The Tesoro Excalibur SE Spectrum Review: A Mechanical Keyboard with Gateron Optical Switches

Conclusion

The Tesoro Excalibur SE Spectrum is a very interesting keyboard and the first product that we have seen making use of optical technology to generate actuation/reset signaling. The concept is interesting and our testing proved it to be a viable alternative to typical mechanical switches that rely on electrical contacts. This does eliminate issues that can be caused by the deterioration of the metallic contact leaves of the mechanical switch, such as misclicking and corrosion. There is a metallic leaf inside the Gateron Optical switches as well anyway, but it is there only to emulate the movement and feedback of the mechanical switch.

Even though the Gateron Blue Optical switch does copy the regular mechanical switch in terms of force, the infrared sensor actuates and resets the switch at a specific travel point, ignoring the state of the metallic parts. This specific behavior can be very useful to gamers, as the switch does not have to reach the actual reset point of the classic mechanical switch variant that is almost 1 mm above the actuation point, making rapid and continuous keystrokes easier and more reliable.

Aside from its switches, the Excalibur SE Spectrum actually does not have any other features that really stand out. It is a well-made, robust mechanical keyboard with a subtle design, but it lacks advanced features that many other keyboards around its price range currently offer. The concept of making it plug & play, allowing the user to program lighting modes and macros without relying on software, is interesting and may be useful to some. At the same time however it is very limiting, coercing the user to be content with simplistic keystroke macros and basic lighting effects. The RGB lighting is very basic and limited to just a handful of colors as well. It is unlikely that advanced gamers will be satisfied by the capabilities of the Excalibur SE Spectrum, unless if they are playing games that never rely on macros and other advanced commands.

The Gateron Blue Optical switches are very interesting but it seems that their cost is currently too high for them to form a truly competitive product. Tesoro’s effort with the Excalibur SE Spectrum did form a solid, reliable mechanical keyboard that will not disappoint in terms of quality and performance. Its currently retail price of $100 however is a bit on the high side for its features and capabilities, as fully programmable keyboards capable of much more complex functions and using original Cherry MX switches can be found selling around this price point. We do however hope that Tesoro will be designing and presenting more keyboards making use of the optical switches in the near future, especially top-tier models with advanced features and improved software support.

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