INTRODUCTION

   They may have been around for quite a few years but tenkeyless (TKL - 87-88 keys) keyboards are just now rising in popularity not only because of their space saving design (somewhat important to people with small desks) and shorter hand distance between the keyboard and the mouse (which according to some people - primarily gamers - can actually improve reaction times) but also due to their lower prices compared to their full sized (104+ keys) brothers. Still the increase in popularity has pushed numerous keyboard manufacturers to release their very own models and so once again consumers need a guiding hand to pick the right one to cover their needs. If you've been following our reviews then you know that we've tested quite a few TKL keyboard models over the years and today with us we have yet another one the Tyrfing V2 RGB Backlit Tenkeyless Mechanical Keyboard by our friends over at DREVO.

   Founded by a group of Gamers, Programmers and Designers, DREVO is a young brand which focuses on gaming PC components, peripherals and accessories products. With the purpose of exploring new technology, new workmanship and providing a new experience, we continuously create super cool tech products. "Game With Cool Tech" is our slogan. DREVO is working hard to provide the ultimate gaming experience for each global customer. “No added hassle, pure gaming fun” is a consensus here. DREVO is working hard to convince everyone that it is very simple to have fun with gaming. The R&D team at DREVO don’t just design products, they design experiences. Each and every detail is crafted after some well-designed research based on user requirements. Every product that comes out of our stable undergo strict quality checks to ensure that you have a smooth gaming experience.

   The Tyrfing V2 RGB Backlit Mechanical Keyboard by DREVO is currently available in both tenkeyless (87/88 keys) and full (104 keys) versions and comes with OUTEMU RGB blue, black, brown and red mechanical switches (up to 50 million actuations for all types - our sample arrived with the tactile clicky blue switches that require an actuation force of 60g). In terms of features the Tyrfing V2 by DREVO has a top brushed aluminum plate, full RGB illumination for the keys with 14 different effects and 4 brightness levels, full anti-ghosting with N-Key rollover (NKRO), laser marked double-shot keycaps and control software via which you can program each of its keys with several different functions including macros. So, let's take a closer look and see if the Tyrfing V2 has what it takes to secure a spot on your desk.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The keyboard is packed inside a black and yellow box and has the model and company names at the front.

The keyboard layout, switch selection and available lighting effects are all showcased at the front of the box.

A large drawing of the keyboard is located at the rear of the box right next to a list with its specifications.

A large plastic bag is wrapped over the keyboard which is turn is placed inside a thick piece of cardboard.

Aside the keyboard itself inside the box you will also find a dual-side keycap puller, company sticker, rating card and the user guide.

THE TYRFING V2 TKL

Just like every other tenkeyless keyboard the Tyrfing V2 TKL is a compact model that weighs around 760g and measures just 359mm in length, 135mm in width and 38mm in height.

Typically, the Tyrfing V2 is yet another floating keys design keyboard.

The F1 through F4 keys (always by pressing the FN key) can be used to launch the media player, decrease/increase the volume and mute audio all together.

F5 through F8 on the other hand double as the stop, previous, play/pause and next track keys.

You can launch the email client, internet browser, calculator and the on-the-fly macro recording.

You can also switch between single and multi color modes from the print screen, scroll lock and pause break keys.

Via the insert, home, delete, end and page up/down keys you can switch between all available lighting effects.

The arrow keys on the other hand can be used to increase/decrease the speed of the effects and to increase/decrease the brightness levels of the keys.

Here we see the OUTEMU RGB Blue mechanical switches.

At the base of the keyboard we find 6 rubber feet and two height adjusters (8 rubber feet if we also include the rubberized areas of these height adjusters).

DREVO has used some of the tallest height adjusters we've ever seen in a keyboard since these raise the top end roughly 18mm from your desk.

The 1.8 meter long braided cable has a gold plated USB plug on its end.

KEYBOARD ENGINE SOFTWARE

You can download the latest keyboard engine software from the official DREVO page as seen above.

The software is very easy to use so from the initial tab you only need to click to one of the available keys and then press the key assignment drop down menu to select the desired function.

From the macros tab you can record macros far easier and faster than the hardware way.

Coming up to the lighting tab we see a live image of the keyboard and its current loaded effect/key color and right beneath that the effects and color selection and the brightness and speed setting.

You can adjust the auto load and auto update of the software from the settings menu (top right corner cog).

Here you can see the min and max brightness levels of the keys.

Some of the available effects are showcased above (unfortunately the camera couldn't keep up with most).

AUDIBLE FEEDBACK

Many people ask my opinion on what keyboard they should get for their needs. Some want a “silent” model for use in their living room or even in their bedroom while others ask for a model with good audible feedback for use in the office or for gaming. Because of this I decided to test keyboards by placing our ExTech HD600 vertically over each keyboard (5cm distance) and typing NikKTech a total of 6 times with each (after that the max recorded number - max hold - is placed in the graph). I have to admit that this methodology may not be 100% accurate but it does give a good idea on what you can expect from each model since aside the type of switches used keycaps and keyboard material also matter.

CONCLUSION

   Last year we tested the Blademaster TE by DREVO which ended up being a very good tenkeyless model so when the Tyrfing V2 arrived shortly after that we knew that DREVO wouldn’t let us down and they haven’t. The top brushed aluminum plate, the 14 available lighting effects and the easy to use keyboard engine software certainly steal the show and are the primary selling points of the Tyrfing V2 but the OUTEMU RGB Blue switches are also very good (although some people may not like their somewhat strong/loud audible feedback) as is the entire build quality of the keyboard. Granted it would be nice to see a Tyrfing V2 with Cherry MX RGB mechanical switches but keeping cost down is very important for such keyboards so we really can’t complain (besides there are countless models using OUTEMU switches out in the market today).

    At the end of our review the Tyrfing V2 RGB Backlit Tenkeyless Mechanical Keyboard by DREVO retails for just USD59.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 57Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) a price tag which at least for us is very fair. At the end of the day it all comes down to whether or not you’d like a tenkeyless model on your desk and of course just how much you’re willing to spend on one. Still if you are on a somewhat tight budget the Tyrfing V2 could be exactly what you’ve been looking for and since it delivers on everything it should it deserves our Golden Award.

PROS

- Overall Build Quality
- OUTEMU RGB Blue Mechanical Switches (50M Actuations)
- Fully Programmable Keys
- 14 Available RGB Effects
- NKey Rollover With 100% Anti Ghosting
- Keyboard Engine Software (Easy To Use)
- Available In TKL & Full Models
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- No USB Passthrough