Fnatic Streak Pro RGB Gaming keybord review: A Standout Stand-In

The Pitch

Despite the brand’s namesake being Australian, Fnatic isn’t really in the conversation when it comes to gaming gear within the local market. Even if eBay might be able to hook you up, you’re not gonna find them on the shelves of your local EB Games anytime soon.

And that’s a shame because the Fnatic Streak RGB keyboard suggests the esports-native brand has plenty to offer Australian gamers looking for a decent alternative to the usual suspects.

Specs

• Dimensions: 440x141x36mm.

• Weight: 962g

• RGB: Yes

• Switches: Red, Silent Red, Blue, Brown

• Software: Fnatic OP

Price when reviewed

At the time of writing, importing the Fnatic Streak RGB keyboard into Australia will cost you around €99 through the Fnatic website plus shipping. It's also available on Amazon Australia for AU$219.

Design & Performance

Both at a glance and under inspection, the Fnatic Streak is a keyboard that tries to pack as much as it can into a relatively-thin form-factor. It’s not quite as slick as something like Logitech’s sleek and slim G915 but it’s still one of the nicer keyboards I’ve reviewed in recent memory. You get appealingly rounded corners plus your choice of either Red, Silent Red, Blue or Brown Cherry MX keyswitches. 

Credit: Fnatic

The top right corner features the usual array of media keys (plus a bindable Competition Mode button) while the bottom-most edge features a magnetically detachable wrist rest. Although this accessory is a little annoying and finicky to attach, it’s absolutely worth the trouble. It feels much more premium than the price tag would suggest and the wrist rest itself can be set up in one of three configurations, letting you find the most comfortable layout for yourself. It’s not as one-size-fits-all as many of the alternatives.

 The Fnatic Streak RGB keyboard also comes equipped with a port on the upper-left edge of the piece, allowing for USB passthrough. Personally, I’m not a fan of this feature as it means you’re “sort-of” losing two USB ports to a single peripheral but your mileage may vary. 

Credit: Fnatic

Something that won’t vary is the quality of performance that the Streak RGB delivers. Although I’ve become a fast-fan of Logitech Romer-G switches in recent years, the Cherry MX switches on the Streak show there’s still plenty of life left for the go-to keyswitches of pro-gamers everywhere. Their appeal endures here as much as it does anywhere else. My review sample was equipped with Brown switches, so typing on them was relatively quiet but still plenty satisfying. 

As for the software side of the equation, Fnatic’s OP software thrives on simplicity. It’s nice to look at and it isn’t any more complicated than it needs to be. You can quickly and easily set up to four profiles for the Streak, edit the lighting layout or set it to one of the usual patterns. You can also customise what the competitive mode does and set up any desired hotkeys without too much trouble. 

Credit: Fergus Halliday

Even if most of these things are to be expected in a gaming keyboard like this, they’re rarely handled so elegantly as they are here. It feels like Fnatic’s esports-native background has primed them to make messing with your gaming keyboard as painless as possible.

The Bottom Line

Again, I can’t help but be disappointed that the Fnatic Streak isn’t easier to get your hands on in Australia. It’s not quite as cutting edge as some of the more expensive options but, as opposed to the cutthroat budget options out there, it gives you a lot more for only a little bit more when it comes to cost.

The Fnatic Streak RGB is as solid as gaming keyboards come. It executes well on the formula, even if it doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel. 

If importing a gaming keyboard is a step too far for you, check out our guide to the best gaming keyboard here for a few other choices.

Credit: Fnatic