I’m Kayla, and I actually used this thing. I’ve gamed on it, typed on it, spilled crumbs on it (oops), and tried to climb ranks with it. I got the Tt eSPORTS CHALLENGER Prime V2 because I wanted a cheap board that could take a beating. If you want to dive into the nitty-gritty specs, Thermaltake has them listed on their CHALLENGER Prime page. Also, the tiny clip-on fan made me curious. A keyboard with a fan? Sounds silly. But you know what? It kind of works.
If you’re hunting for the ultra-detailed photo gallery and latency charts, I tucked all of that into a separate write-up you can find right here.
What I’ll cover
- Why I bought it and what it cost me
- Real games and what happened
- The weird fan and how it helped (and didn’t)
- Things I liked, things I didn’t, and who should buy it
Why I grabbed it
I found it on sale for around $30 at a local shop. Most mechanical boards near me were $60–$100. I was on a budget. I also have sweaty hands. Summer ranked nights get rough. So the fan sold me. Silly reason? Maybe. Honest reason? Yep.
Setup was easy. I plugged it into my Windows 11 PC. Lights came on. It worked right away. The software took a few tries to install, but it ran fine once I rebooted. Wrestling with those pop-up permissions had me flashing back to my stint reviewing sketchy launchers in the piece titled “I Tried Repack Games So You Don’t Have To”.
First night feels
The keys are membrane, so they’re soft. Not clicky. If you like loud clacks, this isn’t it. But for late-night play, the quiet sound was nice. My partner could sleep; I could grind. That hush also came in handy during the occasional flirt-filled DM break—if you’ve ever wanted to turn a typed message into something more thrilling, this lesbian sexting guide walks you through consent-focused tips and imaginative line-starters so your quiet keyboard can help spark louder chemistry. For a second opinion packed with switch force charts and build photography, KitGuru put the board under the microscope in their CHALLENGER Prime review.
Backlight is simple—three zones and a few modes. It’s not super bright. Think soft glow, not neon sign. Still good in a dark room.
Real games I played
-
League of Legends: I pushed from Silver 2 to Gold 3 with this board. No, not Challenger rank. I’m not that good. But the keys were steady. Flash on D, ignite on F, and I bound item 1 to a side macro for fast uses. The space bar did rattle a bit when I spammed it to kite. Mildly annoying, but not game-breaking.
-
Valorant: I used a macro key to switch OBS scenes while queuing. No macros for in-game actions, of course. That’s not cool. Movement felt fine. I didn’t miss strafes. The 6-key rollover was enough for me, but I did hit its limit once when I mashed WASD + shift + space + 2 numbers at the same time. That’s rare though.
-
Apex Legends: Slide jumps felt smooth. The left shift key was comfy. My thumb liked the space bar shape, even with the rattle. I had one moment where the G1 macro key fired late. I re-did the macro and it fixed it.
-
Minecraft: Chill night. I farmed pumpkins and built a small bridge. The arrow keys were great for small edits.
-
Rocket League: I still whiffed open nets, but that’s not the keyboard’s fault. I wish it were. That whole session actually snowballed into a goofy weekend experiment with over-the-top arcade racers—the Billy Bob Games binge—and, spoiler, the CHALLENGER held up there too.
-
FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage: Hammering boost and air controls was a workout, and the CHALLENGER never missed a beat—check it out at FlatOut if you want a stress test for your space bar.
During the same testing window I was knee-deep in a bunch of quirky input/output indies, and the rapid context-switching definitely rewired my fingers—full story over here.
That tiny fan (yep, it’s real)
The CHALLENGER fan clips on the top. It points air at your left hand. It’s a little whirly thing, and it does push air. On hot nights, it kept my palm dry. Not ice cold. Just not sticky. It has a soft hum, like a laptop fan. If you’re picky with noise, you’ll notice it. I got used to it in an hour.
It’s a lifesaver for marathon sessions; I spent a month inside the dusty cobblestone worlds of Selenite titles and the airflow kept my palm from turning into a swamp (catch that saga here).
I did knock it off once while moving the board. Snaps back on fast. I wouldn’t toss my headset on it though. It’s small plastic.
Typing for work and school
I write notes and blog posts on this board. My speed sits around 70 WPM on it. That’s about 10 less than my clicky board. My wrists felt okay; the low keys help. The lack of a real wrist rest is a bummer. I slid a soft pad under it, and that made it way better.
Stuff I liked
- Price. It’s friendly.
- Quiet keys. Late-night safe.
- Simple lights. Easy on the eyes.
- Media keys and a Windows-lock key. Nice touches.
- That fan. Funny, but helpful in summer.
Stuff that bugged me
- Space bar rattle. You’ll hear it.
- Backlight isn’t bright. Daytime glare washes it out.
- Software feels old. It works, but save profiles twice. Trust me.
- Membrane feel. If you crave snaps and clicks, you won’t get them here.
- 6-key rollover. Good for most play, but not for wild key mashing.
A small cleaning tip
Crumbs happen. I used a can of air and a tiny brush. For a sticky key, I dabbed a cotton swab with isopropyl and cleaned around the switch top. Don’t pour anything in. Light touch only.
After especially long grind sessions your hands can feel as stiff as the keys you’re mashing. If you ever hit that point and you’re near Long Island, this curated list of discreet massage spots on Rubmaps Glen Cove can guide you to professionals who specialize in loosening up tired wrists and forearms, so you come back to your next ranked climb feeling refreshed instead of cramped.
Who should buy this
- New PC players who want a safe start
- Students on a tight budget
- Night gamers who need quiet keys
- Folks with sweaty hands (the fan helps, for real)
Who should skip:
- Streamers who want bright RGB
- Players who need N-key rollover
- Clicky key fans (get a mechanical)
What I’d pick instead (I tried these too)
- Redragon K552: Cheap, compact, real mechanical feel. Louder, though.
- Logitech G213: Comfy and quiet, nicer software. Costs more.
- Razer Cynosa V2: Soft feel with better lighting zones. Also more money.
Final call
I used the Tt eSPORTS CHALLENGER Prime V2 for three months. I ranked up in LoL, recorded Valorant clips, wrote posts, and played way too much Rocket League. It’s not fancy. It’s not loud. But it’s steady and kind of charming. The fan made me smile, then it made my hand less sweaty. That’s a win.
If you’re a gamer challenger at heart—pushing yourself, not your wallet—this board gets you in the game without fuss.
My score: 7.5/10. Good value, a few quirks, and a funny little fan that actually helps.