Gaming keyboard head-to-head

The Tarantula doesn't come with a detachable wrist support either, which could be both a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it.

On the plus side, there's no need to deal with cheap, clacky, clip-on extensions. On the down side, it means there's a little less versatility and if you prefer not to use the wrist rest usually then you may find the Tarantula a pain to get used to.

The push up stilts for the Razer are reassuringly sturdy, so that shoving the board on the desk isn't going to collapse them and drop the keyboard down an inch. There are also sturdy rubberized feet on the base that stop the keyboard slipping about of its own free will.

Does the Razer Tarantula have free will, you ask. We wouldn't be surprised as it's a fantastic piece of kit in every other respect.

Unfortunately though, the Razer comes with a very high price tag, whether you're in the UK or the US. Naturally, us Brits appear to come off worse, but that's something for another article altogether.


And in the end, it's the price tag that lets the Tarantula down. The Revoltec Fightboard can match it in terms of most extra features and software, but comes at less than half the price. That said, the Razer is put ahead by a vastly superior build quality and keys that are just a joy to use and which prove silent, responsive and familiar.

• Build Quality
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• 9/10

• Features
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• 8/10

• Value
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• -
• -
• -
• 5/10

• Overall
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• x
• -
• -
• -
• 7/10

What do these scores mean?

Conclusion

So, in the end we reckon the Razer beats the Revoltec by a nose. It's by far the better of the two keyboards, with stronger build quality and a more satisfying feel overall. Plus, it just looks sleeker and a little less clunkier. It's let down by price though.

In fact, the annoying thing about both of these keyboards is the price. While at first them seem to represent good value for money, with the Razer being an upper-end keyboard with an upper-end price tag and the Fightboard being a budget option with a similar price, it's not as simple as it seems.


A quick scan of the market shows that the Logitech G15 has now fallen in price dramatically, steadying for now at just over £40, or $62 in America. That price point puts it just above the Fightboard in cost, and above the Tarantula is terms of design and features. The LCD screen, and some of the available applets, would put it over either of them on its own.

The best thing about the Logitech G15 is that it comes in two flavours as well, with a cheaper model called the G11 at an even lower price. True, the G11 lacks the cool little LCD screen, but a lot of people would consider that a gimmick anyway. At only $50 in America, or a truly stunning £27 good British pounds, the G11 and G15 are the real benchmark for gaming keyboards these days.

With more features then either of the above coupled with the same solid feel as the Razer Tarantula and a much lower price tag than either the Razer or the Revoltec, the Logitech G11 and G15 are the keyboards that a gamer should really have. The Revoltec is a nice keyboard, true, and the Razer is at least as good as the G15 in some respects. In the end though, it's the matter of value that lets the Fightboard and Tarantula keyboards wilt in the shade while Logitech continues to steal all the sunshine.