Fnatic Gear Rush G1 Mechanical Keyboard Review

The world of eSports has grown tremendously over the last few years so much so that high-profile teams don't need sponsors for peripherals anymore- instead they can design their own. Today, we are looking at Team Fnatic's own keyboard, released under the 'Fnatic Gear' brand. How does it stack up to the competition? With recent price drops from £119.99 to £69.99 we felt we should re-evaluate the Rush keyboard. As Fnatic describes it, this is a 'no BS' keyboard, which means you won't find a giant section of macro keys or even RGB lighting. Instead, you get a simple layout, with a wrist rest as well as tried and true Cherry MX mechanical switches. The unit we are testing today comes with Cherry MX Blue switches but Red and Brown variants are also available. Features and Specifications: Cherry MX Switches. Two USB passthrough ports. Wrist rest. Red backlight. The Fnatic Gear Rush G1 comes in standard packaging, with a picture of the keyboard on the front and a sticker to tell you which Cherry MX key you will find inside. On the back, you will find the usual blurb of text and run down of key features, including key backlighting, USB passthrough ports and Cherry MX switches. This keyboard has a soft-touch plastic surface but I must admit, it feels like there is a solid frame behind it- it could certainly withstand some abuse. However, the drawback to the soft-touch finish is that it does pick up marks fairly easy. On the back of the keyboard there are two USB ports. This is something that a lot of recent keyboards have skipped over so I am quite pleased to see it included here. This keyboard doesn't steer away from the classic keyboard design much, if at all. As you can see, our review model uses Cherry MX Blue switches and there is a red board underneath the keycaps to help with overall illumination once the backlighting is turned on. Aside from the keyboard itself, in the box you will find a quick start guide, two additional keyboard feet and a wrist rest. As usual with our keyboard reviews, I like to kick things off with a look at the software side of things. After all, software customization is always important when it comes to a gaming keyboard so before we get into how this keyboard performs in games and general tasks, we should take a look at what's on offer. Right off the bat, it is easy to see that the software for the Gear RUSH is very basic. This is the only window you get, with no additional tabs for things like lighting, or advanced settings like polling rate. To create a macro, all you need to do is click on the key you want to add a command to, and then select one from the drop down list on the left-hand side. The software is very basic but unfortunately I did encounter one fairly persistent issue with the software for the Gear Rush. For some reason, the drivers for the keyboard don't always install alongside the software. This causes the software to think that the keyboard isn't connected to the PC at all, which means it won't load- despite the keyboard being fully functional in Windows. If you encounter this issue, you will need to go into the install folder for the software and manually install the drivers. After that, it should be smooth sailing. Now let’s talk about how this keyboard performs. As we noted earlier, this keyboard uses Cherry switches and while Kailh switches may have been cheaper to use, Cherry is widely regarded as the 'go to' switch maker better. I personally tend to favour Cherry switches, as do many other mechanical keyboard users. Our model today uses Cherry MX Blue switches, which offer tactile feedback and a clicky sound. If you want the tactile feel but without the noise, then Brown switches are also an option. Alternatively, if you are just really into games and want a switch with low actuation force, then Red switches may better suit you. Fnatic has opted for a tried and true classic keyboard design with the Gear Rush, which is great for minimizing the 'adjustment period' when switching between boards. It is practical and very easy to get on with, which is important when you spend a lot of time typing as I do. While the typing experience is fantastic, this is a gaming keyboard when it comes down to it. For games, the Gear Rush performs as well as you would expect- I did not encounter any input lag while gaming and the Windows key has been made slightly smaller so I did not find myself accidentally hitting it. There is a 'Gaming Mode' option that will disable the Windows key anyway so that shouldn't be a problem for anyone. If you like to spend a lot of time gaming with voice chat on though, then do be aware that Cherry MX Blue switches are quite noisy. One other thing to keep in mind is that there are no dedicated macro keys- this is not a deal breaker for me as I don't really use macros but it is worth keeping in mind. Overall, I have very much enjoyed my time using the Fnatic Rush Gear gaming keyboard. Peripheral makers have been taking advice from eSports players on design for years, so it is nice to see a team go the extra mile and just create their own products instead. While the Gear Rush does have a soft-touch finish, the body feels solid and there is a bit of weight to the board. It certainly doesn't feel like it was cheaply made and it could probably withstand some abuse. Fnatic have opted to stick to Cherry switches, which will likely be good news to many regular mechanical keyboard users looking to pick up a new board. These are the standard switches though and not the ones with RGB lighting, as you will find on the likes of the Corsair K70, or the Logitech G810. The Gear Rush comes with two USB ports on the back. I have reviewed a lot of keyboards that have been missing this feature in recent months, so I am always happy to see it included. The only main issue I had with this keyboard was with the software. While it is basic and functional, for some reason, it wouldn't always recognize that the keyboard was plugged in. This seems to be an issue with the installer not always bothering with the keyboard drivers. This is easily fixed by going to the install directory and manually installing the drivers but still, this is something that I hope can be fixed in the future. The Fnatic Gear RUSH keyboard is difficult to find right now but some stock is still available for around £120 - Amazon have it on sale as we publish only for £69.99 HERE. If you are after a mechanical keyboard with a high-quality build and Cherry MX switches, then I would have no problem recommending this as one for your shortlist. Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE. Pros: Well built. Cherry MX Switches. Simple design. Cons: Soft-touch finish shows marks quite easily. Software doesn't always recognize when keyboard is plugged in. KitGuru Says: Fnatic's gaming keyboards are designed to be exactly what you need to perform without any flashy extras. It is sturdy, reliable and doesn't compromise on switches. It is easily worth recommending.