Rampage KB-R135 Parvus keyboard test

It’s fun to think about how history can repeat itself on different fronts. In the heyday of computer technology, the mechanical operation of keyboards was self-evident, but later, when cost-effectiveness became the main consideration, clicky, significantly more durable solutions were pushed into the background. Just as Elon Musk didn’t invent the electric car, mechanical “gamer” keyboards are not exclusive to premium brands either, but when they became popular, we could feel that physical switch designs offer a luxury that we don’t necessarily need, especially not with the accompanying price tags. However, this has been 15-20 years ago, and the market has become cheaper and cheaper, so much so that the keyboard we were currently testing was able to embarrass even me, even though I have already turned over quite a few devices under my hands.

Rampage already promises an exciting package with the KB-R135 Parvus. 60% design, “pudding” keycaps, RGB backlighting, functions that can be controlled with a dedicated driver, replaceable USB-Cs cable and many other specifications that absolutely create the effect of a minimum strong mid-range mechanical keyboard. Of course not the packaging. Rampage – I might add, absolutely smartly – decided that the appearance is not important, so the Parvus is hidden in a simple box. Of course, they sacrificed a lot for safety anyway, the keyboard is well padded to ensure that there is nothing wrong with it until it arrives on our table. The package does not contain many surprises, the keyboard is pre-assembled, next to it there is only one color-matched USB-C to USB-A cable. Of course, we don’t really need anything else.

Every time we start the machine (or plug it into a device), the Rampage Parvus lets us know with a spectacular effect that it is ready to go. Under the spectacular pudding caps, which are often considered extras, are Huano red switches, which in this case, at least at first hearing, seem to be a perfect choice. The particularly tiny design really favors FPS gamers who need few buttons and more space for the mouse.

It would be nice to save the price of the Rampage Parvus for the end of the article, but in order to put the test in context, we have to clarify that we are talking about a 15-18 thousand keyboard, in light of which all praise and criticism can be understood.

The keyboard surprisingly impressed me before I even started any games. Thanks to its small design, we can place our hands perfectly on it and above it, and its position is surprisingly excellent even without the possibility to adjust the tilt at the bottom. The switches, compared to the fact that they are designed for gamers, give a fantastic typing experience. Previously, I used a SteelSeries Apex 7 keyboard with red switches, which was probably due to my own fault, but I didn’t get used to it in a year, while the Rampage Parvus came into perfect synergy with my hands in about 1 week.

And the positives literally touch each other (in fact, they are not separated from each other) in relation to the exterior. Rampage has put together a great design, so the entire outer frame of the keyboard is made of one material. It doesn’t crack, it doesn’t crack, it doesn’t bend even under serious strain, so it really isn’t vulnerable. In exchange for stability and good build quality, you can forgive the not-so-cheeky Rampage logo in the lower right corner.

The switches are first class, until we start playing. I don’t want to accidentally send the message that Rampage Parvus is not good for gaming, but it is clearly more ideal for typing. The keyboard arrived around the same time as my CS2 invitation, so the test environment was perfect. Unfortunately, there are some shortcomings here. On the one hand, the keyboard caps feel strangely unstable on the switches, and on the other hand, the detection points of the Huano Red switches don’t seem completely consistent either. I am almost completely sure of the latter, but without accurate measurements I would not declare this. Of course, this is much less of a problem in a MOBA game, where the most accurate mapping of the movement entered in a fraction of a second is not so important, but it is still good to know about it. In return, its sound is pleasant, pleasant even with the instability, it can clearly be classified as one of the quieter among the red switches.

In addition to the switches, the driver also leaves something to be desired. The interface is made with an ax and the design is stuck in the early 2000s. The whole thing looks like it was made by an enthusiastic high school student, but it’s not as resource-intensive as SteelSeries or Razer’s dedicated software.

All in all, the Rampage KB-R135 Parvus is a surprisingly good keyboard, the use of materials and visual solutions belie the device’s price, and its additional specifications also make it stand out from the price range in which it is available.