Tesoro Pops Optical Switches Onto Gram SE Spectrum Keyboard (Update: Full Specs)

Update, 1/10/17, 11:27am PT: We now have full specifications. See the table below.

Originally published 1/5/17, 9am PT:

We’ve waxed long and longer about optical keyboard switches and how they work, while noting that they’re barely available on shipping keyboards. Tesoro is among the few companies changing that. At CES, Tesoro outed the Gram SE Spectrum keyboard with the company’s own “Tesoro Optical switch technology.”

We knew this was coming; we saw a prototype of a keyboard with optical switches when we visited Tesoro at Computex 2016 this past summer. Aside from the fact that Tesoro is trailblazing a bit here (with respect to Bloody), it’s notable that the Gram SE Spectrum is equipped with Tesoro’s own switch technology. We were told post-Computex that the switches would not be made by Adomax, A4tech, nor Gateron; it seems that the mystery manufacturer is indeed Tesoro itself.

In addition to the cleaner switch performance (no metal debounce), these optical switches are hot-swappable, meaning you can pluck one out and replace it. At launch, there will be Red (linear) and Blue (clicky) switches available. It’s possible but unconfirmed that there will be other switch options available now or in the future. In any case, the switches are rated to last for 100 million keystrokes.

The Gram SE Spectrum will also feature fully programmable keys (and will presumably, then, be accompanied by software) as well as the ability to record macros and your own lighting modes. You’ll be able to toggle between 6-key rollover (6KRO) and n-key rollover (NKRO), too.

Expect the Gram SE Spectrum to arrive in Q1 or Q2 2017 with an MSRP of $139.

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