|
 |
|
  
|
          |
Paracon SPECTRA v2 gaming keyboardIt is time for another review of a Paracon product. In this review we are going to have a look at their price-friendly keyboard SPECTRA. It is the cheapest keyboard Paracon produces. Let's see if the price matters.
Paracon is a dedicated gaming brand that was founded in Denmark in 2016. They develop a wide range of gaming equipment, focusing on exceptional quality at a great price.
Let us have a look at the boxing and content: The box in which you receive the keyboard is actually slightly different from the usual boxes from Paracon. There is a little more structured in the print on the box. Features on the front and specifications on the back.
Inside the box, the keyboard is well protected by a bag of foam plastic.
The technical specifications. As can be seen in the specifications, this is a keyboard with high membrane keys that can hold up to 10 million activations. The light is the rainbow color and the cable is in black plastic. The weight is 850 grams including cable, which is a good weight. The keyboard is Plug'n'Play, so there is no software or driver for it. Layout: Nordic / Danish Layout
Paracon SPECTRA v2 is a standard layout keyboard. It also has 105 keys, which is standard in keyboards. As you can see, it is full size. There is a numeric keypad on the right, and unfortunately no dedicated extra keys.
If we look under the keyboard, we find 4 rubber feet (There are rubber feet behind the foldable feet). There are also some drain holes so that fluid can run out if you spill something in the keyboard. After all, it is a membrane keyboard, so it can withstand a lot, since the membrane is a rubber pad put above all the keys.
The foldable feet raise the keyboard a little, but not very much. They make sure you get a better writing angle on the keyboard. Many people like that.
The cable is a relatively thin cable in black plastic. A cable on a keyboard do not need to be particularly durable, as it will not be moved around like on a mouse.
If we look at the keyboard functions, we find the keys at the bottom right side of the space button. There is a button for the light and a button for the Fn functions. I will show the light a little later, but now I will show you the Fn functions.
The Fn functions are as usual on the F keys. There are shortcuts to various programs as well as multimedia features. This way you can easily switch between music numbers and turn up and down the volume. I personally do not like Fn functions, but it is a matter of taste.
There are also Fn shortcuts to standard programs, and to a gaming function. With the gaming function you typically turn off the Windows keys so that you do not jump out of a game by mistake. As you can see, there is also a light function on the Pa-UP / DN keys, where you can turn up and down the brightness.
At the top right corner we find the indication for the lock functions. There is one for Num, Caps and Scroll Lock, quite like usually on a keyboard. The white field is actually a blue LED, which shines nicely when the functions are turned on. The Gaming feature unfortunately does not have a LED for it.
In each side there is a beautiful frame in aluminum, which gives an impression of quality and durability. There should also be an metal plate in the keyboard itself to give it the good weight it now has.
How is the keyboard to write on (the test). Advance impression: When you unpack the keyboard, you get the feeling that it is good stuff you are dealing with. It has a good weight, and you can feel the nice metal frame on the sides.
The comfort: Paracon SPECTRA v2 is actually great to write on. The keys slide really well, and the pressure seems completely linear, without bumps or anything else that feels strange. You can actually say that it feels a bit like Cherry MX Red keys, just without the hard bottom, which is characterized by mechanical keyboards. The only downside of this keyboard is the height. Personally, I would have loved a wrist rest so that you could rest the wrist while writing, without having to have a large angle on the wrist. It may hurt a little if you have the forearm on the table while writing. Therefore, you tends to lift the forearm when writing, which can also be a bit strenuous. However, you can buy loose wrist rests, which I would recommend for this keyboard.
The sound: This keyboard is great and quiet. It can be used all over, even in office environments. There is no sound from any of the keys that I have previously experienced from Paracon products, it all just goes off quietly.
The light: The light in the keyboard is the rainbow color. Unfortunately, you cannot choose a static color across the keyboard, which I miss. I'm not a big fan of rainbows. As you can see, it is also quite clear where the LEDs are located. There is one under the light key and one under the left CTRL key.
That said, the effect is actually quite nice. You do not get disturbed by moving lights, and the transitions between the colors are soft and smooth. You can adjust the brightness of the light in 3 levels, or off. You can also choose between 3 different rainbows and off, on the light key.
What is my opinion about SPECTRA? In my last review of the Paracon RIOT keyboard, I was badly disappointed with the quality. I am not this time at all. Paracon SPECTRA v2 is, as Paracon RIOT should have been. SPECTRA is a great keyboard to write on. It is quiet, has some good high keys, and a soft bottom that do not make a lot of noise. It has a good weight, which gives an impression of quality and aluminum to support it. The most negative thing about this keyboard is the lack of wrist rest. But it is limited how much you can expect at a price that says 199 DKK. It is simply a find for the money, and you seems to get good quality for the money. If I were to suggest something for Paracon, if they make a v3, then it should be wrist support, static colors and maybe some anti ghosting for the hardcore gamer. Then I actually think you get far with this keyboard, even if you are a demanding player. Paracon SPECTRA v2 has earned a nice shiny GOLD star. It is based on the great price versus the sense of quality you get on this keyboard. Of course you get what you pay for, but I actually think you get a very convincing product for the price below 200 DKK.
Read more about Paracon SPECTRA here:
|
          |
|||||||
