 

And for that reason, it is hard for me to recommend latest Blackwidow to anyone especially when they do not have the best quality control right now. I seriously hate Razer for their recent products. To be honest, if people are asking me to choose between "Razer switches" and Kailh, I will definitely go with Kailh.

[Faceman]

Alright, so the LED problem wasn't even a problem, it was just the way the keycaps were etched and the LED wasn't shining through on those specific ones.

 

The real problem is the stabilizers. I removed the keycaps and am looking at the stabilizers on both the enter and backspace keys. The backspace key is bad. The stabilizers are not working together in tandem. It looks like one side is up while the other is down. They don't bounce back up when you press on them. They just kinda stick down.

The Enter key while still not perfect, at least, you can see they are both on the same level at least, and they do react by bouncing back up when you press them down.

 

 

Any idea how I can fix this on my own?

[Faceman]

I did learn something interesting about the Tesoro Lobera, it uses Costar stabilizers which are much more desirable than Cherry stabilizers.

[Crosseyed Sniper]

Yea, that is what I have come to realize.  This is a somewhat risky venture because you never know what you are going to get, and all it takes is one commonly used key to screw it up for you.  Even if you narrow it down to which switch you like, which brand you like, you still run the risk of possibly getting a defective product.  The problem with my backspace and the LEDs should just not be happening with a brand new product.

 

I have never posted a video before, how would I go about doing it?  The video and audio on my cell phone is probably not very good.  I do own a Snowball, so you could hear how bad the backspace key is, but I am so unfamiliar with recording and sharing stuff I would need someone to walk me through it.  I am up for it though because I would love to learn how to do this stuff.

 

You can upload the video to youtube if you have an account, of course. I don't have a youtube account or else I'd walk you through the steps. Or, you can use this site to upload your pics and vids, which is pretty simple to do, actually. Once uploaded you'll need to copy the IMG Code for Forums & Message Boards to embed it here. It will show you your options for embedding. After you've copied the code, simply copy it in one of your posts here and...Ta-da! 

 

See image below showing embed options:

 

 

Like I said, don't go through any trouble. I am simply letting you know how to do this for future postings should you decide to upload some vids. By the way, that was a simple test vid I just uploaded from my phone of a huge pine tree, so I can confirm it was simple to upload. 

 

Alright, so the LED problem wasn't even a problem, it was just the way the keycaps were etched and the LED wasn't shining through on those specific ones.

 

The real problem is the stabilizers. I removed the keycaps and am looking at the stabilizers on both the enter and backspace keys. The backspace key is bad. The stabilizers are not working together in tandem. It looks like one side is up while the other is down. They don't bounce back up when you press on them. They just kinda stick down.

The Enter key while still not perfect, at least, you can see they are both on the same level at least, and they do react by bouncing back up when you press them down.

 

 

Any idea how I can fix this on my own?

 

They do look off-set to me, too. Not sure how you'd fix it. I would contact Ducky or post on their forums for suggestions. It very well may be a simple fix, then again, I wouldn't risk causing further damage and screwing up the warranty in case you need to send it back to them.

 

Best of luck, bud. Hopefully you'll get everything with the keyboard worked out soon.

[Faceman]

snip

Thank you dude, I will definitely give that website a try.  I would prefer not to use Youtube, because it is connected to my Google+, which is what my job uses, would try and leave that as clean and professional as possible.

 

I have been talking to a few people on different forums about this problem.  So far everyone has told me to just RMA it, but I am going to try and do everything in my power to fix it without having to take the keyboard apart.  I will give the Ducky Forums a try next.