Fnatic Streak 65 LP Review: High-Performance Mechanical Keyboard Tailored for Professional Gamers
The Fnatic Streak65 LP, a compact yet powerful keyboard, promises top-notch performance for gamers and typists. Discover why its mix of speed, compatibility, and stylish design could make it your next gaming peripheral choice.
Welcome to this detailed review of the Fnatic STREAK65 LP, a keyboard that has made quite a splash in the gaming community. I'm thrilled to bring you an in-depth look at this latest offering from Fnatic.
The STREAK65 LP is the new and improved version of the highly acclaimed Fnatic STREAK65. It promises exciting enhancements while maintaining the core features that made its predecessor a hit. It's essential to note that my review process is thorough and unbiased, ensuring you get the most accurate information.
Whether you're an ardent gamer, a dedicated typist, or a tech enthusiast, you'll find this review helpful. I've left no stone unturned in assessing the keyboard's design, performance, and user experience. So, if you're considering the Fnatic STREAK65 LP for your next upgrade, keep reading. You're in for a treat!
The Fnatic Streak65 LP is designed for gamers and typists who value speed, compactness, and a modern aesthetic. Its low-profile, lightweight design and vibrant RGB lighting make it an appealing choice for a broad range of users, from professional gamers to office workers seeking a stylish, space-saving option.
- Compact, lightweight design for convenience and portability
- Customizable RGB lighting with 16.8 million colors
- Durable aluminium build with upgraded PBT keycaps
- Low-latency, fast response time for competitive gaming
- Wide compatibility with various platforms
- Lacks dedicated function keys due to 65% layout
- May be limiting for games requiring numerous key bindings
- Keystrokes lack depth and clickiness
- Visible screws may be aesthetically displeasing
- No hotswappable switch support
Based on the product review, the Fnatic Streak65 LP is recommended for users seeking a high-performance, compact mechanical keyboard. Despite a few minor drawbacks, such as the lack of depth in keystrokes and dedicated function keys, the overall performance, aesthetics, and build quality make it a worthwhile investment. Especially for those who prioritize speed, compatibility, and durability.
Test Results
Design
The design of the Fnatic STREAK65 LP is undoubtedly one of its strong points. It perfectly blends functionality with aesthetics, while ensuring durability and convenience.
The compact form factor of the STREAK65 LP, a 65% keyboard layout, proves to be a significant advantage, especially for gamers. Weighing only 420 grams, it's light enough for easy transportation. This compactness allows more room for mouse movement and positions your arms closer together, leading to a more comfortable resting position.
The STREAK65 LP sports a durable, lightweight aluminum frame, setting the standard for build quality. Custom Kailh switches are revealed under upgraded half-height PBT keycaps, replacing the original ABS keycaps. This introduces a more durable and pleasant matte texture. Additionally, quality factory lubrication of the stabilizers and the inclusion of sound dampening foam contribute to reducing hollow sounds. Nevertheless, some users might find the visible screws underneath the keys a bit unappealing.
The ergonomic design of the STREAK65 LP shines through in its compact and low-profile structure. This design is aimed at reducing wrist strain during extended use. Further enhancing stability, rubber grips are located at the base of the keyboard. The keycaps are textured, which lends to a pleasant feel while typing. However, the smaller size may not appeal to everyone and could come off as slightly cramped for some.
The vibrant, customizable RGB lighting is a highlight of the STREAK65 LP. The backlighting, which offers 16.8 million color options, is especially noticeable due to the keycaps not being full size. This effect is particularly pronounced in the white variant of the keyboard. Users can adjust the lighting intensity and patterns using the Fnatic software, offering a high degree of personalization.
The keyboard offers reliable wired connectivity via USB-C. It comes with an upgraded, detachable, coiled and braided cable which is a noticeable improvement over the original straight cable, adding to the convenience of transport. However, the lack of wireless connectivity could be a point of consideration for some users.
The STREAK65 LP hosts a handful of additional features. It comes with onboard memory for saving settings, programmable keys and macros, and a Competition Mode which can disable the Windows key and reduce lighting intensity to minimize distractions during competitive gameplay. While it does lack dedicated function keys due to its compact design, it includes arrow keys and four macro keys for games, and media control functionality is provided via the Fn key. The lack of hot-swappable switch support could, however, be a trade-off for some users.
Typing Experience
The Fnatic STREAK65 LP is designed with typing comfort and speed in mind. From the quality of the keystrokes to the low noise level, it excels in providing a seamless typing experience.
The STREAK65 LP utilizes doubleshot PBT keycaps, known for their durability and non-shiny finish, ensuring the legends don't fade over time. The keys offer secondary functions that can be accessed using the FN key. Speed switches lack the depth and clickiness some users might prefer, but they make up for it with increased agility. The short pre-travel time of the switches also facilitates faster keystrokes, which, while they may not be the most satisfying to press, make the keyboard an excellent choice for competitive gaming.
The typing quality on the STREAK65 LP is enhanced by a number of factors. The use of doubleshot PBT keycaps, which replace the original ABS keycaps, improves texture and feedback. Additionally, the presence of extra foam in the base of the keyboard makes typing more comfortable and less noisy. The lubricated stabilizers on the switches also contribute to reduced sound and rattling, ensuring a smoother typing experience.
The STREAK65 LP is designed with attention to acoustics. The Speed switches are clickless, which significantly reduces typing noise. An additional layer of dampening foam inside the keyboard further controls noise, providing a cleaner and more satisfying typing experience. The foam helps in eliminating hollow sounds, and lubricated stabilizers ensure minimal rattling.
The STREAK65 LP is built for speed. Despite not being as fast as some optical-mechanical keyboards, it offers a quick response time, which is crucial in competitive gaming. The keyboard has a polling rate of 1000Hz and features 8MB of onboard memory. The low profile switches, combined with short pre-travel time, ensure low latency, further enhancing the fast and responsive nature of this keyboard.
Software
The Fnatic software accompanying the STREAK65 LP is user-friendly and versatile, allowing for customization and easy integration with various operating systems.
The Fnatic STREAK65 LP brings customizable inputs to the table, offering the ability to adjust your keyboard's behavior to better suit your needs. Included in its array of programmable features are four macro keys specifically designed for game-specific programming, allowing you to set up custom commands for quicker execution. You can also remap keys and set up macros through Fnatic's OP software. Secondary functions of keys can be easily accessed via the FN key, providing additional versatility in the keyboard's use.
The STREAK65 LP prides itself on its wide range of compatibility. It can seamlessly function with a variety of operating systems including Windows 10 and 11, Mac OS, and Chrome OS. The keyboard is usable with PCs, laptops, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, and Mac, catering to a broad spectrum of users. While its versatile design covers a wide range of use-cases, it may be somewhat limiting for games requiring numerous key bindings, such as MMO and RTS games. Therefore, while it is generally compatible, it might not be the ideal choice for all gaming scenarios.
Customer Reviews
In analyzing the various customer reviews, we notice that they share a wealth of information about the user experience with the product. To help understand their perspectives, we've split their feedback into two main sections: Benefits and Complaints.
Benefits
Many customers appreciated the compact and low-profile design of the Fnatic keyboard. Its size makes it ideal for gaming and everyday use. It is easy to adjust and highly programmable directly on the board itself, simplifying user experience. Users found the switches fast yet manageable, indicating good gaming performance.
One customer praised it as the best keyboard they've had for gaming or other uses, even considering taking it to work. Moreover, customers find the RGB lighting and color options satisfactory, straight out of the box. Additionally, the Fnatic keyboard's stabilizers were highlighted as the best among pre-built, mass-produced boards, and the switches were commended for their quality.
Complaints
However, not all experiences were completely positive. One user noted a quality control issue, with their keyboard arriving slightly bent and not sitting flat on a glass desk. The user felt disappointed, given the keyboard's price point.
Although described as aluminum, some customers pointed out the keyboard feels more like plastic. Nonetheless, the plastic was recognized as high-quality, and the overall user experience was positive.
Customer Conclusion
In conclusion, the Fnatic keyboard is highly recommended by customers for its compact design, programmability, and quality of switches and stabilizers. However, the potential for quality control issues and the unavailability of certain color options should be noted. Despite these, many customers expressed they would buy the keyboard again, suggesting strong satisfaction with the product.
Customer Questions/Answers
Does this keyboard feature anti-ghosting?
Yes, all our keyboards include an anti-ghosting feature.
How can I turn off the RGB lighting on the keyboard?
You can turn off the lighting by pressing FN+F8 until the lights go off.
Can I carry this keyboard with my laptop? How long is it?
Yes, you can carry it with your laptop. The total length of the keyboard is 14 1/8 inches from edge to edge.
What should I do if the keyboard doesn't work on PS4?
If the keyboard doesn't work with your PS4, hold down the three hotkeys in the top-right of the keyboard (mic-mute, Fnatic, volume-mute) when you plug it in to access the PS4-compatible BIOS mode.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Fnatic STREAK65 LP is an impressive piece of tech. It checks many boxes with its compact size, rapid response times, and overall build quality. Despite some minor trade-offs like the lack of wireless connectivity and hotswappable switches, it still stands as a strong contender in the gaming keyboard arena.
Its high-quality aluminum build, vibrant RGB lighting, and custom Kailh switches provide a durable, visually appealing low-profile mechanical keyboard. The 65% form factor is optimal for gamers needing space for mouse movement. Plus, the software allows easy customization of key functions and lighting, making it versatile and user-friendly.
Moreover, the typing experience is enhanced due to low-profile switches, which facilitate speed and comfort. The extra foam within the keyboard and the lubricated stabilizers significantly reduce noise, ensuring a satisfying and quiet typing experience.
It's safe to say the STREAK65 LP is a worthy investment for those looking to enhance their gaming setup or improve typing comfort. In summary, this keyboard may not be perfect, but its strengths far outweigh any shortcomings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is the Fnatic Streak65 LP?
The Fnatic Streak65 LP is a low-profile keyboard. Its exact height is 22 mm.
What is the polling rate of Fnatic Streak65?
The Fnatic Streak65 boasts a high polling rate of 1000Hz. This translates to a faster response time, which is crucial for competitive gaming.
Is the Streak65 wireless?
The Fnatic Streak65 does not support wireless connectivity. It comes with a detachable, braided, and coiled USB-C cable for wired connections.
What is competition mode on Fnatic keyboard?
The 'competition mode' on the Fnatic keyboard is a feature that allows you to disable the Windows key and reduce lighting intensity. This mode helps minimize distractions during gaming sessions, optimizing performance.
What key switches does the Fnatic Streak65 LP use?
The Fnatic Streak 65LP uses custom Kailh speed switches. These low-profile switches are designed for fast actuation and quick response times, making them excellent for competitive gaming.
Is the Fnatic Streak65 LP compatible with Mac OS?
Yes, the Fnatic Streak65 LP is compatible with several operating systems, including Mac OS. It can also be used with Windows 10 and 11, Chrome OS, and is usable with devices like PC, laptop, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox, and Mac.
What material are the keycaps on the Fnatic Streak65 LP made of?
The keycaps on the Fnatic Streak65 LP are made of double-shot shine-through PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate). This makes them more durable and provides a superior typing feel compared to standard ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) keycaps.
Does the Fnatic Streak65 LP support macro programming?
Yes, the Fnatic Streak65 LP supports macro programming. It includes four macro keys for game-specific programming, and key remapping is possible via Fnatic's OP software. This feature enhances customization and allows users to tailor their keyboard experience to their gaming needs.
How does the Fnatic Streak65 LP manage noise levels?
The Fnatic Streak65 LP is designed with sound dampening foam to control noise levels. This, along with the lubricated stabilizers and the clickless acoustics of the Speed switches, significantly reduces the sound and rattling when typing.
Can the RGB lighting on the Fnatic Streak65 LP be customized?
Yes, the RGB lighting on the Fnatic Streak65 LP can be customized. The keyboard features vibrant RGB lighting that offers 16.8 million colors, and the lighting settings can be adjusted using the Fnatic OP software.