In a world where gaming keyboards incessantly offer flashy lights, analog switches, per-key actuation, and optical switches, a few weeks with the Roccat Pyro feels a bit like being brought back down to earth. It's a sturdier, simpler mechanical board that doesn't require much grandstanding or special features, especially for its wallet-friendly price tag of $130 (£90).

Its construction is a brilliant blend of durable plastic alongside a metal top plate that adds smooth, structural rigidity to the Pyro; the Pyro can withstand long typing sessions, and if you lose at CS:GO (just play with a bot, and you'll be fine.)

Because of its small casing and overall design, the Pyro could be accused of being a bit plain compared to its competitors, but I would argue the opposite. Its minimalistic attitude is a welcome change from the feature-laden madrassas of Asus and Razer, for example, which top our list of best gaming keyboards.

There is a small wrist rest, which can be clipped on with relative ease. It is made of the same grooved plastic that surrounds the keyboard and is comfortable for short periods of time, but may leave marks on your wrist after prolonged use.

The Pyro has some useful media controls in the upper right corner, and a nicely curved volume knob is a prominent feature, along with much smaller keys for actual media playback. All the buttons are quite tactile, rather than feeling like wet sponges being pressed against them, a welcome change from many of the other more expensive "boards."

At some point, however, Pyro must run out of talent. No additional macro keys, no USB 2.0 pass-through.

The switches are unfortunately not Cherry MX, but a TTC Red clone. This clone is ideal for FPS games and moves pretty snappy, with consistent light power and pretty good feel.

As evidenced by my review of the Unicomp Model M a few months ago, I've always been a fan of tactile switches, so something with a bit more feedback would be preferable on the Pyro.

Also, the Pyro's full N-key rollover and anti-ghosting features make my gaming prowess more assured, allowing me to focus on beating up my opponents without worrying about whether I pressed the wrong key.

The real party piece of the Pyro, however, comes in the form of the gorgeous RGB lighting. While I'm not a complete fan of RGB, Pyro's RGB is certainly smooth, sharp and vibrant in contrast to other keyboards at this price. This works well with the neatly made keycaps, and the 2-shot molding allows the RGB lighting to show up clearly.

If you want to tinker with effects, the Swarm software that comes with Roccat allows you to do this as well as remap functions and program macros in an intuitive manner. It is also put together in a very sharp interface that ties in nicely with Roccat's branding and feels like a complete experience.

It's not in the form of useless bloatware or time-consuming installation that other peripheral manufacturers bundle with their products, so it's easy

Overall, the Roccat Pyro is a great all-around gaming keyboard and ticks the right boxes Not only that, but it does so at a price point that most people can afford. If you're looking for a low-key keyboard, this is the keyboard for you.