Today we are back into the world of peripherals with a look at the Genesis Thor 404 TKL Hot Swappable Mechanical Keyboard. Genesis began making gaming peripherals in 2011 and has continued to innovate and push the boundaries in the peripheral market. Boasting hot swappable/replaceable switches means repairability and upgradability are put back into you, the gamers’ hands. At the moment there aren’t too many vendors advertising the Thor 404TKL but hopefully, this will change in the future as they continue to develop and find new ways to innovate the saturated peripheral market.
Specification
- 60/80 million keypresses (depending on switch type)
- Non-floating keycap design
- RGB Prismo effect with 18 backlight modes
- High-quality lubed stabilizers
- Soundproofing foam
- N-Key rollover
- Double shot keycaps
- Detachable USB C to A cable.
- Wired only keyboard
- Choice of switches
Genesis Thor 404 TKL Packaging And Accessories.
Looking at the front of the box you can see Genesis has gone with their usual renowned Red, Grey and White colour scheme. In the middle, you get a clear illustration of the keyboard, with a mention of the RGB prismo effect on the keyboard as well as a mention of those hot-swap 5-pin sockets. In the bottom left-hand side, you are shown which switch option is present on the particular keyboard that has been ordered. All in all, it looks very modern and presentable.
Looking at the rear of the box, there is a lot more detail on the specifications of both keyboards/switch types. They are both very similar with our Black review sample featuring the Gateron Yellow Pro (Linear) switches and the white version featuring the Kailh Box Brown V2 (Tactile) switches. But more to come on the features in a moment.
Taking a look inside the box you get the keyboard, a quick reference guide, a nicely braided USB-C to A cable, as well as a switch/keycap puller and 2 spare replacement switches. I’m pleased to see that Genesis has gone for quality on the cable, especially given this is a wired keyboard. But of course, you are free to use your own if you have a particular design in mind.
A Closer Look
Okay, so the first thing to mention is that this is a wired-only keyboard. Sometimes it’s nice to see manufacturers take a step back to the basics. Chances are if you are in the market for a new keyboard, then you’re going to have a rough idea of what features you are looking for. Not every keyboard needs wireless connectivity so it’s good to see Genesis catering for all aspects of the market. Also, it helps to keep the costs down for the consumer.
The first thing that struck me was the gorgeous font used on those non-floating keycaps. It looks great on both the Black and White versions of the keyboard. It’s clean, crisp, and easy to read. After having the keyboard on my work desk for around 15 minutes, people were already commenting on how nice it looked.
The next thing I wanted to take a look at was the repairability and upgradability of the keyboard. It features hot-swappable switches. This means by using the included keycap puller you can upgrade and replace those switches to your heart’s content. I’m pleased that Genesis has gone down this avenue as over the years I have gotten fed up with having to replace a keyboard because one of the switches is damaged or because it’s soldered to the board. Not only does this save you money, it’s better for the environment. Genesis does provide 2 spare switches in the box, but there are plenty of suppliers selling them online if you need more.
If you’re using the Gateron Yellow Pro switches then they have an expected lifespan of approximately 60 million keypresses, or if you’re using the Kailh Brown then these are rated for 80 million keypresses. Often they will do far more, but it gives you an idea of just how long-lasting the switches are.
The keyboard also features N-Key rollover which means that each key press is recognised independently, regardless of how many other keys are being pressed down at the same time. It also goes a long way toward preventing ghosting. Another nice thing I like about this keyboard is its weight, coming in at just over 1KG, this is a sweet spot as it’s just right to help prevent it from sliding around the desk.
Having a quick look underneath the keyboard, it’s pretty simple. You can see the serial number of the device as well as the usual certification markings. You have the usual legs to adjust the angle of the keyboard and some rubber feet to help grip it to the desk. Whilst I was having a marathon gaming session, it didn’t move around once.
The RGB Prismo effect looks gorgeous on both keyboards, in fact, I couldn’t decide which one I liked more. It comes with 18 different pre-installed lighting modes. Of course, if you’re not an RGB fan, you can switch it off completely. Let us know which design you prefer, or whether you’re an RGB fan. Initially, I was drawn to the White keyboard but when the Black version lit up, I was pleasantly surprised. The lighting is equal, vivid and no obvious bleed-through between colours.
Looking above the arrow keys you can see tiny LED indicators for both caps lock and scroll lock. Also looking at the delete and end keys as an example, you can see how nice the laser-engraved multimedia shortcuts look.
Something else I really like is the subtle branding on the front right-hand side of the keyboard. It fits in well with the overall aesthetics of the keyboard. Whether you choose to pair this with any other Genesis peripherals or not, it’s going to look absolutely stunning on the desk anyway.
The 404 comes with its own software. Just make sure you’re installing the correct version depending on which keyboard you are using. I installed the Black software and it could not detect the White keyboard and vice versa. But once you’re setup you have options to reassign keys, adjust the lighting effects, as well as gaming mode and Macros.
Adjusting the lighting effects was easy. You have a drop-down menu on the left to cycle between effects and you can adjust the speed and brightness.
Gaming mode consists of options to disable Alt+Tab, Alt+F4 and the Windows key. Yep, I’ve made those errors in the past where I’ve fat-fingered a keyboard mid-way through a boss fight, only to lose progress or miss out on key loot in the game. So it’s nice to see an easy-to-use way of disabling those keys if required.
I’d like to see Genesis have a slightly better software setup in the future. As an example, it would be nice to have one piece of software across their keyboard range, then one piece for headsets etc. As it was slightly frustrating to have to install one piece of software and then remove it for the next test etc.
I was surprised to see in the Thor 404 software zip file on both Black and White keyboards an included firmware update. I did run this through and it was completed successfully. I wasn’t sure of the importance as I couldn’t see any release notes. But it didn’t cause any harm to run it anyway, so just bear this in mind.
Final Words
Value
It’s quite hard to comment on the value for money at this exact moment in time as there aren’t a lot of vendors stocking the Thor 404 TLK yet. I’ve seen various price ranges quoted. I’d expect this keyboard to come in around $60-75 and that would make it a superb mid-range offering. Of course, i’d definitely like to see more vendors stocking Genesis products as a whole, particularly in the UK as they do make some superb equipment.
Design & Performance
The design of both the White and Black keyboards is sleek, but appealing to all aspects of gamers out there. Being a TKL keyboard, space isn’t going to be an issue. It’s also nice to review a simpler wired keyboard without all the bells and whistles. Not everybody needs that. The RGB looks stunning, regardless of which design/colour scheme you go for. The choice of Gateron Yellow or Kailh Brown switches is a nice touch, even more so that these are easily replaceable.
Genesis certainly gives some of the bigger manufacturers a run for their money with an impressive feature set, easy-to-use software and the premium finish on their keyboard. I’d like to see a UK QWERTY keyboard layout from Genesis as I’ve yet to review one. That would almost be enough for me to consider using the 404 TKL keyboard as my permanent daily driver if this was available.
After some careful consideration, I’ve given the Genesis Thor 404 TKL, the EnosTech Design Award for its eye-catching design and customizability options.
We’d like to thank Genesis for sending in the Thor 404 TKL design keyboard and we look forward to working with them again in the future.
