Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E.TE Tournament Edition Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for PC(MCB43113N002/04/1)

 We're reviewing the Mad Catz STRIKE TE Gaming Keyboard. It comes in at a lower price than most mechanical keyboards but does it have the same performance? Let's find out in this review.

The Mad Catz keyboard has a metal base and a heavy weight which is typical of a mechanical keyboard. The keyboard has a slightly enhanced layout. It's not a barebones keyboard, it does have some extra space on the frame, macros keys at the top, and more macro keys above the arrow keys. Keyboard layouts can be subjective and I tend to prefer a barebones layout, but the extra keys do come in handy. There's also a divider between the arrow keys and the letter keys, which is mostly for style. There is also a function key for media controls on the F5 through F12 keys. The wrist rest loosely attaches at the bottom. I'm not a big fan of wrist rests in general and this one seems more cumbersome then anything so I choose not to use it.

Testing the keyboard with one of my favorite games, Shadow Warrior, it's responsive and comfortable. The keys have a light tactile feel with 45g actuation. Double taps happen a little too easily but everything feels like it has a light touch.

The windows lock key is another convenient feature. It has a nice slider that can enable or disable the windows button so you don't accidentally hit it while in game. This is incredibly helpful and the fact that it's a slider makes it easy to tell if it's enabled. The Macro keys can be programmed in the Mad Catz software and it has every possible programming feature I could imagine. You can map it to other basic keys, windows functions, media functions, or custom macros. The C macro keys above the arrows have the same potential, so you have 12 programmable buttons in total. It's also just very easy to navigate the software. There are individual lighting settings for all the keys, the WASD keys, and the arrow keys to control the level of illumination. If the lights are dim and you find yourself hunting for the right keys, this will definitely help you out.

The support page in the software is also re-assuring as it has a tutorial video, a digital version of the manual, and the quick start guide. There's also easy options for downloading new drivers and profiles as well as submitting a ticket for troubleshooting. It's always good when the manufacturer makes themselves available to the customers.

The biggest difference between this keyboard and others from top keyboard manufacturers is that it uses Kailh switches. Kailh is a mechanical switch type that is cheaper because it's manufactured in China and doesn't have the same level of quality compared to the classic Cherry MX switches. If you are a keyboard nerd, you'll definitely want to stick with another keyboard that has Cherry MX switches. For the rest of us, the price vs performance ratio makes up for the difference. The key switches have are rated for 50 million key presses which is average among mechanical gaming keyboards in this price range.

The Mad Catz keyboard retails at $78 which is cheaper than the high end mechanical keyboards with a few extra features. The keyboard does offer a lot of features for this price range. For those of you who want a few macro and media keys at a sub $100 price this can be a smart purchase. However the enhanced layout and the Kailh switches may be a deal breaker for picky keyboard users. I personally prefer high quality Cherry MX switches along with a basic keyboard, but objectively I can say that this keyboard is not a bad deal. Leave a comment below with your opinion on keyboard layouts and switches. There is also a link to purchase this keyboard on Amazon in the description.

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Features:
Anti Ghosting 30 Key Rollover
45g Actuation
Illuminated Keys
12 Macro Buttons
Windows Key Lock
Metal Frame / 50 Million Key Presses
Kailh Brown Switches
Lower Price
Function Media Keys

Negatives:
Kailh Switches
Larger Layout
Light Touch

This is a great mechanical keyboard. I used to have a Titanfall gaming Strike keyboard so the only thing I miss about the board for this one is that it only has the single color on the board. Other than that, the switches are loud, but you come to expect that with a really crisp keyboard.

Things you should know:
- Keys glow WHITE only. You can changed the lights to only make WASD and arrow keys glow (which is kind of cool).
- It's small compared to previous owned gaming keyboards.
- Keyboard has an expensive/durable feel to it, the kind of feeling when you say "this is worth the money".
- This is a mechanical keyboard. So, YES it sounds like a type writer and you might annoy people around you. However, once you press a key.. doesn't matter which one…. You’ll understand why people buy these.

Good commercial too...

This is great keyboard!! It doesnt allow you to pick the switch type. I was slightly apprehensive to shovel out 100 bucks for a keyboard that wouldnt be green or blue switches (which are my prefrence) but I am very happy with brown switches. recommend this keyboard to anyone who wants a mechanical keyboard. Also the arrow keys are in a slightly awkward position because they are surrounded by the c keys so that takes getting used to. otherwise this is a good keyboard

Exceeded expectations