TECWARE Phantom RGB 88 UK Layout (QWERTY) Mechanical
TECWARE Phantom RGB 88 UK Layout (QWERTY) Mechanical Keyboard, RED Switch
| Weight: | 950 g |
| Dimensions: | 36.1 x 13.3 x 4.1 cm; 950 Grams |
| Brand: | TECWARE |
| Model: | PHANTOM RGB 88 MECHANICAL |
| Colour: | UK QWERTY 88 KEY RED SWITCH |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | TECWARE |
| Dimensions: | 36.1 x 13.3 x 4.1 cm; 950 Grams |
This is my first mechanical keyboard, and it felt like a different world when I first tried it out. I’ve been living under a rock (horrible membrane keyboards) but this opened a new universe of experiences. Although the switches are not lubed, the sound is great. The build quality is perfect for a mechanical keyboard, with a study metal backplate and stunning RGB settings. Can’t go wrong with this keyboard.
Replaced a Corsair K100 with this and I actually like this WAY more. Had an issue with one button after a few weeks but there was a spare int he box. Over all, a solid keyboard and an absolute bargain. Buy it!!!
I really love this keyboard with brown switches for being heavy with reduced footprint yet still with full-size keys and separate caret control block. Keys are nicely separated. I have a pair – one for office one for home. The only downside is that in both keyboards over time some individual colours in RGB backlighting broke and with solid blue I use some keys have wrong colour – see photo
I wanted to reduce the amount of space taken up by a full sized keyboard as desk space is a premium so when for a TKL 80% uk layout keyboard. Did reaserch online, always wanted a traditional click keyboard as i lurnte to type on one, this fits the bill.
It is hotswappable allow different switches if you want to change later i went with red middle of the road, good feel to them. if you get bored or want a change can get loads of key caps for them.
RGB and downloadable app is fantastic and has so many options up to you to play and customise. it is a bit noisy and has a slight metallic ring when typing but i like it, some may not, good solid build quality and will last me out, i think. has a cover you can purchase 17 to enclose the keys a bit which might reduce the sound but i like it the way it is at the moment with open keys. would buy again and like the size.
The keyboard feels extremely premium for this price, there is very little key wobble, it sounds amazing but some of the prints on the keys are a bit faded or not printed properly, otherwise its a great keyboard.
Bought the Outemu Brown Switch variant, although they are not really as silent as advertised.
You can hear the sound of someone typing from other rooms too.
The build quality is very good.
The Price is a little higher in the UK for this model (bought this at 55) but it is the only decent budget option along with Royal Kludge RK61 which wasn’t available.
Overall Good Value.
Seems solid and well made but keys very clicky and too loud for late night use.
Really impressed, with part metal construction. there slight inconsistencies in the keys, that just gets a bit of getting used to.
I emailed Tecware support because I was having an issue with updating the software and they got back to me with a fix within a few days. Very good customer service. Great keyboard too.
Bought this to replace a Corsair keyboard as I wanted something smaller on my desk. After viewing some reviews on the keyboard, I went ahead and purchased it and I have been pleasantly surprised with the quality of the keyboard and the lighting options. The software is a little rudimentary but it does the job.
been using this keyboard for a few weeks now & i am quite impressed with it, it feels very natural to use. this is my 2nd ever mechanical keyboard & whereas my first one felt clunky & hard to get used to, this one was comfortable to use almost instantly (after many years of using laptop style keyboards).
|| UPDATE 2-3 MONTHS LATER : roughly 10 RGB lights are faulty now and are not able to be swapped via switches are they’re mounted onto the actual PCB HUGE CON and very disappointed as barely any time has even passed. switches are also very difficult to take off and i believe they’re only compatible with other outemu switches
pros: comfortable, easy to use, easy to set-up, has it’s own RGB software to customise modes, amazing for gaming, noise is not too crazy, looks great
cons: RGB is the biggest flaw for this keyboard i think, the lights are VERY dim, especially for colours such as white, purple or blue. the software is not even fully customisable, i do not get the exact colour i chose but rather a colour preset it seems which was very disappointing.. as well as the build quality being decent it does have a sort of rattle sound to it when you arem typing which can sometimes be a bit distracting
overall: good for gaming & productivity however RGB could be vastly improved, but i wouldn’t let that stop you from enjoying this keyboard, it’s still far better to use in comparison to some bigger brands such as noisy razer keyboards 🙂
P.S i bought also the shroud for this keyboard in white so u can get the best of borth worlds (floating and non-floating style!)
everything is rly well made on this product, surprised at the amazing build quality, keybord sounds fine too. my only slight issue is that when u press down a key, theres a small pinging issue but its very small so that its barely noticable. thanks again tecware 😀
Have replaced two of my red switches on my gaming movement keys within 4 months of purchase due to keystrokes not registering cleanly, and N keys not working properly, which isn’t a major problem, but what has left me a little frustrated is that the blue LED on my – and C key died within 4 months, and the green LED on my D key followed them to the shadow realm soon after.
Have reached out to Tecware Support to see what they say, but I guess I just got unlucky with this keyboard? Afterall, not many others seem to have encountered this issue.
It’s a lovely keyboard to use however, and I’ve just ordered some Akko rose pinks to try out, but this LED issue is the reason I’ve given 4 stars rather than 5, though it might have been nice to have had a detachable cord on this keyboard as well…
**8 months later**
I’ve since RMA’d my Tecware Phantom, which has honestly been one of the most pleasant experiences I’ve ever had with customer service; my hat really goes off to Tecware UK for their exceptional efficiency and responsiveness (they respond to queries really fast). I’ve seen absolute horror stories from people that have bought from Keychron, which has notoriously bad customer support, but it definitely wasn’t the case for me with Tecware UK; I sent my keyboard to the address given, and it was replaced and back on my desk within 2-3 days of me sending it in. Thanks again!
Nice solid keyboard with a great feel to it. LED back lighting is good, the only shame is that the software and instructions for its use are rubbish. I use Auto Hotkeys for macros so I am not really bothered.
I wasn’t expecting much with this keyboard, although at the price I paid it wasn’t mega cheap, it was less than half the cost of my Corsair K70. I use both between two different machines and this one feels better to me to type on.
Can’t really fault it on anything for the price. The cable is nice that comes with it, the keys have a nice feel. It has a reasonable weight and doesn’t feel cheap. In all a really nice keyboard that looks good too with the RGB Lighting.
Not sure if the RGB can be controlled by software but you can control some of the effects using the keyboard itself. I tend not to bother with that as just happy with it changing colour and doing it’s RGB thing.
So if you don’t want to break the bank then this keyboard is worth a look.
This is one of the best mechanical keyboards under 60. The tkl form factor is amazing because of the separate arrow and media keys. When typing, there is no hollow sound because the board comes with foam in the bottom of the case and between the plate and pcb. But if you get the red switches, they do have a pingy sound when typing that is very noticeable. But this keyboard is hotswapable. But only with outemu switches (as tecware says). But if you want to put different switches, then I recommend Akko cs switches. They are very cheap and sound and feel better then outemu and gateron switches (they’re only 14 for a pack of 45). apart from that, theis keyboard is amazing. must buy.
The reason I have rated at 4 stars is because it has decent rgb not the brightest but has lots of different modes. It is hot swappable which is very handy for changing switches. The switches are ok I got brown but I changed them to a different brands but I could have stuck with browns without a problem. The main problem is finding different key caps for the English layout where the shift button is smaller but that’s only a problem for when your customising it if you wish to do so.
I do recommend this keyboard for most people but if you don’t have that much money go for a cheaper one it doesn’t make you a pro or anything its just satisfying.
I have been working from home a lot recently. I work in IT and bought this to use with a company laptop. I like mechanical keyboards. This has great brown switches and I really like using this keyboard. I can type for long periods time and it has a lovely click. Would recommend.
I don’t usually write reviews but this keyboard for me is the best. I ordered a few different keyboards and in the end came back to this one. At the beginning there was a metal ringing noise but this was fixed with the spare switches and the extras which the company kindly delivered for me
100% recommended
My brother bought one of these a year or two ago and it seems from then on they have updated the design. I haven’t used it for too long maybe 3-4 days but the keyboard feels so much more premium in comparison to the old. The key presses sound so much better and the spacebar sounds amazing, not loose like the old one.
If you want a premium feeling keyboard with excellent lighting and feel at a great price, this should definitely be something that you pick up.
only fault Is there was no manual, so I had to go to the official website in order to know how to use it. Great price tho, fast delivery and amazing and fun colours!
50 pound for a hotswap keyboard is a great deal! most are 70 or more. the software was kinda confusing but as you can see i made a custom colour config. there are alot of presets but you can make a custom preset and you can save upto 3 which is nice.
Firstly, I will say that when I first received the keyboard, I had slight disappointment to find that one of the keys didn’t work, and after pulling the switches out found that I had a defective keyboard.. However, I got onto the manufacturer straight away and hoped that I would receive some sort of answer to help me out..
what followed was a few emails asking for photos of problems and if there was anything they could do to help they will try their best.
Today, in the post I have received a fully working replacement with no extra cost..
So I’ve spent the morning replacing the keycaps to ones I’ve purchased.. Plugged it in.. WOW!!!
This is an amazing keyboard (writing this review on it), played a few games with it, and I can honestly say that I an impressed with it..
I purchased it to replace a full size keyboard as I rarely use the keypad and it fits snuggly on my desk..
Would I recommend this brand of keyboard, hell yes.. Go and buy one right now..
The customer service is second to none and I’m a fan for life now..
This being my first mechanical keyboard I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’m more than delighted with it, it looks fantastic and feels pretty good too, the RGB looks great although the software for it can crash fairly easily, luckily the RGB is fully controllable on the keyboard. I would easily recommend this to someone who wants a mechanical keyboard that won’t cost an arm and a leg.
This is a good hotswappable keyboard but unfortunately when you press down on a key, there is a very obvious and loud pinging sound. Other than that the RGB is good and you do not need a software to use it but you can download a software.
This product is amazing, especially for the money, the red switches are smooth and silent and the lighting on this keyboard is amazing. You can change each keys lighting with the software and it has some prebuilt lighting effects. The build quality is similar to the steelseries apex pro (180!)
I have owned quite a few mechanical keyboards over the last few years, of various types and makes of key switches and manufacturers. Several Corsair, Ducky, QPad, GMMK Glorious. Other than the Corsairs which all had either broken LED’s, key caps and key chatter after about a year’s use, the rest have been good.
This board though for the price is an absolute steal and holds up to comparison to al lof the above. The Otemu browns are really good, much smoother than Cherry MX browns, almost akin to a firmer red. It’s almost that the switches have been lubed at the factory but I cant see any evidence, it’s just how smooth they are. The board has a metal top plate and feels really heavy for its ten keyless size, it just feels quality. I really was not expecting this for the price.
The keycaps appear to be double shot ABS (I think?), not PBT, although for the price i am not complaining, and have a smooth satin coating like you may find in car interior switches. The key cap font is very clear and there is a very slight ‘ting’ noise if you listen really hard when typing but it’s hardly noticeable.
The stabilisers are good ones, not pieces of wire and the keys don’t make a lot of noise when you type on them. I think the Otemu browns are now may favourite switch over Cherry MX red / Blue and Brown and Gateron blue I have used before even though they are a cheaper switch.
The software allows you to set per key colours or several different effects, and appears identical to my Gloriuos GMMK board I also use as I can control the Phantom with the Glorious software. In fact the board could be viewed as a competitor to the GMMK compact such is the build quality, with the exception its limited to Otemu key replacements although I believe you can make cherry and other types fit by crimping one leg on the switches but I have no need to try this.
The pictures show the keycaps in comparision to others. From left to right – Phantom, Corsair PBT, Hyper X pudding PBT, Q pad ABS and Corsair K70/90 ABS
All in all, this is a really nice, quality feeling keyboard at a brilliant price. I am really happy with mine and am now using it as my main keyboard.
I love the RGB for this keyboard, it has the option to change them via the keyboard commands, or you can change them with the software. The switches are great, not too loud but still clicky for that clack satisfaction. The keyboard itself feels heavy and good quality, as the base is a heavy metal and plastic rim combo. Depending on which keys you use, it’ll sound different, the base keys give it more of a clacky sound, the pudding caps I’m using dull the sound ever so slightly. For the money, this keyboard is great and honestly, I’d buy another!
When I first got it out the box, I was pleasantly surprised. It had good heft, seemed to be pretty well built and, although mine had a small manufacturing mark on the edge of the mounting plate, looked half decent too. Further, upon using it I found that the Outemu Browns weren’t bad to type on either. The keycaps felt nicer than I anticipated and the stabilisers were well-lubed too! You can hear a bit of spring ping from the stock switches but they were fairly smooth overall. I found these switches a little light for my taste when typing as I’m used to MX Clears. Outemu Browns aren’t a carbon copy of MX Browns, they’re a little heavier. I found this board to be really nice to game on – the switch weight and tactility was just right for me. The RGB backlighting was easy to customise and shone through the caps brilliantly; far better than other boards I’ve seen with similar specs in this price bracket. The braided cable isn’t removeable but with how surprisingly nice the board was overall, I found it hard to care too much. It even has foam dampening in the chassis. With the well-lubed, solid stabilisers, foam and decent built quality, this board even sounds surprisingly good!
However, with all this being said, I had to return it. The hot-swap feature only extends to Outemu switches. I read a review of this board after I’d had it a week saying that the hot-swap sockets are very narrow and only accept skinny-legged Outemu switches. I confirmed this by trying a Cherry switch and Razer switch – neither worked. This was a deal-breaker for me. I was surprised at how much I was enjoying Outemu Browns. A lubing session later, the spring noise would have gone and they would have been even smoother. Outemu make many other switches too but I bought this keyboard wanting to through whatever switch I wanted in it in the future and I could not. Even when I was packaging it up to send it back, I felt like I was doing something wrong as it really was a great board to game on in particular (better than my Varmilo!).
Great keyboard overall. Anyone buying this, whether it’s your first mech or you’re after something different, you will be pleased with it.
I love everything about it. I love how smooth it’s to type on, love the lights and also it’s amazing the aesthetics it’s created on my desk. I did end up lubing the switches and the sound it makes now it’s amazing. Without lubing it it’s fine too, mines had slight metal ping sound that used to annoy me because the room I was in echoed the sound, so lubing the switches sorted that problem for me.
I like that this is hot swappable keyboard but reminder it’s only hot swappable with other Outemu switches if you tried other switches it will not work because the stems are thinner in Outemu than the cherry, gateron on or kalih switches.
Overall for the purpose of my new obsession this was a perfect starter. I feel like I learned a lot about mechanical switches from using this one without spending a lot on it. There’s some really good reviews on this on YouTube you should check out if you want to hear then switches and see the construction of it.
Of course there are alternatives available, and if the features it has aren’t sufficient you may want to look into more expensive models. However, as a starting keyboard, I am more than satisfied and particularly for the 55 price tag, it simply is a no brainer.
I’ll start with two negatives;
1. Packaging was terrible, it was keyboard box wrapped in a black bin liner. When I had received it was torn in few places, luckly no damage to keyboad box itself.
2. Key cut outs are kinda bad, my enter key looks like it says Eniei. Not an issue as you can get key caps for cheap anyways.
To the positives as to why I said this a hidden gem.
1. Price, 2. Durability, 3. Customizable, 4. Ease of software (macros etc), 5. Design, 6. Keyboard doesnt have groves which keeps lots of dust etc so its easy to clean.
*Ive had this keyboard for well over a week and been using it for 6+ hours daily for gaming.
Dont want to break my bank, i hate the click stuff (Blue Switch), i need compact design and rgb.
Sadly everywere i searched only got blue swithes big bulky ones with big price tag. Hmm…
And one day boom this one popped up.
Techware Phatom 88 Uk brown switch.
Just what i need.
Build quality like tank.
Has Outemu brown switches and its perfect for me.
Search youtube and they do comparison sound test side by side red brown blue… Etc.
The app is easy to use and has like 20 rgb presets and you can customise how you like it.
Quality keyboard perfect for gaming or typing.
Really really good keyboard. Im absolutely shocked by the quality. It is my first mechanical keyboard and it was beyond my expectations. 100% Recommended without a doubt.
Good RBG, good weight, good travel distance.
After a lot of research trying to nail down a keyboard i decided on this with the red keys. Its fantastic and i would recommend it to anyone looking for a gaming keyboard
Purchased for 55. For the money, you get a UK layout mechanical keyboard with reasonable quality switches and full RGB. Switches feel much nicer than membrane. More expensive keyboards will have nicer switches but you get what you pay for.
Compact size with no bezels suits me fine – ita almost half the size of my previous keyboard
As others have said, check YouTube for more in depth reviews. You can purchase this with some confidence that you will get good value for money, and not a useless waste of space.