Trust GXT 856 Torac Gaming Keyboard Review

Regular readers will likely already know that I’m a sucker for brightly coloured things. Even my unnecessarily oversized mouse mat and desk fan have RGB in them. It’s like Christmas all year round in my household, except there’s no jolly fat man with a beard. I mean, I am a fat man with a beard but I’m actually quite grumpy. The important takeaway is that I really like RGB, and this keyboard from Trust is a brilliant example of bright shiny lights on a budget.

It used to be that if you wanted a keyboard that was optimised for gaming and also looked nice, you’d pay a premium. With advances in technology and LED lighting getting cheaper all the time, we’re now starting to see some nice designs come to the budget side of the market too, and that is what Trust is going for with the GXT 856 Torac. Retailing at £34.99, it’s not the cheapest keyboard money can buy, but it’s certainly cheaper than most gaming keyboards.

For your money, you get an anti-ghosting feature that allows for up to eight keypresses, less than you’d get with a more comprehensive piece of hardware, but it’s enough for most people. It isn’t mechanical, but at this price that is to be expected. The keys have a nice amount of travel to them, although they are a little on the soft side for my liking. This is something that’s very much down to personal preference of course, so if you prefer a less clicky keyboard then it’ll probably be right up your alley. My partner, who prefers her input devices to be quiet, found it to be perfect for her.

The lighting isn’t fully customisable, and remains in a graduated rainbow pattern at all times. You can adjust to one of three brightness levels, and also set it to a “breathing” pattern as well. You can also turn them off if required. There are no macro keys and no dedicated multimedia keys, but there’s an “Fn” button that you can use to amend the functions of the F1-F12 keys into media and volume controls or open common applications like calculator or your email client. There's also a "gaming mode" button that disables the Windows key so you don't accidentally press it and exit your game. 

One thing that is immediately obvious with the GTX 856 is that it’s a particularly well-built piece of hardware. Whilst the base of the keyboard is plastic, there’s a sturdy aluminium top plate that, like most gaming keyboards, extends probably a fair bit further out than it needs to in order to look more “gaming-like”. It does give a premium feel, although the visible screws on the outside are an odd choice that will probably gain polarising views. I quite liked them as they give a kind of industrial look.

I’ve been using this as a daily driver for a week now and it’s comfortable for both gaming and typing. My usual keyboard is a much more expensive mechanical affair and it’s safe to say that I will be returning to that, but to compare the two would be unfair. If you’re on a budget, this is a solid choice. There aren’t too many bells and whistles, but it feels well built, it’s comfortable and (in my opinion at least) it looks very nice.