Tesoro Tizona G2N Mechanical Gaming Keyboard and G2N-P Numpad Review

Another Tenkeyless mechanical keyboard hits the labs for testing, this time from Tesoro. Today we get a look at the Tizona G2N TKL and Tizona G2N-P Elite.

Published
Updated
Manufacturer: Tesoro
14 minutes & 21 seconds read time
TweakTown's Rating: 90%
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The Bottom Line

If you buy the Tizona G2N by itself, you are getting quite a bit of TKL mechanical keyboard for the money! Even when stepping up to the combo with the G2N-P included, you get a full keyboard layout with tons of options on how to use that Numpad, and still holds great value too.

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

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We are always ready to try out a new mechanical switch based keyboard. Previous to this, we have had one other Tesoro product roll across our desk. Not too long ago, we got a look at Tesoro's Lobera, a plunger-style switch based, illuminated, full layout keyboard. With the Lobera, we found that Tesoro is one of the few companies that moved away from Cherry MX switches, and chose to offer the Kailh branded switches instead.

It didn't take long to get used to that keyboard, and once we took into account the software that comes with it, and the average cost for such a product, we were impressed. The Lobera not only won us over, but also showed that while Tesoro may be a newer name to you, they definitely know what they are doing when it comes to gaming peripherals, more specifically, their keyboards.

There are some major differences between what we have seen previously, and this latest submission. For one, the software is not needed in this latest design. All of its functionality and options can be utilized with the function key and a few others on the keyboard. This time around, we also lose the illumination in favor of solid black key caps with laser etched iconography. The last major change that any image of this keyboard shows, is that the very unique styling is done away with here in favor of a more straight forward, and more simplistic design. One thing that does carry over though, and seems to be a trademark of Tesoro gaming keyboards, is the use of that special shade of purple.

We have you here today to not only look at the Tesoro Tizona G2N, tenkeyless, gaming mechanical keyboard, but also to check out the optional Tizona G2N-P mechanical gaming Numpad as well. So, while the G2N has its main design keeping in line with most other TKL options out there today, it also has a couple of tricks up its sleeve with the optional G2N-P. Not only can the Numpad be magnetically attached to either side of the Tizona TKL, but it also ships with its own extension cable, so you can place the G2N-P anywhere on the desk. We have a lot to go over with what Tesoro is offering, so let's get a look at the charts, see what else is being offered, and find out what this combination is going to set you back.

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The first chart we see is for the Tizona G2N TKL mechanical keyboard, and in this chart we find the specifications, requirements, warranty information, package contents, and model numbers for each of the four models with different Kailh switches in them. In the specs, we see that this uses silver plated Kailh brown switches that require 45 grams of activation force. Pressing on the cylindrical key caps to 2mm, you will feel the activation of the switch, but there is no audible click, at least not until the 4mm level where the caps tap on the steel plate. We also see that this keyboard offers two USB 2.0 ports, it has only 1.55 meters of braided cabling, and that it offers multimedia functionality. Additionally, we see that it comes with a one-year warranty, and a quick install guide, but there is no mention of the included power cable that helps power both ports at once.

The second chart is for the Tizona G2N-P Elite Mechanical Gaming Numpad, which as we found it, is packed into a separate box all of its own. We see in this chart that the specifications match what we saw with the G2N, as it uses the same switches, Kailh browns. Of course, this is much smaller and lighter, since it is only one quarter of the layout the G2N has to offer. This too offers a one-year warranty, and can also be had in four flavors, so it offers the same feel to match the G2N it is built for.

Locating Tesoro Keyboards inside of the U.S. is currently limited. As we looked for the Tizona G2N and the G2N-P Elite, we found that you can order this setup one of two ways. For right around $70, you can buy any of the four versions of the G2N, and that is a great price for any mechanical keyboard, as it usually takes an EOL sellout to a refurbished one to get one this affordably. Now, when it came to hunting down the Tizona G2N-P in standalone form, we were unable to do this, as we could not find a listing for it anywhere.

However, we did find out that this can be bought as a combo kit, where the G2N is ordered with the G2N-P Elite included in the deal. When it comes to this combination deal, we see that the asking price is only $109. The bonus here is that you can buy the kit, use the Numpad when you want, in a few different ways, and when you don't need it, pull it away and have at the Tizona G2N TKL all on its own. Either way you decide to go, you can't argue that this is good pricing for a gaming mechanical keyboard setup.

PRICING: You can find the Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P Numberpad for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P (Kailh Blue Switches) combo retails for $109 at Amazon, the Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P (Kailh Black Switches) combo retails for $109 at Amazon, and the Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P (Kailh Brown Switches) combo retails for $109 at Amazon. The Tesoro Tizona G2N (Kailh Blue Switches) retails for $89.99 at Amazon, the Tesoro Tizona G2N (Kailh Black Switches) retails for $89.99 at Amazon, the Tesoro Tizona G2N (Kailh Brown Switches) retails for $89.99 at Amazon, and the Tesoro Tizona G2N (Kailh Red Switches) retails for $89.99 at Amazon.

Packaging

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On the front of the Tizona G2N keyboard box, we find the naming and the sword from Spain that this keyboard is named after. Along with an off angled shot of the keyboard to the right, we see that this is an Elite Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, with the sub-name of "The Burning Blade."

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This smaller end shows us how to work the trio of thumb Hotkeys, or H-keys. In PC mode, you can load the browser, open the media player, or open Outlook. If the keyboard is set to Game mode, it offers number pad commands like the forward slash, the asterisk, and the hyphen symbols.

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One of the longer sides of the packaging has that same vibrant Tizona naming at the left end of it, with a vast expanse of black cardboard in the middle. As we reach the right end of that side, we find that the Kailh switch color is clearly marked, and an indication that this is offered in the U.S. layout.

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The other short side of the box shows us all of the multifunction keys. By using the Function key with others at the same time, you can swap to Game mode, use the multimedia keys, swap between six-key and NKRO, and disable the Windows key. It also mentions that the H-keys change depending on mode.

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The last of the side panels again offers naming to the left, which we have already seen, but to the right we find the system requirements, package contents, and a notation that the Tizona is Windows 8 compatible.

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Out back, the entire left side is taken with multilingual lists of features found in, and on this keyboard. The right side is used to highlight four key features with images, and finishes off with the naming and imagery of the sword in full view this time.

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Inside the box, we find the G2N to be in perfect condition under the plastic dust cover, sandwiched in between cardboard holding the wires at the back, and the dense foam used at both ends that keep it safe in transit.

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As we received the product, the Tizona G2N-P Elite Numpad comes contained in this separate packaging, in no way attached to the keyboard.

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The front panel lifts up to expose the Numpad that was shown in the image on the front. Inside the cover we see how to use the alternate keys, and we also see it as it would be attached to the keyboard.

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On the top, we find the U.S. layout sticker off to the left, and the brown switch is again marked on this box as well.

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With the package being so compact in size to begin with, the only other information is found on the back, where this list of features is repeated many times, in various languages.

Tesoro Tizona G2N Elite Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

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Fresh out of the packaging, we start with a view of the left side of the Tizona G2N. We see the frame uses a low profile design, but on the sides we are looking at two magnets, and an extra USB 2.0 port.

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As of right now, all we want to cover is the bright white appearance of the laser etched key caps, and the hints of purple around the keyboard's tenkeyless design.

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Moving in much closer, we find the first grouping of the multimedia keys. These four allow control of the mute, lowering the volume, raising it, and the pause/play button below the F1 through F4 naming.

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Completing the multimedia functionality, the F5 offers previous track, and next track commands as well.

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At the bottom edge of the keyboard. Closest to the user, there is a thin purple trim line to highlight where the H-keys are located. This way, with a simple press of a thumb, you gain access to mail, the internet, and WMP.

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In this image, we see the key for activating full NKRO versus six-key rollover, and the "T" in the shield allows you to swap between PC and Game mode. In the Purple insert, above the arrow keys, we find the locks have LEDs to signify their activation.

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Extending the feet brings the key caps to a proper angle of attack, and we also see that this side of the frame is a mirror image of the other side. There are two magnets, as well as another USB 2.0 port.

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Rounding from the right side to the back, we immediately find where the USB 2.0 cable attaches, as well as the power adapter cable next to it. While the printing appears upside down, when you flip the board on its edge to connect it, the writing will be right side up.

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Under the keyboard, there are some structural indents in the base of the frame. These indents go around the sticker in the middle, and strengthen the areas between the large rubber pads at the front, and extendable feet at the back.

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The feet do flip out to the back of the keyboard, but lock solidly into the sides of the hinge pins. The foot is also much wider than most, and is covered on the end with a rubber pad to give it added traction.

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We did not see any form of paperwork in our box, but hey, that can easily happen. What we did find is a Mini-USB to USB 2.0 braided cable for the keyboard communication. In order to sufficiently power both USB ports, Tesoro also includes a USB to DC power adapter.

Tesoro Tizona G2N-P Elite Mechanical Gaming Numpad

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With the Tizona G2M-P Elite Numpad fresh out of its packaging, we see it is set up for the right hand side of the keyboard currently, and offers users 18 more keys to use if needed.

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Flipping it over, we find two flip out feet at the top edge that lock in two stages, and there is an option to run the USB connection under the feet and out either side. At the front edge, the Numpad uses a single, wide rubber pad for grip.

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We flipped both feet out to both degrees where they will lock into place. Fully extended like the one on the left, it matches the keyboard height. Since this is also a standalone unit, the feet can be set as it is on the right, and have an even higher angle to use it with.

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Here we see that the frame is built to hold onto the USB connection as the wire runs through the trail behind it, and helps the alignment with the keyboard. We also see the sides of this Numpad are magnetized to lock onto the sides of the TKL.

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To allow this to also be a standalone unit that does not have to be attached to the keyboard all the time, there is a braided extension cable provided, so you can place this anywhere within three feet of the keyboard.

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We chose not to open the Numpad up, as there really isn't much to see inside. However, we were sure to pull a couple of the key caps and verify that we do indeed have one with the Kailh brown switches that the packaging indicated.

Inside the Tesoro Tizona G2N Elite

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As we start to tear down the Tizona G2N, since we had the key puller already to go from looking at the Numpad, we popped a few caps here as well just to verify we have what we should, and indeed we do.

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As for the caps used for both the Numpad as well as the keyboard, they are molded in one single color, black, since there is no switch LEDs on this board. They use standard stems to press on the switches, and on top, there are bold and easy-to-read letters laser etched into them, so they won't wear away.

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With a fair bit of effort, we got the Tizona down into its major components. Here we have the upper section of the frame lying atop the lower section. The removal of five screws and a bunch of clips will allow the halves to separate, and we can also see the plastic support risers in the lower section that keep the PCB away from the plastic.

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While the Tizona G2N is a fully mechanical keyboard, beneath the H-keys, due to the slim profile of the front edge of the keyboard, mechanical switches were just too big. Instead they went with these slightly stiff, rectangular pad style switches.

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At the back edge of the PCB, we easily spotted this Genesys Logic GL850G USB 2.0 hub controller for the extra ports at either side of the keyboard. This takes the load away from the MCU, and helps to ensure noiseless, and lossless traffic through those ports.

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One of the easy ways to cut manufacturing costs is not to pay a guy to stand there and rub the PCB down with any form of cleaner after the soldering has left its flux residue. On the flip side, it did not cause any issues in our testing.

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In one of the few clean areas on the back of the PCB, we located the NXP Semiconductors LCP11U24F ARM Cortex-M0 based MCU that has the option to run in 8-bit or 16-bit, and for what this keyboard has to offer, 8-bit functionality of this processor is more than enough.

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With everything back in one piece now, we went ahead and attached the G2N-P to the right side of the G2N, as the number pad would normally be found in any other keyboard layout.

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With magnets on both sides of both Tizona components, adding the G2N-P to the left side for left-hand users is as easy as rerouting the Numpad cable, and letting the magnets go to work. Also, keep in mind that we could just use the extension cable, and have this Numpad anywhere it is convenient.

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In our last image, we moved the Numpad back to the typical location on the right, and went ahead and powered it up. Since there are no drivers, or LED backlighting, what you see here is what you get. As for lighting, the trio of lock indicators have purple LEDs to match the color scheme.

Final Thoughts

Personally, we prefer our switches to be a bit stiffer in their activation force, but after a couple of days we did get used to the lighter pressure and absence of an audible click that we are accustomed to. With some time, and a few reviews with it behind us, we feel we have a good handle on what is offered, how it all works, and just what sort of a deal Tesoro offers here. We also know how we are going to continue with our impressions of what the Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P Elite Mechanical Keyboard and Numpad bring to gamers, or anyone for that matter.

Features that stand out in this design are easy enough to find. First is the simpler design to this TKL keyboard; with bright white, laser etched iconography on the key caps, even in a dimly lit room, it is easy to visually find your way around the keys, and there is no funky coating to wear off after a year of use. We like that there are multimedia keys, as that is a deal breaker for a lot of users. We also like that this solution is driverless, yet still offers correctly functioning six-key and NKRO support, PC and Game mode, Windows lock out, and H-keys at the bottom edge to allow easy access to Windows based services. With a low profile front edge, there is no odd feeling in your palms, or a need for a wrist rest to make using it comfortable, it is just comfortable as-is. On top of all of this, we liked the pricing of this solution and combo kit, and feel that is a huge feature when it comes to selling the Tizona components.

If there is one thing we would like to address as a downfall, it has to be the magnetic locking system between the G2N and the G2N-P, The USB connection is easy enough to make, no issues there, and to be honest the magnets work well in keeping the Numpad near the keyboard, but not so much attached. Whenever you need to move the keyboard, you instinctually grab both sides, and in this case you end up with something that looks like the closing of a box, parts separated. If you go to slide it back, since both components have rubber feet all the way around, sliding them as a whole unit does not happen. While we can appreciate the options afforded by going this route, we would prefer a more solid way of attaching it for long term use as a whole unit.

In the end, even if purple is not your first color choice to accent a keyboard, whether you just grab the Elite mechanical keyboard by itself for just less than $70, or the combo deal for $109, it is a great deal to be had. For those of you who cannot deal with life without a number pad on the keyboard, look into the combo offering; just over $100, you not only get the matching Numpad to the keyboard, but you can use it in a multitude of placements.

The Numpad can go on the left of the keyboard, the right, and for data entry or use like a gamepad, the extension cable comes in very handy, and in reality is the least frustrating way to go about using it. Even so, being so affordable, compact, and still delivering things most gamers and regular users want in this Tizona Elite setup, it is hard to pass it by, especially if you are into purple trim.

PRICING: You can find the Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P Numberpad for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P (Kailh Blue Switches) combo retails for $109 at Amazon, the Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P (Kailh Black Switches) combo retails for $109 at Amazon, and the Tesoro Tizona G2N and G2N-P (Kailh Brown Switches) combo retails for $109 at Amazon. The Tesoro Tizona G2N (Kailh Blue Switches) retails for $89.99 at Amazon, the Tesoro Tizona G2N (Kailh Black Switches) retails for $89.99 at Amazon, the Tesoro Tizona G2N (Kailh Brown Switches) retails for $89.99 at Amazon, and the Tesoro Tizona G2N (Kailh Red Switches) retails for $89.99 at Amazon.

TweakTown award
Performance 90%
Quality including Design and Build 83%
General Features 91%
Bundle and Packaging 92%
Value for Money 94%
Overall 90%

The Bottom Line: If you buy the Tizona G2N by itself, you are getting quite a bit of TKL mechanical keyboard for the money! Even when stepping up to the combo with the G2N-P included, you get a full keyboard layout with tons of options on how to use that Numpad, and still holds great value too.

PRICING: You can find products similar to this one for sale below.

USUnited States: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon.com

UKUnited Kingdom: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon.co.uk

AUAustralia: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon.com.au

CACanada: Find other tech and computer products like this over at Amazon.ca

DEDeutschland: Finde andere Technik- und Computerprodukte wie dieses auf Amazon.de

Chad joined the TweakTown team in 2009 and has since reviewed 100s of new techy items. After a year of gaming, Chad caught the OC bug. With overclocking comes the need for better cooling, and Chad has had many air and water setups. With a few years of abusing computer parts, he decided to take his chances and try to get a review job. As an avid overclocker, Chad is always looking for the next leg up in RAM and coolers.

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