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So just how good is the Gram Spectrum. Well, we are going to be breaking down our experience with the keyboard in both typing as well as gaming.
Typing experience
While the keyboard is designed for gaming in mind, we wanted to start by talking about typing on the keyboard. First of all, the red switch on the Gram Spectrum is definitely much quieter than your typical mechanical keyboard that bears other switches. Since the red switches is a linear switch that lacks the tactile bump you get from other switch, it is rather easy to forget that you are using a mechanical keyboard if your primary computing device is a laptop that uses membrane-switch. We mention laptop here because a lot of younger gamers now uses their laptop as primary computing device and the desktop is more like  a secondary or just a gaming device. So, switching between two devices with such a big physical difference (mechanical vs membrane) can take a bit of time to adjust. While it does require a bit of adjustment, it is fairly easy with the Gram Spectrum. it took us about 10 to 20 minutes to get used to the feel of the low actuation needed to register the key.
The low keycap on the Gram Spectrum actually mimics the laptops keys and along with the low profile design actually helps with typing on the keyboard. Our finger actually glides across the keys effortlessly as we type the review. We actually do not mind that it lacks a palm rest as we type because the keyboard is so flat and close to the surface of the table. We are certain also that our co-workers appreciate the fact that we are not making loud clicky sound as we are hammering out the reviews. So, for someone who constantly switching back and forth between a laptop and desktop or need a good quiet keyboard for fast typing, the Gram Spectrum is actually quite nice when comes to doing work such as typing.
Gaming
Of course, the keyboard is actually meant for gamers and not just typing. When comes to gaming, the Gram Spectrum definitely lacks the clickly feeling that some gamers may prefer from their mechanical keyboard. For them, look elsewhere as you clearly won’t be happy with the Gram Spectrum. For those who like the smoothness of a red switch and a gaming keyboard that is super quiet, the Gram Spectrum maybe a perfect one for you.
Its low actually force allows us to register the key easily and also repeated firing is smooth and quick. The low profile design along with small keycap helps to trigger the keystroke with minimal force. Though, we do feel that it is not as bouncy as some mechanical keyboard we have used. Despite the fact the keyboard maintains 3.5mmm travel distance, we sometimes feel that key travel is a bit shorter than it actually is. As a result, it is slightly easier to bottom out the keys. We are pretty sure that this is mainly due to the such low profile design of the keyboard and would require us to adjust how to hit the key. Luckily, this has absolutely no impact on our gaming performance. We are actually quite enjoy playing games with the Gram Spectrum where we absolutely love just how quiet it is and smoothness of the keys.
Conclusion
The Gram Spectrum certainly brings some great innovation to the gaming keyboard. We love its sturdy construction that gives the keyboard a solid and premium feel. Its minimalistic design is both spacing saving and yet quite practical and functional. Everything that gamers need such as on-the-fly macro recording, customization recording, profile switch, and others are there. The soft backlight underneath the keys offers plenty of customization that is great looking yet not too overly attention grabbing (if that is something that you are looking for). The software unfortunately is where the keyboard probably needs some improvement. While it is easy to use with plenty of customization, it is just slightly cumbersome to use and the UI simply does not scale well with high resolution display.
The Agile switch on the keyboard offers a good tactile feedback with the quiet operation that one gets from a red switch mechanical keyboard. It may not meant for everyone but we like the feel of the keys on the keyboard. We think the Gram Spectrum would work great as a double duty keyboard as it would be perfect for those who uses the keyboard for both gaming and working. Personally, I hate typing on a mechanical keyboard as I always feel that it is too stiff and to clicky. However, typing on the Gram Spectrum is quite enjoyable and its low actuation force also offers plenty fast response for quick firing in games. Gamers who seek a quiet mechanical keyboard would also find the Gram Spectrum fit their need perfectly.
The keyboard is not perfect as it does lack a few features that is often found on other high-end keyboard. Since Tesoro price the keyboard at $139.99, it is in direct competition against other premium gaming keyboards. While the keyboard does bring a lot of nice innovations and features, it also lacks some features that gamers may be looking for, such as audio and USB pass-through or dedicated one button profile switch. So one has to ask if these features are must-have or that you rather to have a keyboard that is low profile, portable, and comes with great build with good tactile feedback.
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