Krom kuma review in Spanish (full analysis)

In this world there are colors for all tastes, keyboards in this case. For those less used to handling mechanical keyboards or coming from membrane models, Krom brings us the intermediate hybrid between both models: Krom Kuma. Mecca-membrane switches are not custom-made for all audiences, but the same is true for other varieties. Today we bring you an in-depth analysis in which we see everything it has to offer.

Krom Gaming is a Spanish brand specialized in low-cost gaming peripherals. From floor mats to headphones, keyboards and mice, it's common to find your products on the lists for the tightest mid-range or low budgets.

Unboxing by Krom Kuma

The presentation of the Krom Kuma comes to us in a package with carbon black and corporate orange as the predominant colors. It is a cardboard box type with a satin finish and details highlighted in resin. On its cover we receive a photograph of the product accompanied by the logo of the brand, model and RGB lighting seal.

On the back of the Krom Kuma box we find more detailed information about its functions and accessories, which we will summarize in a short list:

Hybrid anti-ghosting mecha-membrane switches on up to 25 keys RGB backlight without software Retractable smartphone holder Dedicated multimedia buttons Volume controller

Additionally we can find several quality certificates, product serial number and link to the Krom Gaming Official Website.

The contents of the box are summarized in the Krom Kuma and a quick start guide.

Krom Kuma design

After opening the box and removing its protective padding, the Krom Kuma receives us. It is a 100% complete keyboard that has a total of ten dedicated multimedia buttons on top.

Frame

The structure of the Krom Kuma is made of plastic with a slight shine and a slightly grainy texture that helps to avoid the slimy touch that so many users find annoying with sweat. Its base structure is not rectangular, but on the front we find that the frame expands slightly in the shape of a tongue to create a less pronounced jump between the keyboard itself and the surface of our table.

The frame itself has a slight inclination in its structure that is more comfortable when using the rear lifting lugs. These are made of the same material as the cover and have a single position.

At the back we can see that the cable connection is made slightly to the right, thus allowing the opening of the smartphone tray that we have incorporated in the center. The Krom Kuma presents a rubberized cable with a length of 150 mm. Personally we would have found measures between 160 and 180 mm preferable since we are aware that there are users who can have their equipment at a more generous distance than the cable offers.

This tray has a maximum opening of 15 mm, which allows to place phones and even tablets with covers of a certain thickness here. Undoubtedly the ideal position is vertical, although we have not encountered any inconvenience when it comes to placing our phone horizontally given the margin we have.

The multimedia buttons meanwhile are divided into two sections and both curiously present a different morphology. What we can consider “general office” (calculator, desk, zoom, mail tray) have a rectangular shape with oval edges and a flat surface. The player controls instead protrude in a curved shape following the shape of the volume control's scroll wheel. Perhaps to give homogeneity to the design we would have chosen to continue this way in all the dedicated buttons but their differences end there.

The icons that we find in them are also reproduced with double injection, although they are not backlit. Additional under the playback controls we have a panel with three LEDs that light up red to tell us about the activity of the Caps Lock and alphanumeric keyboard as well as the manual lock.

Before finishing the cover, we will emphasize the detail of the presentation of the Krom logo in the lower front area within a matte black tab that has a fixed backlight of its corporate orange color.

Turning to the back, here we find again the name of the Krom Kuma keyboard along with serial number, European Quality Certificate, link to the website and other manufacturer's indications. We also observe a total of two non-slip rubbers in the front area, although the temples or back lack them. This betrays a low resistance to friction or keyboard movements on the table, although it should be remembered that it weighs 920 grams, nor is it going to fly.

Switches

Moving on to more technical issues, let's take a look or two at the switches. Here it can be difficult to have a consensus given that for many mecha-membrane switches are a hybrid of the underworld while for many others it is a bridge that combines positive qualities of both models.

On the one hand, the Krom Kuma retains a constant click of force at the beginning that finds a slightly rubbery resistance at the end. When removing any keycap we see that the structure that is under it is solid, a square of translucent white plastic inside which we find two activation contacts on a circular rubber dome. These structures are individual per key, which also indicates that we can remove all the keycaps comfortably in order to clean our keyboard in depth if necessary.

The texture of the keycaps of the switches tries to follow a touch similar to that of their chassis, although it is slightly less rough. Although it also has a slightly grainy feel, the plastic material does not feel the same. Something interesting for some is that due to the formwork structure of the mecca-membrane switch these buttons maintain a very stable position, with little tendency to deviate to the side when pressed.

Putting Krom Kuma into use

The decisive moment arrives when it comes to commenting on our impressions after kicking the Krom hybrid keyboard. Before going deep into the world of computing (back when Franco was a cadet) we used a conventional membrane keyboard, from there we went to the mechanic and now we were testing the Krom Kuma and its hybrid switches. The feeling is certainly puzzling given that it has something strangely familiar in both directions. In the pulsations we find the push of the rubber dome when it comes to lifting the fingertips, as well as that slight opposition to sinking of the membrane keyboard. On the other hand, the start of the keystroke is similar to that of another mechanic, as well as the removal of the keycaps and the keyboard structure itself.

For those of you who have known both worlds, you can find a middle ground in the Krom Kuma, although we must recognize that this type of switch is not for all audiences given the unique results of its use.

On the other hand, an aspect that does not convince us in the long term is its sound. The clicks these switches produce are dry and sharp, making them unsuitable for environments requiring moderate silence (users of blue and brown mechanical keyboards know what I'm talking about).

illumination

The internal back coating of the Krom Kuma is completely white, favoring the reflection of lighting and thus enhancing its brightness. The keycaps are made with the well-known double injection ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). This material is the most used in the industry along with the highest quality PBT. The typography of them pleases us quite a bit on a personal level since their greater thickness does not only improve their readability but also allows a greater light transfer.

The lighting modes presented by the Krom Kuma are as follows:

Static: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, pink, and white. Color Breathing: In the order listed above Static Rainbow Mode Breathing Rainbow (lowest to highest brightness intensity) Dynamic Rainbow Mode

In all these lighting modes we are allowed to modify the intensity of the lighting and the speed of the effect (if it is not static). It is also possible to configure a total of five customizable areas distributed in vertical stripes. This personalization has the static color palette mentioned above and can be saved as such.

The options offered by the Krom Kuma as such may be somewhat basic for the most adept users but we can consider that at the user level they fulfill their function correctly and have a simple command configuration.

The backlight that we find in the Krom Kuma is not individual key by key and we cannot see an LED after the removal of each keycap. This may not be preferable for some users, but its silver lining is that all punctuation marks and characters on each switch light up equally. Meanwhile, on mechanical keyboards we can find that the illumination is much more intense in letters and numbers than in signs such as dots and accents: here, however, they all receive the same volume of light.

Final words and conclusions about Krom Kuma

We like to be honest with you, so let's get a little wet. The first contact with the Krom Kuma coming from a 100% linear mechanical keyboard did not convince us. The switches needed more force to be pressed and the click was higher and louder than we were used to. However, with continued use, we were able to observe positive aspects such as those we mentioned initially.

Moving on to discuss software issues, we are aware of those users who prefer the simple things and are reluctant to have active software or install programs to control their peripherals from the computer. It can certainly be practical, but it is also true that if you like to personalize your lights with specific tones or patterns, the Krom Kuma is not an ideal option for you. The absence of software and programmable buttons for macros with an original brand program can be indifferent for some users and a pity for others, it all depends on the group to which you belong.

We recommend reading: Best keyboards on the market.

Aspects that we do like are the lighting, which seems correct to us although it lacks options, and the choice of font for the characters (thick, solid and that allows a lot of light to pass through). The absence of a direct LED will make the most seasoned notice a certain lack of intensity, although we consider that the peripheral rear lighting helps to compensate.

The Krom Kuma can be purchased for around € 39.90. It is a lower price than a 100% full mechanical keyboard, which we can generally find from a slightly higher budget. Our final conclusion is that it is a keyboard that complies, with its pros and cons. As a fusion between mechanical and membrane it belongs to that small niche in the market that is there for those unconventional users. We would have preferred the possibility of configuring by software, even if it is optional. Some will miss the existence of software in which to create and assign macros, but they are sacrifices in favor of a budget reduction. But what do you think? Given the seen, would you try the chimera, or would you prefer to stay with mechanic or membrane?

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
DEDICATED MULTIMEDIA BUTTONS	THE SWITCHES HAVE A CLICK SO Sharp
THICK CHARACTERS WITH GOOD LEGIBILITY	NO SOFTWARE FOR CUSTOM MACROS
	FEW LIGHTING OPTIONS