Our Verdict
The Turtle Beach Seashore Vulcan II TKL Professional offers a comprehensive bundle of top-grade gaming keyboard features without the typically inflated price tag, making it an attractive option for gamers seeking premium performance at a reasonable cost. The magnetic corridor’s impact switches boast analog management, adjustable actuation, and rapid trigger modes that seamlessly combine to deliver exceptional performance and extensive personalization options. While these aren’t particularly unique choices, they’re usually out of reach at this price point. The unconventional layout of this keyboard is nothing short of embarrassing?
- The precision of adjustable actuation: from 0.1 millimeter to 4 millimeters.
- Speedy set off
- Low value versus opponents
- The fan produces a smooth, quiet operation.
- The Swarm II software program is remarkably user-friendly and effortless to navigate.
- I’m not drawn to T-shaped abs keycaps.
- Not hot-swappable
- Crafting affordable yet exceptional experiences.
Following the purchase and discontinuation of the Roccat brand, Turtle Beach has been progressively revitalizing the German manufacturer’s legacy PC peripherals, with its latest acquisition being the most recent beneficiary of this transformation. Despite bearing some resemblance to the antiquated Vulcan TKL Professional, this revamped keyboard packs a surprisingly vast array of innovations, with its most striking feature being the revolutionary Corridor Impact switches that significantly enhance its gaming capabilities.
The Turtle Beach Vulcan II TKL Professional stands out as an exceptional gaming keyboard in terms of raw performance, offering unparalleled efficiency. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the Vulcan II TKL Professional’s unique set of features and how seamlessly they integrate together effectively. While its design may lean towards unconventional, it can still hold its own against high-end contenders like the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini and Razer BlackWidow V4.
As part of our rigorous evaluation process, our experienced consultants dedicate hours to thoroughly testing hardware and scrutinizing video games and virtual private networks (VPNs). We provide genuine, impartial perspectives designed to help you make informed decisions when purchasing the best products. How do we examine?
Specs
| Variety of keys | 83 |
| Connectivity | Wired |
| Switches | Corridor Impact magnetic |
| Media keys | Quantity dial solely |
Options
The Turtle Beach Vulcan II TKL Professional is a dedicated gaming keyboard featuring Corridor Impact’s innovative magnetic switches, offering customizable per-key actuation from 0.1mm to 4mm. This keyboard also features rapid repeat, allowing each subsequent key press to register as soon as the previous one is released.
Though it operates entirely within a TenKeyLess (TKL) format, this keyboard still offers a range of keys, including function keys and cursor keys, setting it apart from more compact designs like the ultra-compact 60% and 65% boards found on the Endgame Gear KB65HE. While the full-size Vulcan II and Vulcan II mini boards cater to non-professional users, they lack adjustable switches in their design.
Turtle Seashore has introduced its Simple Shift feature to this board, enabling users to preserve capitalization to unlock an additional layer of input commands across the keyboard and even the mouse, much like the Turtle Seashore Burst II Air. While innovative in its own right, this technology isn’t groundbreaking, resembling instead a secondary input system linked to the performance key – a feature already seen on the SteelSeries Apex Professional Mini and numerous other keyboards.
This keyboard features AIMO intelligent lighting, akin to Razer Chroma and Logitech’s Lightsync technology, allowing for seamless synchronization with compatible RGB peripherals from Turtle Seashore to showcase a unified lighting display.
While the Vulcan II TKL Professional’s switches are not designed for hot-swapping, users can still customize their keyboard experience by replacing the keycaps with alternative designs from third-party providers. The TKL Professional’s media controls primarily feature a simple volume dial accompanied by a push-to-mute function.
Design
While I’ve grown to appreciate the Vulcan II TKL Professional’s performance over time, its value is evident; however, I’m still grappling with its aesthetic appeal. The board employs unique T-shaped keycaps with low profiles, allowing for extensive exposure of the underlying mechanisms and causing subtle, nuanced tactile feedback – a possible reason why enthusiast keycap retailers often lack alternatives to this specific design.
Despite some efforts, the board’s design falls short of creating an exceptionally quiet typing experience, lacking essential features such as a robust key plate, gasket-mounted switches, and sound-dampening layers like foam or silicone; however, it still manages to maintain a relatively quiet ambiance with a reading level of approximately 48dB when recorded at a distance of 20cm. While these design elements prioritize customization and longevity in various boards, the Vulcan II TKL Professional’s fragility and affordability suggest a departure from those principles.
While individual preferences play a significant role, it’s undeniable that the Vulcan II TKL Professional has an inherent appeal that resonates with many users, which is perfectly acceptable. The interior design of the board may have been deliberately simplified to preserve its market competitiveness. If that is so, I deem it a shrewd decision, provided that its effectiveness appears highly unlikely.
Efficiency
With its intuitive design, the Turtle Seashore Vulcan II TKL Professional makes gaming and typing an effortless experience. While I’ve had reservations about its aesthetic, I’ve found no issues with its efficiency, which I’d compare favorably to high-end options like the SteelSeries Apex Professional Mini and Akko MOD 007B.
The tactile feedback provided by the Corridor Impact’s linear switches is exceptionally smooth and effortless? While Turtle Shore doesn’t define their actuation pressure, I would estimate it to be around the lower end of the range, likely falling in the 35-40g mark. Combine this pairing with the highly customizable actuation point and rapid-fire capabilities, and you’ll have a thoroughly responsive gaming keyboard that excels in every situation.
Until you’ve experienced the speed and responsiveness of a keyboard equipped with rapid activation, it may seem like a novelty, but it’s far more than that. In reaction-based video games like Valorant, League of Legends, or DOTA 2, precise timing is paramount. The ability to register every input accurately can be a game-changer, as you never want to worry about missed quickfire commands. As long as the character’s movement exhibits upward momentum, it remains primed and ready for another attempt.
By seamlessly integrating adjustable actuation into the Vulcan II Professional TKL, it’s almost as if you’re exploiting an unseen advantage, making this keyboard feel delightfully refined – a sensation that’s rapidly becoming the benchmark for gaming peripherals.
Among my primary concerns with T-shaped keycaps is the risk that if I accidentally strike a key at an awkward angle, it may potentially snag, causing missed inputs or disrupting my workflow. Fortunately, this isn’t the case; while the T-shaped keys may not align with my personal design preferences, I must commend their thoughtful execution.
Easily navigating the Swarm II’s intuitive interface allows for seamless customization of actuation factors and key bindings, streamlining your workflow. I place Swarm II among the most effective peripheral software programs I’ve utilized due to its intuitive layout, user-friendly interface, and the fact that it doesn’t require frequent updates like some rival products do.
The 5 onboard profiles enable seamless switching between distinct configurations, accommodating multiple gaming setups as well as a more relaxed typing profile should you require it.
Worth
The Turtle Seashore Vulcan II TKL Professional’s manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) is $149.99, available for purchase on the Turtle Seashore website as well as on Amazon and Best Buy, among other online retailers. Given the wider market’s probable prices, this unlikely starting point could see you paying up to $60 more for an equivalent board.
Alternate options
SteelSeries Apex Professional Mini
Seeking a compact keyboard that mirrors the Vulcan II TKL Pro’s features without sacrificing performance? The Apex Professional Mini is an excellent choice, offering an identical set of options in a design that prioritizes efficiency and accuracy. With pre-integrated layers of core functionalities, this design guarantees seamless usability even when facing restrictive key combinations, effectively replicating the full functionality of a traditional TKL or full-sized keyboard on a compact footprint that optimizes desk space.
Akko MOD007B
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The Akko MOD007B offers an intriguing alternative to the Vulcan II TKL Pro, boasting a nearly identical characteristic set but distinct design. While the Akko keyboard shares some similarities with the Turtle Seashore, one key advantage it holds is its Wi-Fi compatibility, allowing seamless connectivity from the same ergonomic position as the MRSP, albeit with slightly reduced identity recognition capabilities.
Verdict
The Turtle Beach Seashore Vulcan II TKL Professional is an unassuming gaming keyboard that prioritizes essential features, sacrificing aesthetic appeal in favor of practicality.
As gaming peripherals evolve, adjustable actuation and swift deployment emerge as crucial considerations for enthusiasts. Turtle Beach inherits Roccat’s robust legacy, yet other prominent manufacturers like Razer, Logitech, and SteelSeries excel in reputation and design approach, rendering the Vulcan II TKL lacking in this regard?
