Fnatic recently introduced an updated version of their Fnatic Ministreak. So today, we’re focusing on it in our Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard review.
The new version emphasises speed with low actuation force switches. When combined with the TKL design, you’ll enjoy more comprehensive competitive gaming every time.
It’s also a fully-powered RGB eSports keyboard complete with a removable cable and a solid build quality. This latest version even has updated Fnatic branding and slimmer fonts.
You can opt for the “SPEED” or “SILENT” switches. We have the SILENT switch for our Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review.
Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Packaging
Our keyboard arrived in a typical-looking cardboard box sporting the company’s branding in front. You’ll also find the keyboard’s name and its image displayed.
Inside the box, everything’s packed neatly and in place. The company wrapped the keyboard securely to avoid any possible damage during shipping.
We also saw other items inside the box while writing our Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review. Aside from the MINISTREAK keyboard, you’ll also find a USB-A to C cable and a user manual.
Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review – Design and Functionality
If you’ve used the original MINISTREAK keyboard (now the “Legacy” version), you’ll notice slight changes on the current version. It now has slimmer fonts and brighter RGB lights for your enjoyment.
The hidden upgrades are the most relevant, and you can find these beneath the keyboard’s plastic keycaps. You won’t find the industry-standard brown, red, or blue switches since these replaced the SILENT Red and SILVER Speed switches.
This product sports a sleek yet compact design. You won’t find a number pad, so it has a tenkeyless style.
The layout provides extra room for mouse movements. It’s an excellent feature for games where playing with lower DPI levels offers a great advantage. Games we’re talking about include Call of Duty: Warzone, Valorant, etc.
We continued observing and checking out the keyboard for our Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard review. While we were at it, we saw the product as a linear-styled keyboard. That means you won’t feel any tactile response when using it.
The keyboard has media hotkeys and dedicated mic mute and audio mute buttons positioned in the top-right corner.
You can activate Game Mode by pressing the key with Fnatic’s logo. It locks the Windows key and sets backlights to a static colour to decrease distractions. You can also select specific actions and macros to disable when pressing the key.
In-between the Esc and F1 keys is an Fn lock button for locking the Fn keys. Pressing this will default to the secondary functions.
There’s even a little magnetic signature plate along the rear, allowing you to personalise the keyboard. It’s a neat feature since it lets you have your own gamer tag/team name illuminated in RGB.
The MINISTREAK has full RGB backlights with individually-lit keys with brightness levels you can adjust. There are also eight lighting effect presets you can cycle through directly from the keyboard. Or, you can utilise the OP software for more customisations.
Its backlight changes to static colours when enabling Game Mode. The default RGB colour is orange, but you can change it to something else via the software.
Key Features of the Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
What makes this keyboard stand out from its competition? Let’s discuss the key features in our Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review to find out.
Customisable RGB Lighting
The simple yet powerful onboard lighting controls allow you to flick through different effects. These include Reactive Typing, Rainbow Wave, Single Colour or Gradient.
All of these are from the firmware. So, you won’t need to launch the software. Fnatic’s OP software provides you with a lot of flexibility, giving you unlimited possibilities.
Premium Silent Red Switches
The MINISTREAK uses precision-engineered switches. These are reliable and trustworthy, plus each of these can go for 50 million keystrokes.
These switches also have self-cleaning contacts, are reinforced with fibreglass, and are dust-resistant.
Slim yet Strong
The MINISTREAK is ultra-thin at only 28mm and weighs only 704g. It’s one of the world’s extremely thin mechanical gaming keyboards, yet its build is like that of a tank.
The keyboard also has an anodised metal top plate and rubber feet for maximum grip. So, it won’t budge even during the most heated gaming sessions.
Programmable Keys of the Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Out of the box, the MINISTREAK programmable keys default to F1 – F6. Using the OP software lets you remap these based on your preferences.
Grip That Keeps Your Keyboard in Place
The large side flippable feet and rubber rests help keep the MINISTREAK steady on your desk.
Ready Out of the Box
There’s no need to install drivers when using the MINISTREAK. Once it’s out of the box, it’s ready to use. You can customise various settings using the Fnatic OP software if you wish to make any changes.
Competition Mode and Quick Lighting Adjustments
Enable competition mode with the MINISTREAK’s dedicated key to instantly eliminate all distractions.
You can also fully control your keyboard’s lighting without installing the software. We also used the onboard lighting controls while testing the product for our Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard review. These were highly convenient since we didn’t need to launch the software for lighting effects.
Detachable USB-C for Portability
A detachable USB-C cable powers this eSports keyboard. You can detach the cable for more convenience when carrying the keyboard in a bag.
OP Software to Level up Your Game
The cross-platform Fnatic OP software lets you fully customise all Fnatic gear. Control RGB settings, map buttons, customise macros, and more.
Specifications
Before getting into its performance, our Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review will discuss the keyboard’s specifications.
The MINISTREAK sports a TKL or 10-keyless format with silent ` switches. It uses an NXP MCU with 8MB memory while RGB 16.8m colours are present.
This product’s polling rate is 1,000Hz. It connects with a 2.2m detachable cable and has an anodised aluminium + polycarbonate construction.
Lastly, the MINISTREAK measures 360 x 124 x 36mm *W x L x H).
Hands-on with the Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Let’s get to the essential part of our Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review. We tested and used the product for over a week to see how well it fared.
When we tested the keyboard, we also tried the OP software. We’re discussing this first to share how user-friendly it is.
The software lets you create up to four profiles and set custom key binds/lighting effects for each one. Another notable aspect of the software is switching between predetermined macros.
It also instantly loads each time you start the computer. It isn’t a big deal, but you’ll need to send it to the tray every time, which can get bothersome.
For its RGB lights, you can select between different presets. You can even change the animation speed/direction or set LEDs to a solid colour.
The software also lets you change the key bindings. Once you choose a key on the on-screen keyboard, you can select from a few actions to remap. These include changing to different buttons or launching specific applications.
These are standard stuff, but we appreciate them nonetheless.
The MINISTREAK from Fnatic has excellent typing quality. When we used it for gaming and work, the keys felt stable, and nothing felt wobbly under our touch. The keys were well-spaced, and the slight curve of the keycaps helped us hit each key in the centre.
These keys also felt light but responsive. They were quiet when typing on them and had good latency too. The actuation point isn’t as low as other gaming keyboards, but the keys still felt responsive.
We noticed some keys didn’t work on the macOS. These include the Scroll Lock, Fn Key, and Break/Pause button. Then, the Print Screen button registers as the F13 key, while the Windows Key registers as the Meta Key instead.
Since the OP Software is only available for Windows, setting macros keys has limitations. Also, you can’t customise the backlight as much as on Linux or the macOS.
Fnatic MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review Summary
The MINISTREAK is a solid keyboard that offers everything you’d need in a gaming keyboard. It’s durable, lightweight, customisable, and has tons of great features.
With its fast-activating keys, this keyboard will appeal to every gamer. It will never miss your commands since it’s quick and highly responsive. Since the MINISTREAK has a smaller form factor, you’ll have more room for mouse movement. With that, you can have more comfort while gaming.
Overall, the MINISTREAK is an excellent tenkeyless gaming keyboard, and we highly recommend it. This product is best for those who don’t like the noise of switches used in most mechanical keyboards.
Visit Fnatic’s official product page for more details about the MINISTREAK Silent Mechanical Gaming Keyboard.
