OMEN Spacer Wireless TKL Keyboard Review – Comfortable and Compact

With the recent re-branding of HP Omen, we see various changes other than their art style. Omen has been releasing new products recently, and what better way to continue the streak of new reveals with no other than a keyboard. This new keyboard is the OMEN Spacer Wireless TKL, a smaller board with style. As gaming peripherals and hardware get more popular, the demand for original and stylish desk tech rises, and HP Omen is here to deliver.

https://youtu.be/zm-SbzVqQRI

Style / Feel / Build / Hardware

The Spacer Wireless TKL board does nothing but impress me through its aesthetics. From the moment you put it on your desk and turn it on, the bright, sharp led lights on the keys catch your eye. The lights are noticeably brighter than other boards, and trust me, I’ve seen a decent amount of RGB in my day. The look and feel are solid, with a rigid construction of composite materials and dense plastics. The keycaps feel smooth and comfortable to the touch with a satisfying compressed sound.

The Spacer Wireless TKL uses Cherry MX Brown switches for a fast response time to the screen. The magnet attachment for the wrist guard was a bit confusing to me at first, but it quickly became a joy to have. Suppose you want to move or remove the wrist guard, no need to lift the keyboard and detach it. The typefaces’ design choice on the keys is modern, with a bold digital look, adding to the gamer vibes.

When it comes to the RGB, you are very limited with customizability, as this keyboard only has white backlit keys with the WASD and arrow keys equipped with red backlighting. This is the only color option as it matches the Omen ecosystem and brand, and I am sure it keeps the cost down if you are looking for a cheaper wireless option.

The keyboard is on the smaller side with no additional macro keys and no number pad. I miss the number pad a lot for more efficient professional workflow, but I appreciate the purpose of the keyboard size. It’s portable, light, and doesn’t get in the way like the larger keyboards. It would be nice to see some extra macro keys, but luckily the omen software allows for programmable function key overrides.

We will get into the software later, but this keyboard has a button to open up the Omen software. This means no more searching for that application on your taskbar. I found this button to be a great feature as my hardware ecosystem with Omen increases in size. I also found the rubber grips on the bottom to be very “grippy,” leaving my keyboard planted in one place. Strangely, there’s a lack of a kickstand adjustment option, and it can be frustrating; even if this board is angled upward to compensate, I wished that It was slightly higher. Regardless, this is a small complaint about such a well-designed piece of hardware.

Performance / Hands on Use / Features / User Experience / Analysis / Etc.

Since the Spacer Wireless TKL came out strong with its stunning fashion, I was hoping the performance would match its looks, and must I say; it gets the job done. The keys are responsive, and the board is satisfying to play games with. Omen did a great job at the relative distance between the keys, as I am typing correctly without any growing pains. No mistakes make my job at writing this review so much easier.

This isn’t my favorite professional board due to the lack of a number pad alone; the size throws me off and slows me down. Still, I experienced very little latency, if any, to the point where a typical user will see this mechanical board as responsive if you’re trying to cast that final spell against your enemies. When it came to battery life, I experienced a few recharge moments during my times with the Spacer Wireless TKL so far. I ended up keeping my charge cable ready for emergencies, but the keyboard battery light does blink when low on battery.

Although this keyboard wins on all fronts for performance, comfort, and style, a gamer’s customizability lacks, especially within the software. You have no RGB options other than turning keycap backlights on and off and save presets for specific games or game genres, such as MOBA or FPS. The presets turns all key lights off, other than the keys used for these games, so for MOBA games, the QWER keys are lit up while others are not.

After some thought, I would like to see ALL my keys in the dark if I have to type to my team. This made me not really like the presets, but I like the idea of it being built in and ready inside the Omen software. You can also assign any key what you want as an override for not having macro keys, so thank you for that. Just don’t forget your key assignments. The software also offers presets for reactive keyboard effects, such as the ripple effect when you type.

Overall, there are little problems with the Spacer Wireless TKL. The style is on point and modern, and the build quality is strong and durable, the keys feel great to the touch, performance is fantastic, and it’s even wireless. If you’re looking for a compact and portable set of keys, you will not be disappointed with this.

If this is for your primary PC, I’d only recommended it if you are looking for a minimalist aesthetic. The lack of RGB options, macro customizability, media keys, and number pad for the price of $159.99 is a disappointment. Still, this keyboard is excellent and has its place in my heart; I do love it. I just find it a bit expensive for the average consumer to get out of it, both software and hardware features.