Gaming keyboards have become popular over the past couple of years with multiple manufacturers working to outdo the other with their features and of course performance. The market has become big enough that we have even seen the return of the mechanical switch (something that many were glad to see go away). However, as with many high-end products the demand for these in the general market is not enough to overcome the higher prices. Manufacturers are looking to still offer compelling features and performance, but at a more reasonable price. One of the keyboards in this range is the Thermaltake Tt eSPORTS Challenger Pro Gaming Keyboard. It has many of the features that gamers are looking for (backlighting, multiple profiles, USB hub, replicable keys, etc.) without the high price. So let’s get this $66 gaming keyboard up on the bench and see how it performs.
The Challenger Pro App -Although Thermaltake has provided a nice driver and utility for programing the Challenger Pro we were a little disappointed with it. We had expected to be able to do a little more with it than just program the 10 macro keys, adjust the illumination, and set a timer to see how long you have been gaming.
Sadly that is about all you can do. We will say that setting up the macros was very simple and straight forward, but that is not going to be enough to make a difference with a hardcore gamer. These features might impress an entry level gamer and also might work out well for some RTS (real time strategy) games, but not for everyone.
