Tesoro GRAM Spectrum Low-Profile Keyboard Review

By Meng Vang

Manufacturer: TESORO Technology, Inc.
Product Name: GRAM Spectrum Low-Profile Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Model Number: G11SFL
UPC: 732330415437
Price As Tested: $139.99 (Newegg | Amazon)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Tesoro.

Over the last few months, we have seen more and more low-profile mechanical keyboards hitting the market. With the Tesoro GRAM Spectrum, it comes with all the goodies normally seen on a mechanical gaming keyboard. But the feature that sets this one apart from the rest are the low-profile mechanical switches. These switches are known as the innovative Tesoro Agile key switches, which have a 50 million click life cycle and a short actuation distance of 1.5 mm. All of the Agile switches rests on top of a solid metal back plate that doubles as a reflective light distributor and structural backbone. The GRAM Spectrum comes in four variants: A black body with red or blue switches, and white body with red or blue switches. Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at the Tesoro GRAM Spectrum in black with red switches.

• Optimized Low-profile Design
• 50 Million Reliable Keystrokes
• 32bit ARM Cortex Processor
• 1000 Hz Ultra Polling Rate
• 512KB Onboard Memory
• Double-injection keycaps (104 keyboard only)
• All Keys Fully Programmable
• Instant Macro Recording
• Versatile Lighting Effects
• Detachable Braided USB Cable
• Compatible with Win XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10

When it comes to performance, I did not have any major problems while using the GRAM Spectrum for gaming and productivity purposes. The low-profile Agile red mechanical switches do enhance the gaming and typing experience, and they sound just about the same as a standard Cherry MX red switch. If red switches are not your cup of tea, Tesoro does offer this keyboard with blue switches as well.

In terms of appearance, the metal back plate distributes the lighting effects very evenly across the surface. It also gives the keyboard a very modern and classy look. The back plate is not brushed aluminum, so this makes it easier to clean. RGB lighting effects run smoothly with a nice vivid look, which is great to see in a premium priced product. On the Tesoro website, they do offer a magnetic overlay for purchase. This can further protect the keyboard from dust particles and allow for further customization.

The low-profile Agile switches are very well built and have a 50 million click life cycle. This is pretty standard among mechanical gaming keyboards, so they should last until your next upgrade. The body construction is very solid with no flexing of the body. There is a noticeable creaking sound when flexing the keyboard, but it is nothing major considering it does not creak while in use.

Hardware wise, the keyboard looks great and feels very well built. But when it comes to the software, there are a number of things to improve. The text is hard to read because they are so small, and creating a custom lighting theme will take an eternity compared to other RGB gaming keyboards. A custom theme, even one that is so simple, will take 10 minutes to finish (assuming you are quick). This is because the software does not let you select a group of keys; instead you have to pick each key individually. There are 104 keys, so if you spend about 10 seconds on each key, it would take you approximately 17 minutes just to create a custom lighting theme. Luckily, the software has an export button to save the custom lighting theme.

As of February 2018, the Tesoro GRAM Spectrum Low-Profile gaming keyboard sells online for $139.99 (Newegg | Amazon). For the same price, you can purchase the other black variant with blue switches, or the white variant with blue or red switches. Although still somewhat rare, low-profile mechanical keyboards are more expensive compared to a standard mechanical keyboard. Hopefully as time progresses, we can see a price drop on these low-profile keyboards to make them more affordable for the consumer.
+ Great build quality
+ Good RGB color accuracy
+ Simple and elegant design
+ Low-profile Agile mechanical keys
+ Macro and custom lighting themes are stored on the keyboard
– Software needs improvements

• Performance: 9.25
• Appearance: 9.50
• Construction: 9.25
• Functionality: 7.00
• Value: 8.75

Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award