Gaming accessory maker Turtle Beach introduced their latest Command Series devices last month, with the KB7 keyboard and KP7 keypad just two of the highlights of the release. The devices are now on-sale, and we’ve had a week to check them out.

Priced at $349.99 RRP, the KB7 TKL (Tenkeyless) Hall-Effect Wired Keyboard with Touchscreen is a premium device. It offers an aluminium chassis, Titan low-profile Hall-Effect switches with double-shot keycaps and of course, the 4.3” Command Touch Display with built-in OBS and Streamlabs integration.

The Command Series KP7 Modular Keypad has the same style, design and Titan low-profile Hall-Effect switches as the KB7 as well as the same true 8K polling for low-latency gaming – though is an additional $154.95 RRP.

You can keep your KP7 as a standalone device, or utilise the seamless docking to the KB7 Keyboard via dual modular rails on either side.

It’s a high-end setup, but is it worth jumping up to this setup for your keyboard? Let’s find out.

Setup and What’s in the box?

About the only real ‘setup’ decision you have to make for both the KB7 and KP7 is whether to use the feet underneath to prop the keyboard/keypad up at a more convenient angle.

While the keyboard (including the touch display) and keypad work just by plugging them in, you will immediately be invited to download the Turtle Beach ‘Swarm II’ software from their website on the keyboard touchscreen – convenient.

Swarm II 

Once installed, Swarm II adds that little extra to your experience, letting you take full control of your gaming keyboard. 

As well as handling things like Firmware updates for all your headsets, mice, keyboards and other peripherals, Swarm II also lets you create different profiles for different games, reassign buttons and keys, set up macros and RGB lighting, and if you have audio devices, you can personalise set up different EQs.

It’s a powerful piece of software that even lets you add in third-party options including both OBS and StreamLabs so you can have instant ‘Start Streaming’ buttons on your keyboard. 

KB7

The KB7 itself arrives in a sturdy box, with a protective bag and foam padding. There’s also a quick-start guide, which has a brief setup image, as well as a very nice braided USB-C cable, and a USB-C to dual USB-A splitter cable.

The cabling implies you need USB-C for the multi-device support, or a splitter so you can use two USB-A ports – likely with the display needing more power and its own USB channel for the display. 

Setting it up is easy though, just plug it in. This is pure plug and play on Windows 10/11 – and will work on a Mac, but without the customisations available from Turtle Beach’s Swarm II software.

The keyboard itself has the usual QWERTY layout, with a scroll wheel at the top that is preset to volume control and can also be pressed to play/pause media. There’s also skip and rewind buttons which makes viewing or listening to media easy to control – and there’s function keys for turning the lighting on or off, muting mic, profile recycle and game mode. 

The included transparent wrist rest works well, clipping into the base of the keyboard. The RGB lighting extends down to the wrist rest on the keyboard and the keypad which has a great effect in dark areas. 

KB7 Display

This thing is awesome. 

The 4.3” touchscreen gives you a new dynamic for using your keyboard. No longer do you just have the usual Insert, Delete, Home etc. buttons – although you still have all these on their own screen. What you do have is several screens you can swipe through to find volume controls, a numeric keypad, and of course profiles, macros, stats, and apps including OBS and Streamlabs shortcuts. 

These displays can be changed in the Swarm II software if you want to change any of the buttons, or even the layout. 

The display is responsive and easy to navigate – with a Quick Settings option you can access from any of the screens by swiping down. 

The glossy display can attract fingerprint marks, but given the utility it adds to the overall keyboard, giving it a quick wipe every now and then is a small price to pay. 

KP7

The Command Series KP7 Modular Keypad setup is a little different – you can either plug it in using the supplied USB-C to USB-A cable – or if you have the KB7 you can slide it onto the rails on either side of the keyboard at which point it’s powered from the rails on the keyboard.

The Keypad is….different. 

The KP7 includes your full numeric keypad with a Numlock and maths operations keys above – but you also get programmable M1 – M4 keys down the side. 

There’s also three more Function Keys – F13 – F15 – and Profile Recycle key. 

At the bottom is the ‘Extendable Thumb Bar & Programmable Wheel’. This cool bit of tech lets you move the whole section out for a more comfortable position. 

Also at the base there’s a detachable wrist rest that slips into a slot at the base of the keypad – but there’s only a negligible tab that ‘locks’ it in place, so it more just sort of sits there and is quite easily removed.

It is semi-transparent like the keyboard wrist rest which allows you to have RGB lighting effects come through – but it does seem more just a convenient wrist rest and it is very comfortable.

You can re-program all the keys on the KP7, including changing functions and the actuation points in the Swarm II – this includes the scroll wheel. By default the scroll wheel just does the same as the scroll on the keyboard (volume control), so it’s handy to be able to change this to another feature.

Lastly is the Game Mode option. Simply hit the Game Mode key to activate game mode. Letting you convert the keypad into a gaming control pad. 

When Game Mode comes on, the keypad shifts the 9(↑), 5 (←), 6 (↓) and + (→) keys to mimic the WASD functions on your keyboard with the surrounding keys become the equivalent of the 1-5, Tab, Shift & Capslock, Q, E and R keys – which are usually well used in-game. 

The Turtle Beach KP7 does  seem to be aimed at people looking for a small control pad for gaming on the go (unless you need a bunch of keybindings), but other than that it seems a popular option for left hand players, so if you’re a lefty, have at it.

Using it

Holy heck this thing is responsive. 

The low profile design and brushed aluminum top plate look super premium. The copper toned flashes of colour on the keyboard, and scroll wheel on the KP7 breaks it up nicely.

The 8K polling picks up key presses instantly. It feels fast, because it is. The key actuation point, set  at 1.9mm by default feels nicely tuned – though you can change that to your own preference very easily in Swarm II. 

The keycaps across the board feel great, with a nice dish shaped top that makes resting your fingertips quite comfortable. You do get some low-profile textured keys to swap in if you want more traction on your WASD keys – but down to personal preference. 

Turtle Beach has used double-shot PBT keycaps. This process uses two separate layers of plastic (PBT in this case) to encase  the letters/numbers in  the keycap itself, so they remain in place and can’t wear off like printed on letters.

It’s a quality thing you’ll probably only notice years down the track when you can still read your keyboard perfectly – but you’ll appreciate it then. It’s the same with the Hall-Effect switches which are rated for over 100-million presses – but having the ability to easily switch them out is also a bonus. 

Final Thoughts

At just over $500, the Turtle Beach Command Series KB7 and KP7 isn’t a budget friendly keyboard – but they have quality, reliability and features in spades, which is what you really want.

The aluminium top plate and chassis gives the KB7 and KP7 combo a premium look, as well as feel, which when combined with the responsiveness and customisation makes it a must look for serious gamers. 

The display really elevates the KB7, with the customisable keys, layouts and widgets giving you an easy way to access apps, instantly start streaming with a simple key press. 

The Swarm II customisation software has a vast array of customisable settings and offers an easy way to get the most out of your keyboard. 

If you want to check out the Turtle Beach KP7 and KB7, they’re available now through www.turtlebeach.com.