To coincide with the arrival of Sandberg products in our store, Senior Engineer Tom Knott has been testing Sandberg RageStorm Mech Gaming Keypad.
Okay, so the RageStorm is a relatively cheap entry point into E-Sport peripherals; created by Sandberg this keypad is essentially half of your standard keyboard. Made of plastic, the small size makes for this to be a very sturdy keypad with no board flex. With no metal construction, it is definitely lacking any premium feel but at a £46.99 price point that’s hardly fair to expect. Underneath the key area is a built in, non-removable wrist rest which has a smooth and slightly squishy rubber top which surprised me in how it stayed comfortable even after several hours of use. Underneath, there are five large rubber pads that means there’s very little movement.
It uses Outemu Blue mechanical switches, which have a 60g actuation force and 4mm travel distance, giving off a satisfying click when pressed. Atop these are dual-injection keycaps that feel sturdy, with an easy to read font that is also see through to allow illumination from the lighting below.
On the subject of the backlighting, the RageStorm has set coloured lighting under each key with nine different lighting modes such as solid on, off, pulsing, reactive and wave. Switching between these modes is easy and is done directly on the pad using Shift+Esc to cycle through. Personally, some of the lighting modes were a bit too distracting for continuous use, so for the most part, I used the static on setting. Compared to others on the market, pre-set options for lighting may be basic but at this price point, it’s hard to complain.
The RageStorm also allows up to three custom macro keys to be programmed, which can be a bit of a pain, however once figured out, it’s a breeze. Also done directly through the keypad (there is no software), following the included quick guide can quickly record or delete macros. However, one thing the guide is missing is how to actually use the macros once saved, simply pressing shift and number saved causes the macro to activate.
So, what about actually using it? In first person shooters, the keypad is perfect; as it uncommon for a FPS to require any keys on the other half, having a smaller area means that less space is taken up on the desk so if you are like me who’s desk can be a bit cluttered or small, having a small pad means I can place it anywhere at any angle I find comfy. The pros of its size also happens to be it’s downside, due to it’s small size, its number bar only goes to 5 restricting games that require all the num keys for things such as inventory quick swaps or in MMOs that need all number keys for abilities, meaning you may require the keys be rebound.
Final thoughts? The RageStorm is a great budget keypad for anyone looking for an easy to use, E-Sports level peripheral. With its rigid and comfy design, satisfying clicky mechanical keys, good looking lighting options and the ability to save custom macros, this is a great option for someone looking for cheap E-Sports gear.
The Sandberg RageStorm Mech Gaming Keypad is available in our store here
