Tecware Phantom Review: A Budget RGB Mechanical Keyboard [2023]

Here’s my detailed Tecware Phantom review: a simple budget-friendly keyboard.

I have at least 10 keyboards in the under-$100 price range, and I’m here to tell ya, it can be TOUGH to find a cheap keyboard that doesn’t FEEL super cheap.

The Tecware Phantom, however, is one of the better budget boards I’ve used, and I can officially recommend it as the best sub-$50 mechanical keyboard. PERIOD.

Before we dive in, here’s a quick sound test:

Here’s my Tecware Phantom with the stock Outemu red switches

The Havit keyboards are all in the same price range as the Phantom, and they even have “packages” with a wrist rest and mouse included!

AND…you can find Havit TKLs on Amazon with different keycap color options, woot!

(of course you can replace the keycaps on ANY keyboard, but it’s nice to have some options out of the box!)

Final Word: The Tecware Phantom is a well-built mechanical keyboard for the price!

If you’re looking for a keyboard that’s easy to use and delivers all the basics without breaking your budget, then I highly recommend the Tecware Phantom.

It’s not going to blow you away with its features, but it IS well-built and includes enough extras like full RGB backlighting, hot-swappability with other Outemu switches, and programmable keys through the Tecware software.

If you absolutely HAVE to stay under $50ish, we would recommend the Phantom over some of the other budget keyboards out there!

However, if you’re willing to spend up to $75-100, we would recommend looking at some of the other options we’ve listed (like the Keychron K2, Anne Pro 2, or Ducky One 2).

With full RGB backlighting and programmable keys, this is an excellent choice!

F.A.Q.

Is Tecware Phantom keyboard good?

It depends on what you’re looking for.

The Tecware Phantom is a decent budget keyboard, but it does have some downsides (e.g. Outemu switches, full RGB backlighting isn’t always the best quality, etc.).

If you’re looking for something that’s a bit more “premium,” you could grab a Keychron or Anne Pro keyboard for only $20-30 more.

Is the Tecware Phantom good for gaming?

Yes, the Tecware Phantom is good for gaming, especially if you get the Outemu Red Switch version (red switches are linear and general preferred for gaming).

It has a few nice gaming features, like N-key rollover (NKRO) and anti-ghosting. It also comes with its own software, which allows you to program macros and custom keybinds.

Is Tecware Phantom mechanical?

Yes, the Tecware Phantom is a mechanical keyboard (as opposed to a membrane keyboard). The keyboard uses Outemu mechanical switches, and usually comes with two options: Outemu Blue Switches (Clicky, Tactile) and Outemu Red Switches: (Linear, Smooth)

Is Tecware Phantom TKL?

The Tecware Phantom 87 is not a full-sized keyboard, it’s a TKL (tenkeyless) keyboard. The TKL is an 80% layout, meaning it doesn’t have a number pad on the right side.

If you need a number pad, Tecware has another version of the Phantom that is full-sized, The Tecware Phantom 104.