Sandberg ThunderStorm Keyboard – Hardware Review
Recently we discussed our first Sandberg product on the site, and it blasted us off our seats, as the Blast Mouse was a great piece of hardware for its price. This time we expand our Sandberg setup with their ThunderStorm keyboard, which is their mid-range gaming keyboard. Of course, for the price range, which is around €60/$60, we get a normal membrane keyboard, rather than a mechanical one. Nonetheless, we were wondering if we would get thunderstruck, or not.
Design
When first laying eyes upon this device, it’s clear the designers had a certain vision in mind to make this piece of hardware look fierce and ready to kick some ass. The LED lighting is not only limited to the keys themselves, but also the cracks that run along the body of the device, to make it resemble an actual thunderstorm, which is perhaps one of the most original and fun design features we’ve seen the last few years.
The body of the device is rather rugged and robust, creating a thick frame around the keys, thus being slightly bigger than many other keyboards on the market. Nonetheless, there’s a small palm rest, but in many ways it’s rather esthetic, rather than practical, thus being a design feature solely.
Sandberg did a great job in subtly implementing the media keys, which don’t stand out too much, making them look quite good. The Sandberg logo in the middle of the device, also properly decorated with cracks, looks quite nifty as well. It’s clear no expense was saved on creating something fun and original.
Comfort
Compared to many other gaming keyboards the ThunderStorm is rather flat, which you either love or hate, but in the end it’s just a matter of getting used to. The overall resistance on the keys isn’t that high, making sure you can still type and/or use skills in games without too much of a hassle. The frame around the device might be a bit bigger than many other keyboards, but this will also allow you to rest your palms on the bottom portion of said border. While the palm rest might not be that big/long, it still provides a tiny bit of support for those who are looking for some.
The keys have a matte feel to them, which gives you a bit of extra grip and it also tends to stain less this way. Overall the keys may feel a bit smaller, because they are either placed a tiny bit closer to one another than they are on mechanical keyboards, if you’re used to one that is.
You’ll notice that for a membrane keyboard, the body of the device is quite sturdy and heavy, which makes sure it stays in place properly during more active gaming sessions. It shows that Sandberg did their best to present you with a solid device, rather than a flimsy plastic gaming peripheral.
Specs
- Cable length 1.8 meters
- 10 multimedia keys
- Three different backlight colors
- Weight 1100 grams
- Dimensions 46.7 x 20.4 x 3.1 cm
Overview
Sandberg’s ThunderStorm is a plug and play device, which will need no additional software in order to work properly. As the device doesn’t really have that many special buttons, there is simply no need for extra customization options. You’ll be treated to a fairly standard experience, button wise, which means you’ll be able to use some useful media keys, keys that help you navigate in your browser, and of course an extra function key which will help you, in combination with other keys with extra functions embedded to them, to regulate the LED settings of this device. The latter proves to be extremely easy, as there are only a limited set of options, which, for this keyboard is more than enough.
The functionalities of the ThunderStorm are rather limited, but you’ll be able to choose from three different colors for your LED lighting, and their intensity settings. Other than that, you’ll have to depend on the additional media buttons, which provide the basics, which is still more than some other brands offer with their more expensive models.
Overall the responsiveness of the keys and the feel of them is certainly on par with many gaming keyboards, albeit slightly lower than a mechanical keyboard (which is normal). Nonetheless, casual or hardcore gamer, you’ll certainly have a trustworthy ally. That being said, you do sometimes feel the buttons ‘spring’ back, with the accompanying spring sound.
Conclusion
Sandberg’s ThunderStorm was a fun tool to work with during the many games that pass the revue. While not exactly being on par with a mechanical keyboard, the device certainly holds itself quite well thanks to its design, responsiveness and overall sturdiness. If you’re looking for a decent gaming keyboard in the lower price segments, this one might be worth checking out. While we weren’t inclined to salute the device with a thunderous applause, Sandberg certainly knows how to make decent and interesting items.
Sandberg ThunderStorm Keyboard - Hardware Review,
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