A week ago, I wrote about how much I loved the Epomaker Glyph, a typewriter-style mechanical keyboard that's nothing short of a dream. Tom's Guide readers seemed to enjoy the article, and they complimented the Glyph's style, but there was a sticking point for them: the lack of a number pad.

"Personally, I would never buy it — no numeric keypad is a total deal breaker," and "No keypad = dealbreaker," stuck out to me. Personally, I've never really found much use for a number pad, which is why I prefer 75% TKL keyboards. But I know not everyone feels that way, and that not having a numpad can be an issue for many.

As someone who has tested nearly 100 keyboards so far, I've reviewed keyboards of all shapes and sizes, including ones with number pads. So, here I am, hoping you'll find this listicle helpful if you're looking for a 100% or nearly full-size keyboard with a number pad. I've handpicked my top picks for your benefit. Whether you're looking for the best mechanical keyboard or a Hall Effect one with a numpad, I've got you covered.

Are there any keyboards you love that I haven't included in the list? Let me know in the comments below!

Quick links

• Keychron B6 Pro: $44 / £44
• Epomaker TH99: was $82 now $69 / £82
• Keychron V6 8K wired: $84 / £89
• Keychron K10 V2: $94 / £99
• NuPhy Node100: $109
• NuPhy Air96 V2: was $129 now $116 / £133
• Keychron K4 HE: $144 / £144
• McHose UT98: $155
• Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless: $249 / £174

My top picks for keyboards with numpads

More from Tom's Guide

• I've tested nearly 100 keyboards and finally found my dream deck — here’s why the Epomaker Glyph is my new favorite
• I’m sick of pretending Hall Effect keyboards are the be-all end-all — here’s why I’d still pick a mechanical deck in 2026
• Best mechanical keyboards in 2026

I never thought the words "my dream keyboard" would come out of my mouth. Two and a half years ago, I didn't really care much about keyboards — and I was then introduced to the vast world of mechanical and Hall Effect decks. Things haven't been the same ever since. I've come to realize that a good keyboard can really uplift your mood, and make you a better typist — and as someone whose bread and butter depends on typing, I need a powerful deck.

I've reviewed nearly 100 keyboards during those last two and a half years, and I think my search for the best mechanical keyboard is finally over. I've spent the last two weeks typing on the typewriter-style Epomaker Glyph, and it upstages every other productivity keyboard in more ways than one.

The Glyph is perhaps one of the best built and most beautifully designed keyboards I've ever tested. Its rounded, typewriter-like keycaps and creamy sound profile are sure to draw eyeballs to your desk — in the best way possible. Dual screens that show the board's vitals (or GIFs) are a nice touch, and honestly, there's nothing I'd change about the Glyph. Here's why it's my dream keyboard.

Drool-worthy design

There's so much to love about the Epomaker Glyph, and its typewriter-like design is one of its most striking features. The Glyph's body is covered in Retro White while its rounded keycaps utilize a combination of sage green and off-white. It's soft and glossy to look at and touch, and when you throw in south-facing RGB lighting as well as an ambient light strip that falls on the surface the keyboard is sitting on, you've got yourself a winner.

The Glyph isn't a "typewriter-style" keyboard only by name, and it's got a specific typewriter-like function to prove it. A return lever is located in the top-left corner which acts as the Enter key when pushed up and Backspace when pulled down. I know that you're thinking that's so gimmicky, and I thought the same when I first saw the keyboard — but I've been using it every so often while typing, and it's great fun.

What I love about the Glyph is its dual screens which help it strike a balance between modern functionality and retro aesthetics. These screens display the date and time, and the keyboard's vitals, such as battery life, connection mode, active operating system, CPU usage, and more. Or you could display a GIF of puffins, like I did!

Call me a speed demon

A keyboard's looks mean nothing if it isn't good to type on — and the Epomaker Glyph is a sheer delight. No word of a lie, this is the best keyboard I've typed on so far. It comes fitted with pre-lubed Epomaker Wisteria V2 linear switches which require just 38g of force to activate, and have a pre-travel distance of 2mm (total 3.6mm). Thanks to these specs, you don't need to press them all the way down to activate them, which means that you can type quickly.

And that's exactly what I've been doing on the Glyph. Call me a speed demon because I've been able to achieve 109 words per minute with 93.2% accuracy — and that's a new personal best for me. I love everything about typing on the Glyph: the double-shot PBT keycaps, the type-feel, and most of all, the suuuuuper creamy sound profile. It's delicious.

As mechanical keyboards go, the Glyph is downright fantastic to type on. It's hot-swappable too so if you aren't a fan of the stock switches (which I'd find surprising), you can grab any south-facing 3- and 5-pin MX switches and pop them in without de- and re-soldering them to the PCB.

Comfort for days

I love it when keyboards, mice or any other peripherals come with accessories, and the Epomaker Glyph is accompanied by my most favorite yet. Included in the box is a CloudGel wrist rest that's made of high-quality silicone and PVC materials, and it's so soft to rest my wrists on. It packs gentle cushioning which alleviates any pressure I would have felt otherwise.

The wrist rest also features a slow-rebound gel design which deforms according to the pressure and shape of your wrists. Your hands then feel comfortable, even when you're working long hours. I've typed extensively on the Glyph and I haven't felt any discomfort. Even if you don't want to get the Glyph (but you really should), you can grab the wrist rest separately for $24 / £18.

If you want a mechanical keyboard that looks ridiculously good, packs plenty of useful modern features, sounds like music to your ears, and is a joy to type on, few are better than the Glyph. I could wax lyrical about the keyboard all day long, but you can also read my full Epomaker Glyph review for that.

I can't believe it took this long to find my dream keyboard, but the Glyph was certainly worth the wait.

More from Tom's Guide

• ‘The most absurd and wonderful keyboard I’ve ever typed on’: I tested the typewriter-style Epomaker Glyph and it’s earned a permanent spot on my desk
• I’m sick of pretending Hall Effect keyboards are the be-all end-all — here’s why I’d still pick a mechanical deck in 2026
• The best mechanical keyboards in 2026

As someone whose bread and butter revolves around typing, I need one of the best mechanical keyboards to get the job done. Mech decks can be fun, but few are as fun as the Epomaker Glyph — and after testing this keyboard for a week, I don’t want to go back to the one I was previously using. The Glyph is a beast, sporting a charming typewriter-like design, while offering a wonderful typing experience and creamy sound.

With dual screens, pleasing RGB lighting, solid build quality, and user-friendly companion software to boot, the Glyph is easily one of the greatest keyboards you can buy right now. While it isn’t without its flaws — namely, limited stock switch choice and poor battery — as you’ll soon see, the Glyph’s upsides easily outweigh its shortcomings.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Epomaker Glyph review.

Epomaker Glyph review: Specs

Epomaker Glyph review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 75% typewriter-like mechanical keyboard with dual screens, and linear switches
• Who is it for? Those who type for a living and want a fun keyboard to do so
• How much does it cost? The Epomaker Glyph is available for $139 / £103
• What do we like? So much! The outstanding design, solid build quality, lovely typing experience, creamy sound profile, user-friendly companion software, and more
• What don’t we like? The poor battery life and limited stock switch set choice

Epomaker Glyph review: The ups

From its gorgeous typewriter-like design and solid build quality, to the awesome typing experience and creamy sound profile, the Epomaker Glyph is a winner.

A typewriter-like design done right

The Glyph is Epomaker’s first venture into the world of typewriter-like keyboards. The only other typewriter-esque keyboard I’ve personally tested is the Logitech Pop Keys ($99) — which the Glyph blows out of the water with ease — although we’ve also reviewed (and loved) the Lofree DOT ($99), which is a great deck if you want to save $40.

Featuring rounded keycaps and a poppy sound profile, the Glyph emulates the experience of typing on a typewriter, and I’ll discuss these in detail shortly. First, I want to talk about the keyboard’s design. Blending retro aesthetics with modern features, the Glyph adds a flair to your desk and is sure to draw eyeballs (in a good way).

The south-facing RGB lighting doesn’t look loud or garish, and there’s an ambient light strip that lights up in the colors of the rainbow, with the light falling on the surface the keyboard is sitting on. I love the glossy finish on the retro white body, which feels soft and premium to touch (and look at).

The Glyph sports a 75% layout with 83 keys, and it measures 13.66 x 8.14 x 2.24 inches so doesn’t take up too much space. It weighs 2.59lbs, so while it’s heavier than the likes of the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129, 1.67lbs) and the NuPhy Air75 V3 ($139, 1.65lbs), I haven’t had any trouble carrying the Glyph in my backpack, to and from work.

Adding to the Glyph’s charm and typewriter-like design is a return lever located in the top-left corner, which as the Enter key when pushed up; and Backspace when pulled down. It feels a little gimmicky, I know, but it’s a harmless fun element, and I’ve been using it every so often while typing. In the top-right corner, you’ll find a rotary knob for adjusting the volume or swapping between display items (by holding down Fn).

Useful dual screens

Screens on keyboards are becoming more and more popular as we’ve seen on the Epomaker RT100 ($115) and the Razer BlackWidow V4 ($299). The Epomaker Glyph is no different.

Located above the keys are dual displays: one of which shows the date, month and year, and the other which shows the keyboards vitals, such as battery life, connection mode, active operating system, CPU usage, and more. You can also display a GIF or static image on the bigger display, if you like.

I like being able to quickly see the battery status, for instance, as it saves me from going into my laptop’s Bluetooth settings and wasting a couple of minutes.

Comfortable wrist rest included

This is something I don’t see with a lot of mid-range keyboards: the Epomaker Glyph comes with a wrist rest included in the box, and it’s wonderful. The CloudGel wrist rest is made of high-quality silicone and PVC materials, and it feels soft to rest my wrists on. It provides good elevation so my wrists sit flush against the keyboard’s length, and the gentle cushioning has elevated any pressure I would have felt otherwise — or without a wrist rest.

The Glyph’s wrist rest makes it ergonomically-friendly, as the slow-rebound gel deforms according to the pressure and shape of your wrists, so your hands feel comfortable. Having used the keyboard extensively for a week’s worth of typing, I can confirm that I haven’t felt any discomfort. The good news is that you can buy the wrist rest separately too, for $24 / £18, to pair with any other keyboard you own. I’m just happy that it doesn’t feel as hard as the Corsair K55 RGB Pro’s ($59).

Excellent build quality

A common issue I’ve faced with a few Epomaker keyboards is the shoddy build quality. Some of the brand’s all-plastic keyboards, like the Cypher96 ($89) and the TH99 ($82), have had some flex in their bodies, and their keys have dipped too far into the PCB (even for gasket mounted decks). The Glyph, on the other hand, boasts fantastic build quality, even though it’s made entirely of plastic.

I didn’t notice any flex in the Glyph’s body even when I tried to twist it by holding its sides, and the keys didn’t dip as deep into the PCB either, although this is primarily due to the Glyph using a top mounted PCB. Tapping the keyboard with my fingernails didn’t reveal any hollow-sounding parts. Rest assured that you’re getting bang for your buck here.

Just so much fun to type on

I’ve tested nearly 100 keyboards, and while many of them have been great to type on, some have been downright awful. The Epomaker Glyph falls into the former category, and it’s the greatest keyboard I’ve ever typed on. It comes fitted with pre-lubed Epomaker Wisteria V2 linear switches which require 38g of force to activate, and have a pre-travel distance of 2mm (total 3.6mm). This means that you don’t need to press them all the way down to activate them, so you can type quickly.

I love linear switches, and 38g of force is very light. I didn’t find the Wisteria V2s fatiguing to type on, and even after an eight-hour workday, my fingers didn’t feel tired at all. The switches sound lovely too, and I’ll talk about the Glyph’s sound profile shortly.

The Glyph features double-shot PBT keycaps which are more resistant to wear-and-tear and are oil-resistant, making them far more durable than the ABS keycaps used on the typewriter-like Logitech Pop Keys. They feel soft and comfortable and I feel like my fingers are gliding across the keyboard.

As I do with every other keyboard I test, I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com, and then compared the Glyph’s results to other mechanical decks I’ve reviewed. Straight out of the box, I achieved 109 words per minute with 93.2% accuracy — a new personal best. Seeing those stats on paper has made the Glyph a permanent fixture on my desk.

Seriously addicting sound

The Epomaker Glyph features a top-mount design which means that the switch plate is screwed directly to the case’s top half. Because each keystroke vibration travels directly into the case, this results in a louder, sharper sound profile. Given that the Glyph is a typewriter-like keyboard, this makes sense — and boy does the keyboard sound downright beautiful.

I’d best describe the Glyph’s sound profile as somewhere between creamy and clacky, and it feels like the perfect blend of the old and the new. The Glyph packs five layers of sound-dampening and noise-absorbing foams, and I didn’t notice any unnecessary or immersion-breaking metallic pings while typing. While it’s loud, it isn’t too loud and doesn’t disturb those around you — unlike the Logitech Pop Keys, which was replete with plasticky echoes and light metallic pings.

User-friendly companion software

To customize the Epomaker Glyph, you’ll need to download Epomaker Driver 3.0 which is available for free on macOS and Windows. It sports a clean interface with no intrusive pop-ups or ads, and I found it responsive and lag-free in my testing, having tested it on both operating systems.

Via Epomaker Driver, you can remap the Glyph’s keys, record macros, adjust the RGB lighting’s colors and effects, and upload your own GIFs or static images and display them on the screen. You can update or flash the board’s firmware too.

I do, however, wish that Epomaker had its own web-based software, like Keychron does with Keychron Launcher and NuPhy does with NuPhy.io. That would save users downloading third-party software or bloatware on their machines, and would make customization easier. One can dream.

Epomaker Glyph review: The downs

Though the Epomaker Glyph is an excellent keyboard, it isn’t without its shortcomings, and its limited stock switch choice and poor battery life are quite disappointing.

Very limited stock switch choice

Limited stock switch choice seems to be a recurring theme (and issue) with Epomaker’s mechanical keyboards, and the Glyph is no different. Just like the TH99, P65 ($119) and Cypher96, to name a few, there aren’t many stock switch options available. In fact, there’s just one available, and that’s the Wisteria V2 linears that I naturally tested. The switches are no doubt fantastic, but those who prefer tactile or clicky ones may be left feeling shortchanged.

The good news is that the Glyph is hot-swappable, and it’s compatible with 3- and 5-pin south-facing mechanical switches. If you have extra switches lying around, or you simply buy some, you can replace them without de- and re-soldering them to the PCB.

Of course, you may want more switch choices at the time of purchase, and if that’s the case, I’d recommend the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129), the Lemokey P1 Pro ($129) or the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($114). None look as unique as the Glyph, though.

Screen and RGB eat into the battery

As you can probably glean from what I said earlier, I love the Epomaker Glyph’s screens and RGB lighting — but they really eat into the battery. The Glyph is fitted with an 8,000mAh rechargeable battery which should last you a month or so, depending on RGB and screen settings. I’ve been using the Glyph with these settings turned all the way up, and I’ve already had to plug it in for charging once (after about 20 hours of use).

I’m not saying this is entirely the keyboard’s fault. Many decks with extensive lighting systems and screens don’t last nearly as long. For instance, I was able to get only 20 hours of runtime out of the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless ($259) — nine hours fewer than Corsair’s claim. I sorely wish the Glyph lasted longer because the dual screens are delightful, and I don’t want to turn them off.

Epomaker Glyph review: Verdict

I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun testing a keyboard. The Epomaker Glyph is one of the best mechanical decks you can buy right now. Featuring responsive and light linear switches that are a joy to type on, and offering a creamy sound profile, the Glyph is perfect for those who type for a living.

The Glyph is chock-full of goodies. Its typewriter-like design is great to look at, and its dual screen setup as well as gorgeous RGB lighting add a colorful flair to your setup. User-friendly companion software makes customization a walk in the park, too. While it would have been nice to have more than one set of stock switches and better battery life, neither of those are dealbreakers, all things considered.

At the end of the day, the Glyph is the ultimate keyboard for typists. It’s one of the best gadgets I’ve reviewed so far, and it puts the fun back into typing.

Just when I thought I’d never go back to using a split mechanical keyboard, Keychron’s new Q11 Ultra came along and fixed everything I disliked about my previous one while taking the typing experience to a whole new level.

Switching from a mushy membrane keyboard to one of the best mechanical keyboards was one of the biggest upgrades I’ve ever made. Doing so not only improved my typing, but it also helped reduce hand fatigue. There was just one problem: ergonomics.

That’s where split mechanical keyboards come in. As the name suggests, these keyboards are made up of two halves that work together but can be spread apart on your desk. This way, your arms rest at a more natural position while typing, keeping them shoulder-width apart.

For most people, using a standard mechanical keyboard will still be a massive improvement over a membrane one. Given that I write for a living and type a lot more than most people do each day, I wanted to take things to the next level.

Now, the Q11 Ultra isn’t the first split mechanical keyboard I’ve used. However, it has one big upgrade that I’ve been waiting to try out for myself. After using Keychron’s latest split keyboard for a week, I don’t know how I can go back to a standard mechanical keyboard.

A premium keyboard with a twist

The Q11 Ultra comes with plenty of useful accessories in the box. From Windows-specific keycaps to extra mechanical switches and a USB-C to USB-A adapter, you have everything you need to get started and to tweak this keyboard to your liking.

Just like with the Keychron Q1 Ultra I tried earlier this year, the Q11 Ultra is an 8K mechanical keyboard with a premium design and build. This higher polling rate is often associated with the best gaming keyboards but there’s a benefit for fast typists too, as it results in a very responsive, fluid, and connected feeling.

In the past, you’d have to use the included cable to experience an 8000 Hz polling rate. This isn’t the case with the Q11 Ultra though, as you can do so wirelessly using the included 2.4 GHz USB dongle. This just so happens to be my preferred connection method too, since I’m always switching between computers while reviewing the best mini PCs. Instead of dealing with Bluetooth pairing, I just plug in the dongle and I’m good to go.

The Q11 Ultra features KSA double-shot PBT keycaps like on the Q1 Ultra. They look great and feel just as good underneath your fingertips. Besides being a split keyboard, the Q11 Ultra has some other unique features too. For instance, instead of just one knob on the top right side of the keyboard, there’s a second knob on the left side too. Out of the box, both are set to control your computer’s volume while pressing the knob down mutes your audio. However, in the web-based Keychron Launcher, you can customize them and the rest of the keyboard’s keys. Likewise, you’ll need to use it to activate the Q11 Ultra’s faster 8K polling rate too.

Although the Q11 Ultra is a 75% keyboard with a function row up top and arrow keys in the bottom right corner, it does have a few extra macro keys on the left side. Within the Keychron Launcher, you can program M1-M5 any way you want. For instance, I currently have M1 set to open a new File Explorer in Windows while I have M2 set to open Task View so I can easily switch between virtual desktops. The possibilities are basically endless since you can also record your own macros — or multi-key shortcuts — and assign them to any of these M keys as well.

Now around back is where things get interesting with the Q11 Ultra. On the left half, you have a USB-C charging port and two toggle switches: one to switch between connection modes (Bluetooth, wired and 2.4 GHz) and another to switch between Mac or Windows. Then on the right half, you have another USB-C charging port for that side of the Q11 Ultra and a simple on/off switch. This switch can come in handy if you just want to play one of the best PC games with just the left side of the keyboard to make more room for your mouse.

With the Q11 Ultra unboxed, it was time to bring it over to my desk and get it set up.

A no-compromise split

Since I’m in the process of reviewing the 2026 Edition of the Geekom A9 Max, I decided to build a whole productivity-focused desk setup around it with the Q11 Ultra front and center. On the right, instead of my trusty trackball mouse, I’ve paired this keyboard with the Keychron M5 vertical mouse I’m also testing out. Then in the center above the A9 Max 2026 Edition, I have the Innocn 40C1U 40-inch ultrawide monitor for as much screen real estate as I can get without having to go from a flat to a curved display. And if you’re wondering about the desk, this is the Uplift V3 standing desk with power grommets on either side.

Although the monitor and the mini PC powering this whole setup are excellent in their own right, it’s the Q11 Ultra that’s made the biggest difference. It feels just as good to type on as the Q1 Ultra since I’m also using Keychron’s own Silk POM Banana switches, which feature an early tactile bump compared to traditional brown mechanical switches. When combined with the KSA double-shot PBT keycaps and the Q11 Ultra’s full metal body, the whole experience of using this keyboard has an incredibly premium feel to it.

The best part about the Q11 Ultra is its tether-free design. In the past, the two halves of a split mechanical keyboard needed to be connected to one another using a short cable. With the Q11 Ultra, Keychron uses advanced 2.4 GHz wireless sync to allow the two halves to communicate seamlessly without one. What I like about this is that you can have the two halves of this split keyboard as far apart or as close to one another as you’d like. Although I prefer having the two halves aligned, you can also tilt them inward or outward depending on your preference.

Keychron has also made a lot of improvements to the acoustic profile of the Q11 Ultra compared to the original Q11. While you just had one layer of sound-absorbing foam with the latter, this upgraded model has two layers of foam between its switches and PCB, as well as two more at the very bottom. As such, the Q11 Ultra sounds just as good while typing as it feels underneath your fingertips.

Even though I’ve kept it off for the most part, you also have full RGB backlighting as well as per-key RGB, where you can individually customize the color of each key. Just like with 8K polling, leaving the Q11 Ultra’s RGB backlighting on will drain its battery faster. Speaking of battery life, Keychron says you can get up to 160 hours on a single charge. I’ve been using the Q11 Ultra as my daily driver for over a week now and I haven’t had to charge it yet.

Tether-free, finally

Back when I had my first split mechanical keyboard — the Mistel Barocco — almost everything except for my mouse was connected to my PC via wires. Sure, it was dependable and lag-free, but as my desk setups have evolved, having wires running across the top of my desk just didn’t do all the work I put into my under-desk cable management justice.

After picking up the Keychron C3 Pro for just $30 on a whim a few years ago to see how far budget mechanical keyboards had come, I fell for Keychron, and I fell hard. While I initially gravitated toward its low-profile mechanical options, getting a chance to try the Q1 Ultra recently really made me appreciate its full-profile boards.

I almost picked up the original Q11 several times over the years, but in retrospect, I’m glad I waited for the Q11 Ultra. Keychron’s Banana switches feel like a massive improvement over traditional MX Browns, and its tether-free design is something I never thought I’d see at this price point. At $239, the Q11 Ultra is far from a starter board, but given what premium mechanical setups used to cost only a few years ago, it’s an absolute steal for this level of design and wireless functionality.

If you’ve already invested in one of the best office chairs and a solid standing desk to go alongside it, a split mechanical keyboard could be the last piece of the ergonomic puzzle you’ve been missing. I used to think a standard mechanical layout was good enough for me too, but after spending a week daily driving the Q11 Ultra, going back is going to be incredibly tough.

More from Tom's Guide

• I've used the same $30 Logitech keyboard for 10 years and Framework just showed off the upgrade I actually want
• I tested the world’s first concrete keyboard and there’s a reason nobody else does this
• I gave my favorite pocketable mini PC an instant upgrade with this docking station — and now it’s a full-fledged gaming rig

When I first ran my fingers across the GravaStar Mercury V60 Pro, I thought I'd found my next daily driver. As a sci-fi nerd, I got an instant kick out of its distinctive H.R. Giger-inspired styling, with its precision-cut aluminum upper frame giving me serious Xenomorph vibes.

Lifting out of the box, I was also struck by how weighty and substantial it felt — this is not a keyboard that's going to slide all over my desk, nor is it one that would be in danger of sounding hollow or plasticky.

What really grabbed me, though, was the feel and acoustics of the typing experience. Having experimented with many types of switches with my own hobby keyboard, and with various other models I've tested over the years, I was struck by how satisfying it was to type on the Mercury V60 Pro.

I don't mean to sound hyperbolic, but it is without question the most luxurious sounding keyboard I've ever typed on, achieving a remarkably deep and creamy "thock" with every keystroke — it's what I imagine typing on a keyboard made of chocolate would feel like.

I have to assume that part of this is due to GravaStar's factory-lubed UFO Hall-effect switches, which provide a smooth, frictionless glide. That said, I've used other magnetic switches in the past that didn't sound even half as thocky as they do on the Mercury V60 Pro.

While I've previously showered admiration on the MGX Hyperdrive switches in Corsair’s Vanguard Pro 96, their sound profile is far brighter and more clacky by comparison. They also exhibit more wobble than the Mercury V60 Pro’s UFO switches, which stand out as some of the most solid and stable switches I’ve tested.

The next contributing factor is the V60 Pro’s five layers of acoustic‑dampening foam, which do an impressive job of soaking up higher‑pitched sounds. On top of that, the keyboard’s pre‑installed metallic‑finish keycaps — a sturdy polycarbonate (PC) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) blend — give each keystroke a deeper, more muted character compared to the semi‑translucent keycap set included in the deluxe 'Dual Keycap Gift Box Set'.

Of course, there's more to the Mercury V60 Pro than the way it sounds. As I mentioned earlier, it boasts ultra-responsive Hall-effect switches, with this model allowing you to adjust your actuation points by increments of 0.005mm (fully adjustable in GravaStar's browser-based software), starting at that number and reaching a maximum trigger depth up to 3.5mm.

It also supports dynamic Rapid Trigger, which tracks key travel continuously rather than relying on fixed reset points. This means keys can reset the moment they start to rise, allowing rapid‑fire repeats even when they’re still partially pressed — great news for those after flawless counter-strafing and jiggle-peeking in games like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant.

Alright, so what are my issues with the Mercury V60 Pro? For starters, its 60% form factor is just way too compact for me to type comfortably. Apart from its lack of certain keys, the need to constantly stop and think about how to access certain functions was slowing down my workflow.

My biggest size‑related gripe was the tiny right Shift key — It’s no larger than a standard key, and I kept missing it while typing, often wiping out an entire line in the process.

Secondly, I also really missed having a dedicated volume rocker or knob. Without one, I kept fumbling to remember which key combination controlled the volume every time I needed to raise or lower it.

And finally, I wasn't hugely impressed by the V60 Pro's RGB lighting effects. I definitely appreciate that the lights it has are south-facing — not that the metallic keycaps are shine-through or anything — though the LEDs don't emit a particularly strong light. I also expected that the RGBs would make the keyboard's included semi-translucent keycaps glow, though that wasn't the case.

It was really only these three small but persistent issues that held it back from being the complete package I'd hoped for. Granted, I could always try GravaStar's Mercury V75 Pro keyboard, which eliminates at least the first two complaints thanks to its larger size and included volume rocker, though its styling is far more aggressive than the V60 Pro, and without having one for reference, it's difficult to know if its typing acoustics are comparable.

Still, if these three nitpicks are unlikely to bother you, it would be hard to imagine anyone disappointed in the Mercury V60 Pro's capabilities. That said, a couple of folks around the Tom’s Guide office weren’t fans of the “creamy” sound profile that I love so much. Then again, maybe they just can’t stand the word creamy — hard to know which reaction was stronger.

More from Tom's Guide

• Here’s why you should only buy a magnetic keyboard for gaming
• I just tested my favorite hybrid gaming keyboard of the year
• I’m a mechanical switch die-hard — then I tested this magnetic keyboard...

The best mechanical keyboards can elevate your typing experience and can even make you a better typist. The Cherry KW 300 MX tries to do just that — and succeeds, for the most part.

This is a compact 75% keyboard that you can travel with, or plop on your crowded desk without sacrificing too much space. It offers a lovely typing experience and a delightful thocky sound profile. It’s got nearly everything you need.

But the KW 300 MX isn’t perfect. Though the keyboard comes with macOS-specific keycaps, the companion software is confusingly Windows-only. The white-only backlighting is also quite dim, and frankly, you can get more bang for your buck elsewhere.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Cherry KW 300 MX review.

Cherry KW 300 MX review: Specs

Cherry KW 300 MX review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A mechanical keyboard with a 75% layout and hot-swappable switches
• Who is it for? Hardcore typists and casual gamers
• How much does it cost? The Cherry KW 300 MX is available for $149 / £139
• What do we like? The lovely typing experience and sound profile, great build, compact design, and inclusion of macOS keycaps
• What don’t we like? The Windows-only software, dim white backlighting, and price tag

Cherry KW 300 MX review: The ups

From its compact design and sturdy build, to its lovely typing experience and sound profile, the Cherry KW 300 MX is a fantastic mechanical keyboard.

Compact design

If you’re looking for a mechanical keyboard that you can travel with and one that doesn’t take up too much space on your desk, the Cherry KW 300 MX is perfect. Sporting a 75% layout which foregoes the numberpad to save on space, the KW 300 MX measures 12.59 x 5.31 x 1.53 inches. It isn’t very heavy either, weighing just 1.64lbs. I’ve had no problem carrying it in my backpack, to and from work, even with plenty of other gadgets already in there.

Similar to some other mechanical keyboards I’ve tested, the KW 300 MX features a knob between its arrow and page navigation keys. You can use this knob to adjust the volume, backlighting’s brightness, and turn the keyboard on and off. I’d say the KW 300 MX’s knob is far more useful than the pricier Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless’ ($259) which requires you to use confusing key combos to change settings on the fly.

Great build quality

Just because the Cherry KW 300 MX is light doesn’t mean it’s flimsy — quite the opposite, in fact. The keyboard is built very well, and you can tell that the ABS plastic it uses in its construction isn’t cheap. Tapping the keyboard’s body with my fingernails didn’t reveal any hollow sounding parts, and much like the Keychron V1 8K ($74), there isn’t a lot of flex in the body either.

Adding to the KW 300 MX’s great build quality is its use of double-shot PBT keycaps which are more resistant to oil as well as wear and tear than their ABS counterparts. The keyboard also utilizes a gasket-mount design which helps with structural integrity. And that knob I mentioned earlier? It’s well-built too, and has just the right amount of resistance to keep it from feeling fragile.

Lovely to type on

My bread and butter relies on me typing nearly 10,000 words a week, so I need a capable and competent keyboard that makes it effortless to do so. The Cherry KW 300 MX does just that.

This is a stunning keyboard to type on, and I even wrote this entire review on it. The KW 300 MX can be configured with either Cherry MX2A Brown (tactile) or Red (linear) switches. If you don’t like those, the keyboard is hot-swappable so you can change the switches without de- and re-soldering them to the PCB.

I tested the Red linears which require 45g of force to activate, and they have a pre-travel distance of 2mm (total of 4mm) so you don’t need to press them all the way down for input to register. This means that it’s not fatiguing to type on the keyboard, and after a full day’s worth of typing, I can confirm that my fingers were absolutely fine at the end of the day. I much prefer these light switches over, say, the 57g Bananas in the Keychron V1 8K — though they’re not as light as the 35g Sea Salts in the Epomaker RT100 ($115).

I think 45g of force is the sweet spot, and the KW 300 MX hasn’t given me much to complain about in terms of the typing experience. I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com to see how the keyboard fared, especially compared to other mechanical keyboards I’d tested just before the KW 300 MX. As you can see from the table above, my type test speed is above average, and my accuracy is good too. I’m pleased with these results.

Delightful sound profile

One of the biggest pre-purchase considerations for keyboard enthusiasts is the sound profile. Does the keyboard sound creamy? Thocky? Clicky? Poppy? Quiet? The possibilities are endless. If you’re after a thocky deck, the Cherry KW 300 MX will be right up your street. The keyboard utilizes a gasket-mount design which reduces vibrations from key presses, and it packs several layers of sound dampening foam. All of this works in conjunction with the keyboard’s double-shot PBT keycaps to deliver a lovely thocky sound.

Cherry claims that the KW 300 MX’s sound-proofed housing offers “quiet operation” — I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s “quiet.” The KW 300 MX’s thockiness isn’t too loud, so it won’t disturb your coworkers, but it’s just loud enough for you to appreciate it.

macOS keycaps included

If, like me, you work across different operating systems, you may want a keyboard that boasts cross-platform compatibility. The Cherry KW 300 MX is one such keyboard. It comes fitted with Windows-specific keycaps but Cherry includes macOS ones in the box, so you can swap out the Windows key for the CMD key.

You can swap between operating system layouts easily too, by simply holding Fn + M for macOS and Fn + W for Windows. It takes three seconds for the KW 300 MX to switch to either layout, so it’s extremely easy and quick to do.

Cherry KW 300 MX review: The downs

The Cherry KW 300 MX has some flaws, such as the Windows-only software, dim white backlighting, and premium price.

Windows-only software

The Cherry KW 300 MX is a multi-platform keyboard, so it’s compatible with Windows and macOS machines as well as Android smartphones. Like I mentioned earlier, Cherry happily included macOS keycaps in the box. But what’s disappointing is that there’s no macOS-compatible companion software. Cherry Keys is available on Windows only, and it feels like a massive oversight from the brand.

Cherry Keys itself is a user-friendly app. It sports a clean interface and everything is signposted well. You can use it to remap keys, record macros, and update/flash the KW 300 MX’s firmware.

It’s just a shame that macOS users can’t do this — and Cherry could have easily solved this issue with either cross-platform software or a web-based app. If you want a macOS-friendly keyboard that can be customized without the need for a Windows machine, check out the Keychron V1 8K or the Epomaker TH80 Pro ($99).

White backlighting only

Fans of RGB lighting, you may want to consider other options. The Cherry KW 300 MX features south-facing backlighting, yes, and it’s visible through the see-through keycaps, but it’s white only.

There’s no per-key RGB which might be a dealbreaker for some. Also, it isn’t very bright, even at its brightest setting, which is a little disappointing. I didn’t even realize it was turned up to full brightness in a well-lit room — an issue I’ve never had with RGB keyboards before.

If you love RGB lighting, boy have I got many, many recommendations for you. The Keychron V1 8K, the Epomaker TH80 Pro, and the NuPhy Air75 V3 ($139) are all excellent alternatives, and they cost less than the KW 300 MX — which brings me to my next point.

A little expensive

Mechanical keyboards have come leaps and bounds in recent years, and today, you can get a powerful mech deck for not a lot of money. The Cherry KW 300 MX isn’t one of them, sadly. Look, this is a good keyboard, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed testing it, but the fact that it costs nearly $150 is a little off-putting. This keyboard retails for $149 / £139 at Amazon, and as I wrote about recently, you don’t need to spend that much to get a decent keyboard.

Not convinced by the KW 300 MX’s price? Don’t worry: there are plenty of cheaper alternatives out there. If you want a 75% layout keyboard with 1,000Hz polling and hot-swappable switches, the Keychron V1 8K ($74) is a fantastic option, and even features 8,000Hz polling (though it’s wired-only). Prefer a wireless deck? The NuPhy Air75 V3 ($139), the GravaStar Mercury K1 ($129), and the Lemokey P1 Pro ($129) offer outstanding value for money. Sub-$100 options are available too, like the 5-star NuPhy Node75 ($99).

Cherry KW 300 MX review: Verdict

If you’re looking for a keyboard that’s simply wonderful to type on, you’ll love the Cherry KW 300 MX. Its MX2A Red linear switches that I tested are extremely responsive, and they’re a joy to type on. The keyboard features a delightful, thocky sound profile too, and its compact form factor makes it ideal for those short on space.

While that’s great, the KW 300 MX doesn’t offer the best value for money. It comes with macOS keycaps but no macOS-compatible software. The white backlighting may be disappointing to RGB fans, and it’s quite dim too. Given that many excellent keyboards cost less these days, you’d be better off getting a Keychron, NuPhy or Epomaker. The KW 300 MX is good, yes, but it could have been great.

If you aren't well-versed with the vast and expansive world of keyboards, you might think that a good keyboard costs hundreds and hundreds of dollars — but that couldn't be further from the truth. While some keyboards from the likes of Cherry and Corsair can cost nearly $200, you don't need to spend more than $120 to get a decent deck. Trust me, it's my job to test the best keyboards, and I personally believe most humans don't need to break the bank for them.

Before diving into my top picks, I want you to ask yourself, "What do I need this keyboard for?" It could be for competitive gaming, hardcore productivity and typing, or a mix of both. You'd be surprised at how many sub-$120 keyboards exist, and just how outstanding they are (and they even put pricier ones to shame!).

After having tested over 80 different keyboards — mechanical, Hall Effect, optical, you name it — I was spoilt for choice picking the following keebs. The following keyboards are rated 4-stars or higher by yours truly. So what are you waiting for? Add them to your cart now!

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 things to know when choosing your first mechanical keyboard
• I reviewed a $230, $120 and $80 mechanical keyboard this week — this is the only one I’d buy
• I’m sick of pretending Hall Effect keyboards are the be-all end-all — here’s why I’d still pick a mechanical deck in 2026

"How much should you spend on a good keyboard?" That's the question I've been trying to answer for the last two years while reviewing them. Those who aren't well-versed with the vast world of keyboards may automatically assume that just because a deck costs over $100, that means it's "worth it." But as someone who tests the best keyboards for a living, that's not necessarily true.

Personally, I don't think you should be spending more than $150 on a keeb — and even that's stretching it quite a bit. You see, in recent years, technology has come leaps and bounds, and you're getting manufacturers like Epomaker making super cheap Hall Effect keyboards (like the $59 HE68). So when a brand like Corsair comes out with a keyboard that costs $259, needless to say, I'm instantly skeptical.

I, of course, didn't judge the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless harshly simply because it's expensive (that would be very shortsighted of me) — it's just that it doesn't do enough to justify the steep price. There are plenty of things to love about the Air 99 Wireless, but equally, there are a few things that leave you feeling frustrated. Here's why I awarded it 3-stars.

It gets a few things right

I won't be a Grinch and I'll start with the good things first, and what the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless gets incredibly right. Let's start with the design and build. The Air 99 Wireless is designed beautifully, and it's fitted with a robust aluminum frame which ensures the keyboard will stand the test of time. Double-shot PBT keycaps, a bright LCD screen and customizable RGB lighting make it a sight for sore eyes.

The Air 99 Wireless' pre-lubed OPX low-profile switches are an utter delight and don't feel fatiguing after a full day's worth of work and gaming. They have a short pre-travel distance of 1.5mm and require 45g of force to activate. The 1.5mm distance means you don't need to press them all the way down for the keyboard to register your commands, letting you type quickly.

Another thing I love is the Air 99 Wireless' gaming performance, bolstered by N-key rollover, 8,000Hz polling, and FlashTap (Last Key Prioritization). 8KHz polling is a little gimmicky and 1KHz is more than enough for 99% of players, so it's worth dropping the polling rate down to save the battery and not drain system resources. Peerless performance, really, especially in the realm of mechanical keyboards.

Where it all falls apart

Regardless of how much I love the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless' switches, they don't do enough to overshadow the keyboard's flaws — and there are a few, and I'll kick things off with the battery life. In one word, the battery life is... underwhelming. Corsair says that the longest the keyboard can last is 55 hours (with RGB lighting off over Bluetooth). If you have RGB lighting on and are using the screen, your mileage drops to 29 hours.

For the price you're paying, that just won't do. When a super budget keyboard like the Epomaker HE65 Mag can last a whopping 600 hours, what excuse does a $259 keyboard have? The battery life is, of course, impacted by the LCD screen, which I'm not a huge fan of. Sure, it's nice to be able to display a GIF as I did, but I wish the screen was more useful and didn't require a bunch of key combos to change settings.

Lastly, Stream Deck compatibility. The Air 99 Wireless features six programmable SD keys powered by the Elgato Stream Deck app, and in theory, these are great and give you quick access to apps and actions to streamline your workflow. But in practice, I found Stream Deck compatibility to be finicky at best. The app would fail to recognize the keyboard, or it would forget it when I plugged it back in the second time. More than anything, it just frustrated me.

My wallet is crying

Poor battery life, a frustrating screen, and finicky Stream Deck compatibility, all contribute towards the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless struggling to justify its price tag. The Air 99 Wireless retails for $259 / £239 at Amazon, which makes my eyes squint uncomfortably, and is sure to make some people's wallets cry.

This doesn't mean that the keyboard is all bad. According to our rating guide, a 3-star rating is defined as, "Good but there are better options." And the Air 99 Wireless features fierce competition — from Keychron, Lemokey, Epomaker, you name it.

Today, more advanced Hall Effect keyboards cost a fraction of Corsair's mechanical keyboard, and mech decks themselves easily come under $100. At the end of the day, the Air 99 Wireless easily gets lost in a crowded market — and fails to make a lasting impression.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a low-profile mechanical keyboard that costs a whopping $259 — I tested it to find out if it’s worth the premium
• Gaming headphones are finally good for listening to music — these open-backs prove that you don’t need two separate sets of cans
• I love my PS5 more than any other gadget I own, and these 6 controllers take my gaming to the next level

Way, way back in May 2024, I reviewed the Keychron V1 and called it a faultless keyboard. Since then, Keychron has launched the Ultra lineup of mechanical keyboards, including the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K, with 8,000Hz polling. And now, Keychron has packed 8KHz polling into my favorite wired keyboard — and the Keychron V1 8K is a delight.

Sporting great build quality and a low-key design, the V1 8K doesn’t feel like a budget keyboard. It looks premium and offers a beautiful typing experience. The combination of per-key and mix RGB lighting adds stunning pops of color to the keyboard, and the web-based Keychron Launcher makes customization a walk in the park.

Is this the best mechanical keyboard for you? Read my full Keychron V1 8K review to find out.

Keychron V1 8K review: Specs

Keychron V1 8K review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 75% mechanical keyboard with 8,000Hz polling, and the successor to the Keychron V1
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants an affordable and lovely keyboard to type on
• How much does it cost? Not a lot! The Keychron V1 8K is available for $74
• What do we like? The great build quality, typing experience, extensive RGB customization, affordable price, and web-based software
• What don’t we like? There’s some flex in the body, and there’s no wireless variant

Keychron V1 8K review: The ups

From its great build quality and the outstanding typing experience it offers, to its web-based software and affordable price tag, the Keychron V1 8K impresses on many fronts.

Top-notch build

If there’s one thing I’ve learned after having tested many, many Keychron keyboards, it’s that the brand’s decks are usually very well-built. The Keychron V1 8K is no different. Just like its 1KHz counterpart, the V1 8K is made entirely of ABS plastic, but this plastic doesn’t feel cheap or look tacky. It feels high quality and tapping the keyboard with my fingernails didn’t reveal any hollow-sounding parts.

Because the keyboard is made of plastic, it isn’t very heavy either, making it a great choice for those who travel a lot. The V1 8K weighs 2.19lbs, so it’s a little heavier than the V1 (2.13lbs) and the V1 Ultra 8K (1.69lbs) but you can barely tell the difference between the three. I’ve had no issues carrying the V1 8K to and from work in my backpack — even when my bag was already stuffed to the brim with other gadgets.

Speaking of, the V1 8K doesn’t take up too much space in bags or on your desk, as it measures 12.91 x 5.81 x 1.04 inches. It sports a 75% layout with 82 keys and a metal knob — which adds to the premium build of the keyboard— and now features an orange dot for a pop of color. Also adding to the V1 8K’s top-notch build is its use of double-shot PBT keycaps, which are more durable and resistant to wear and tear compared to their ABS counterparts.

Aiding the V1 8K’s structural integrity is the gasket-mount design which offers a cushioned typing feel and reduces vibrations from key presses. Furthermore, Keychron has added two extra layers of sound-absorbing foam to the V1 8K — the original used three. These work in conjunction with the gasket mount to deliver a lovely sound profile (more on that shortly).

Beautiful RGB lighting

The OG Keychron V1 already looked stunning with its per-key RGB, but Keychron has taken it up a level by adding per-key RGB and “mix RGB” to the Keychron V1 8K. Mix RGB was first introduced on the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K, and it’s nice to see it make an appearance on a much cheaper keyboard. Each key’s lighting can be individually customized, and over 22 effects can be applied, thanks to per-key RGB.

Mix RGB, on the other hand, splits the keyboard into two custom lighting zones, each with its own unique effects. Basically, you can set different lighting effects to different keys via Keychron Launcher. As I did on the V1 Ultra 8K, I set the alphabet keys to reactive lighting so they only light up when pressed, and all other keys to remain lit up all the time in a static effect. If you like colorful keyboards, the V1 8K is the perfect choice for you.

Excellent for typing

All three keyboards in the V1 lineup utilize different mechanical switches. The OG V1 came with Keychron K Pro switches; the V1 Ultra 8K packs Keychron Silk POM ones; and the V1 8K features Keychron Super switches. The keyboard is hot-swappable, so you can use any compatible 3- or 5-pin switches with it without having to de- and re-solder them to the PCB. As for stock ones, you can choose between Red (linear), Banana (tactile) or Brown (tactile).

I tested the Banana tactiles which are a little on the heavier side of things as they require 57g of force to activate. They have a pre-travel distance of 2mm and a total travel distance of 3.4mm, so you don’t need to press them all the way down to activate them. I personally prefer lighter, linear switches, like the 35g Sea Salts in the Epomaker RT100 ($115) or even the 50g White Rains in the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129).

Regardless, I didn’t find the Bananas too fatiguing to type on — I typed on them for seven hours straight without feeling any discomfort! The V1 8K sounds fantastic too, thanks to the aforementioned several layers of sound-dampening foam. The keyboard has a satisfying sound profile, a little clacky but also slightly thocky — enough for you to enjoy it without disturbing others around you.

As I do with all keyboards I review, I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com to see how the V1 8K fared against other mech decks I’d tested. As you can see in the table above, I achieved 99WPM with 95.03% accuracy, which brought up my average score. I’m very happy with this.

Now with 8KHz polling

It seems like all keyboard manufacturers like adding 8,000Hz polling to their decks. It’s not surprising, of course, because that’s the buzzword these days, but most players won’t be able to tell the difference between 8,000Hz and 1,000Hz polling. Both polling rates reduce or even negate latency issues and lag, and they ensure that you don’t experience any missed inputs.

While the V1 8K is primarily a productivity-first keyboard, I played a bit of Cyberpunk 2077 and Counter-Strike 2 to see how the board fared. Sure enough, I didn’t experience any input lag or unresponsiveness thanks to 8,000Hz polling. But I also didn’t notice any when playing at 1,000Hz polling. 8KHz polling can be a massive drain on system resources, so if you’re worried about that, I’d recommend dropping the polling (it can be adjusted down to 125Hz) via Keychron Launcher.

The V1 8K’s Banana switches are highly responsive too, as all my commands were registered instantaneously. Though if you’re getting this keyboard for gaming, I’d recommend grabbing the Super Red linears instead, as they have an actuation force of 45g, so they’re a little lighter (and less fatiguing). While the V1 8K is suited to casual gaming, it’s worth investing in a Hall Effect keyboard, like the Epomaker HE68 ($59) or the Epomaker HE75 Mag ($99). If you’re a competitive gamer, then magnetic keyboards have other useful features, like adjustable actuation and Last-Key Prioritization.

Web-based companion software

Similar to most other Keychron keyboards, the Keychron V1 8K doesn’t require you to download third-party software or bloatware for customization. Instead, it uses the web-based Keychron Launcher, so all you need to do is plug the keyboard in and open the website in your browser.

Keychron Launcher sports a clean interface and it’s extremely user-friendly, and it gives you quick access to the V1 8K’s settings. You can use Keychron Launcher to remap the V1 8K’s keys, personalize the per-key and mix RGB, record macros, and adjust the polling rate between 125Hz and 8,000Hz. Easy as pie!

Still affordable

The best thing about the Keychron V1 8K is just how affordable it is. When the OG V1 was launched, it had a retail price of $99 (you can get it for around $70 these days). The V1 Ultra 8K, on the other hand, has a retail price of $114. Priced at just $74, the V1 8K is cheap and very cheerful, and it’s extremely easy to recommend the board at this price.

We’ve seen some excellent mechanical keyboards in this price range, like the Wobkey Rainy75 Lite ($99), the Epomaker DynaTab75 ($89) and the McHose X75 V2 ($89). But none of these are as cheap as the V1 8K — and none offer 8KHz polling either, or extensive RGB customization.

Keychron V1 8K review: The downs

The Keychron V1 8K doesn’t have many flaws, but it’s worth noting that there’s some flex in the body, and it’s a wired-only keyboard.

Wired only

This is more of a pre-purchase condition than an outright flaw, but the Keychron V1 8K is a wired-only keyboard. At the time of writing, there’s no Max (wireless) version, but this might change in the future and if it does, I’ll update this review. The OG Keychron V1 Max is still available, and you can usually find it for around $84 during sales events.

If you want a wireless but affordable keyboard, it’s worth checking out the similarly priced GravaStar Mercury K1 Lite ($89) or the NuPhy Kick75 ($89). You’ll be missing out on 8KHz polling but, as I mentioned earlier, I don’t think it’s a significant loss.

Some flex

The only real drawback of the Keychron V1 8K is that there is some flex in its body, especially when you hold it by its sides and twist it. This is quite disappointing as other than this, the V1 8K is excellently built. I didn’t experience this with the OG V1, and it’s because the keyboard’s predecessor featured a steel plate. I’m not entirely sure why Keychron decided not to implement a steel plate in the V1 8K — perhaps to keep the costs down.

This is also something I’ve experienced with many other all-plastic keyboards, like the Epomaker TH99 ($82). If this is something that bothers you and you still want a plastic keyboard but don’t mind jumping to an 80% layout, the 8BitDo Retro ($99) is a superb alternative.

Keychron V1 8K review: Verdict

Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and most Keychron keyboards being outstanding. The Keychron V1 8K is a lovely little mechanical keyboard, packing responsive switches for typing and 8,000Hz polling for gaming. This is a great-looking board, thanks to its combination of per-key and mix RGB, and customizing said lighting is a walk in the park, as the web-based Keychron Launcher is a delight to use.

But there’s no wireless variant of the V1 8K, and the keyboard has some flex in its body. Are either of those dealbreakers? Not even a little bit. The V1 8K costs less than $80, and for that budget price, you’re getting a powerhouse for productivity and 8KHz polling, which you don’t see on many cheap or mechanical keyboards. For budget keyboard enthusiasts and hardcore typists, there are few decks better than the V1 8K.

The best gaming keyboards can take your performance to the next level by lending you a competitive advantage. Corsair is no stranger to making some fine gaming decks, and the Vanguard Air 99 Wireless comes close to being a formidable beast — but it falls just short. The Air 99 Wireless packs ultra responsive low-profile mechanical switches, 8,000Hz polling and N-key rollover, all of which work very well.

It’s a stunning keyboard to type on too, and it's also got the looks. The keyboard is accompanied by intuitive web-based companion software… but that’s about it. Unfortunately, the Air 99 Wireless seriously falters behind the competition due to subpar battery life, finicky Stream Deck compatibility, a lackluster screen, and a frankly outrageous price tag.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Specs

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A low-profile mechanical keyboard with dedicated Stream Deck keys and 8,000Hz polling
• Who is it for? For competitive gamers and serious typists… with quite a bit of money
• How much does it cost? The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is available for $259 / £239
• What do we like? The stunning design and build, lovely switches for typing and gaming, versatile compatibility, and intuitive web-based software
• What don’t we like? The low-key useless screen, finicky Stream Deck support, poor battery life, and expensive price

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: The ups

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a very good looking and well-built keyboard, and it boasts excellent gaming performance and a wonderful typing experience.

Stunning design and build

There’s no denying that the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a beautiful keyboard. It’s a sight for sore eyes. Fitted with a robust, well-finished aluminum frame and a plastic chassis, the Air 99 Wireless feels like it would stand the test of time. Twisting the body did not reveal any flex, and I didn’t notice the keys dipping too far into the PCB either — something I’ve experienced with all-plastic keyboards before.

Adding to the Air 99 Wireless’ durability are the double-shot PBT keycaps. These are more resistant to wear and tear than their ABS counterparts. The matte finish on the PBTs feels soft to touch, and I didn’t notice any remnants of oil or fingerprints after a full day’s work. The keycaps are lit up by customizable, per-key RGB lighting, adding a lovely gamer-esque flare to the otherwise inconspicuous board.

If you’re after a compact, nearly full-size keyboard, the Air 99 Wireless is a superb choice. Though the keyboard uses a fair bit of aluminum in its construction, the Air 99 Wireless is still fairly lightweight at 1.98lbs. It’s even lighter than its main competition, the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless ($249) which weighs 2.43lbs. I’ve had no trouble carrying it around in my already-full backpack. The Air 99 Wireless measures 16.76 x 5.42 x 0.7 inches so it doesn’t take up too much space on your desk either.

PC and consoles support

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is quite a versatile keyboard, and it can be used either wired with the included USB-C cable, or wireless over Bluetooth and 2.4GHz. The keyboard comes with macOS and Windows keycaps which can be easily swapped, and there’s a toggle switch at the back that lets you change between keyboard layouts.

What’s more, the Air 99 Wireless is compatible with the PlayStation 5 as well as the Xbox Series X and S consoles. You’ll need to use the USB-A to USB-C cable to connect the keyboard to your Xbox, and you can use the 2.4GHz dongle with your PS5. There’s also a small screen on the Air 99 Wireless (more on that shortly) which you can use to put the keyboard into PS5 mode — this essentially ensures full compatibility by remapping the interface.

Personally, I prefer one of the best controllers for console gaming on my PS5, but it’s good to know that this compatibility exists on the Air 99 Wireless for those who like using a keyboard and mouse. It worked well when I tried it briefly with my PS5 Slim, but I’d recommend doing a quick Google search to see which PS5 games are compatible with keyboards.

Excellent gaming performance

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a gaming-first keyboard, and it packs performance in spades. It’s fitted with pre-lubed Corsair OPX low-profile switches which have an actuation point of 1.5mm and a total travel distance of 2.5mm. Because the travel distance is quite short, you don’t need to press the switches all the way down for your commands to be registered, which results in a less fatiguing gaming (and typing) experience.

These switches require just 45g of force to activate too — the same as the Cherry MX Low Profile 2.0 Reds in the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless, and lighter than the 57g Bananas in the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($114). I’ve found the switches to be ultra responsive in my testing, and they won’t give you much to complain about.

The Air 99 Wireless also features N-key rollover (NKRO) with 100% anti-ghosting. NKRO, essentially, enables multiple inputs to be registered at the same time, so you can execute two commands simultaneously. As a simple example, if you press Q, A, S and D together in a document, both Q, A, S and D will appear on the screen at once.

This, combined with the responsive switches, gave me a competitive advantage in games like Counter-Strike 2, where I was able to duck and draw my weapon at the same time. Similarly, in Cyberpunk 2077, I could brake or accelerate while riding my bike and swapping weapons instantaneously. I didn’t have to let go of one or the other to execute another action.

You can also enable FlashTap through the companion software, and it’s an SOCD resolution like Razer’s Snap Tap. It prioritizes the last key pressed so, for instance, you can draw to a complete stop from a sideways strafe by pressing the opposite direction key (A and D or vice versa). It’s useful in single player games, like Cyberpunk 2077, but in Counter-Strike 2 and Valve’s official servers, you’ll get kicked out, so beware.

In addition to this, you also get 8,000Hz polling over wired and wireless connections. 8K polling is fine, but it’s mostly a gimmick that every keyboard manufacturer loves adding to their boards. We’ve seen it with the recently updated Keychron Ultra series, and now in the Air 99 Wireless. For 99% of gamers, 1,000Hz polling is good enough, and most players can’t tell the difference between 1KHz and 8KHz.

Both negate input lag, and both ensure your inputs are registered instantaneously. Using 8KHz is a massive drain on system resources and battery life — and the latter is already a troubled area for the Air 99 Wireless (more on that soon). That said, I didn’t notice any input lag or unresponsiveness over both 8,000Hz and 1,000Hz polling.

Lovely switches for typing, too

Alongside being a gaming powerhouse, the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a fantastic keyboard for productivity too. Its 99% layout means you’re getting a full row of Function keys as well as a number pad. The low-profile design means the keyboard has a shallow depth, so you don’t need to raise your wrists too much to reach the keys. Your hands also sit closer to the surface of the desk, which eliminates the need for a dedicated wrist rest.

Having used this keyboard for gaming as well as a full day’s worth of typing, I can confirm that it is, in fact, very comfortable. The Air 99 Wireless feels and sounds lovely too, featuring a gasket mount which offers a cushioned feel and reduces vibrations from key presses. There are five layers of sound dampening foam too, which lend the keyboard a muted but creamy sound profile.

I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com to see how the Air 99 Wireless fared against other mechanical keyboards I’ve tested recently. As you can see from the table above, I was able to achieve 102WPM with 94% accuracy, and I’m very pleased. It speaks to the Air 99 Wireless’ calibre really well.

Intuitive web-based software

I love it when peripherals, including keyboards and mice, utilize web-based software for customization. It saves me from downloading bloatware and third-party software. The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is accompanied by the web-based Corsair Web Hub, and to personalize your keyboard, all you need to do is plug it into your machine and you’re good to go.

Corsair Web Hub features a clean and user-friendly interface, and there are no intrusive pop-ups or obnoxious ads to ruin the user journey — unlike some proprietary software (looking at you, Asus Armoury Crate). With Corsair Web Hub, you can remap the keys, record macros, enable features like FlashTap, update or flash the keyboard’s firmware, and extensively adjust the RGB lighting. You can also upload GIFs (under 2MB) to display on the screen, which I found very easy to do, and within seconds, Kathryn Hahn from Agatha All Along was on the Air 99 Wireless.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: The downs

Unfortunately, the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless has considerable flaws, such as the low-key useless screen, underwhelming battery life, finicky Stream Deck support… and that price tag.

Screen could be more useful

Small TFT, LCD and even OLED screens have become a commonplace occurrence on keyboards. I’ve seen them on the Epomaker RT100 ($115), the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129) and the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% ($299), to name a few. It’s then not surprising that Corsair has added a 1.9-inch LCD IPS display to the Vanguard Air 99 Wireless too. Screens on keyboards can be quite useful as they enable you to change certain settings on the fly — which is why it pains me to say that the Air 99 Wireless’ is so user-unfriendly.

The screen itself is bright and responsive, but I’d be lying if I said it was easy to use. Instead of using the metallic rotary knob to swap between, say, RGB brightness and volume, you have to use a number of key combinations to access different settings. For example, to adjust the backlighting, you need to hold Fn and Num together and then rotate the dial. Why make it so complicated, Corsair?

To give you some context, adjusting settings is much easier to do on a keyboard like the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL (the one I use when I work from home). All you need to do is push the dial up and down to access different settings. Simple, as it should be. I’ve found the screen only to be useful for seeing how much battery is left, and displaying a GIF, which I spoke about earlier. Other than that, the screen’s fairly pointless, and it’s a massive battery sink.

Poor battery life

This brings me to my next point: the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless’ poor battery life. The keyboard is fitted with a rechargeable Lithium-ion polymer battery, and Corsair says that with the LCD screen set to 20% brightness and the RGB lighting off (over Bluetooth), the keyboard can last up to 55 hours. Crank the RGB brightness up and set the LCD brightness to 20% (over 2.4GHz), and you’re looking at a runtime of 29 hours.

In my testing, I set the RGB and LCD brightness to 100% and they chewed up the battery life, and I was able to get just about 20 hours. I won’t sugarcoat it: this is bad. Given how much you’re paying for the Air 99 Wireless, you’d expect more. The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless can last up to 900 hours in total, while the cheaper Keychron V1 Ultra 8K can last up to 660 hours. I’m not angry; I’m just disappointed.

Finicky Stream Deck compatibility

If you look at the left-hand side of the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless, you’ll find a row of six programmable SD keys powered by the Elgato Stream Deck app. The keyboard packs built-in Stream Deck support, and if you download the software, you can assign specific functions and hotkeys to said row.

In theory, this sounds useful as you can launch whichever app you like with the tap of a button. In practice, I didn’t find it so straightforward. I was able to program the keys at first, but when I plugged the keyboard in and booted up the software, the Stream Deck had forgotten I’d done this before. This was rather disappointing because it could have really streamlined my workflow, but instead, I was left feeling short-changed and frustrated.

Overpriced

Last but not least, the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is expensive, and it’s frankly overpriced, given that you’re getting suboptimal battery life, a not-very-useful screen that eats up said poor battery life, and finicky Stream Deck compatibility. The Air 99 Wireless retails for a whopping $259 / £239 at Amazon.

Yes, it costs either the same or more than more advanced Hall Effect decks today, like the Lemokey P1 HE ($169) or the Keychron Q6 HE 8K ($239). Of course, you might be after a mechanical deck with lovely mech switches, but even so, I don’t think you need to spend more than $200 on a competent one. The Lofree Flow Lite100 ($139) and the NuPhy Node100 ($109) are fantastic, cheap alternatives, and while you’ll be missing out on 8,000Hz polling, 1,000Hz is more than plenty for most games.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Verdict

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a masterpiece of design and performance, unfortunately marred by frustrating functional oversights. Typing and gaming performance are outstanding thanks to the response switches, 8,000Hz polling, and features like FlashTap. Intuitive, bloatware-free web-based software makes customizing the keyboard a walk in the park, too.

But the experience stumbles when you look past the aesthetics. While the integrated screen is bright and fun to display a GIF on, it doesn’t have much utility, and adjusting settings via key combos is frustrating. It also significantly impacts the already-struggling battery life, and the touted Stream Deck integration proved unreliable in my testing.

It’s very difficult to look past these glaring issues when the keyboard costs a whopping $259. If you prioritize raw performance and desk aesthetics above all else, the Air 99 Wireless isn’t a bad choice. But those after a polished, hassle-free daily driver will want to explore other options.

Since I switched to mechanical keyboards, my desk is often occupied by a pile of them. You see, I’ve struggled to stick to a mechanical keyboard for more than a few months.

On one hand, traditional, full-size models are loud and slow me down, and on the other, the quiet alternatives feel too soft and just aren’t as satisfying to type on. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been testing IQUNIX's Magi65 Pro, and it may be here to stay.

IQUNIX is a Chinese keyboard maker that has carved out a niche for itself with a variety of standout, high-quality designs. Its Magi Pro line of keyboards is unlike anything I’ve tried before, and pairs together a unique combination of elements for a sleek balance between typing experience and functionality.

Its flat, low-profile keys are quiet, without compromising much on travel, and a panel on the right houses a dedicated volume roller, X-shaped media controls, a magnetic slot for the 2.4GHz dongle, and, surprisingly, a pulsating accent light bar.

At $139, the IQUNIX Magi65 Pro could become the new, default option, especially for first-time mechanical keyboard buyers.

Design and Build

As soon as you unbox the Magi65 Pro, you’re reminded of the onus IQUNIX has on premium materials. Its accessory kit includes additional keycaps for macOS/Windows and a handful of decorative ones, two of which are metallic. You’ll also find in there an aluminium keycap and switch puller and a braided USB-C-to-A cable.

IQUNIX's Magi65 Pro is a 65% low-profile mechanical keyboard, but you can opt for larger sizes, like 75% and 95%. There’s a cheaper, non-Pro version, as well, that omits the media pad altogether for an even more compact form factor.

The Magi65 Pro’s chassis is made out of an aluminium alloy, which not only looks nice and clean, but also has the structural heft that anchors it to surfaces and enables a sturdy and stable base for you to type.

Though it sits on a slightly elevated tray, the Magi65 has a flat typing angle because of the slim 11mm base height. Plus, with no adjustable feet, the design doesn’t, at first, feel conducive to a smooth typing experience.

However, I got used to it quickly, thanks in part to the smooth Gold Red switches and the equally flat keycaps. Speaking of which, I liked that the keys have an anti-oil coating, which keeps them clean and resistant to wear and grease, even after prolonged use.

That said, while the raised base worked well for my office desk, a pair of adjustable feet would have made the Magi65 far more versatile in varying conditions. Also missing is a separate on/off toggle, and you instead have to rely on a combination of keys, a design choice particularly annoying when you are new to it.

What sets apart the Magi65 Pro’s design from other keyboards is its media panel. I was surprised to find how thoughtfully each component is made to fit its purpose.

The scroll wheel for volume, for example, has a ridged and grippy texture for more precise control, the four-way pad features firm and tactile buttons, and the housing for the wireless receiver has a magnetic cover you can easily lift and place back on.

Though I largely ended up using these as fidget toys, you can get more value out of them by personalizing their actions and assigning them to custom functions.

Typing experience, sound, and software

The Magi65 Pro’s low-profile keys offer the best of two worlds: they have a satisfyingly tactile and bouncy response, and since they are not traditional full-height ones, they are not as loud, and I didn’t have to work too hard to hit my best typing speeds.

In the weeks I’ve been testing it, the Magi65 Pro has been a joy to use and will suit those who are looking for a premium mechanical keyboard, minus the typical compromises, especially in workplaces.

For software, IQUNIX has resorted to the open-source, web-based program called VIA. From here, you can tweak the Magi65 Pro as you wish, from switching up what each key does, how intense the RGB lighting is, and the media pad’s functions.

However, for first-time mechanical keyboard owners, VIA can prove frustrating. It often throws technical errors, in which case you’ll have to track down and upload a JSON file that informs VIA exactly how your specific keyboard is laid out.

Once I had that up and running, though, customizing through VIA was a breeze, and much better than learning the key combinations needed for, for example, RGB personalization.

Connectivity and battery life

The Magi65 Pro supports wired and wireless connections (both 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth 5.1), and you can have all three active at the same time and switch between them. Connectivity worked as intended, with no noticeable drops or wakeup delays.

Battery life, on the other hand, was a hit and a miss. With RGB lighting on, the keyboard’s 3000mAh pack lasts a workday and no more than 6-7 hours. Switching it off, however, pushes its endurance into triple-digits, about 250-300 hours. While it does aggressively go into standby when not in use, I still found myself charging it every other day when the lights were on.

Verdict

I was apprehensive about the IQUNIX Magi65 Pro, largely due to its low typing angle, and though it wasn’t without its quirks, it didn’t take long for it to occupy a permanent spot on my desk.

It perfectly pairs the convenience of a low-profile board with the tactile satisfaction of a traditional mechanical one. Throw in the added perks, like the customizable media pad and an aluminium chassis, and the $139 IQUNIX Magi65 Pro is hard to fault.

Keychron is no stranger to creating some of the best wireless keyboards out there. In 2026, it decided to do something different and launch its first-ever folding keyboard. I’ve been testing the Keychron B11 Pro, and for the most part, it’s a delight. This is an ultra-slim keyboard that you can take on the go, or even slip into your pocket. Its scissor switches and concave keycaps offer a lovely typing experience, and customizing the keyboard is super easy too, thanks to web-based software.

But it’s far from perfect. Though it’s great to type on and its split Alice layout is comfortable for your wrists, there aren’t many other ergonomic benefits. There’s also a steep learning curve if you’re coming from traditional keyboards, and there’s no backlighting.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Keychron B11 Pro.

Keychron B11 Pro review: Specs

Keychron B11 Pro review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An ultra-slim and portable productivity keyboard with scissor switches
• Who is it for? Anyone who travels a lot for work, or those on a budget
• How much does it cost? The Keychron B11 Pro is available for $64
• What do we like? The portable design, solid build quality, great typing experience, web-based software, and affordable price point
• What don’t we like? The non-ergonomic design, steep learning curve, and lack of backlighting

Keychron B11 Pro review: The ups

The Keychron B11 Pro is extremely portable, and it offers a lovely typing experience. Oh, and customization is as easy as pie through web-based software, too.

So, so slim and portable

Keychron is no stranger to creating keyboards that are highly portable. Just look at the Keychron B1 Pro ($39) and the B2 Pro ($44). As part of the B-series, the Keychron B11 Pro is no different, but it has a neat trick up its sleeve: it can be folded to cut the size in half, making it the most portable keyboard I’ve tested so far.

When unfolded, the keyboard measures 15.45 x 5.62 x 0.2 inches, so you’re looking at about eight inches of space needed in your bag to stash the B11 Pro. It’s genius, really. The keyboard weighs next to nothing too, at 9.1oz. I’ve had no trouble carrying it in my backpack, which also included two boxed-up pairs of headphones, my MacBook Air M2, and a few other small products. If you have big enough pockets, you’d probably be able to slip in the B11 Pro too. It’s more foldable and pocketable than its primary competition, the Seenda Foldable ($46).

Keychron has also added a Hall Effect sensor to the B11 Pro, which means the keyboard automatically powers off when folded to preserve battery, and it turns back on and instantly reconnects to your laptop or phone when you unfold it. I love this as it negates the need to manually turn the B11 Pro off and back on again, and it worked effortlessly in my testing.

Great build quality

Just because the Keychron B11 Pro doesn’t weigh a lot doesn’t mean you should underestimate the build quality. 95% of the time when I test a Keychron keyboard, I’m always impressed with the build, and that’s how I feel about the B11 Pro too. The keyboard is made entirely of ABS plastic but it doesn’t feel cheap or too plasticky. Tapping the keyboard with my fingernails didn’t reveal any hollow-sounding parts. It’s much, much better than the Seenda Foldable.

To give the B11 Pro a premium look, Keychron has fitted it with a soft-touch back cover. It’s finished with a matte black PU leather-like material which protects it from scratches, but also adds a touch of class to an otherwise unremarkable design. The construction and the low-key deep space gray design make the B11 Pro inconspicuous, helping it fit into the office and not draw any eyeballs when you’re, say, working on a train.

Good typing experience

If you’re accustomed to typing on a MacBook keyboard or prefer low-profile decks, the Keychron B11 Pro will surely please you. The B11 Pro features scissor switches with a short travel distance. This means the keyboard will register key presses without you having to apply a lot of force. The B11 Pro packs concave keycaps which feature a dip in the centre, so they cradle your fingertips and reduce typos.

Alongside offering a comfortable typing experience for hardcore typists, the B11 Pro offers a quiet sound profile too. The keys don’t sound thocky or clacky as some of the best mechanical keyboards do, making the B11 Pro fit for the office. You won’t be forcing your coworkers to wear their noise canceling headphones all day long.

To see how the B11 Pro fared against other keyboards I’ve tested, I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com, and you can see the results in the table above. I was able to achieve 96WPM with 92.01% accuracy, which is excellent. I will caveat this, though, by saying that this was my score after having used the keyboard for six hours. The B11 Pro poses a steep learning curve, which I’ll talk more about soon.

Web-based software

Similar to other Keychron keyboards, the Keychron B11 Pro is customizable via web-based software. You’ll need to access Keychron Launcher in a browser in order to personalize the keyboard. The software is clean, intuitive and user-friendly, and doesn’t feature intrusive pop-ups unlike bloatware (looking at you, Asus Armoury Crate).

Via Keychron Launcher, you can remap the B11 Pro’s keys, update or flash the firmware, change the polling rate (up to 1,000Hz), and even record macros. There’s no backlight customization as, well, the B11 Pro doesn’t feature any backlighting, and I’ll discuss this soon.

Very affordable

If it’s a cheap but cheerful wireless keyboard you’re after, the Keychron B11 Pro is an excellent choice. Similar to its B-series stablemates, it provides a good typing experience without breaking the bank. The B11 Pro is available for $64 direct through Keychron. While it’s a little pricier than the Seenda Foldable, it’s well worth the extra spend because the B11 Pro is better in nearly every way. It’s also much cheaper than the nimble Logitech MX Keys Mini ($99),

Of course, if you don’t care much about the folding design and still want an ultra-slim keyboard, the Keychron B1 Pro and the B2 Pro are excellent alternatives — and both are about $20 cheaper than the B11 Pro.

Keychron B11 Pro review: The downs

While the Keychron B11 Pro is a great keyboard, it isn’t without its flaws. It isn’t particularly ergonomic, there’s a steep learning curve, and the keyboard doesn’t feature any backlighting.

Not very ergonomic

The Keychron B11 Pro features an Alice layout which is split and slightly tilted for added comfort. This means that you don’t need to bend your wrists too much to type, as your wrists bend pretty much naturally when typing on the B11 Pro. While that’s all well and good, there aren’t many other ergonomic benefits offered by this keyboard. There are no feet to adjust the height, and the arrow keys especially feel too small and placed tightly together, so they’re a little uncomfortable.

I can understand why the B11 Pro doesn’t have any feet, in a way. Keychron clearly wanted to maintain a compact and lightweight form factor, and maybe it didn’t want to put feet into the PU leather cover. But I’d rather have adjustable feet, to be honest. While the Keychron B1 Pro and the B2 Pro don’t have adjustable feet, they have a bump on the top around the back, which props each keyboard up at a bit of an angle. It feels like a missed opportunity and, for me, undoes the ergo benefits of the Alice layout.

Can present a steep learning curve

The Keychron B11 Pro is a lovely keyboard to type on, and this is more of a pre-purchase condition than an outright flaw. Because the keyboard features an Alice layout, not every user will be familiar with it. For the first few hours of using the B11 Pro, I found myself looking down at the keyboard a fair amount. For context, here are my 10fastfingers.com typing test results:

I got off to a rocky start, as you can see in the table above. Straight out of the box, my type speed was abysmal on the B11 Pro, but my accuracy was the highest it’s been throughout the testing process. That’s because I was actually looking at the keys to type — even though I consider myself an excellent touch typist. My speeds improved as I went on, but my accuracy took a hit and then picked back up.

Don’t let this put you off. If you want a great typing experience, it’s worth powering through the initial lull. But of course, if you want to completely avoid that, I’d recommend grabbing a non-foldable but slim keyboard, like the Keychron B1 Pro, the B2 Pro, or the Logitech MX Keys Mini (if you can extend your budget that far).

No backlighting

Last but not least, the Keychron B11 Pro doesn’t feature any backlighting, so the keys aren’t lit up. Now, if you’re a touch typist, that shouldn’t be an issue. But if you look at the keyboard when you type, as I did during the first few hours of the testing period, that’s going to be a problem. This is something I’ve seen with other slim keyboards too, such as the Keychron B1 Pro and the Seenda Foldable.

But the fact that the B11 Pro costs more than both those keyboards and still doesn’t feature backlighting is quite disappointing. The Logitech MX Keys Mini features white LED backlighting, if that’s something that matters a lot to you.

Keychron B11 Pro review: Verdict

If you’re on the hunt for a ridiculously slim keyboard for traveling and typing on the go, the Keychron B11 Pro should be your port of call. The B11 Pro’s scissor switches and concave keycaps are a joy to type on, and the keyboard isn’t very loud either, so you won’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself. I also love the web-based companion software and the fact that the B11 Pro is so affordable.

But if you aren’t down for getting over the initial learning curve presented by the keyboard’s Alice layout, you may want to consider alternatives. And while the Alice layout proves comfortable for your wrists, there aren’t many other ergonomic benefits the B11 Pro offers. Oh, and there’s no backlighting either, which is a shame.

None of these drawbacks matter to you, you say? Then the B11 Pro is perfect for you. But it also faces fierce competition from its stablemates, the B1 Pro and the B2 Pro, so choose wisely.

I admire Lofree for making the Hyzen, the brand’s new dual mechanical/magnetic keyboard. Dual-socket boards are ambitious enough in concept, let alone full scale production. So it’s a brave move from a manufacturer consistently struggling with its firmware, software and reliability.

However… first some context. The Lofree Hyzen isn’t the first gaming keyboard with a dual mechanical/magnetic switch socket. Glorious got there already with the socket on the GMMK 3 HE ($199). Lofree has gone a step further by designing (with Kailh) a dual MX/TMR switch to go in its clever socket.

Thus, claims Lofree, the Hyzen is a huge step forward, bundling into a single package both the typing performance of mechanicals and the gaming performance of magnetic switches. Now, I don’t think it’s as big a step as Lofree thinks it is, but the brand is onto something. And I think the Hyzen could herald some interesting possibilities ahead.

Unfortunately, while this board is in Kickstarter/pre-production, I can’t recommend you pre-order it. Both my Hyzen review samples suffer the usual Lofree problems: janky software and firmware, questionable quality control and a high price (the Hyzen is especially expensive, even for Lofree).

Almost all the other coverage I've seen about this board, especially on YouTube, seems overwhelmingly positive, and that just isn't the experience I've had so far. Find out more in my early Lofree Hyzen review.

April 28th 2026: Many of my issues may be explained by my units being pre-production models, which is why I’ve left this review un-scored for now. I’ve also reached out to Lofree to figure out whether these are known issues and if they’ll be fixed by full production. But when people are being encouraged to invest their money into a Kickstarter campaign, it’s my duty as a tech journalist to tell you all what I actually see in front of me.

Lofree Hyzen review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A hybrid productivity/gaming keyboard with mechanical and magnetic switch compatibility
• Who is it for? People who love the feel of MX switches but want the gaming performance of magnetic
• What does it cost? It's currently in Kickstarter, but will cost $279 when launched
• What's good? The dual compatibility, styling, typing performance and gaming features
• What isn't? The number of QC issues on our units, the janky software, switch issues and high MSRP.

Lofree Hyzen review: Specs

Lofree Hyzen review: The ups

A dual compatible socket plus an innovative switch; gorgeous design and effortless typing — the Hyzen has a lot going for it.

Dual MX/magnetic compatibility

I’ll start off with the obvious: the Hyzen is compatible with both mechanical and magnetic switches. Its socket supports 3- or 5-pin mechanicals, so you can fit your favorite tactile or clicky switches. It also supports magnetic switches, and a decent variety of them, too. The Hyzen is compatible with the stock Kailh Nexus switches; Gateron’s Magnetic, Jade and Jade Pro lines; TTC’s Magneto switches; and more. All you need to do is recalibrate the board once you’ve fitted compatible switches.

This is one of the most important points for me: many magnetic boards, like the Keychron K2 HE ($130), are compatible only with their stock switches. That means anywhere from 1-3 hot swap choices and little variation between those choices save spring weights. The Hyzen isn’t the first to expand on this, but it’s great to finally see wider compatibility coming to the market.

Innovative Kailh Nexus switch

Lofree didn’t just leave it at the socket, though. The stock Kailh Nexus switch (which Lofree co-designed with Kailh for this deck) is also dual MX/Mag in operation. Set it to mechanical mode in the companion software and the switch behaves like a mechanical switch, using contact-based actuation — you can see the mechanical pins sticking out the bottom of the housing!

Set it to magnetic, and the switch actuates based on magnetic positioning. In theory, this gives you the best of both worlds. The feel of mechanical with the features of magnetic. It’s a little pointless, though. It’s only the actuation detection that changes between the modes. The switches feel the same in either mode, so you might as well always leave them in Magnetic mode and choose the actuation distance you want.

They’re very nice to use, though — thanks to the moving stem and contact plate, they feel just like a traditional linear switch. And with a modest 40g actuation force, they’re fairly light and airy. Still, they don’t feel that different to standard linear magnetic switches.

Most importantly, I'm excited to see how this technology can be used in more switches going forward! So kudos to Lofree and Kailh for doing something new.

Plenty of gaming features

In their magnetic mode, the Nexus switches are great for gaming. You'll find plenty of the zeitgeisty magnetic gaming features we’ve come to expect from today's high end gaming boards — although not quite as many as you'll find on boards like the NuPhy Air60 HE ($139) and Field75 HE ($169), or the Lemokey P2 HE ($169) and its gamepad analog mode.

Still, the Hyzen has the big hitters like adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, Last Key Prioritization SOCD (A.K.A ‘Snap Tap’), and more. All of this is controlled through the Lofree Web Hub, which I’ll discuss in more detail below.

I lowered the switch actuation down to around 0.5mm for Counter Strike 2 — quick enough to be extremely responsive without running the risk of accidental inputs. I would normally drop lower, to around 0.3mm, but as I’ll cover later, the Hyzen had significant issues with accidental and repeated inputs at the lowest actuation distances. So I needed a decent (0.3mm) dead zone.

Still, at 0.5mm, the Nexus switches were super snappy and responsive, and a joy to use in FPS titles like CS2 and Isonzo. For less intense games like Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and Cities: Skylines 2, I scaled the actuation back to my preferred typing distance of 2.6mm.

The Hyzen also polls at 8K, for super low latency. In real terms, you won’t notice a difference between a 1K board and an 8K board in terms of latency — 8K is essentially marketing snake oil. But hey, 8K is technically faster than 1K.

A mean productivity machine

The Hyzen is a serious productivity machine, especially for a 65% board. There’s a neat toggle on the left which turns the number row into Fn buttons, giving you access to productivity shortcuts — which I find especially handy when using macOS at work.

As I’ll cover later, I had some major input registry issues in mechanical switch mode, but in magnetic mode at 2.6mm actuation and with a hefty amount of dead zone dialled in, I was on fire in the type test. I managed to type at 105WPM with 93% accuracy. That’s 10WPM above my average speed at nearly 5 percentage points above my average accuracy.

This is all helped by lovely keycaps. They’re Cherry profile — nothing special there — but finished with a beautiful friction-heavy coating that a) feels great, and b) helps reduce slipping and mistypes.

The keys have a very modest rake, but thanks to a 12-degree rearward pitch angle, the keyboard still feels very steep, and each row is noticeably tiered above the one below. I didn’t get on with this at first, as I’m not accustomed to such a stark difference in the upper- and lower-most key heights. But I got used to it, and it clearly didn’t negatively affect my speed or accuracy!

Captivating construction

The Hyzen is utterly gorgeous to behold. Although I expect nothing else from Lofree. The clean, straight lines; the translucent keycaps; the backlight and desklight; the black digital Fn bar. It’s just so slick. Lofree sent me both the gray and white versions, and I’ve had a really hard time choosing which I prefer. Each look fantastic with the RGB backlighting set to a simplistic white, and the desklight set to red.

Like the Lofree Flow 2 ($149) and Lofree Flow ($159), the Hyzen utilizes a minimalist design ethos. Here, it’s a deliberate attempt to draw focus to the quality of materials used. And they are indeed high quality — thick, machined aluminum alloy for the case; doubleshot PBT keycaps; and an FR4 fiberglass plate. It feels like a premium product.

April 28th 2026: My units are both early production samples, and a few changes will be made to the appearance of final production units. These include the removal of the (ugly, wonkily-printed) “Hyzen” logo on the space bar; and the addition of macOS legends to keycaps, resulting in dual-labelled caps.

A more-ish muted clack

The Hyzen has a rather more-ish sound. Thanks to the FR4 plate and PBT caps, there’s a muted, plasticky-but-pleasing clack. It isn’t addictive as the poppy Wobkey Rainy 75 Pro ($139) or the thocky NuPhy Halo75 V2 ($129), but still rather pleasant.

Thanks to that heavy aluminum alloy case and a decent amount of internal damping, the Hyzen’s sound is nice and tight, with little in the way of echoes or ricochets.

Admittedly, my gray sample has an extremely noisy Space bar stabilizer, which generates a metallic ping each time you hit the key. But I’ll cover this more later on.

Lofree Hyzen review: The downs

Unfortunately, my review units demonstrated poor QC, janky software and switch issues. Then there’s the steep MSRP to consider. The Hyzen is too much of a risk right now for me to recommend.

Poor quality control

Unfortunately, my pre-production units suffer from poor quality control. One of my Hyzens likes to rattle — specifically, it has a very noisy, metallic ping from the Space bar stabilizers. It’s a shame because the other unit has a fairly nice sounding Space bar that Lofree has managed to sound-match fairly well with the rest of the keys (within reason, as it’s still a Space bar).

This isn’t surprising given Lofree’s recent form. Both of my Lofree Flow 2 testers, for example, demonstrated a truly vibe-killing metallic ricochet — a common problem that Lofree has acknowledged to me as QC-related.

A week or so into testing, and with the battery fully charged, one of my test samples then decided to randomly die... before turning back on 30 minutes later. Plus, the zips on both of my test unit cases were far too small, meaning they caught on the zip fabric and both broke — we had to cut one of the cases open to get to the keyboard (Lofree has confirmed it will revise the zips for production models).

Slightly janky software

With mechanical boards, you can get away with simple open source firmware/software like QMK/VIA. But with magnetic boards, whose core performance relies so much on software customization, the open source platforms just can’t cut it. That’s when you need a solid web app like Keychron’s/Lemokey’s Launcher or NuPhy.io.

Lofree Hub will be Lofree’s version of those. Right now at least, it works, but it ain’t polished. My early access version was very janky, taking literal minutes to load the background image (like dial up) and buttons, then lagging in use.

Firmware updating was also pretty clunky, requiring me to download a standalone .EXE (so no updating on Mac) rather than simply updating through the web app, as with Keychron and NuPhy boards.

Hopefully, the final production software will be an improvement on this. But Lofree’s previous proprietary software platforms have been equally janky, and usually get canned by the manufacturer after one or two boards (see my Lofree Flow Lite review). So, again with Lofree's recent form in mind, forgive me if I’m not full of optimism here.

Dead zone required and no MX bounce control

I found the Nexus switches in MX mode difficult to use. Despite flawless performance in magnetic mode, almost setting my PBs, I could only just type 90 words per minute in MX mode at only 87% accuracy. I had repeated/double inputs all over the shop, even after recalibration. MX mode is just crying out for some bounce/debounce settings to iron this out, but the app gives no control over that. I’ve just left the thing in magnetic mode and have reached out to Lofree about the input issues.

In magnetic mode, there were a lot of accidental inputs at short actuation distances. This is normal (although I’ve never had as many issues as with the Hyzen/Nexus switches), and as I mentioned above, I just dialled in 0.3mm of dead zone to fix the issue at 0.4mm and 0.5mm actuation.

April 28th 2026: Lofree has confirmed to me that MX switch issues are known about in pre-production units.

Astronomically high price

Finally, there’s the Hyzen’s high price. There will be some deals for Kickstarter supporters, but the MSRP of the tri-mode variant will be $279. That’s crazy steep — even pricier than high-end magnetic boards like the Keychron Q6 8K HE ($239) and Lemokey L5 HE ($220).

Despite its promising features, given the number of issues I've experienced, I don't think this board warrants its price. If you're gonna charge that much for a deck, it better be polished. Again, the product is in Kickstarter, so the final production model may have these issues ironed out, but there's no guarantee of that, so I can only go on what I see in front of me.

Naturally, with Kickstarter there's always the possibility of rug pulls, too. Lofree is an established brand (why use Kickstarter, then?), so I doubt that will happen here, but I'll always advise extreme caution when it comes to crowdfunding projects — that's especially true here given the Hyzen is so clearly unfinished.

Lofree Hyzen review: Verdict

I love seeing keyboard manufacturers take risks and experiment. Which is why I was so excited about the Hyzen. A dual MX/Mag socket and switch combo has the potential to be the future default setup. In fact, I think it definitely will be. So kudos to Lofree for becoming an early adopter (I’ve no doubt the other big productivity brands will be following suit soon).

Unfortunately, I can’t recommend the Hyzen in its current form. It’s beautiful to behold, great to type on, sounds pretty good and offers a range of gaming features. But it’s let down by poor QC, plus janky software and switches. I’m really hoping Lofree can iron out these issues before launch. But then oh my lord there’s still that price.

Lofree: if you’re going to experiment, I’ll back you all the way. But don’t think you can get away with charging double finished-product prices while doing so, for a product that isn’t anywhere near ready for market.

I’ll be honest. I never got the point of overly-complicated keyboard tinkering. I know all the lingo like Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR) analog switches and I know the benefits of this stuff, but I’ve just stuck with my same familiar mechanical keyboard and called it a day. I mean just how much of a difference can all of this tweaking give you?

Well, as I found out with the Logitech G G512 X, the answer to that is a lot more than I wrongly assumed! I’ve been testing it for a week, and I’ve seen a material difference in my FPS kill/death ratio, reaction speeds and more — all while being a damn good keyboard to type on with a deep 4mm key travel and a satisfyingly tactile thock to each key.

What grabbed me most about the board is all the built in tinkering potential. The feet double as keycap and switch pullers, nine magnetic analog switches are stored directly on the board itself, and there are second actuation pressure point (SAPP) rings in a handy slot on the underside to add dual functions to a single analog key (like movement speed in an FPS).

Over the course of the week I’ve spent testing this, it’s turned me into a maniac of a tinkerer — throw in the RGB customizability you get in G-Hub, and you can tailor the aesthetics and play style to exactly match your needs. And with a healthy chunk of the left-hand side of the board being analog compatible, I tinkered with this for RTS games, indies and more to get just the right upgrade for all genres.

There are a couple of frustrations, though. There are other similarly-priced boards (like the Keychron K2 HE) that give you analog switches across the entire board, rather than just on a particular portion like the G512 X — leading to a less consistent feel when mixing and matching switches for productivity. On top of that, that SAPP ring storage compartment on the back has a loose grip and you can often find yourself looking under your desk for where one rolled off to.

But for a keyboard that bridges the gap to analog switches and customization for people like me that just let this whole keyboard revolution pass me by, the G512 X is well-placed to level up the common folk.

Logitech G G512 X: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? It’s a 75 or 98-key gaming keyboard with customization built into its core.
• Who is it for? This is ideal for PC gaming enthusiasts and new-starters alike looking to get into the world of analog switch play.
• How much does it cost? You can pick up the 75-key model for $179/£169, and the 98-key for $199/£199. The palm rest you see is an add-on for $39 for the smaller keyboard and $45 for the bigger one.
• What’s good about it? The customizability built directly into the board makes this impressively versatile, the switch choices made here feel smooth and tactile, and the simplicity of tinkering makes it an addictive pastime.
• Any problems? A portion of the board is analog-compatible (whereas some of the competition has analog across the board), and the SAPP rings can fall out the back easily.

Logitech G G512 X: Specs

Logitech G G512 X: The ups

And so, the keyboard sprang to life and I got typing. Then I started tinkering, and tinkering some more, and more — to the point that I must admit the G512 X has made me a bit of a keyboard enthusiast.

Stand-out design that fits into any gaming setup

When talking to Logitech, the team spoke about inspirations of modern industrial architecture and a soul rooted in retro design. Born and raised in a working class miner’s town, a lot of this went right over my head, but the end result is a strikingly good-looking keyboard in my opinion.

The ridged edges give it some textural dynamism (that feels good for persistent fidgeters like me), all your means to customize the board (more on that later) are sensibly built into it, and the RGB emanates a nice surrounding glow. Throw in the use of up to 37% PCR plastics to build it, and you’re onto a winner.

Then there’s the typing experience itself — height adjustable between 4 and 8 degrees with those removable feet, and those PBT keycaps feel nice on the pads of your fingers with a nice 4mm depth and a tactile landing to make each press feel impactful.

I did manage to hit a solid 82 words per minute with a 95% accuracy on 10fastfingers.com, which is an improvement over my current board for sure! All in all, things are starting strong for productivity and gaming.

Customizability out the wazoo

But this is where things get interesting. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re in one of two camps: you’ve never customized a keyboard before, or you have a box full of spare switches that you have to cart around with you.

The G512 X is kind of like the Goldilocks keyboard in that way — giving you large levels of customization, but doing it in just the right way that noobies can get on board with. You have keycap and switch pullers that double as keyboard feet, nine TMR analog switches are packed into their own enclosure on the top edge, and your SAPP rings are conveniently stashed in a slot on the underside.

Put simply, it puts everything in one place for better organization of your tools, and I rather love that. The 39 analog switchable keys are clearly identified with a striped pattern across the bottom deck, so you’re never lost on where to put them, and the SAPP rings are a cinch to just stick inside the keys for two-step pressure sensitivity. Oh, and there’s a scan button on the back so you can clearly identify which keys have analog switches!

Throw in the G-Hub software giving you a range of preset RGB lighting sequences (shoutout to the 2001: A Space Odyssey reference for one of them), or full custom per-key lighting that you can paint onto your keyboard with a nice UI, and I promise you’ll catch that tinkering bug fast.

It actually improved my gaming performance

Of course, it can type well and look nice, but when it all comes together, I ended up with a board I felt made more competitive in online FPS multiplayer than usual! Normally, I’m absolute trash on Call of Duty — not necessarily thinking about the most effective ways I can use my board to be in sync with my play style.

With those TMR switches and SAPP rings, I was able to map run and sprint to two pressure points of the W key, and those high resolution sensors with a true 8KHz polling rate (as in throughout every part of a key registration) meant my responses were faster and play felt more intuitive for me to focus on navigating while moving.

Add rapid trigger response for quicker strafes, per key actuation tweaking that allowed me to set the A and D keys to be feather light for said strafes, and key priority to prevent conflicting inputs, and I became quite a beast in the levelled lobbies I played in.

Did I go back to being terrible when I went up to a higher skill level lobby? Absolutely. I’m 35 — might as well have one foot in the grave compared to these cracked players. But this keyboard demonstrates that the technology can bring out the ability, and now I need to grind.

Logitech G G512 X: The downs

But while we’re off to a great start, not all is kosher with the G512 X. There’s a couple of frustrations that I had with the board while using it.

The runaway SAPP rings

So on one hand, I applaud Logitech for going about keyboard modding in a fun, interesting way. By the way, those switch holes are compatible with most other switches you may buy aftermarket.

But that SAPP ring holster is not the best at…well…holstering the SAPP rings. Small movements or tilts can cause one or two to fall out, and you may be left crouching down and looking for these translucent rings hiding in the fibers of your carpet.

Provided you’re gentle moving it around, you’ll be fine. But would it kill logitech to add a door to this just like the container for the switches?

Not an entirely analog keyboard

39 of the keys are analog TMR switch compatible on the G512 X, but on other keyboards like the Keychron K2 HE, you’ll find the entire board packs analog. For most play styles, not the worst thing in the world — Logitech has specifically picked the keys you’ll be using mostly with your left hand for navigating.

But that does mean lefties may struggle slightly, as the entire right half cannot be analog-ed.

Logitech G G512 X: Verdict

So I would recommend you think of this as a bridging gap for those who are ready to make the jump to the enthusiast level. If you’re pro-tier, there are other pro boards that are more worthwhile here. But for me specifically — the guy who is new to tinkering, this is a gateway drug to that.

The G512 X looks slick in my setup, has a really nice typing experience, and has genuinely helped me improve in gaming with its analog switches.

Mechanical keyboards can get loud. Really loud. Loud to the point that your coworkers ask you to turn it down. Mechanical keyboards can be really quiet too, to the point that your coworkers start wondering if you're actually working or simply slacking off.

In addition, Mech decks can also look really obnoxious. You know what I'm talking about. Flashy, loud, garish RGB lighting shining through keycaps, enough to light up your entire desk and encroach on your coworker's space too. I'm not a fan of loud keyboards, and personally prefer a minimalist one. Maximalism is not my style, and recently, I tested a keyboard that proved to me that low-profile is the new high-end — and I mean that both in terms of the keyboard's actual profile and conspicuity.

The Iqunix Magi75 is a beautiful keyboard. It looks oh-so-good, and its low-profile design has some great benefits for those who have sedentary jobs, where they sit at a desk for eight or more hours a day (like me!). Its Kailh Gold Red switches are simply drool-worthy, for typing on and listening to. Did I mention this is a stunning board? I'll say it a few more times in any case. Here's why I love the Magi 75.

Mmmm, Kailh switches

I've tested a lot of the best keyboards in my time as a reviews writer (over 80, last I counted), and I've always been a bit partial to mech decks. I love the tactile bump of a mechanical switch — something Hall Effect ones simply can't match, in my opinion. The Iqunix Magi75 features some of the best and smoothest switches I've ever used, and they're the Kailh Gold Red linears.

The Kailh Gold Reds require just 40g of force to activate, and they have a pre-travel distance of 1.2mm (2.8mm before bottoming out) so you don’t even need to press them all the way down to activate them. This makes your fingers feel like they're bouncing on clouds. The typing feel is nothing short of beautiful — and fast.

Alongside that, the Gold Reds work with the Magi75's le-tray mount design and several layers of sound dampening foam to deliver a creamy sound profile. It's not too thocky or clicky that it fills your coworkers with rage, and it isn't too quiet that you risk coming across as someone who isn't working at all. Now, I absolutely love this. I had two colleagues point out that they really loved the sound, and both of them complimented the keyboard's design too, which brings me to my next point...

Maximalism is out, minimalism is in

I love the Iqunix Magi75's low-key design. You can get the keyboard in either black or white, with either pinkish-red or gold accents gracing the keycaps. Customizable per-key RGB lighting is at play too, but it isn't too loud or bright even at its highest brightness. Another thing I love about the Magi75 is its aluminum case, which lends the keyboard a premium, top-notch build and look.

In my opinion, and as I alluded to in the headline, the most impressive mechanical keyboard in the room is the one you barely notice. The Magi75 is just that. While maintaining a sleek and inconspicuous design, it enables you to type quickly and get the job done.

That's also thanks to its low-profile design which has health and ergonomic benefits. Since the keyboard sits flush against your desk's surface, your hands fall naturally on it, and you don't need an additional wrist rest to feel comfortable, as you do with standard-profile keyboards. This ergonomic design means you can type all day long without your fingers feeling fatigued. Low-profile decks can help reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries (RSI), especially if you have a sedentary job.

In addition to this, low-profile keyboards use low-profile switches and keycaps. LP switches don't require as much force to activate, and they have shorter travel distances compared to their standard-profile counterparts. This means that you can type quickly and, again, your fingers don't feel tired. I honestly don't know how anyone could continue using a standard-profile keyboard for all-day long work. The benefits of low-profile decks easily outweigh any shortcomings they may have (and the Magi75 does).

So, so close to greatness

As you can probably tell by now, I really love the Iqunix Magi75, which is why I wish it didn't have the flaws it does. The Magi75, although great for productivity, has noticeable drawbacks. While the Kailh Gold Red linear switches are phenomenal, Iqunix doesn't give you any other switches to choose from — instead, you must buy the Kailh 1353 series separately.

There's also no physical toggles to turn on the keyboard or swap between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections, which means you must rely on key combinations. That's fine, and I'm aware it's difficult to fit physical toggles on aluminum cases, but I found the key combinations to be a little finicky in my testing, with my combos not registering.

Last but not least, the Magi75's height can't be adjusted, which can be frustrating for users who want to prop the keyboard up at an angle. But are all of these dealbreakers? Not necessarily. As I noted in my full Iqunix Magi75 review, if it's a well-rounded, fast typing feel and lovely sound you're after, this keyboard more than suffices, and the low-profile, minimalist design is just too good. Outstanding. Beautiful. Fantastic. Take your pick!

More from Tom's Guide

• The best mechanical keyboards in 2026: We reviewed 100+ models to find the best 'thock'
• I thought I’d fall in love with the Iqunix Magi75 — but this low-profile mechanical keyboard didn’t pass the vibe check
• I’m sick of pretending Hall Effect keyboards are the be-all end-all — here’s why I’d still pick a mechanical deck in 2026

I’ve tested a lot of keyboards as a reviews writer. Last I counted, I’d reviewed over 80 keyboards — magnetic and mechanical. The most recent deck I’ve tested is the IQUNIX Magi75, a mechanical keyboard with beautiful Kailh Gold Red switches which are a delight to type on. The keyboard sounds lovely with a creamy profile, and it looks great, sporting a minimalist design and an aluminum build. Customization is super easy thanks to web-based software, and the Magi75 is suited to casual gaming too.

But the Magi75 isn’t perfect, and given how much fun the typing experience is, I was disappointed by its flaws. Very limited stock switch choice and the non-adjustable height are considerable drawbacks, as are the confusing key combos for changing settings and the premium price.

To find out if it’s one of the best mechanical keyboards for you, read my full IQUNIX Magi75 review.

IQUNIX Magi75 review: Specs

IQUNIX Magi75 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A low-profile mechanical keyboard with a 75% layout
• Who is it for? Hardcore typists who want a thoroughly responsive (and musically sound) typing experience
• How much does it cost? The IQUNIX Magi75 is available for $169 / £195
• What do we like? The high quality build, lovely design, comfortable low-profile design, typing experience, and user-friendly companion software
• What don’t we like? The confusing key combos for settings, non-adjustable height, limited stock switch choice, and premium price

IQUNIX Magi75 review: The ups

From its exceptional build quality and lovely typing feel and sound, to its user-friendly web-based software, the IQUNIX Magi75 is a winner.

Built like a (gorgeous) tank

The IQUNIX Magi75 is one of the best built keyboards I’ve had the pleasure of using or testing. Utilizing a combination of plastic and CNC machined aluminum, this thing is built like a tank. The aluminum case feels premium and high-quality, and is scratch-resistant, so you can rest assured that it won’t get too damaged over time.

Because it features an aluminum case and is a low-profile keyboard, the Magi75’s closest competitors are the Lofree Flow 2 ($149), the NuPhy Air75 V3 ($139) and the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129). The first two feature all-aluminum bottom cases while the Hexgears uses a combination of aluminum and plastic.

Also aiding the Magi75’s structural integrity is the le-tray mount design, which has been developed by IQUNIX and features four PCB support arms and silicone rings, as well as several layers of sound-dampening foam. The le-tray mount design, according to IQUNIX, “provides more bottom-out space within the compact low-profile keyboard layout.” In turn, it delivers a soft typing feel and a creamy sound profile. All of this also contributes to a comfortable and non-fatiguing typing experience, which I’ll discuss in detail shortly.

Thanks to the aluminum case, the Magi75 doesn’t have any flex in its body, and the keys don’t dip far into the PCB — something I’ve experienced with all-plastic decks. You also get double-shot PBT keycaps with anti-oil coating, and these are more wear- and tear-resistant than their ABS counterparts.

The Magi75 is a very good-looking keyboard too. You can get in black or white, with either pinkish-red or gold accents gracing the keycaps. It looks minimalist and low-key, and features customizable RGB lighting that doesn’t look too garish or loud. 10/10 from me in the design and build department, no notes.

Highly portable

Just because the IQUNIX Magi75 features an aluminum case doesn’t mean you should assume it isn’t portable. The Magi75 is a low-profile 75% keyboard which is highly compact as it omits media keys and the number pad. It measures 12.46 x 4.96 x 0.44 inches so it doesn’t take up too much space on your desk or in your bag, and it’s more compact than both the NuPhy Air75 V3 and the Lofree Flow 2.

The Magi75 weighs 2.08lbs, and I didn’t feel like it was weighing me down when I was traveling with it in my backpack to and from work. It’s slightly heavier than the NuPhy Air75 V3 (1.65lbs) and the Lofree Flow 2 (1.64lbs), though, but the difference is hardly noticeable.

If you want to travel with the Magi75, the keyboard comes with… a carrying case included in the box. The case itself is bulky and can take up a bit of space in your bag, and personally, I don’t know who’s packing their keyboard in a separate case. But you might find some use for it! And it gives you a pocket to stash the printed manual in and trust me, you’ll need it — more on that soon.

Beautiful to type on

As someone whose bread and butter relies on writing nearly 10,000 words a week, having a comfortable keyboard I can type on all day long is high on my list of priorities. The IQUNIX Magi75 is just that. As is the nature of low-profile keyboards, the Magi75 uses low-profile switches with lower actuation points, so they’re easier and quicker to activate compared to standard-profile ones.

At the time of writing, the Magi75 comes fitted with one set of stock switches only: the Kailh Gold Red mechanicals. No word of a lie, I absolutely adore these switches. Typing on them feels like my fingers are bouncing off clouds. They require just 40g of force to activate, and they have a pre-travel distance of 1.2mm (2.8mm before bottoming out) so you don’t even need to press them all the way down to activate them. These switches are lighter and less fatiguing than the Kailh White Rains in the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL (50g) and the Gateron LP 2.0 Reds in the Epomaker Luma84 (50g).

The Magi75’s shallow depth also means that I don’t need to raise my wrists too much to reach the keys, and my hands sit closer to the surface of my desk, which essentially eliminates the need for a dedicated wrist rest. This makes the keyboard ergonomically-friendly, and having typed on it for five days’ worth of work, I can confirm that it’s extremely comfortable. My hands and fingers never once felt fatigued.

To test how the Magi75 fared against other mechanical keyboards I’ve tested recently, I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com. Right off the bat, I achieved 99 words per minute with 91% accuracy. As you can see in the table above, my speed was faster than usual, and though my accuracy took a slight dip, 91% is still not too shabby.

Oh, also, the Magi75 sounds great. The Kailh Gold Reds don’t sound too thocky, like the Wisterias in the Epomaker P65 ($119), and they aren’t too quiet either, like the Kailh White Rains in the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL. The keyboard sounds soft and creamy, and it feels like music to my ears. You won’t be disturbing your coworkers as you type away.

Decent gaming performance, too

Similar to the Lofree Flow84 and the Epomaker Luma84, the IQUNIX Magi75 is a productivity-first keyboard, and it isn’t intended for serious gaming. However, if you want to play a couple rounds of Counter-Strike 2 or drive a lap around Silverstone in F1 25 after work, the Magi75 should suffice.

Over wired and 2.4GHz (using the included dongle), the keyboard has a 1,000Hz polling rate which drops to 125Hz over Bluetooth. For casual gamers, this should be more than plenty. I didn’t notice any latency issues or missed inputs. I found the switches to be super responsive too, and of course, the keyboard’s low-profile design felt mighty comfortable for all-day play. It’s worth checking out a low-profile Hall Effect keyboard, like the NuPhy Air60 HE ($139), if you’re a serious or competitive player.

Web-based companion software

I love it when keyboards and other peripherals don’t ask me to download proprietary third-party software or bloatware onto my laptop. To customize the IQUNIX Magi75, all you need to do is connect the keyboard to your machine and open the VIA web app in your browser. Download the board’s JSON file, upload it to VIA, and you’re good to go.

Customization via VIA (heh) is extremely straightforward, as the app gives you quick access to remapping keys, programming macros, adjusting the RGB effects and brightness, and updating/flashing the Magi75’s firmware. VIA sports a clean and user-friendly interface thanks to the omission of unnecessary pop-ups and ads. As a productivity-focused keyboard, you don’t really need more options in terms of customization.

IQUNIX Magi75 review: The downs

Although there are many things the keyboard does well, the IQUNIX Magi75 sadly has some considerable drawbacks, such as confusing key combos, non-adjustable height, and very limited stock switch choice.

Confusing key combos for every setting

One of my biggest gripes with the IQUNIX Magi75 is its lack of physical toggles to change settings. You need to rely on key combinations to change, well, any setting you want to. IQUNIX happily includes a physical manual in the box, and you can access a digital copy through the official website.

But the key combos are quite annoying. Powering up the keyboard for the first time is fine because all you need to do is plug it in, but connecting it wirelessly is a pain — at least I found it to be. In my testing, when I followed the instructions to pair the Magi75 with my MacBook Air M2 over Bluetooth, it took a good three or four tries to get it to work. With the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora, it was a similar story.

This could have easily been solved by placing a couple of physical toggles on the keyboard’s body but it’s difficult to do so on aluminum low-profile keyboards, and it’s something I haven’t seen on rivals either. My issue is that the combinations are finicky and didn’t always register at first when I was testing the keyboard, and I hope IQUNIX fixes this problem in the future.

Height can’t be adjusted

Another drawback of the IQUNIX Magi75 isn’t exclusive to it — it’s a drawback of most aluminum keyboards. The Magi75 doesn’t have feet on its underside, which means its height can’t be adjusted. While it isn’t impossible to fit adjustable legs to an aluminum case as compared to a plastic one, it makes machining and manufacturing much trickier. We’ve seen this with the Epomaker Luma84 and the Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K ($229), to give a couple examples. But a keyboard like the Lofree Flow 2 has managed it, so it would have been nice to see IQUNIX implement something similar.

If you want a great low-profile keyboard whose height can be adjusted, I’d recommend the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL, a mech deck that I’ve been using for over a year when I work from home. The NuPhy Air75 V3 and the NuPhy Node75 ($99) are superb alternatives too, but you’d be sacrificing the Magi75’s aluminum build for the latter.

(Very) limited stock switch choice

As I alluded to earlier, the IQUNIX Magi75 comes with only one set of stock switches, and that’s the Gold Reds. The Gold Reds are outstanding, especially for those who want tactile feedback without obnoxious clickiness, but you can’t get any other switches, which is disappointing. Now, the Magi75 is hot-swappable, but Iquinix doesn’t specify compatibility, and it doesn’t sell any low-profile switches through its website. Weird.

I pulled a switch out using the included switch puller to inspect it, and they’re south-facing switches with a 3-pin setup. I then reached out to an IQUNIX representative who confirmed that the Magi75 is, at the time of writing, compatible with the Kailh 1353 series, and that “any variant based on this model will work.” You need to buy these separately as you can’t get them as stock switches when ordering the keyboard, which is a shame (and an added expense).

An expensive entry in a crowded market

Technology and keyboards have come leaps and bounds and today, you don’t need to spend hundreds and hundreds to get a fantastic low-profile keyboard. Though the IQUNIX Magi75 is excellent in its own right, I’m not entirely sure the asking price is justified. The Magi75 retails for $169 / £195 at Amazon — and that’s for the standard 75% variant. Its top line configuration, the Magi96 Pro, costs a whopping $209. That’s a lot of money.

If the Magi75 didn’t face such fierce competition, maybe that would be justified — none the wiser, right? But alternatives, like the Lofree Flow Lite84 ($109), the Epomaker Luma84 ($109) and the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129), cost less and offer pretty much the same (or similar) specs and features. Oh, and the Immersion A3 TKL features a TFT screen for on-the-fly customization.

Unless you’re sold on the Magi75’s design — which is stunning, in my opinion — there isn’t much else unique about the keyboard that you won’t find anywhere else for similar or less money.

IQUNIX Magi75 review: Verdict

If it’s a wonderful typing experience you’re after, the IQUNIX Magi75 is an excellent choice. Its Gold Red switches are easy to activate, and the low-profile design offers a comfortable typing experience for all-day long work. The keyboard is designed beautifully, and its aluminum build makes it quite durable. Web-based software doesn’t give you much to complain about either.

But is the Magi75 worth the premium? I’m not entirely convinced, as its limited stock switch choice, non-adjustable height and confusing key combos leave a lot to be desired. The keyboard also faces fierce competition from the likes of Lofree and Epomaker who offer low-profile decks with the same features for either the same or less.

Don’t mind those drawbacks? Then the Magi75 could be a great addition to your productivity-focused setup.

If you had told me years ago that I’d still be using the same Logitech keyboard a decade later, I wouldn’t have believed you. Despite being a mechanical keyboard enthusiast that types for a living, I just keep coming back to the Logitech K400 Plus. At its recent Framework [Next Gen] event in San Francisco though, the company known for its modular and repairable laptops might have finally given me a reason to retire that keyboard for good.

So what’s so special about Logitech’s K400 Plus keyboard? Well, it and the original K400 were the first widely available wireless keyboards to have a built-in trackpad. With the included 2.4 Ghz USB dongle and a pair of AA batteries, you could set up one of the best mini PCs or even your big old gaming desktop in the living room and comfortably use your computer from the couch.

I bought the K400 initially and then upgraded to the K400 Plus while living in Korea. Then when I finally moved back to the U.S., I packed the latter in my suitcase both out of necessity and as a keepsake since, underneath its Latin characters, it also has Hangeul ones. Eight years later and I’m still using it on my couch or when setting up new computers to this day.

Alongside the new Framework Laptop 13 Pro as sort of a “one more thing” moment at the end of its presentation, Framework also unveiled its first ever standalone keyboard. While I haven’t personally tried the new Framework Wireless Touchpad Keyboard yet, my colleague Scott Younker did and it already looks like a promising alternative to the K400 Plus.

From classic to Pro

Right off the bat, there’s an elegance to the Framework Wireless Touchpad Keyboard that you just don’t get with Logitech’s K400 Plus. That makes sense; one is a premium device with a rumored $99 price point, while the other is a budget peripheral that has been sitting on store shelves since 2015. Logitech hasn’t released an updated model in the eleven years since its debut, so naturally someone had to step up. Personally, I’m glad it was Framework.

On the right side of the company’s new wireless keyboard, you get a 3.37 x 2.71-inch trackpad. While it lacks the dedicated physical left and right click buttons found on the bottom of the K400 Plus, the entire surface is a clickable Windows Precision Touchpad. It feels significantly more modern and, more importantly, it gives you roughly 65% more room for multi-finger gestures.

Another neat modern feature is support for up to four devices and a dedicated Link button to easily switch between them. Out of the box, this keyboard supports both Windows and Linux, and because it is powered by open-source ZMK firmware — just like the Keychron Q1 Ultra 8K I recently tested — you could theoretically use it with a Mac and remap its keys accordingly.

Then when you flip the keyboard over, you’ll find a USB-C port and a power switch. Besides using this keyboard wired over USB-C, it can also connect wirelessly over Bluetooth or with the included 2.4 GHz USB dongle that’s stored on the back of the device. One other thing worth noting is that by combining the highly power-efficient Nordic nRF54 radio with ZMK firmware, you can pair this keyboard with four devices over Bluetooth or even by using four separate USB dongles if you prefer to avoid Bluetooth altogether.

The Framework Wireless Touchpad Keyboard already has a lot going for it, but there’s one big catch that makes typing on it feel a bit different than doing so on one of the best mechanical keyboards.

Not quite mechanical (but repairable)

The Framework Wireless Touchpad Keyboard is certainly a massive upgrade over the Logitech K400 Plus. However, there’s just one thing stopping it from being my endgame couch keyboard: actual mechanical switches. Just like with Framework’s laptops and even the best MacBooks, the company’s Wireless Touchpad Keyboard uses scissor switches with 1.5mm of travel.

Coming from the soft and mushy feel of the K400 Plus, this is a massive improvement. If you’re used to a standard or even a low-profile mechanical keyboard at your desk, this may feel like a step back, but Framework’s scissor switches are known for being crisp and consistent. They provide a clear tactile sensation that mimics the responsiveness of a mechanical board far better than a budget membrane one ever could.

I won’t know for sure how I feel about the typing experience until I get one in for testing, but Framework’s scissor switches have a proven track record and loads of people love them.

Around back is where the repairability Framework is known for really shines. Under the translucent black plastic case, there’s a rechargeable 1,000 mAh battery. Since it isn't glued down, when this battery eventually dies, you can remove a few screws and simply replace it yourself.

The same is true for the modular Control Board powering the device. If the USB-C port wears out or the Nordic nRF54 wireless chip fails, you don't have to get a whole new keyboard. Instead, you just swap in a new Control Board and you’re good to go. While the K400 Plus is essentially designed to be disposable, the Framework Wireless Touchpad Keyboard is built to be brought back to life again and again.

My new couch companion

Despite the fact that it still sells very well, the K400 Plus has long been in need of an upgrade. In fact, back at CES in January, I pitched an updated mechanical version as part of its MX Master Series to Logitech when checking out the MX Master 4 for the first time. Who knows, maybe they took my advice and I could be hearing from them soon.

In the meantime, the Framework Wireless Touchpad Keyboard is the exact kind of upgrade long-time users of the K400 Plus like myself have been waiting for. It has a more premium build overall with a larger trackpad and, most importantly, a rechargeable battery with a USB-C port. After using the Framework Desktop to play PC games out in my living room last year, this new Wireless Touchpad Keyboard would have been the perfect accessory for navigating Steam and making quick tweaks to AMD’s FSR upscaling tech.

Given that Framework has also open-sourced this keyboard’s design, we could see a ton of cool mods for it eventually. However, a mechanical switch mod likely isn't in the cards, as the Wireless Touchpad Keyboard actually uses the keyboard and touchpad structure from the Framework Laptop 12. This means you won’t be able to swap in modular mechanical switches like you can on the Framework Laptop 16.

Who knows, we might see a Pro model of Framework’s new wireless keyboard down the line if it ends up being anywhere near as popular as the K400 Plus. Personally, I can’t wait to put my old Korean K400 Plus up on display where it belongs and take the Framework Wireless Touchpad Keyboard out for a spin on my couch.

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My dream setup is a simple one: the productivity of a desk with the minimal hand movement of a laptop. I do love a keyboard and mouse, but having to move yourself away from the board can break my flow, whereas the minimal movements of a laptop with touchpad keeps me locked in longer.

Humans have tried this once before with Lenovo’s Touchpoint… While I was definitely a fan of it, I can empathize with the fact that it was definitely a lot slower than a touchpad or moving your hand over the mouse.

But the Clevetura CLVX S fixes this by building a touchpad directly into the keyboard keys. And while there are a couple of drawbacks, it’s been at the heart of a drastic usability upgrade across my many work/play scenarios. Let me tell you about it.

No mouse required

At first, the CLVX S felt a little weird. My subconscious kept reaching for a mouse to my right, but then I started to swipe across the keys. Touch response is rapid and responsive, and there’s even multi-touch on here — all inputs of which are visually highlighted by sweeping RGB that follows your fingers around.

Whether it’s to pinch and zoom into a picture, swipe up and down a website or three finger swipes between desktops, I have both a full touchpad and keyboard in one spot without needing to move my hands whatsoever.

Even better, Clever has added some swipe bars up at the top to give those function keys multiple purposes. You may notice media keys in the top right without any volume up and down, and that’s because swiping left and right does that job for you!

All of this is packed into a nice, thin, premium feeling aluminum shell with a utilitarian-but-playful aesthetic and full RGB color.

Feeling flat

Of course, to pull this off, you need the keys to form a flat surface, which does mean flat keys with miniscule gaps between them. For me, someone who struggles with touch typing (yes, I welcome all roasts of the Managing Editor of Computing not being able to touch type), this isn’t a problem. I’m regularly looking down at the keys and with the RGB, I can clearly and easily see where my fingers should be.

But it does mess a bit with the tactility you may be used to coming from a mechanical board. I do miss that satisfying thok of the best mechanical keyboards when moving over to this, and the lack of key spacing will take a little bit of getting used to.

A fantastic all-in-one solution

My computing setups are varied around one machine. Whether it’s at my desk and getting stuff done or patching through to my TV and chilling on the couch at home, or when I’m out and about working from different hotel rooms and convention centers, the idea of carrying my mechanical keyboard and mouse to and from is a pain in the butt.

The Clevetura S solves all of these problems while looking stylish doing so — popping the touchpad directly on the keyboard keys reduces desk clutter, brings a new paradigm of productivity without lifting a finger, and with its strong battery life (I went through two weeks on one charge), it’s a stellar option.

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The Lemokey P2 HE is a compact 65% magnetic gaming keyboard from Keychron’s gaming sub-brand. It’s one of the dinkiest keyboards Lemokey sells, and is perfect for gamers who are short on desk space, or who like to move their keyboard around a lot (that’s me).

There’s a lot to love about this little deck, from its wide array of gaming features and responsive magnetic features, through to its effortless type feel and supreme build quality. This is a performance-oriented gaming keyboard that will also stand you in good stead for a whole day of working and typing.

There aren’t too many negatives to live with either, although the board is very tall and has no adjustable feet, which can make it a little awkward to use when gaming. It’s heavy and kinda pricey, too, although both of those are symptomatic of the exquisite build quality, so I’m not complaining too much.

Is this the best gaming keyboard for you? Find out in my full Lemokey P2 HE review.

Lemokey P2 HE review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 65% magnetic gaming keyboard
• Who is it for? Gamers who type a lot and want to customize their deck
• What does it cost? $169 at Lemokey
• What's good? The gaming performance, type feel, customization options and compact design
• What's not? It's tall, heavy and on the pricey side

Lemokey P2 HE review: Specs

Lemokey P2 HE review: The ups

The Lemokey P2 HE is a lovely deck for gaming and typing alike, packing plenty of magnetic gaming performance and superb switches. It’s beautifully built and very customizable, too.

Solid gaming performance

The Lemokey P2 HE packs Gateron’s Double-Rail magnetic switches — the same ones we’ve seen in many other Keychron/Lemokey boards, like the Keychron K2 HE ($130) and Keychron Q16 HE 8K Ceramic ($229). They’re utterly formidable gaming switches, and can rival the fantastic Lekker switches found in the Wooting 60HE ($174).

At your disposal are pretty much all of today’s must-have gaming features. There’s adjustable actuation down to 0.2mm for ultra-snappy and responsive inputs. I don’t go as far as 0.2mm as it results in accidental inputs when knocking keys. But I adjusted the switches to 0.6mm for gameplay on Counter-Strike 2 and Isonzo, and found the switches a joy to use.

There are also multiple selectable and customizable simultaneous cardinal opposing direction (SOCD) resolutions. Namely, there’s Last Key Priority, or ‘Snap Tap,’ which prioritizes the last key pressed when two keys actuate simultaneously. This facilitates super easy counter strafing in games with internal movement accuracy penalties, like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant. It’ll get you kicked from CS2 immediately.

There’s DKS, or Dynamic Key Stroke, which allows you to assign up to four inputs per keystroke (two up, two down); Rapid Trigger for repeat inputs without needing the switch to recycle; and a long-press switch, where a single input acts as a continuous input — ideal for automating walking, for example.

You’re short a few features versus, say, the NuPhy Air60 HE ($139) and NuPhy Field75 HE ($169) — namely Mod Tap, which allows you to assign different inputs based on whether a key is tapped or pressed. Other than that, though, the P2 HE really has every gaming feature there is to care about right now.

All of these features are accessed and customized via the Lemokey Launcher web app, which is fantastic. It’s web based, so you can access it from any computer, and so there’s no need to install any bloatware. Launcher gives you access to everything you’d want to customize about the board’s firmware. It’s a far cry from the janky software of the Epomaker HE75 Mag ($99), or the horrible bloatware, Armoury Crate, which you have to install to tweak Asus boards like the TUF Gaming K3 Gen II ($99).

The P2 HE polls at 1,000Hz over wireless and wired connections. This may not sound that impressive given every gaming keyboard manufacturer worth its salt is shouting proudly about 8K polling these days, but trust me, 1,000Hz is plenty fast enough for a keyboard, and I experienced no lag or missed inputs when gaming.

Beautiful to type on

As with all Lemokey and Keychron boards, even though the P2 HE is packing serious gaming heat, the typing experience isn’t sacrificed. Now, this isn’t the most comfortable board out there. The PCB is gasket-mounted which is kinda rare for Hall Effect gaming boards, but the mounting is fairly firm — I’d even go so far as to say the board feels more like a plate or top mounted deck. That’s fine, though, because this is a gaming deck, and you don’t want that PCB/plate assembly jiggling around while you’re at 0.2mm actuation.

Otherwise, it’s a truly lovely board for typing. The results below were my first type test on the P2 HE. Straight out of the gate, I scored 100WPM with above average accuracy. I’m writing this review on the P2 HE, and after some hours of use, I’m even faster.

Like its Keychron stablemate, the Q16 HE 8K, the P2 HE uses Cherry profile keycaps, which is ideal in a gaming-skewed deck. They’re medium low-profile, allowing you to skim across the board quickly and easily, and there isn’t too much sculpting to the keys to get in the way. On a productivity board, I prefer a more typing-focused profile, like the Keychron H2 HE’s OSA or the NuPhy Halo75 V2’s ($129) mSA profiles. But for an all-rounder with a gaming focus, Cherry is perfect.

I utterly adore the feel of the Gateron Nebula switches, too. These are the medium-weight options of Gateron’s Double-Rail line, the others being the lightweight Dawn switches or the heavyweight Aurora switches. I’ve used them all, and Nebula are my favorite. With 40g actuation and 60g bottom out force, they have a medium weight to them — not so heavy to become fatiguing, but just enough to give a springy, elasticated feel that I find a little addictive.

Compact 65% layout

When it comes to gaming keyboards, I’m a sucker for a 65% layout. Strip any more keys, like the 60% NuPhy Air60 HE, and productivity is seriously affected due to losing the arrow keys. The 65% layout gives you just enough to be suitable for daily use, while being perfect for smaller desks or people who like to move their keyboard to odd placements.

If you’re one of the former, the 65% layout gives you plenty of space for your mouse movements and minimizes the impact of the keyboard on your already dwindling space. If you’re one of the latter, like me, who isn’t short of desk space, but likes to put their keyboard way out on the left when gaming, 65% is also ideal.

The 65% layout is also a solid choice if you need to take the board in your bag, to work or a LAN party. However, as I’ll cover in the ‘downs’ section below, the chunkiness and weight of the P2 HE kinda rules it out for that.

Plenty of customization potential

The Lemokey P2 HE is a great shout if you like tinkering with your keyboards. Firstly, there’s all the software tweaks you can make in the Lemokey Launcher web software I covered above. There, you can reassign keys, create and assign macros, flash firmware, customize gaming features, and play around with RGB.

I’m a big fan of Lemokey/Keychron’s per-key and mix-RGB modes, which are fairly new additions to the Launcher software. These make it easy to assign blocks of RGB lighting and change the color of individual keys. This is something I love about the Wooting80 HE ($199) and its wootility.io software, so I’m glad to see Lemokey implementing it too.

Unusually for a Lemokey/Keychron board, the P2 HE has a ball-catch quick-release top case, giving you instant access to the internals to make modifications under the hood. We see this on super mod-friendly decks like the Wobkey Crush 80 ($190) and MCHOSE GX87 Pro ($109), and it’s great to see Lemokey following suit. If you want an even more moddable 65% though, check out the Wobkey Zen 65 ($165), which is equally easy to customize and even comes with all the materials needed to swap out the plate.

Superb build quality

As is customary with Lemokey boards, like the Lemokey L5 HE ($220), the P2 HE is built like a tank. The removable top case is made from thick aluminum, with a smooth finish. The bottom case is utterly gorgeous — again smooth-touch aluminum, with sturdy rubberized feet and a beautiful patterned plastic inlay. Keycaps are doubleshot PBT, which are more resistant to grease and to going shiny over time versus ABS caps. It’s just a fantastically well-crafted deck, which is clearly built to last.

Lemokey P2 HE review: The downs

Despite all its virtues, the Lemokey P2 HE isn’t perfect. It’s very heavy for a 65%, and has no height adjustment, which exacerbates issues with its tall design. And while not outrageously priced, you can get cheaper magnetic decks for less.

Very heavy

For a 65% keyboard, the Lemokey P2 HE is very heavy at 3.15lbs. While you could theoretically take it out and about — if commuting to work or heading to a friend’s house to game, for instance — you wouldn’t really want to. The P2 HE is best suited to sitting stationary on your desk.

If you’d prefer a more portable gaming keyboard, check out the slightly lighter Keychron Q16 HE 8K Ceramic (2.2lbs), the NuPhy Air60 HE (1.18lbs), Wooting 60HE (1.3lbs) or the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini (1.34lbs, $239).

Tall case with no height adjustment

The Lemokey P2 HE has no adjustable feet to let you vary the height and angle of the board. Now, this is normal for keyboards with aluminum cases. In fact, the only aluminum board I’ve ever tested with adjustable feet is the Lofree Flow 2 ($149). The machining needs to be very complex to put feet on an aluminum case, which is why it’s so uncommon to do so.

I’m used to this, and it wouldn’t be a huge problem… if the P2 HE weren’t so tall. The case is very high, with fat squared off edges, making it quite uncomfortable to use at times unless you have a tall wrist rest. At first, I found the case got in the way a fair bit, too. Some angle adjustment would’ve been very welcome here, so this is a problem I’d like to see the industry address in future.

An easy solution already exists — Wooting sells its plastic boards with different sized rubber feet included in the box, which clip into grooves in the case. I don’t see why that wouldn’t work with metal cases either. Until then, I prefer using the much lower (indeed, low-profile) NuPhy Air60 HE.

Kinda pricey

Finally, the Lemokey P2 HE is kinda pricey, costing $169 at Lemokey. Given the gaming features, build quality and easy customization on offer, I don’t think it’s priced unfairly. Other keyboards offering similar features cost a similar amount or more: the Wobkey Zen 65 costs $165, while the Keychron Q16 HE 8K costs $229.

The P2 HE’s biggest competitors are the Wooting 60HE ($174) and NuPhy Air60 HE ($139). Sure, the NuPhy is cheaper, but we’re still in the same ballpark here.

That said, $169 is a lot of cash, and you can get similar features for less. The Epomaker HE65 Mag, for example, costs $99, while the Epomaker HE68 costs just $59. They aren’t built anywhere near as beautifully as the Lemokey, but if you’re on a budget, will perform just as well.

Lemokey P2 HE review: Verdict

I’m really impressed by the Lemokey P2 HE. It packs into a tiny package everything that usually makes Lemokey/Keychron boards so great — gaming performance, type feel, customizability etc — and throws in a long-overdue ball-catch quick-release case for easy modding.

Sure, it’s tall case and lack of feet make it a little awkward to use, and it’s objectively quite a lot of money to spend on a keyboard — but the P2 HE isn’t outrageously priced versus its competition, and more than justifies its MSRP through its features. What a lovable little keyboard!

In the Tom’s Guide reviews team testing lab, Epomaker is a brand we now rely on to deliver keyboards that consistently outperform their price tags. And the one I’m writing about today, the Epomaker HE75 Mag, is no exception.

As you might’ve guessed by the “HE” in its name, this compact 75% deck is a Hall Effect magnetic gaming board. That means it’s packed full of the latest and greatest gaming goodies, like adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, Last Key Prioritization (A.K.A ‘Snap Tap’), and dynamic keystrokes. It also packs the zeitgeist’s most snake-oily gaming feature: 8K polling.

Every other manufacturer, in possession of an 8K Hall Effect board, would be charging you upwards of or over $200. Not Epomaker. No. It’s asking just $99. Too good to be true? Nope. This deck is lovely to type on, looks great, and offers bags of customization potential. It isn’t the best sounding board, I’ll grant you, and the companion software is a bit ugly. But for $99, those are pills I can very easily swallow.

Could this be one of the best gaming keyboards on the mid-range market? I think so.

Epomaker HE75 Mag review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 75% magnetic gaming keyboard from Epomaker
• Who is it for? Gamers who need a board that’s great to type on, too
• What does it cost? $99 at Amazon
• What’s good? The gaming features, type feel, software customization, styling and price
• What’s not? It sounds a little lackluster, the keycaps are a tad slippy, and the software is kinda crude

Epomaker HE75 Mag review: Specs

Epomaker HE75 Mag review: The ups

The Epomaker offers a respectable slew of cutting-edge magnetic gaming features, while proving great to type on and easy to customize. For $99, it’s very good value for money.

Elite-tier gaming features

The Epomaker HE75 Mag packs a strong array of gaming features, thanks to its Hall Effect switches. Admittedly, there aren’t quite as many features as you’ll find on Keychron and Lemokey boards — like the gamepad analog mode on the Keychron K2 HE ($129); or the custom SOCD resolutions found on most Keychron decks these days. But aside from that, there’s pretty much everything else you could expect from a modern magnetic deck… especially one costing just $99. It leaves pricey and relatively feature-thin boards from ‘big name’ brands, like the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 ($220), in the dust.

Adjustable actuation

The feature I find most useful day-to-day is adjustable actuation. Mechanical switches have fixed actuation points, so you’re stuck with inputs triggering at, say, 3mm. On the HE75 Mag, you can scale the Gateron Whites’ actuation down to as little as 0.1mm, meaning the keys actuate with just a tiny press. This makes inputs much faster and helps the board feel more responsive in-game than a mechanical deck.

0.1mm is a little too sensitive for me, though, resulting in accidental inputs as a slight nudge triggers actuation. In testing, I played Counter-Strike 2, Hell Let Loose and Isonzo, and backed off to around 0.6mm for most keys, with 0.4mm on WASD. This gave me a nice balance of responsive movement without accidentally chucking a grenade or standing up and giving away my position. As I’ll cover later, I backed off further to 2.6mm for work.

LKP, Rapid Trigger & DKS

The HE75 Mag also features three of today’s must-have gaming features. There’s LKP, or Last Key Prioritization — a simultaneous opposing cardinal direction (SOCD) resolution. This is also known as ‘Snap Tap,’ and facilitates effortless counter strafing in games with movement inertia accuracy penalties, like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant. It’ll get you swiftly kicked from CS2, though.

Rapid Trigger allows you to repeatedly actuate a key without the switch needing to recycle. In other words, you can spam those keys better! And DKS, or Dynamic Key Stroke, allows you to assign up to two different inputs on each up and down cycle of a keystroke, resulting in four commands per keypress. Effectively, if you wanted to, you could set the W key to trigger walk, run, walk again then crouch, all at different stages of the keypress cycle. I find anything more than two inputs gets frustrating, so stick to a half-press for walk and a full press for run.

Other features

There’s also Mod Tap — also seen on the NuPhy Air60 HE ($139) and NuPhy Field75 HE ($169) — which assigns different inputs based on tapping or holding a key. And a Long Press switch — seen on Keychron/Lemokey decks like the Lemokey L5 HE ($220) and Keychron Q6 HE ($239) — which sets a single keypress to act as a hold. These are both super useful features in specific games. Long Press switch, for example, works great in large map games like Kingdom Come Deliverance II, allowing you to toggle continuous walking. No more walking simulators.

The HE75 Mag also polls at up to 8,000Hz, for ultra-low-latency gameplay. 8K polling is essentially snake oil. 1,000Hz polling is fast enough to reduce perceptible latency altogether. But hey, at least Epomaker isn’t charging $200 purely based on the poll rate (looking at you, oh, every single other keyboard manufacturer around). Good job, Epomaker.

Decent typing experience

As with most Epomaker boards, like the Epomaker TH99 ($82) and Epomaker RT100 ($115), the HE75 Mag is a lovely board to type on. It features Cherry profile keycaps, which are a solid all-rounder — they’re not so ergonomically-shaped that they inhibit speedy movement across the board when gaming, but they’re nice and low, with wide surface areas, making them excellent for fast typing, too.

As you can see in my results below, I was able to put in above average words per minute scores, while maintaining above average accuracy. I always scale back actuation to 2.6mm on Hall Effect boards, as this gets me the fastest and most accurate results. Admittedly, on the HE75 Mag, I wasn’t able to reach the same levels as other HE boards — I failed to break 100WPM while maintaining good accuracy.

The reason for this is the keycap finish. The HE75 Mag’s caps are noticeably slippery. As such, I had to slow my typing down to below 100WPM to avoid my fingers slipping and accidentally hitting other keys — in other words, I was forced to slow down to maintain accuracy. A bit more texture on those caps would’ve been nice. Maybe Epomaker could take a lesson from the Keychron Q16 HE 8K Ceramic ($220), with its glossy but deceptively high-friction caps.

Otherwise, though, the HE75 Mag is great. The switches themselves are Gateron White magnetic linears. They’re fairly light at 30g initial and 47g bottom out force, making them feel lightweight and responsive, with a hint of elasticity and feedback. The stems are POM and, naturally, they come pre-lubed, for stable, smooth travel. They won’t set the world alight, but I’ve enjoyed using them.

Attractive styling

Epomaker knows how to make a good-looking keyboard — just take a look at the Epomaker DynaTab75 ($89) and you’ll see what I mean — and the HE75 Mag lives up to that reputation.

I think it looks beautiful, with its purple gradient keycaps and jet black case giving a dusky feel. The RGB is beautiful. It’s nice and bright when typing, thanks to the south-facing design. However, it’s also well-diffused due to the FR4 plate, resulting in a soft glow, even at maximum brightness.

Build quality feels fairly good, too, which is sometimes where we see the ramifications of the typical Epomaker affordability. The ABS case feels sturdy and thick; there’s a little case flex but not too much; the milled aluminum volume knob looks and feels premium. It feels like a $99 board ought to, although the Keychron K8 V2 ($79) has the edge here thanks to its aluminum top case.

Fairly customizable

The Epomaker HE75 Mag is about as customizable as it’s possible for HE boards to get right now — at least without dropping an extra hundred dollars on the HE/MX cross compatible Glorious GMMK3 HE ($199) which didn’t blow me away in testing.

The HE75 Mag is hot-swappable, and you should be able to fit other Gateron magnetic switches, such as Jade Pro, using the Epomaker Driver companion software to flash the board accordingly. That said, cross compatibility with magnetic switches is still extremely limited, at least compared to mechanical keyboards.

The aforementioned Epomaker Driver software also gives you lots of scope for customizing the board, including lighting, key binds and macros, not to mention all the gaming features I mentioned above. Sure, this isn’t a board meant entirely for modding, like the Wobkey Zen 65 ($165), but the HE75 Mag still offers a decent amount of control for the money.

Keenly priced

Last but certainly not least, there’s the HE75 Mag’s price. While it isn’t the cheapest board around, $99 is still a very keen price given the magnetic gaming features, pleasant typing and decent build quality.

By contrast, the 75% Keychron K2 HE starts at $129, and we’d consider even that board to be fairly priced. The NuPhy Field75 HE costs $169, although it offers more features, like its eight custom game buttons. Some magnetic decks are priced obscenely high, though, like the Keychron Q1 HE, which costs a whopping $239, and the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96, which costs $229.

Epomaker HE75 Mag review: The downs

Admittedly, the Epomaker HE75 Mag isn’t perfect. The sound is fairly uninspiring and the companion software is rather crude. These are fairly minor issues, though, especially given the affordable MSRP.

Uninspiring sound

Admittedly, I’m spoiled when it comes to lovely sounding keyboards. My daily driver is the thocky NuPhy Halo75 V2 ($129). As I write this, I’ve just finished testing the gloriously poppy sounding Wobkey Crush 80 ($190). I could name drop all day.

The HE75 Mag doesn’t sound bad. It just doesn’t sound nice. The acoustic profile is extremely muted, with dull thuds to bottom outs, but a retro plasticky clack as the switches recycle. It’s fine, and better suited to an office environment (pity it’s a gaming deck) than the loud boards I mentioned above. There’s just nothing about the sound that I enjoy; nothing that makes me want to pick the board up and start typing on it just so I can hear it again.

Crude companion software

As I mentioned above, I really appreciate having the Epomaker Driver companion software at my disposal. I also very much appreciate that it works (more than can be said for many a keyboard companion app). However, there’s no denying the fact that Epomaker Driver is really rather crude.

The app’s design looks like it was homemade… in 1995. The general aesthetic, especially the fonts, is ugly. The interface is a very cluttered in places, and there are numerous instances where the text explaining something doesn't fit in the window it's in — you have to hover over the text to see the whole thing.

You can’t even adjust the window’s size. It can be difficult to find what you’re after or make sense of what a particular setting is or isn’t. And (partially responsible for the previous point) many of the direct Chinese-English translations are a bit… odd: “StrokeSetting” and “Shaft Setting” in particular make me feel a tad uncomfortable — and how come one has a space but the other doesn’t?

I dunno. It works, which is the main thing. But it's so amateur. Every time I use Driver, I find myself longing for the slick web apps of Keychron and NuPhy.

Epomaker HE75 Mag review: Verdict

It’s very easy to overlook minor flaws when a product is fairly priced. So, despite its flaws, I can happily recommend the Epomaker HE75 Mag. Despite what other brands would have you believe, you don’t need to spend $200 to get a magnetic keyboard with all of today’s must-have gaming features. Epomaker’s keyboards prove it!

The HE75 Mag is a fantastic keyboard for the money. It boasts plenty of performance in the gaming department, is great to type on, offers decent scope for customization and looks good, too. For $99, it's a very difficult board to complain about.

The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 is a premium gaming keyboard from legendary gaming hardware manufacturer Corsair. It boasts a roster of today’s must-have gaming features — the two most notable being magnetic switches (and all their associated goodies, like adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger) and 8K polling.

The Vanguard Pro has a number of virtues. It has the aforementioned gaming features under its belt, plus an LED screen for on-the-fly adjustments, custom assignable game buttons and easy-to-use companion software. It types nicely for a gaming board, is built fairly well, and comes with a magnetically attaching wrist rest.

There are some major frustrations, though. For all the potential the LED screen has, it’s cumbersome and frustrating in practice. It isn’t particularly pretty, and I can’t see much justification for the whopping $220, save the big-brand name (which usually doesn’t count for much in the keyboard world).

So, is it one of the best gaming keyboards you can buy? Find out in my full Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review.

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 96% Hall Effect gaming keyboard from industry giant, Corsair
• Who is it for? Gamers who want a traditional-looking gaming deck with modern features
• What does it cost? $229 / £209
• What's good? It offers a decent amount of gaming performance and customization, and comes with a premium wrist rest
• What's not? You can get more features for similar or less money, and the onboard controls are frustrating

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: Specs

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: The ups

The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 has some attractive features, including its magnetic gaming features, typing experience and thoughtful design elements.

Gaming performance

The most important thing any gaming deck needs to do is perform well in-game, especially at $229. Thankfully, there’s a rather juicy roster of gaming features on the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96. Most of this boils down to the switches. The Vanguard Pro 96 uses Corsair’s MGX Hyperdrive Hall Effect magnetic switches, allowing a wide array of handy features, including adjustable actuation (down to 0.1mm), dual actuations per keypress, Rapid Trigger and Last Key Prioritization SOCD (A.K.A ‘Snap Tap.’

Adjustable actuation

Like other magnetic boards, including the Keychron Q6 HE 8K ($239) and the Lemokey L5 HE ($220), the Vanguard’s actuation can be reduced to just 0.1mm. At 0.1mm, you can input commands extremely fast as the switches will actuate with just a tiny movement, for highly responsive gameplay (at the risk of accidental inputs).

Traditional mechanical switches often take up to (or over) 2.5mm before actuating — you have to press the key much further to trigger your input, making them feel much less responsive.

You can only adjust down to 0.6mm on the board itself, with 0.1mm available via the Corsair Web Hub web app. I dialed global actuation down to 0.6mm for Counter-Strike 2, lowering the WASD keys to 0.3mm for ultra responsive movement while keeping the risk of accidentally knocking other keys comparatively low (versus 0.1mm).

You can also assign dual actuation zones for the switches, meaning a single keypress can perform two actions at different points of the keypress (setting half a press to walk, a full press to run, for instance).

Rapid trigger and LKP

Interestingly, there are two Rapid Trigger modes. Typical Rapid Trigger allows you to consistently re-trigger the same key without needing to recycle the switch fully back to its reset point (as you would have to do with mechanical switches). We see this on almost all magnetic keyboards these days, including the Vanguard Pro. However, it also features a continuous mode to keep the trigger actuating repeatedly until the key is released — kinda like holding down a key when typing to get aaaaaaaaa load of lettersssssssssss.

There’s also Last Key Prioritization, A.K.A ‘Snap Tap,’ which facilitates easy counter strafing in games with inertia-mechanic-based accuracy penalties — like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant. It works, although it’ll get you kicked immediately from CS2.

Poll rate

The Vanguard Pro 96 polls at up to 8,000Hz, to minimize input lag as much as possible. In reality, you’d be hard pressed noticing input lag from a 1,000Hz board, and even harder pressed to tell the difference between one of 1K and 8K.

8K can become a strain on system resources, but thankfully you can adjust the Vanguard Pro’s polling between 125-8,000Hz. I just left mine at 1,000Hz and didn’t notice any input lag whatsoever.

For comparison, the SteelSeries Apex Pro ($199) polls at 1,000Hz, while the Keychron Q6 HE 8K and the Wooting 80HE ($199) poll at 8K.

Custom game buttons

The Vanguard Pro 96 features five custom buttons down its left-hand side, allowing you to assign your most frequently-used binds and functions. You can also assign custom macros or keystrokes.

I actually found it quicker to stretch my left pinky to the fourth button than I did moving my third finger down to hit Z in Hell Let Loose, which instantly throws you prone. It’s super important to be able to hit this quickly in game, so I appreciated having the shortcut.

For even more custom game buttons, check out the NuPhy Field75 HE ($169), which has eight in total over its left and lower edges. I find the Field75 HE’s lower row particularly useful and easy to tap, as my thumb is nearby most of the time.

Decent customization options

The Vanguard Pro 96 is hot swappable, which isn’t a given with gaming brands (Corsair, Razer, etc.) as it has become with custom brands (Keychron, NuPhy etc).

To be fair, with magnetic boards, hot-swap is of questionable benefit at the moment. Magnetic switches are highly software reliant, meaning you can’t switch to just any brand of magnetic switches right now — it’s an industry-wide limitation. But hey, having hot-swap at your disposal might come in handy down the line if things open up a little.

More important for a magnetic board is the level of software customization at your fingertips, and any companion software’s ease of use. May the gaming gods be praised: I didn’t have to use Corsair’s clunky iCue app with the Vanguard Pro, as all tweaks can be done via Corsair’s Wub Hub browser app.

The Corsair Web Hub offers lots of scope for customization, from lighting through to poll rate, actuation distance and other magnetic features. It also lets you flash firmware, which was a necessity for me, as my board was janky as hell out of the box (more on this later). It’s easy to use and doesn’t require you to install any applications.

Admittedly, the Corsair app isn’t as slick as Keychron’s Launcher or NuPhy’s nuphy.io, but hey, it does the job.

Pleasant typing

The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 is fairly pleasant to type on. It uses OEM profile keycaps, like the Wooting 80HE and SteelSeries Apex Pro. These are better suited to gaming than serious typing, thanks to their medium-high profile, fairly small top surface area and lack of any real ergonomic rake to the profile to make hitting outer keys easier.

That said, they’re fine gaming-skewed all-rounders, which is why you’ll see them equipped on many gaming boards. I had no issue putting in a super fast time while maintaining above average accuracy.

If you’re going to be typing lots, I would recommend an 8K magnetic keyboard with productivity-oriented keycaps. The NuPhy Field75 HE uses Cherry profile keycaps which are arguably the ultimate all-rounders for gaming and typing. I type a lot, so prefer a productivity-oriented keycap profile, like the Keychron’s ergonomic OSA profile, found on the Q6 HE 8K.

The MGX Hyperdrive switches are nice-enough to use, too. The moderately heavy spring tops out at 55g actuation force when the switches are set to their maximum actuation height. This results in a slightly firm, elasticky feel, which I quite like. Just like the magnetic switches found in productivity-biased boards like the Keychron K2 HE ($129), the MGX Hyperdrive switches use a dual-rail design, making them feel stable in use. And, as is expected with switches these days, they come pre-lubricated for smooth operation. Nothing groundbreaking, but nothing to complain about, either.

Corsair doesn’t specify the Vanguard Pro 96’s mount type, but it’s extremely firm, so likely either a top, plate or tray mount. As such, the Vanguard Pro 96 is less springy and comfortable than a gasket mounted productivity board like the Keychron Q1 Pro. This makes sense in a gaming board with ultra-sharp 0.1mm actuation, though, where it’s best to minimize as much unnecessary movement as possible for the most responsive and accurate inputs.

Thoughtful design

The Vanguard Pro 96 is, as the name suggests, a 96% full size board, meaning it packs the functionality of a 100% full-size deck — i.e. it retains the Num pad — while shrinking the overall profile slightly by chopping a few navigation keys and bringing everything closer together. It’s still a large board, though. In game, I like my keyboard placed far out to the left, which was very tricky with the Vanguard Pro 96. That’s why I prefer 60-65% boards for gaming, like the NuPhy Air60 HE ($139) and Keychron Q16 HE 8K ($229), or 75% decks like the Keychron K2 HE.

If you can’t live without a Num pad — perhaps you regularly work on spreadsheets — a 96% is about as much compromise between functionality and space as you’re gonna get. The Vanguard Pro 96 is slightly more compact than other 96% boards like the Redragon K686 Pro SE, although there’s not much in it.

The Vanguard Pro 96 comes with a spongy wrist rest that attaches magnetically to the bottom edge of the board, so they both stay together. This relieves pressure on your wrists and prevents your arms rubbing against desk edges. The board’s USB-C port is inlaid into the base of the board, with cutouts running to the edges of the case, allowing you to channel the cable towards your PC — I love this, as it helps further minimize desk footprint.

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: The downs

For all its virtues, the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 has some disappointing flaws given its high price, including frustrating controls and a bland design. You can get more for your money elsewhere, too.

Frustrating controls

Despite all its potential — with the LED display and companion web-app — the Vanguard Pro 96 is super frustrating to control. The screen is extremely unintuitive: despite me having switch actuation set up as a sub-menu, I simply couldn’t navigate to it on the display. Eventually, I set it up as the only sub-menu (given everything else I could control via the Fn row anyway), where it was, by default, easy to access.

The board seems often at odds with the companion software, though. In testing, for example, the web app showed 0.6mm actuation, while the board itself showed 1.0mm.

My keyboard was also incredibly janky out of the box, triggering duplicate inputs and sometimes missing them altogether. I flashed the keyboard’s firmware via the web app, and these problems disappeared, but it’s disappointing to see them in the first place from a brand as big (and expensive) as Corsair.

Bland "gamer" aesthetic

Obviously this is a subjective take, as beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. But I find the Vanguard Pro 96’s design so boring. Stock “gamer” styling, with the raised switches/keycaps, blacked-out everything, OEM caps etc., etc.

If you’re a 14-year-old with a full unicorn-puke-RGB gaming rig and run-of-the-mill “gamer” style peripherals, I’m sure it’ll fit right in on your desk. If you’d like something a little more adult, check out the Keychron Q6 HE 8K or Wooting 80HE. And if you’d like something a little more fun and colorful, check out the NuPhy Field75 HE or Air60 HE.

More for your money elsewhere

All those boards I just mentioned above bring me to my final criticism of the Vanguard Pro 96: you can get so much more for similar or less money with rivals. This isn’t a bad keyboard, but it’s nothing special. It isn’t doing anything new, and it looks bland. Why spend nearly $230 on it?

You’ll get more performance and gaming features from the Wooting 80HE and Keychron Q6 HE 8K — think more magnetic features, like quad actuation zones and customizable SOCD resolutions, to name but two — both of which cost a similar amount of money as the Vanguard Pro. The Wooting obviously lacks a Num pad, but the Q6 has you covered there, if you can accept a full 100% layout. Not only do they both offer more features than the Corsair, they’re better built, better looking, and nicer to type on. They both justify a circa-$200 price tag much more easily than the Vanguard Pro 96.

If it’s just features you’re after and you don’t care about layout, you can pick up a Hall Effect board for under $60, like the Epomaker HE68 ($59). All this begs the question: why would you drop $229 on the Vanguard Pro 96?

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: Verdict

I think I pretty well summed this up already in the paragraph above, but I’ll rehash it here for good measure in case anyone has skipped right here. The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 isn’t a bad board, but it does nothing new, and nothing particularly well.

It packs a decent array of gaming features, high(ish) levels of customization and bundles some thoughtful design features. It’s alright to type on, too. And sure, those things are all well and good.

But this keyboard is simply way overpriced. You can get much more for the same money, and get similar performance for cheaper. So why is the Vanguard Pro 96 priced at $229? It’s the Corsair name, of course, which in the keyboard market holds much more prestige than it deserves.

Never in my journalism career did I think I would be submerging a keyboard underwater, but it's my job to check every single feature of a product when I'm reviewing it — yes, including throwing liquids at it.

Keyboards aren't always the most durable, especially if they're membrane ones. Your best bet is getting a mechanical keyboard whose switches can be replaced if you've got butter fingers.

Even so, I'd still recommend being careful with your drinks and liquids when you're working at your desk. Keyboards don't usually have IP ratings in the same way that the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers or wireless earbuds do, and this week was the first time I actually saw a board carrying an IP rating. Not just any IP rating. IP57. Yep, the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is IP57-rated.

The K3 Gen II is a well-built, sturdy keyboard that uses optical-mechanical switches. Its switches are an utter delight to type and (casually) game on, and I even received my best type test score on it yet. But its biggest selling point, to me, is the IP57 waterproof rating, something I've never seen on a keyboard before. Here's how I tested it — and how it managed to survive.

What does IP57 mean?

If you're familiar with speakers and earbuds, you'll have seen them having IP ratings. "IP" stands for Ingress Protection, and it classifies how resistant electrical devices are to solids (dust) and liquids (usually water). IP ratings have two numbers: the first indicates solid protection and is measured on a scale of 1-6, while the second indicates water protection and is measured on a scale of 1-8. The higher the numbers, the better the protection.

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is IP57-rated, which means it has level 5 protection against dust and debris, and level 7 protection against water. It also means that the keyboard can withstand immersion in water up to 1 metre depth for 30 minutes. This is an excellent rating for a keyboard, and while I can't imagine many users will be dunking it underwater for that long, it's good to know that it can withstand water spills if you accidentally knock over a glass.

Putting it through the wringer

Like I said earlier, it is my job to test a manufacturer's claims to the best of my abilities, and as and when I can, so of course I had to test the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II's IP57 waterproofing. And how did I do that, you ask? The first thing I did was splash water droplets on it. An easy test, really, and one that many other mechanical keyboards I've tested have passed with flying colors.

So I put the K3 Gen II through a harder test: submerging it in water. I filled up our office's kitchen sink and once it was full, I put the keyboard in, left it there for 15 minutes, and then plugged it into my computer. And it worked!

I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting it to, but every key still worked just as well as it did when I first unboxed the keyboard. I also got some strange looks from others working in my building who didn't know I was doing that. I even left the tap running on full force and the water fell directly on top of the keyboard — it remained unscathed.

My final test involved me dropping some lemon soda onto the keyboard, which feels like the most likely scenario to happen because we all like a cool drink when we're gaming for hours, right?

The lemon soda I used would make anyone's fingers sticky, and I was expecting the same to happen to the K3 Gen II. Lo and behold, the keyboard was absolutely fine, and even after drying it completely, it didn't feel too sticky or unusable. Great success!

What else is good about it?

There are a few things to like about the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II. First of all, its optical-mechanical switches are highly responsive and easy to actuate, making them great for gaming and productivity alike. In fact, they're so good to type on that I got my highest type test score (105 words per minute) and accuracy (96.5%) on this keyboard!

In addition to that, the keyboard is built very well. The ABS plastic used in its construction feels high quality and premium, which is fantastic for a keyboard that costs $99 / £95. And of course, I love the IP57 waterproofing which, as you can see, works as intended.

But the K3 Gen II isn't perfect as it has significant drawbacks — hence why I rated it 3 out of 5 stars. While the keyboard is lovely to type on, the sticky ABS keycaps take away from that experience, as my fingers felt like they were sticking when I was lifting them.

The USB-A wired connectivity and janky companion software are also disappointing, as is the keyboard's divisive design. I'm not an anime fan so perhaps I'm not the target audience, but personally, I don't understand the obsession with a Vocaloid that takes the form of a 16-year-old girl.

Of course, if you can look past these, then the K3 Gen II is excellent. It's personally not for me, but I'll take those optical-mechanical switches any day.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II has the best switches in its class, but its design and dodgy software are a tough sell
• Best mechanical keyboards in 2026
• The Asus TUF Gaming H1 Gen II is a good headset that could have been great — here’s what I’d change

The Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K is a premium mechanical keyboard with its fast polling and sleek looks. It’s a great choice for typists and gamers alike. This is an updated version of the existing Q3 range, now with 8K polling.

The 660 hours of battery life (without backlighting) make this board super reliable, and the lovely sound is a major bonus to typing. It’s also hot-swappable, so it's ideal for customization, and with high polling and responsive switches, it’s great for gamers.

Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s one of the best mechanical keyboards for me personally, because the actual typing experience left me disappointed. The rake of the ultra-tall KSA profile keycaps doesn’t suit my writing style, but if you like this design, it could be the right choice for you. It’s also very expensive, which might be a little off-putting.

If you think this might be the keyboard for you, keep reading my full Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K review.

Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A high-profile mechanical keyboard
• Who is it for? Typists and gamers who want a customizable high-profile keyboard
• How much does it cost? $229
• What do we like? The smooth switches are nice to type on and make a lovely sound. It has 660 hours of battery life and is great for gaming
• What don’t we like? The KSA profile is very tall, it’s expensive, and it’s not available in the U.K.

Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K review: The ups

The Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K has responsive switches, a great sound, and a modern aesthetic. The specs also make it a top candidate for gaming and offer heaps of customization.

Silky switches

The Keychron Silk POM switches on the Q3 Ultra 8K are lovely to use. I tested the Brown Silk POM (tactile) switches, but the board is also available for purchase with the Red (linear) or Banana (tactile) version of the switches installed. I also used these switches on the Keychron V3 Ultra 8K ($114), and liked typing with them as the POM stems give an incredibly smooth feeling.

The Brown switches have a pretty heavy actuation force of 55g, but the Red linear switches are lighter at 45g if you want something a little faster. The tactile Banana switches are the heaviest at 57g, but have the shortest actuation distance, so they still feel pretty snappy. My everyday keyboard is the Keychron C1 Pro 8K ($54), which uses 57g Banana Super switches — although there’s not a huge difference, I could feel less resistance with the Brown Silk POM switches on the Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K board.

Lovely sound

The Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K has a very satisfying typing sound, even though it’s not as cathartic as the Wobkey Zen 65 ($165). Since its case is made of aluminum, the typing sound is a little higher-pitched than that of a plastic case board like the Keychron K8 Max ($128), but it isn’t too clacky.

The Q3 Ultra 8K has a double-gasket design, meaning there are silicone pads between the top and bottom cases to maintain flexibility and reduce any acoustic resonance. I much prefer a board with less acoustic resonance as they aren’t as annoying to listen to, unlike the Redragon Galatin Pro K719 ($79).

If you want more flexibility in the type feel, you can remove the pads on the bottom case of the board, although the sound dampening won’t be as effective.

Great gaming capabilities

As the name suggests, the Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K can poll up to speeds of 8,000Hz, which is an improvement on the previous 1,000Hz max polling from the Keychron Q3 Max ($219). It can’t poll at this rate when using Bluetooth, but you can use the 2.4GHz dongle or a wired connection. Polling at this speed means you will get the lowest latency possible when processing inputs, making it a great option for ultra-competitive gaming.

With that said, 1,000Hz polling is perfectly respectable to process all inputs, and you likely won’t notice any difference between the two settings. Besides, if you’re a more competitive player, you’ll be better off with a Hall Effect board with adjustable actuation and lots of magnetic gaming features, like the Keychron Q3 HE ($239).

The board also features N-Key rollover, which means you’re able to input multiple commands at once. If playing games where you want to move, engage in combat, and switch weapons simultaneously, this is particularly useful as N-Key rollover will register all of those command inputs at the same time.

Aesthetic design

The Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K is available in two different colorways: black or white. The choice is nice if you want something a little stealthier than a white board, but I tested the white colorway. I think this looks sublime with grey and red keycaps. The black version of the board comes with blue and grey keycaps instead.

The color choices are great if you want to work in an environment where the gear in your setup all matches. Although you can’t see it when typing, the board also has a cool backplate with a cosmos design. While I think this is slick, I’m not really sure about the point of it, as you’re never able to see it — unless, of course, you’ve found a way to type on the keyboard while it’s upside down.

There are other lovely-looking keyboards available if that’s your main concern, like the Wobkey Rainy 75 Pro ($139), which is a lot more colorful. Or NuPhy keyboards, which are always a lot of fun — like the NuPhy Halo75 V2 ($129) or Kick75 ($89).

King of customization

The beauty of Keychron boards is often the high level of customization available, and the Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K is no exception to that rule. The board is hot-swappable and can be used with compatible south-facing three or five-pin mechanical switches. It’s easy to unscrew the board to make alterations to the gasket setup as well, since the hex bolts are visible on the case.

The Q3 Ultra 8K doesn’t have adjustable feet, but that’s typical for aluminum-cased boards. For a height-adjustable board, you’ll want either the Lofree Flow 2 ($149) or a plastic-cased board like the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($114).

The Q3 Ultra 8K is compatible with Keychron Launcher, so you can make firmware changes to the board like setting up macros for gaming or to streamline productivity. The backlighting on the board is also customizable through the software with per-key RGB or mix RBG, depending on your style.

It’s worth noting, though, that I’m not a big fan of the KSA keycaps on this board, which I’ll talk about soon, so it’s helpful that I’m able to swap them out too.

Battery life

The Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K offers up to 660 hours of battery life. But this is with backlighting turned off, and if you’re anything like me, you’re going to want backlighting on at all times — it adds some fun to my work day.

Keychron states that with backlighting on the lowest setting, the keyboard gets 200 hours of battery life. This is obviously a significant reduction, but still enough that you won’t be caught out needing to charge your keyboard too often. And although it’s a reduction, it’s still longer than the total 180 hours you get with the Keychron Q3 Max.

After using the board for a week with backlighting on the highest setting, the battery dropped by 60%. This means that I can get just under two weeks from this board, depending on my workload, before I need to charge it up. That’s excellent.

Great connectivity options

The Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K has three connectivity options: the 2.4GHz dongle, wired, or Bluetooth 5.3. These can be easily toggled with a switch at the back of the board.

When using the board over Bluetooth, it can be connected to up to three devices at once. It’s very easy to toggle between the connected devices using the Fn key with 1, 2, or 3. This board is a better option when it comes to connectivity than the Keychron C1 Pro 8K, as this can only be used with a wired connection.

The keyboard can be used with Windows and macOS, which can be toggled via a switch on the back of the board. There are also keycaps for each operating system included with the board. It’s therefore geared for people who switch between two operating systems regularly.

Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K review: The downs

Unfortunately, typing on the Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K can be pretty difficult if the KSA profile caps don’t suit you, and with a price tag this steep, I shouldn’t feel like I’m battling with the board in use. It’s also not currently available in the U.K.

Tall KSA profile

Obviously, the typing section of this review being in “the downs” section isn’t the best look, but I personally didn’t get on with it. This is more of a pre-purchase consideration. The Q3 Ultra 8K uses Keychron’s very tall KSA keycap profile, with a heavily raked shaping for extremely high outer rows.

Some people love this profile. When giving his first impressions on the 65% version of this board, the Keychron Q1 Ultra 8K, Security and Home Office Editor Anthony thought this was a great keyboard to type on. He said that he is used to typing on tall profile keys, much like the KSA ones that come with the Q3 Ultra 8K, so it’s not that much of a change for him. Our reviews editor Pete Wolinski is also a fan of the KSA profile, which he tested for his Keychron Q1 Pro ($219) review.

The rake of this board just isn’t for me. The lowest row of keys being so tall meant I was constantly mistyping, slowing me down a great deal and ruining my accuracy, as you can see in the table above.

If your hands stay in a fixed position in the middle of the keys, the rake of the board isn’t too bad; it’s the movement that causes the issues.

THAT price tag

While the Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K is a decent keyboard if you like the shape of the keycaps and the rake of the board, the price tag is enough to put anyone off. It’s available at Amazon U.S. for $229.

This price isn’t exactly a shock since many Keychron and Lemokey boards, like the Lemokey L5 HE ($220) are similarly priced. But if you’re not fussed about having an aluminum keyboard, Keychron has other, more affordable offerings with plastic cases.

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K, for example, has all the same features of the Q3 Ultra 8K for a fraction of the price, coming in at just $114. The V3 also has adjustable feet for increased comfort over long-term use.

But if you’re set on aluminium and want something cheaper, the Wobkey Rainy 75 Pro is a good option.

Not available in the U.K.

At the time of writing, the Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K isn’t available for purchase in the U.K. This is a bit of a let-down considering it’s a solid upgrade in Keychron’s Q series, but there are still other options out there. One of those alternatives would be the previous iteration of the keyboard, the Keychron Q3 Max ($214).

It has similar features, but features Gateron Jupiter switches instead of Silk POM switches, and runs 1000Hz polling instead of 8,000Hz. Neither of these differences is a dealbreaker (especially since you probably won’t notice the difference in polling), and it just comes down to a question of personal preference. But things like the inferior battery life and 1,000Hz max polling may have you looking in another direction.

Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K review: Verdict

The Keychron Q3 Ultra 8K is a mechanical keyboard suited to most people who have a customizable board with a lovely typing sound. But if you have small hands like me, you may want to pass on this one since the KSA profile keycaps are so tall that they make typing pretty difficult.

The $229 price tag is also enough to make you look in a different direction, but the board excels in other areas. It’s well-equipped for gaming with 8K polling capabilities and N-key rollover, and with up to 660 hours of battery life, the charge will last a while.

The double-gasket design is also adjustable to get the best sound for you. At the end of the day, it’s a great option if you love a higher-profile keyboard.

Asus is a big name in the computing world, and it makes some of the best mechanical keyboards out there. Alas, the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II isn’t one of them. Don’t get me wrong: there are quite a few things to love about the keyboard. It’s built extremely well, and its optical-mechanical switches are some of the best I’ve tested. They’re highly responsive in both typing and casual gaming, making the K3 Gen II a versatile keyboard.

But those are pretty much the only things to like about the K3 Gen II. Its divisive anime-themed design is a tough sell, and so are its sticky ABS keycaps and frustrating companion software. If you can overlook these faults, perhaps you won’t mind the keyboard, but they’re too significant for me to overlook.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review.

ASUS TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: Specs

Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 96% layout keyboard with optical-mechanical switches
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants a sub-$100 keyboard that’s good for typing and casual gaming
• How much does it cost? The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is available for $99 / £95
• What do we like? The solid build, superb typing experience, good gaming performance, and waterproofing
• What don’t we like? The divisive design (of the anime edition), sticky ABS keycaps, frustrating customization, and lack of wireless connectivity

Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: The ups

From its solid build quality and IP57 waterproofing, to its lovely typing experience and gaming performance, there’s a lot to like about the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II.

Solid build quality

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is a solid and well-built keyboard, and it hasn’t given me much to complain about in this department. It’s made entirely of ABS plastic which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it feels top-notch. There’s no flex in the body as it doesn’t twist when held by its sides, and the keys don’t dip too far into the PCB either. This is nice to see in a sub-$100 keyboard as it’s something I’ve experienced with the likes of the McHose x Unbox Therapy UT98 ($139) and the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($114).

As a wired-only keyboard, the K3 Gen II is fitted with a non-detachable cable which also feels high-quality. The keyboard itself features a gasket-mount design which bolsters its structural integrity. Several layers of sound-dampening foam have also been stuffed into its internals to negate any metallic pings and unwanted or unpleasant sounds while typing.

Overall, the K3 Gen II is excellent when it comes to build quality, and if you want a sturdy keyboard that doesn’t break the bank, this is it.

Great for typing

I’ve been known to type upwards of 10,000 words a week — it’s the nature of my job. To do that, I need a reliable keyboard that’s a joy to type on. The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is just that. It’s a sheer delight to type on, thanks to its responsive optical-mechanical switches. Compared to traditional mechanical switches found in the likes of the Epomaker Cypher96 ($89), the Royal Kludge S98 ($99), optical-mechanical switches have a faster and more sensitive trigger response. This basically means that you don’t need to press the switches as far down or apply as much force to activate them.

Optical-mechanical switches generally have a longer lifespan so you can keep using them for years. Asus claims that the K3 Gen II’s switches have a 100-million keystroke lifespan — which is difficult to measure and test for me so I’ll have to take Asus’ word for it. They sound great on paper but are they any good in real-world usage? They are indeed. Like I said, I’ve found the switches extremely responsive with all of my commands being executed instantaneously, and my fingers haven’t felt fatigued either.

As soon as I took the K3 Gen II out of its box, I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com to see how it fared against other mechanical keyboards I’d tested right before it. As you can see from the table above, I got my best type speed and accuracy on a mech deck so far, which is phenomenal. Now whenever someone asks me which keyboard I’ve had the most fun typing on, I’ll say, “The Hatsune Miku keyboard!” There’s a sentence that wasn’t on my 2026 bingo card.

Good gaming performance

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is advertised as a gaming keyboard (it’s in the name, after all). However, Asus doesn’t specify the keyboard’s polling rate so I can’t make direct comparisons to other similarly-priced keyboards. But of course, on-paper specs aren’t always everything, so I put the K3 Gen II through its paces by playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Counter-Strike 2 on our MSI gaming rig.

In both games, I found the optical-mechanical switches highly responsive, just as I did for productivity. Like I said, these respond faster than standard mechanical switches and are perfect for situations that require a high degree of latency, such as FPS games, as they use light technology to detect keystrokes. The lack of metal components also means that optical switches are more durable, making them ideal for those who game on their PC for years and years.

Similar to many other gaming keyboards, the K3 Gen II features N-key rollover which enables multiple inputs to be registered simultaneously. This means that you can execute multiple actions at the same time, such as ducking, drawing your last used weapon and changing your character’s direction all at once. This gives you a competitive advantage especially in online matches in Counter-Strike 2.

Even though Asus doesn’t specify the K3 Gen II’s polling rate, I didn’t notice any latency issues or input lag in my testing. Each command was promptly registered, and I thoroughly enjoyed gaming on this keyboard. Of course, if you’re a competitive gamer or esports player, it’s worth investing in a similarly-priced Hall Effect keyboard instead, such as the Epomaker HE68 ($59), the Epomaker HE65 Mag ($99) or — if you can extend your budget — the Keychron K2 HE ($130).

It’s waterproof!

Here’s something you don’t see everyday: the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is waterproof and protected against dust. Having tested over 80 keyboards in just under two years, this is the first time I’ve seen a keyboard with an IP rating. The K3 Gen II is IP57-rated. Measured on a scale of 1-6, the first number, 5, means that it has limited protection against dust, while the second number measured on a scale of 1-8, 7, means it can be submerged in meter-deep water for 30 minutes. Many earbuds and speakers are IP57-rated, and it’s surprising to see a keyboard being rated the same as the… Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro!

The IP57 rating means the keyboard should be able to withstand drink spills or if you’re working in very dusty conditions. Of course, I had to put the waterproofing to the test. I waited to do so until I’d done all my other testing lest the keyboard got wrecked and I wasn’t able to use it after.

I dropped a glass of water on it and it was fine. I then kept it submerged in a sink full of water for 15 minutes and every single key still worked! I then spilt lemon soda on the K3 Gen II and would you look at that, it still worked. This is incredible and some of the most fun I’ve had testing a keyboard! This level of waterproofing is good to have if you spill your drink on your keyboard (we’ve all been there before).

Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: The downs

Unfortunately, the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II has significant flaws that are hard to ignore, such as the divisive design, frustrating companion software, and sticky keycaps.

Divisive design

I’m no stranger to keyboards sporting funky or weird designs. This is coming from someone who has tested the GravaStar Mercury V75 Pro HE ($239), the MelGeek CYBER01 ($149) and the GravaStar Mercury K1 Lite ($89). The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II comes in two designs: all-black or a Hatsune Miku Edition. Both the black and Hatsune Miku Edition cost the same as they’re available for $99 / £95 at Amazon.

I tested the Hatsune Miku Edition and, I have to say, I’m not a huge fan. I didn’t even know who Hatsune Miku was until I tested the Asus TUF Gaming H3 Gen II gaming headset, and even after learning about her, I wasn’t fond of the design. Turns out it’s a Vocaloid software voicebank represented by a 16-year-old girl with long, turquoise twintails.

The K3 Gen II is a colorful keyboard, sporting a light teal green case and a combination of pink and white keycaps. It’s too colorful for my liking — I usually prefer more inconspicuous designs. I’m also not a fan of the fact that any time I need to press the enter key on the number pad, I have to touch her silhouette. It’s just a bit unsettling and uncomfortable to me, personally. If you’re a fan of anime and Hatsune Miku in particular, you might like this keyboard. Me? I’ll be sticking with the black model instead.

Sticky keycaps

While the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is a good productivity keyboard and I’ve enjoyed typing on it, I need to caveat this by saying that its keycaps leave a lot to be desired. They’re made of ABS so they’re less durable and resistant than PBT keycaps used by the likes of the Epomaker DynaTab75 ($89) and the NuPhy Node75 ($99).

ABS keycaps aren’t inherently bad, and they can sometimes be lovely to touch — such as on the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max ($229). But on the K3 Gen II, they don’t feel as nice. In my testing, I also found them sticky. By that, I mean that my fingers felt like they were sticking to the keycaps for just a millisecond when I lifted them — and that’s something I haven’t experienced with other keyboards before. I thought it was due to my fingers being oily, so I washed them and tried again, and the same happened.

Given the K3 Gen II’s $99 price tag, I was expecting the inclusion of PBT keycaps. The keyboard faces fierce competition from the likes of Keychron, NuPhy and Epomaker, and most of these brands’ keyboards feature double-shot PBT keycaps for either the same money or cheaper. I’d recommend grabbing the Epomaker Cypher96 ($89), the Royal Kludge S98 ($99) or the Keychron K10 V2 ($84) if you’re bothered by ABS keycaps.

Frustrating customization

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is highly customizable, but to customize it, you’ll need to download Armoury Crate which… isn’t the most user-friendly software out there. I hated it the first time I tested it with the Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 ($179), and my feelings remain unchanged after having tested it with the K3 Gen II. Not only is the installation process long (and requires you to restart your laptop not once but twice), but after you’ve downloaded it, you’re bombarded with pop-ups and what can only be described as bloatware.

Armoury Crate enables you to remap the K3 Gen II’s keys, record macros, select and customize RGB effects, and update its firmware. The user-experience is, in my opinion, far from ideal. When I swapped between the lighting and keymap tabs, I was greeted with unnecessary pop-ups asking me to create an Asus account — even after I ticked the box to never show the message again. I much prefer apps like Keychron Launcher for, well, Keychron keyboards. It’s far more user-friendly than Armoury Crate and runs via a web-app, so no need to install bloatware.

Wired only

To top it all off, the Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is a wired-only keyboard, which means that there’s no Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless connectivity. This is less of a con and more of a pre-purchase condition, as some users might prefer having tri-mode connectivity often found on the likes of the aforementioned Epomaker Cypher96 and the Royal Kludge S98.

But it’s important to note that the K3 Gen II doesn’t feature an onboard cable management system, and its cable can’t be disconnected. Oh, and if you’re using the keyboard with modern macOS machines — as I did with my MacBook Air M2 — you’ll need to buy a USB-A to USB-C adapter. Again, this is something to consider before you buy the K3 Gen II, and if you aren’t going to move the keyboard about and it’s going to be sitting on your desk anyway, this shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II review: Verdict

The Asus TUF Gaming K3 Gen II is a fine keyboard. Its optical-mechanical switches are highly responsive and fit for both all-day typing and casual gaming. It’s built very well and is even IP57-rated waterproof and protected against dirt and dust, which means that you don’t need to worry about spilling your drink on it.

But the K3 Gen II is far from perfect. Its sticky ABS keycaps take away from the otherwise wonderful typing experience, and its divisive anime-themed design is a tough sell for me. The wired-only design means you can’t use it wirelessly, and customization via companion software is very frustrating.

If these are flaws you can look past, then get the K3 Gen II by all means. But if you want more bang for your buck, Keychron and Epomaker have you spoilt for choice.

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K could be one of the best mechanical keyboards for customization newbies, office workers and gamers alike. There’s a lot to love about this board, including the comfortable typing thanks to the responsive switches and OSA keycaps; a great sound profile from layers of foam and a polycarbonate plate; and impressive battery life. The Ultra series brings an upgrade to the original Keychron V3, introducing 8K wireless polling and 660 hours of battery life.

But there are some very minor drawbacks. The board isn’t available in the U.K. at the time of writing, although there are other similar options; the case feels a little cheap, and the Brown Switches that came with the board I tested lacked a tactile bump for gaming.

To find out more details about the board, keep reading this full Keychron V3 Ultra 8K review.

Keychron V3 Ultra 8K review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An 80% TKL mechanical keyboard
• Who is it for? Typists and gamers who want a comfortable board, and anyone who wants to try keyboard modding
• How much does it cost? $114
• What do we like? The comfortable typing and switches, great sound, scope for customization, and impressive battery life
• What don’t we like? The plastic casing feels a little cheap

Keychron V3 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Keychron V3 Ultra 8K review: The Ups

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K is a great board that offers lots of customization, comfortable typing, and satisfying sound. The impressive 660-hour battery life seals the deal.

Easy-to-actuate switches

The first thing that stood out to me when using the Keychron V3 Ultra 8K was how easy the keys are to type on, and this is all down to the switches under the hood. This board is available with a choice of Red linear, Brown tactile or Banana tactile Keychron Silk POM switches.

The board I tested was preloaded with Brown POM switches, and despite their 55g actuation force, I found them very easy to type with. I didn’t feel any sort of fatigue, even when typing all day at work. The linear switches have polyoxymethylene (POM) stems that reduce friction, creating a smooth, comfortable and effortless typing experience.

When I went back to typing on my Keychron C1 Pro 8K ($59), which uses Keychron Banana Super switches, I felt more resistance when typing, as they have a heavier actuation force of 57g. If you’re a typist by day, I can highly recommend the Silk POM switches.

Flexible type feel

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K has a delicate yet purposeful type feel. It’s lovely to type on. The keycaps are made from double-shot PBT and use Keychron’s OSA profile. The double-shot PBT means that the keycaps have a decent amount of grip for secure typing. They’re also pretty resistant to oils from your fingers, and the embossed letters won’t rub off easily.

Meanwhile, the sloped tops of the OSA-profile keycaps are lovely to type on as they feel like they’re catching your fingers as you hit the keys, creating that purposeful feeling. And since all of the keys rake outward from the center of the board, it’s easy to move to the board’s extremities without stretching.

As you can see from the table above, I had a good typing experience on this board, hitting my fastest typing speeds while maintaining above-average accuracy. The flexible gasket mount helped propel my fingers from key to key, and the comfortable Brown Silk POM switches were ideal for my long typing sessions.

While the Brown Silk POM switches are designed to best suit gaming, on this board, they are also great for long typing sessions and all day in the office. The screw-in stabilizers feel great under the bigger keys, and pretty much eliminate any wobble.

Nice sound

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K’s sound is a muted thock, and there’s no untoward reverb or obnoxious clackiness from the keys. It has the same dampened sound effect as the Keychron K8 Max ($124) and absolutely no harsh clacking like the Redragon Galatin Pro K719 ($79).

This muted sound comes from the polycarbonate plate in the board. This reduces resonance, so the sound of the keys doesn’t ring out as dramatically. This isn’t as effective as the polycarbonate plate and brass damping plate combo in the Wobkey Zen 65 ($165) — which sounds phenomenal — but as a result, that board is very heavy in comparison to the V3 Ultra.

The V3 Ultra 8K has a more dulled sound than the C1 Pro 8K, but I think this makes the sound of the keys far more palatable in a working environment. While you still get the satisfying feel and sound, it’s not as disruptive to the people working around you.

Customization

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K is another highly customizable board from Keychron. It’s hot-swappable, compatible with three or five-pin south-facing mechanical switches. It’s super easy to swap out keycaps and switches with the included keycap and switch puller, and I didn’t face any sort of resistance. The plastic case makes this process much easier, as you get a little flex.

If you want to make any other changes to the inner workings of the board, you can unscrew the casing, which is easy to do as the hex bolts are visible, and you get a hex key included with the board.

To remap keys and customize macro commands, the board is compatible with Keychron Launcher software. You can use this to streamline efficiency in work and gaming by setting up macros. Although this board features ZMK firmware (which has typically been more restrictive than QMK), you can set macros like a QMK board. The benefit of ZMK is typically lower power consumption, which I’ll cover a little later.

Backlighting on this keyboard is also impressively customizable. You can use Keychron Launcher online to create custom lighting zones and assign lighting effects to specific keys with mixed RGB, which is an upgrade from the original Keychron V3.

Decent for gaming

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K has a top polling speed of 8,000Hz over 2.4GHz wireless and wired connections, and features N-key rollover (NKRO). 8K polling is a bit of a gimmick, as 1K is enough to reduce the chances of missed inputs for almost all gamers out there (and 8K risks hogging your computer’s system resources), but it’ll be nice to see for those that want the fastest board out there.

NKRO is useful, though, as it allows the recognition of multiple commands at once from the board. If playing games such as Counter Strike 2 where you want to move, shoot and change weapons simultaneously, this is no problem as the N-key rollover is going to catch all of those commands.

The V3 isn’t a powerful magnetic board, like the Lemokey L5 HE, but it’s more than adequate enough for most gamers. If you do plan on gaming, the lighter Red linear switches will likely be the best to go for, as these will be more responsive than the heavier tactile options.

Typing angles

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K is extremely comfortable to work on all day long because of the adjustable typing angle. I always appreciate this feature on my office keyboards as it allows me to set the board at the perfect height for my wrists. Throughout the day, I also often move around, switch to different chairs or even work standing up. This affects the angle at which my wrists feel most comfortable, so it’s nice to have the adjustment there to accommodate.

The angles you can choose from are 4º (the angle the board sits at by default), 7º, with the shortest feet deployed, and 10º for the steepest angle. Other boards, like the Keychron Q3 HE ($239) have a fixed typing angle, which can mean it’s fatiguing on wrists and forearms.

Battery life for days

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K has up to 660 hours of battery life with backlighting turned off. But let’s be honest, you’re not going to have backlighting turned off. So, battery life, like with everything else, is dependent on usage.

Nonetheless, the battery of the V3 Ultra 8K is very impressive. When I started using the board, it had 50% battery and I used it every day for a week before I needed to charge it at 15%, which is pretty good going since I had the RGB lighting set to the highest setting and I type all day, every day.

The V Ultra 8K series, which includes the V3, has over three times the battery life of the V Max series, so it’s a great option for anyone who doesn’t want to charge their device often or be bogged down by using it wired.

Connectivity options

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K can be used wired or wireless over Bluetooth or with the 2.4GHz dongle, which can be found at the back of the board.

You can use the board with Windows and macOS, and you toggle between these settings with the handy switch at the back of the board. It also comes with macOS and Windows keycaps, making it more convenient to use the two systems.

However, some keyboards like the Lenovo Multi Device Keyboard ($39), geared towards productivity, come with dual-labelled keycaps, which eliminates the need to swap them out if you’re someone who works between operating systems. But since it’s hot-swappable, you can use any compatible keycaps you want.

Keychron V3 Ultra 8K review: The downs

While minor, there are some issues with the Keychron V3 Ultra 8K. It’s not available in the U.K. at the time of writing, and the plastic case is a little cheap-feeling.

Not available in the UK

Unfortunately, at the time of writing this, the Keychron V3 Ultra 8K is not available for purchase in the U.K. If you’re in the U.K. and think this keyboard sounds like the right fit for you, something like the Keychron V3 Max ($99 / £89) would be ideal. This is still part of the V series, so it features a similar build and design. However, the Max version runs QMK firmware instead of ZMK and comes with Gateron Jupiter switches pre-installed instead of Silk POM Switches (they’re both great). It has a weaker battery life and polls at a lower maximum frequency of 1,000Hz, although that’s still fine for almost all gamers.

Plastic casing lacks a premium feel

If you’re looking for something sturdy that won’t move an inch on your desk, even with tapping all day long, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Since the case of the Keychron V3 Ultra 8K is made of plastic, it is extremely lightweight, at just 2.1 pounds. I’ve been taking it on my commute back and forth to the office while I’ve been testing it, and I haven’t even noticed the extra weight in my bag, which is a good thing. But this also means that there isn’t as much downforce keeping it in place on your desk like with heavier boards.

When making modifications to the V3 Ultra 8K, I also noticed that because of the thin plastic case, the keyboard can twist slightly. This could be an issue if you need to exert some force when swapping out switches.

That said, the Keychron C1 Pro 8K, which I use daily, also features a plastic casing, and I have no issues with it staying put on my desk or with it flexing. But it’s worth noting that the plastic casing is what allows adjustable feet on the underside of the board, which is a feature I appreciate. The only metal-cased board we’ve seen with adjustable feet is the Lofree Flow 2.

Keychron V3 Ultra 8K review: Verdict

The Keychron V3 Ultra 8K is an impressively comfortable keyboard that provides a lot of scope for customization while remaining a great choice for use straight out of the box. I can type on this board all day long without experiencing any sort of fatigue, and the gliding Silk POM switches make the experience extra smooth.

The flexible gasket mount and sound-dampening layers provide a muted sound that makes it perfect for use in an office or at home without any major distraction from loud clacking. My only qualms are that the plastic case feels a little cheap and unstable at times, plus the lack of availability in the U.K. Other than that, this is a board that is perfect for pretty much anyone.

The best mechanical keyboards can elevate your typing experience and enhance your productivity, and the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is one such deck. This low-profile keyboard is a joy to type on all day long, thanks to its highly responsive low-profile switches and adjustable height. It’s built extremely well, and it features an LCD screen for on-the-fly customization. It’s decent for gaming too, packing an 8,000Hz wired polling rate.

But is it worth the premium price tag? The MX 10.1 Wireless costs nearly $250, and that price is difficult to stomach given its drawbacks — the Windows-only companion software and non-hot-swappable switches. In a crowded market where its competitors offer better value for money, the MX 10.1 Wireless struggles to find its place.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review.

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: Specs

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A full-sized mechanical keyboard with low-profile switches
• Who is it for? Anyone who wants a comfortable keyboard for all-day typing and casual gaming
• How much does it cost? The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is available for $249 / £179
• What do we like? The premium construction, low-profile design, typing experience, gaming performance, long battery life, and LCD screen for quick customization
• What don’t we like? The Windows-only companion software, premium price tag, and non-hot-swappable switches

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: The ups

From its premium construction and comfortable low-profile design, to its typing experience and gaming performance, the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is a competent mechanical keyboard.

Premium construction

If it’s a well-built mechanical keyboard you’re after, look no further than the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless. Featuring a robust aluminum top plate and a plastic chassis, the MX 10.1 Wireless feels like it will stand the test of time. There’s no flex in the body when you twist it by holding its sides, and the keys don’t dip into the PCB either — something I’ve seen on full-plastic keyboards, like the Epomaker Cypher96 ($89) and the McHose x Unbox Therapy UT98 ($139), before.

Adding to the MX 10.1 Wireless’ sturdy build are its double-shot PBT keycaps which are more durable than ABS keycaps as they can withstand a fair bit of wear and tear. The PBT keycaps with their matte finish feel soft to the touch and add to the wonderful typing experience (more on that soon).

Despite using some degree of metal in its construction, the MX 10.1 Wireless retains a slim and sleek profile. This is a full-sized 100% layout keyboard, measuring 16.81 x 5.27 x 1.06 inches and weighing 2.43lbs, but it doesn’t feel too heavy to pack away in your bag and carry on your commute. In fact, it’s a little lighter than other full-sized keyboards I’ve tested, such as the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max (2.86lbs, $229) and the Keychron Q6 (5.13lbs, $195) — although the latter utilizes a full-metal case which contributes to its large stature.

The MX 10.1 Wireless is a good-looking keyboard too, thanks to its per-key RGB lighting and built-in LCD screen (more on that in a second). It hasn’t given me much to complain about in the build and design departments.

Comfortable low-profile design

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is a low-profile keyboard. Low-profile decks are generally more comfortable to type on than standard-profile ones as you don’t have to lift your wrists as high to type, and your hands fall in a way that’s similar to their natural resting position.

Low-profile keyboards also use low-profile switches. The MX 10.1 Wireless is fitted with Cherry MX Low Profile 2.0 red (linear) mechanical switches and Cherry notes that these are approximately 35% shorter than its standard switches. They’re easier and quicker to activate because they’re slimmer and require a moderate 45g of force to activate — the same weighting as the low-profile switches used by the Chilkey ND75 LP ($99). These are a little lighter than the 50g reds in the Keychron K11 Max ($94), and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed typing on them.

The MX 10.1 Wireless’ height and typing angles can be adjusted extensively too, thanks to the foldable bracket that can be pulled out to nearly 180°. Overall, the MX 10.1 Wireless is a comfortable low-profile keyboard, and I didn’t feel any discomfort after a full day of typing — I even wrote this review on it!

Excellent for typing

Given its 100% full-sized layout, the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is an outstanding keyboard for productivity. You get a full numberpad, page navigation keys, and a full Function row. I love the low-profile design and switches, as I mentioned before, and both contribute to a smooth typing experience. The low-profile red switches also have a total travel distance of 3.2mm which means that even at its full depth, you don’t have to press the switches too much for your commands to register, which helps you type faster.

I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com as soon as I took the MX 10.1 Wireless out of its box. As you can see from the table above, I got my most accurate results on the Cherry, especially compared to other keyboards I’ve tested recently.

Good gaming performance

In addition to the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless being lovely for typing, it’s good for gaming too. The MX 10.1 Wireless features 8,000Hz wired and 4,000Hz wireless (2.4GHz) polling rates which means you won’t face any latency issues or input lag. It’s important to note that 8KHz and 4KHz polling rates are a drag on system resources, and for 99% of gamers (excluding competitive esports players), 1KHz polling is more than enough — how many of us can really tell the difference between an input reported at 1,000th of a second and one at 8,000th of a second?

I guess if you want to show off that your keyboard packs blistering 8,000Hz polling, you’ll love the MX 10.1 Wireless — but for most people, 8KHz polling feels like a gimmick, and yes, 1,000Hz polling is more than plenty. In my testing, I didn’t notice any latency issues while playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Counter-Strike 2. The low-profile red linear switches were highly responsive too. These switches have a pre-travel distance of 1.2mm which means that you don’t need to press them all the way down for them to activate, and they ensured that my fingers and hands didn’t feel fatigued after extended use.

The MX 10.1 Wireless also features N-key rollover which enables multiple inputs to be registered at the same time. With N-key rollover, you can execute two commands simultaneously, so you can duck and draw your last used weapon at the same time in games like Counter-Strike 2. This gives you a competitive advantage in first-person shooters, RPGs and racing games too.

Mechanical keyboards are decent for gaming but I’d recommend Hall Effect decks for serious gamers, such as the Keychron Q6 HE 8K ($239) and the Lemokey L5 HE ($220) as you can adjust each switch’s sensitivity for ultra-responsive gameplay.

LCD screen for quick customization

I won’t lie, I love a keyboard with a built-in LCD screen. I know it can feel like a gimmick, but I actually find it useful, especially if you can customize the keyboard’s settings on the fly and without having to dive into companion software. I adore the screens on the Epomaker RT100 ($115) and the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129), and now on the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless.

The LCD screen is located in the top-right corner, next to a rotary knob, and it’s bright and detailed. I’ve found it easy to read in the dark as well as well-lit rooms. The screen, along with the knob, lets you adjust the keyboard’s RGB lighting effects and brightness, swap between custom profiles, and change the track playing.

However, I feel like Cherry missed a beat here by not letting users change the polling rate, which would have been handy for macOS users as there’s no companion software on MacBooks — but I’ll get into that later.

Long battery life

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless has one of the best battery lives out there, especially compared to other low-profile keyboards I’ve tested. Cherry says that on a single charge, the MX 10.1 Wireless can last up to 900 hours over Bluetooth — but this drops significantly to just 50 hours over 2.4GHz. The battery life will also depend on whether the RGB is turned on at all times and the polling rate.

900 hours of battery life is incredible. It’s a lot more than what you get with the Keychron K17 Max ($94) which is rated for 100 hours with the backlight off, or the Razer Pro Type Ultra ($159) which can last up to 214 hours over a Bluetooth connection.

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: The downs

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is an expensive keyboard and at this price, I’m disappointed by its Windows-only companion software and non-hot-swappable switches.

Windows-only companion software

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is a versatile keyboard as it can be connected up to three devices simultaneously, thanks to Bluetooth, 2.4GHz and wired connectivity. It’s excellent for users of both Windows and macOS as you can swap between layouts with the flick of a switch. But what’s surprising is that even though it works like a charm on macOS, its companion software isn’t available on MacBooks and other Macs (and it doesn’t come with macOS-specific keycaps either).

Windows-only companion software is a major drawback for such an expensive keyboard, and this means that macOS users will need to rely on the LCD screen for customization. As I mentioned earlier, the LCD screen is great, but it falls short when it comes to in-depth adjustments. For instance, you can’t adjust the polling rate and you can’t assign different settings to the three custom profiles either. Since you can’t adjust the polling rate, you’re stuck with 8,000Hz by default, and as I explained earlier, it’s a drain on system resources.

If you want a low-profile mechanical keyboard that can be customized on macOS, the Keychron K13 Max ($94) or the Keychron K17 Max are excellent alternatives — and they’re much cheaper than the MX 10.1 Wireless too.

Not hot-swappable

I’ve reviewed many, many keyboards in my time as a reviews writer, and I’m always taken aback when a keyboard that costs a premium isn’t hot-swappable. I’ve seen it with the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max, the Razer Pro Type Ultra, and now with the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless. The MX 10.1 Wireless comes with one set of stock switches only, and those are the Cherry MX Low Profile 2.0 red (linear) mechanical switches. You can’t choose a different type, and you can’t swap them out as and when you please either.

Sure, you can de- and re-solder the switches to the PCB if you so desire, but it’s extremely tricky and something we don’t recommend doing. You’re better off buying a hot-swappable keyboard, in my opinion. Again, I’d recommend the Keychron K13 Max, the Keychron K17 Max or the NuPhy Node100 ($109) over the MX 10.1 Wireless any day.

Expensive

I’ve banged on and on about the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless’ premium price tag for a while now, so how expensive is it, really? Quite a bit. The MX 10.1 Wireless retails for a whopping $249 / £179 at Amazon. That’s a lot of dough for a mechanical keyboard, especially when more advanced Hall Effect keyboards, like the Keychron Q6 HE 8K ($239) and the Lemokey L5 HE ($220), cost either the same or less.

There are many, many budget-friendly options out there, and you don’t necessarily need to spend over $200 to get a powerful gaming and productivity keyboard. Both the Keychron K13 Max and the Keychron K17 Max are fantastic, and so are the Lofree Flow Lite100 ($139) and the NuPhy Node100. You’ll be missing out on 8,000Hz polling with any of the cheaper options, but again, 1,000Hz is all you really need for most games.

Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless review: Verdict

The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless is a good mechanical keyboard. It’s great for all-day typing and productivity, thanks to its comfy low-profile design and exceptional build quality. It packs 8,000Hz wired and 4,000Hz wireless polling as well as N-key rollover, making it a decent keyboard for gaming too. The LCD screen for on-the-go customization is a nice touch, as is the long battery life.

However, the MX 10.1 Wireless is very expensive, retailing for nearly $250. At that price, I’d expect any keyboard to be near-perfect, which the MX 10.1 Wireless is not. Its Windows-only companion software will leave macOS users feeling shortchanged, and its non-hot-swappable switches reduce its versatility.

If money is no object and you really, really love the look and sound of the MX 10.1 Wireless then sure, by all means, get it. But if you’re strapped for cash or simply want more bang for your buck, you’re spoilt for choice as Keychron, Lofree and NuPhy upstage Cherry’s offering in nearly every way.

Since I started as a reviews writer at Tom's Guide in April 2024, I've tested nearly 80 of the best keyboards. That includes mechanical decks for productivity, Hall Effect keyboards for gaming, and even membrane boards that remind me of the ones I used in my school's computer lab. While I love Hall Effect keyboards for gaming (even as a console player), nothing comes close to beating mechanical decks for productivity.

This week just gone, I've tested three mechanical keyboards spanning the price range: the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max ($229), the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($119), and the Royal Kludge L75 ($79). All three brands are known for making good keyboards, but is one better than the others? I certainly think so. If I had to buy just one with my own money, I'd pick the Royal Kludge L75 — and no, it's not just because it's cheaper than the others.

Don't get me wrong. Both the Vulcan II Max and the V1 Ultra 8K are competent keyboards in their own right, and I even rated the latter 4.5-stars compared to the L75 getting a 4-star rating from me. So why would I choose the L75? The answer lies in the typing experience, creamy sound profile, and long battery life.

It sounds oh-so-gooooood

When I first started reviewing keyboards, I didn't care much about how they sounded. After all, they were meant for typing, right? But as the years have gone by, I've realized just how much of a pre-purchase condition a deck's sound profile is for many people. And you're spoilt for choice, really, as you can get thocky, clacky, silent, creamy, poppy, and so on and so forth.

My usual preference is thocky but I'm also a big fan of a creamy sound profile (even though I detest that word) — and the Royal Kludge L75 sounds oh-so-sweet. The L75 is packed with five layers of internal padding, including two layers of thick sound-absorbing foams, an IXPE switch pad, silicone dampener and PET sound-enhancement film. Combined with the Cream linear switches I tested, the double-shot PBT keycaps, and the gasket-mount design, the L75's sound profile could make anyone drool.

The Cream linear switches are downright fantastic too. If they aren't your speed, you can also choose from Beige tactiles and Silent ones. The Cream linears are a joy to type on as they are pre-lubed and very smooth. They require 45g of force to activate and have a 2mm pre-travel distance, so you don't need to press them all the way down for your commands to register, and they aren't fatiguing to type on either. Thanks to the wonderful typing experience, the L75 is a powerful productivity keyboard... and that's not all.

Macro management

If, like me, you spend your 9 to 5 typing away at your desk, you need a keyboard that can enhance your workflow — and the Royal Kludge L75 is just that. On the left-hand side of the keyboard, you'll find a set of five dedicated macro keys, labelled M1 through M5. These can be customized via the web-based RK Driver Hub, and you can assign different actions to them. Trust me when I say these are a boon to productivity.

I'll give you a quick example. I copy and paste lots of specs from product pages into Google Docs, and more often than not, they're in a different font that doesn't match up with the style in my Google Doc. That's why I use Paste Special which is executed using Cmd + Shift + V on macOS machines. While it doesn't take that long and my muscle memory never lets me down, it's nice to be able to do it with just one key instead of three — and that's what I did as I programmed M1 to that chain of actions.

You can program these however you like, and it's worth spending some time in the software trying different key combinations. Macro keys can take a while to get used to if this is your first time using them, but once you get to grips with them, they provide a massive boost to your productivity — it has to mine.

Why the other two don't cut it

So what's wrong with the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max and the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K? Well, it depends on what you're looking for, really. Both these keyboards are primarily gaming keyboards, with the Vulcan II Max having a 1,000Hz polling rate and the V1 Ultra 8K boasting an 8,000Hz polling rate. 1,000Hz is more than plenty for most gamers because it's faster than anything the human eye or mind can perceive.

8,000Hz feels like a gimmick and like Keychron is trying to introduce something, anything, to convince consumers to buy their shiny new product, when the OG Keychron V1 is still very much fine. Better than fine, even, because it's the only keyboard I've ever given a full 5-out-of-5 star rating to! Sure it's got 660 hours of battery life, but the L75's got 700 hours to upstage the V1 Ultra 8K.

And the Vulcan II Max? Well... it costs $229, its keycaps tend to get shiny really quickly, switch choice is very limited, and it can't be used wirelessly. Why would you spend that many doubloons on a keyboard that simply fails to justify its premium price tag?

Granted the L75 doesn't have 1,000Hz polling (Royal Kludge doesn't specify any polling rate, in fact), it's still far better to type on, and it sounds so much better. Of course, the purchasing power is entirely in your hands. I know which one I'd buy, but which one would you go for?

More from Tom's Guide

• Keychron upgraded my favorite mechanical keyboard and packed 8,000Hz polling and 660 hours of battery into it — here’s my verdict after a week of testing
• The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max’s optical switches and bright RGB are a delight — but at this price, I expected more
• I just tested the Royal Kludge L75 mechanical keyboard — and it offers one of the best typing experiences for less than $80

The first time I typed on the Keychron V1, I was astounded. The typing experience was nothing short of beautiful. Such lovely switches... such a delightful sound profile... such a good-looking keyboard. I loved the V1, and it stayed put on my work desk for many, many months before it was eventually replaced by the Gamakay LK75 (which then quickly got replaced by another keyboard). I've reviewed nearly 80 keyboards now so I've lost track of which ones I've ended up using for longer than the testing periods.

But even so, I often think about the V1. It was the first mechanical keyboard I was actually genuinely interested in, and few have come close to it since. It's also the only keyboard I've ever given a full 5-out-of-5 star rating — which was deserved back then, and I'd say is still deserved even today. So imagine my surprise and enthusiasm when Keychron announced its V Ultra series of keyboards in January. I was so looking forward to testing the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K... but it just didn't scratch the itch.

Don't get me wrong. The V1 Ultra 8K is great in its own right — if it wasn't, it wouldn't have earned a 4.5-star rating from me. It boasts 660 hours of battery life, offers a lovely typing experience, and it's got... 8,000Hz polling! Good news for the ultra-human, I guess, or people who can perceive that kinda polling more than the average human can. I like the V1 Ultra 8K but part of me thinks this was an unnecessary upgrade, and one I wouldn't have missed had it not happened. So, I'll choose the OG V1 even today. Here's why.

One upgrade I actually wanted

When I reviewed the OG Keychron V1, I was a little disappointed that it was a wired-only deck. I love a keyboard that can be connected to multiple laptops via 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wirelessly connectivity as well as wired, as these modes make it more versatile and enable me to use the keyboard with different machines at the same time. Of course, you could always get the Keychron V1 Max for a little more money, if tri-mode connectivity is more your speed.

The Keychron V1 Ultra 8K is a tri-mode keyboard, so you can use it both wired and wirelessly. And an upgrade I didn't know I needed came in the form of the deck's loooong battery life. The V1 Max is rated for 225 hours between charges, which is great, but the V1 Ultra 8K takes it a step further with its 660-hour battery life rating. Now that is phenomenal.

I'll be the first to admit that I sometimes forget to charge my devices — one of the (many) reasons why I love my 100-hour Marshall Monitor III headphones. And when I'm leaving work, I'll sometimes forget to switch off my keyboard, and I'll arrive the next day to find it has died. Thankfully, that isn't the case with the V1 Ultra 8K. The battery life will naturally depend on the usage conditions, such as whether RGB is turned on and if you have 8KHz wireless polling enabled. But knowing that the keyboard can potentially last that long is comforting.

Can you even perceive 8KHz polling?

Another upgrade Keychron has introduced in not only the V1 Ultra 8K but all of its Ultra keyboards is 8,000Hz (8kHz) polling. This basically means the keyboard (which is scanning itself for inputs) reports the results of its scans to your computer 8,000 times per second. The more of those polls, the faster it reports inputs to the computer, and the less likely any inputs are to fall between the gaps and get missed.

8kHz polling basically ensures zero latency issues and input lag, thereby theoretically lending you a competitive advantage. You know what else negates latency issues and input lag and gives you a competitive advantage? 1,000Hz polling, found in both the OG V1 and the V1 Max. Look, I can understand highly competitive esports teams and players wanting 8kHz polling to absolutely ensure the quickest inputs and that none are missed, but for 90% of users, 8kHz means nothing but a drag on system resources, while 1kHz is more than enough.

I had an extensive discussion with my editor and our in-house keyboard expert, Pete Wolinski, and both of us agreed that 8kHz polling is, for lack of a better word, gimmicky, and I've never been a fan of gimmicks. Can any human really tell the difference between an input reported at 1,000th of a second and one at 8,000th of a second? The numbers are both beyond human perception.

I also personally don't understand the point of 8kHz polling on a mechanical keyboard. When you have magnetic switches with lighting fast actuation and features like Rapid Trigger, to repeat inputs in quick succession? Sure, why not. But when your much slower mechanical keyboard has switches without those features, and which have to physically recycle before they can actuate again, what's the point? It's a drain on system resources and your deck's battery life. Every manufacturer wants to stuff 8kHz polling into their keyboards nowadays because it's "in," but for most users, including myself, a keyboard like the OG V1 is still good.

The OG V1 is still a winner in my eyes

As I mentioned earlier, the OG Keychron V1 stayed put on my desk for a long, long time. I sometimes think about buying it with my own money and perhaps one of these days I'll bite the bullet. I love its Frosted Black design and soft double-shot PBT keycaps. I remember it sounding like music to my ears, and it was the first time I preferred linear switches over tactile ones because of just how much of a joy the V1 was to type on.

The V1 also felt much better built than the V1 Ultra 8K. Its steel plate ensured that there was no flex in the body unlike the V1 Ultra 8K whose body twists if you twist it by holding its sides. That isn't great news for the V1 Ultra 8K because it makes me question the longevity of the board. 1KHz polling on the V1 is also, again, more than enough for most users, and it doesn't overload your computer. 8KHz wireless polling is cool, but to me, it only really sounds cool on paper.

What do you think? Would you buy the V1 or the V1 Ultra 8K? Let me know in the comments below!

More from Tom's Guide

• Keychron upgraded my favorite mechanical keyboard and packed 8,000Hz polling and 660 hours of battery into it — here’s my verdict after a week of testing
• The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max’s optical switches and bright RGB are a delight — but at this price, I expected more
• The only keyboard I want to use from now on is the Keychron V1 — here’s why

I’ve used a lot of keyboards in my time. I test them for my job (what a hard life), and I edit dozens more keyboard reviews each year that are reviewed by my team. At one point, I even owned over 40 decks of my own — understandably, my wife encouraged me to have a clear out when we moved house in 2025.

And let me tell you, out of all the hundreds of keyboards that have passed by my desk, I can’t remember any that sounded as good as the Wobkey Crush 80. If you like poppy-sounding, retro-esque keyboards, this one’s for you. Add to that its utterly gorgeous Kailh switches, supreme modability and excellent build quality, and you’ll be a very happy bunny.

The Crush 80 isn’t faultless, though. It’s incredibly heavy, and rather pricey, too (although not that far out of line with competition).

Could this be one of the best mechanical keyboards for you? Find out in my full Wobkey Crush 80 review.

Wobkey Crush 80 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A heavily-moddable 80% TKL keyboard, which sounds unreal
• Who is it for? Typists who care about (and are willing to pay for) refined sound
• What does it cost? Alas, $190 / £199 for the Pro version I recommend
• What’s good? The sound, styling, typing and modding potential
• What’s not? The price and weight, and that’s about it

Wobkey Crush 80 review: Specs

Wobkey Crush 80 review: The ups

The Wobkey Crush 80 is a wonderful sounding board, with an addictive poppy sound profile. It’s built like a tank, is lovely to type on and very mod-friendly. It gets all the core stuff right.

Addictive poppy sound

This keyboard’s most important and endearing feature is its sound. Just like other boards in Wobkey’s lineup — the famous Wobkey Rainy 75 and the ultra-moddable Wobkey Zen 65 — the Crush 80 sounds utterly phenomenal.

It has a poppy, marbly sound profile, much like the Rainy 75, and it’s utterly addictive. A cascade of light pops, but with a nice deep resonance underneath to avoid the noise sounding thin. I didn’t think any board could pull me away from my thocky NuPhy Halo75 V2, but I guess I was wrong.

The Crush 80’s Kailh Cocoa linear switches are the primary driver of that distinctive poppiness — these are the same switches used in the similar-sounding Rainy 75. The MCHOSE GX87 has a similar poppy sound, but is a little deeper and thockier on account of its different (Huano Matcha or KTT Vintage) switches.

Under the Crush 80’s keys, by default, sits an FR4 plate. FR4 is a fiberglass composite material and is fairly flexible, which helps give that deeper resonance — lower tones to sit underneath the higher-pitched pop and widen the acoustic profile. The Crush 80 also comes with an aluminum plate in the box, but the firmer plate material will remove that deeper tone and lend the board a lighter clackiness, which I’m not as keen on.

Underneath the plate, there are also several layers of IPXE and Poron foam, plus silicone PCB films around wider stabilized keys. The latter keeps the wider keys all sounding similar, although they still sound a little different to each other, and markedly different to the rest of the keys — this is totally normal.

Naturally, the case contributes, too. The Crush 80 has a super heavy aluminum case, while the Pro model I tested also features an enormous stainless steel backplate on the base. As well as making this one of the heaviest 80% boards I’ve ever held (more on this later), the heavyweight build adds yet more acoustic damping, further refining the sound.

TL;DR — it sounds utterly exquisite.

Attractive styling

The Wobkey Crush 80 looks identical to a plethora of other 80% quick-release metal case boards, like the MCHOSE GX87 Pro and Chilkey NDTKL. The white Crush 80 is a total dead ringer for the white and black MCHOSE GX87 I tested in 2025. Cue Pam’s “It’s the same picture” meme from The Office. If I were a betting man, I’d say these boards were all using the same parts from a single factory in Shenzhen.

Regardless, just like all the other similar-looking decks, the Crush 80 looks lovely. I’m a big fan of the squared off case, especially in the warm silver colorway I tested, with the retro beige, grey and salmon-pink keycaps.

The Crush 80 is available in tons of variations, though. The cheaper Lite model (which uses HMX, not Kailh switches and features no RGB) comes in black, white or silver, all of which are fine but kinda boring. The Pro model, however, comes in 10 colorways, and there are some funky options to choose from, like the purple and yellow finishes.

Outstanding build quality

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen build quality this extra on a keyboard. The Wobkey Crush 80’s keycaps are, of course, double-shot PBT, for more durability than cheaper ABS, better grease resistance and no shininess over time. I ate a pack of potato chips over my lunch break, deliberately typing on the board as I was eating them to see if the keys would pick up the oil — not a single smear.

The case is made from aluminum, either anodized and finished with 200 grit, or coated using electrophoresis and finished with 180 grit. My warm silver test model is the anodized finish, and it’s lovely to the touch — a smooth, sensory experience.

As I mentioned above, both the Lite and Pro models come with a backplate, all stainless steel. On my model, it’s PVD finished (a coating that doesn’t flake off like electrolysed coatings over time) and buffed to a mirror finish. It’s a crazy level of attention to detail, and there’s not a shred of doubt in my mind that the Crush 80 is built to last.

Adding to the premium feel are all the extras that come with Crush 80. It arrives in its own hardened fabric carry case, with straps to hold the board in place — although at over 5lbs for the board alone, I’ve no idea why anyone would think of carrying it anywhere. Inside the case you’ll find a fabric pad (attached to the case) that protects the keycaps and acts as a dust cover when the case is open; a soft microfiber cloth for cleaning; a keycap and switch puller; spare gaskets and parts; an aluminum plate; and an instruction manual (you’ll need to keep hold of this, as I’ll cover later).

Plenty of modding potential

Just like its miniature stablemate, the Wobkey Zen65, the Crush 80 is intended to be heavily modified, if you so choose. The top case uses a quick-release latch, so you can pull the board apart in seconds and get access to the innards.

As I mentioned above, the Crush 80 comes with a second plate in the carry case, if you’d prefer to switch out to a clackier sound. There are also spare gaskets and pads, in case you lose the default ones while opening up the case and modding.

There’s not quite the same level of modability as the Zen65, which came with everything needed to swap between mount styles — so you’re stuck with a gasket mount — but the Crush 80 is nevertheless plainly intended to serve as a base for modders.

The keyboard also runs QMK open-source firmware, allowing you to tweak the settings through the VIA web app. VIA is fine — it’s kinda basic, only offering a single RGB backlight customization panel, for example, meaning you’ll still have to rely on the onboard key commands to change the side and status lights. But VIA nevertheless allows you to remap keys and set macros, etc. You can also flash the board’s firmware via instructions hosted on the Wobkey website.

We’re seeing much better software support these days now that proprietary software has become more reliable. Companion apps and web launchers from the likes of NuPhy and Keychron allow for much greater control over your board than VIA. But VIA can do the basics, and I’d rather a small company leverage open source firmware and companion software that works, rather than trying to make their own janky software on limited resources to tweak proprietary firmware.

Glorious typing & switches

Telling me a keyboard has Kailh switches is a surefire way to pique my interest. I can’t remember a set of Kailhs that disappointed me, and the Cocoa switches in the Wobkey Crush 80 Pro model are no exception to that rule. These are the same switches found in the Rainy 75, and we loved them in that board, too.

The Crush 80 Lite model uses HMX switches, but I haven’t tested that variant — the poppy sound of the Cocoa Kailhs are, in my opinion, integral to the character of this board, so I would recommend buying the Pro model (besides, the Lite has no RGB).

The Kailhs not only sound great, but feel fantastic too. They’re linear, and there’s no tactile option, but that’s okay given how incredible they sound (big praise given I’m a die-hard tactile fan). They’re moderately sprung, with a medium-firm 45g, so they keep some elasticity without feeling heavy or tiring to use. I’ve written this entire review on the Crush 80 with no issue.

As you can see in the results above, it’s also an incredibly easy and fast board to type on. Medium-low Cherry profile keycaps help here, allowing fast movement across the board. The caps also have fairly wide top surfaces, facilitating accuracy, with only a slight concave profile, again helping with speed of movement. I was able to achieve four words per minute faster than average while maintaining above average accuracy.

The Crush 80 also uses a gasket mount for a cushioned type feel, which was quite the relief after typing on the Keychron Q16 HE 8K for a few days beforehand — that has a super firm tray mount, resulting in harsher bottom outs.

Tri-mode connectivity

At a glance, the Wobkey Crush 80 looks like a wired-only keyboard, with no mode switches and only a USB-C port visible on the case. Look under a metal cover on the base, though, and you’ll find a 2.4GHz dongle. Flick through the manual and you’ll also find instructions on using the three Bluetooth channels.

This makes the Crush 80 a versatile all-rounder board. I’ve got it hooked up to my work-issued MacBook Pro via Bluetooth, with the 2.4GHz dongle plugged into my Windows PC for some evening and weekend gaming. Admittedly, I’d much prefer a connectivity switch on the board somewhere — it’s easy to forget key commands — but that’s a small issue, and understandable given the thickness of the metal bottom case.

The Crush 80 is decidedly aimed at productivity — it even has a macOS mode, allowing native use of Mac-specific Fn controls, which isn’t something we see on many Window-biased productivity boards. You can game on it, too! Although the poll rate isn’t specified anywhere on the Wobkey store pages, I reached out to the brand’s representative who confirmed the Crush 80 polls at 1,000Hz over 2.4GHz and wired, so no need to worry about input latency.

Wobkey Crush 80 review: The downs

Alas, the Wobkey Crush 80 isn’t perfect. Thanks to the ultra-premium construction materials used, it’s both pricey and extremely heavy.

Rather pricey

The Wobkey Crush 80 starts at $169 / £179 for the Lite version, although I wouldn’t recommend buying this model. Firstly, you miss out on those delectable Kailh switches, and secondly, the Lite features no RGB lighting, which really kinda sucks for $169.

The Pro model, which is the one I tested, costs $190 / £199. That’s objectively a lot of money for a keyboard, especially one with no companion software or specified poll rate. The counter to that argument is that the Crush 80 is built phenomenally well, with ultra high-quality materials and plenty of extras thrown in, like the carry case. You don’t get the added extras from the $215 Keychron Q3 Max, so in that context, the Crush 80 isn’t quite as overpriced as some of the competition.

Extremely heavy

As I mentioned earlier, I’m not really sure on the logic behind supplying the Wobkey Crush 80 with a carry case, because you’d have to either be Arnie or mental to want to carry this thing around. The Crush 80 weighs over 5lbs (5.02lbs) — it’s over half a pound heavier than other heavy 80% boards like the Keychron Q3 Max and MCHOSE GX87 Pro (both 4.5 lbs). It’s the same weight, maybe even slightly heavier even than full-size metal behemoths like the Keychron Q6 and Keychron Q6 HE (5lbs).

Most of that is to do with the sheer amount of metal used in the Crush 80: the full aluminum top and bottom cases, plus the steel base plate. It makes the keyboard a genuine chore to move around your desk if, like me, you reposition your board for gaming.

Wobkey Crush 80 review: Verdict

I won’t lie, the Wobkey Crush 80 isn’t a perfect keyboard. If it were, there’d be a five star rating at the top of this review! It’s pricey (although the build and extras help justify that), and supremely heavy, but that’s really it.

This board has a very clear purpose though: to sound phenomenal and serve as a platform for serious modders and typists. It does all of those things perfectly. As I mentioned up top, I don’t think I’ve ever used such a beautiful-sounding board, with its refined, poppy profile. The Kailh switches and gasket mount are a joy to type on, and the keyboard is built to outlast your great, great grandchildren. So if you’ve got $200 to spare and want to make everyone jealous of your keyboard’s sound, I’m happy to recommend the Crush 80.

At the time of writing this, I’d tested and reviewed 75 of the best keyboards so when I say that the Royal Kludge L75 is one of the finest decks I’ve typed on, I mean it. Priced at just $79, the L75 is fitted with highly responsive pre-lubed switches that are a dream to type on.

The keyboard boasts a lovely sound profile too, and I love its dedicated macro keys that can be customized via web-based companion software. The cherry on top of the cake is the long, long battery life. But of course, when any product is priced that low, some compromises have to be made, and in the case of the L75, it’s the flimsy build quality.

Is it still the best mechanical keyboard for you? Read my full Royal Kludge L75 review to find out.

Royal Kludge L75 review: Specs

Royal Kludge L75 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 75% mechanical keyboard with dedicated macro keys
• Who is it for? For hardcore typists and people who work at a computer all day long
• How much does it cost? The Royal Kludge L75 is available for $79 / £79
• What do we like? The excellent typing experience, long battery life, dedicated macro keys, web-based companion app, and affordable price tag
• What don’t we like? The flimsy build quality

Royal Kludge L75 review: The ups

From its delightful sound profile and lovely typing experience to its web-based software and long battery life, the Royal Kludge L75 is a stupendous mechanical keyboard.

Delightful sound profile

Straight out of the box, the Royal Kludge L75 offers a beautiful typing experience and boasts a lovely, creamy sound profile — that will, of course, depend on the switches. The keyboard comes with a few stock switches which you can choose at checkout: Beige tactiles, Cream linears, and Silent ones. I tested the Cream linear mechanical switches and I absolutely adore them.

The L75 utilizes a gasket-mount design which provides a cushioned typing feel and also reduces vibrations from key presses. It’s also packed with five layers of internal padding, including two layers of thick sound-absorbing foams, an IXPE switch pad, silicone dampener and PET sound-enhancement film. All of this is to say that the L75 does an excellent job at minimizing hollow sounds, and in my testing, my immersion was never broken by unwanted or unpleasant metallic pings.

As I mentioned earlier, I tested the Cream linear switches. The switches, combined with the gasket-mount design, five layers of sound dampening and double-shot PBT keycaps, deliver a creamy acoustic profile which, honestly, sounds like music to my ears. I love it as much as I love the Wobkey Rainy 75 Pro’s ($139) thocky sound profile — which is a lot.

Excellent typing experience

So, the Royal Kludge L75 sounds great, but is it just as good to type on? It’s a hoot! The Cream linear switches I tested require a moderate 45g of force to activate and they have a pre-travel distance of 2mm. These are heavier than what I usually prefer, such as the 35g Sea Salt on the Epomaker RT100 ($115) but even so, I didn’t find the Cream linears fatiguing to type on.

Also, the L75 is hot-swappable and compatible with 3- or 5-pin mechanical switches, so you can always change them for lighter ones without de- and re-soldering them to the PCB. Or just buy the Silent switches at checkout, which require 37g of force to activate. At least the Cream linears aren’t as heavy as the 57g Banana switches on the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($119).

I also appreciate the L75’s double-shot PBT keycaps which are resistant to oil and general wear and tear, especially compared to their ABS counterparts. Even though this is a budget keyboard, it’s nice to see high-quality keycaps on it, especially when some expensive boards utilize cheap-feeling ones, such as the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max ($229) and the Razer Pro Type Ultra ($159).

To see how the L75 fared against other mechanical keyboards I’d tested right before it, I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com. As you can see from the table above, my speed was faster than average while maintaining slightly above average accuracy too. I’m very pleased with the result.

Dedicated macro keys

Alongside the outstanding typing experience, the Royal Kludge L75 is great for productivity for another reason: its dedicated macro keys. Similar to the pricier Keychron Q65 Max ($209), there’s a set of macro buttons located on the L75’s left-hand side. These five keys can be customized via the companion software (more on that soon) and you can assign shortcuts to them to enhance your workflow.

For instance, I use Paste Special a lot when I’m working in Google Docs, so instead of pressing Cmd + Shift + V every time, I assigned this chain of commands to M1. This added a boost to my workflow. Alongside the macro keys, you also get a full row of Function keys thanks to the keyboard’s 75% layout which also adds to the productivity aspect of the L75. Located in the top-left corner is a metallic volume knob which also saves you some time when you want to increase/decrease your music’s volume or play/pause playback.

Overall, the L75 is an outstanding productivity keyboard. Of course, as a 75% TKL keyboard, you miss out on a number pad. If that’s important to you, consider full-size or 96% keyboards, such as the Epomaker RT100 or the Epomaker Cypher96 ($89).

Long battery life

If you’re looking for a keyboard that doesn’t easily run out of charge, the Royal Kludge L75 is perfect for you. First of all, there are three ways to connect the keyboard to your Windows or macOS machine: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired. If you’re using the keyboard wirelessly, you’ll be pleased to hear that it’s packed with a massive 8,000mAh battery. This is even bigger than the battery packs you’ll find in the L75’s stablemates. Both the Royal Kludge S98 ($99) and the Royal Kludge M75 ($99) pack 3,750mAh batteries only.

Royal Kludge says that the L75 can last up to 700 hours between charges, which is incredible. This is, of course, with the RGB turned off, so your mileage will vary depending on usage conditions. According to Royal Kludge, the L75’s battery life drops to a mere 60 hours with the RGB on. I wasn’t expecting such a big discrepancy, to be honest.

But hey, the battery life with RGB turned off lasts even longer than the pricier Keychron V1 Ultra 8K’s ($119) 660-hour rating. It’s also better than pricier keyboards. For instance, the Razer Pro Type Ultra lasts just 214 hours, while the Corsair K65 Plus for Mac ($179) has a 266-hour battery life, so there’s that.

Web-based companion software

There are two ways to customize the Royal Kludge L75. You can either download the proprietary software onto your Windows machine, or you can use the web-based app on either Windows or macOS. I tested both but I prefer the latter, as it enables me to customize the L75 using my work-sanctioned MacBook Air M2 (I need to get IT to authorize any downloads, you see).

To customize the L75 via web-based software, you need to plug it into your laptop/computer via the included USB-C cable, and launch RK Driver Hub in Google Chrome, Edge or Opera — support for more browsers is being added, at the time of writing. This worked like a charm in both Google Chrome and Edge in my testing, on my MacBook and the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora.

Both the downloadable software and the web app provide the same functionality and degree of customization. You can use these to remap the keys, record macros and assign them to the macro keys, update the L75’s firmware, adjust the RGB lighting and effects, and customize the touch-sensitive nameplate. Yep, the L75’s got a touch-sensitive nameplate which I’ll elaborate on soon.

Affordable

The cherry on top of the cake is that the Royal Kludge L75 is an affordable mechanical keyboard, and it doesn’t break the bank. The L75 has a retail price of $79 / £79 at Amazon, and I’ve seen it drop to $61 / £65 in the past during sales events, such as Black Friday. It’s cheaper than the Royal Kludge M75 ($99), the Keychron V1 ($94), the GravaStar Mercury K1 Lite ($89) and the NuPhy Air75 V3 ($139).

If you aren’t bothered by the flimsy build, which I’ll discuss next, and just want a cheap and cheerful productivity mechanical keyboard, you’ll enjoy the L75. It’s one of the best typing experiences I’ve had so far.

Royal Kludge L75 review: The downs

There isn’t much wrong with the Royal Kludge L75, but its biggest drawback is its flimsy build quality.

Cheap build

One of the Royal Kludge L75’s biggest drawbacks is its cheap build quality. The keyboard is made entirely of ABS plastic which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it leaves a lot to be desired. For instance, if you hold the keyboard by its sides and twist it, it does indeed twist. This is something I’ve experienced with other plastic keyboards as well, such as the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K and the Epomaker EK68 ($89).

In a similar vein, if you press the keys too hard, the whole PCB mount dips. To a degree, this is fine as it’s symptomatic of the gasket mounting and allows for a bouncy type feel. But when a PCB is dipping and bending to this degree, I worry about the L75’s structural integrity and longevity. If this is something that really bothers you, I’d recommend the Keychron V1 or the Epomaker Ajazz AK820 Pro ($68).

My biggest issue, however, is with the nameplate located in the top-right corner. According to Royal Kludge, this is a touch-sensitive nameplate which can be customized via either the web-based app or the downloadable software, and it can be used to execute certain commands, such as launch the Royal Kludge website (by default). In theory, it sounds great, and it’s something I was looking forward to testing.

Alas, I couldn’t, because when I removed the protective masking film off it, the nameplate came off too. I could then see that glue had been used to stick it to the keyboard, which left me very confused by the whole ordeal. I’ve reached out to a Royal Kludge representative to get to the bottom of this, and see if they can send me a replacement to properly test the touch-sensitive aspect of it. I will update the review as and when I hear back.

Royal Kludge L75 review: Verdict

If you’re looking for a mechanical keyboard for productivity and you’re on a budget, I’d highly recommend the Royal Kludge L75. It’s an absolute delight to type on, thanks to the responsive switches and the lovely double-shot PBT keycaps. Its set of dedicated macro keys are highly customizable via web-based companion software, and I love the keyboard’s long battery life too.

While there isn’t much wrong with the L75, it’s important to note that the build quality is underwhelming as the keyboard’s body twists, and the touch-sensitive nameplate is prone to falling off (as it did in my testing).

For those who just want a solid typing experience and long battery life, the L75 is the way to go.

I’ve tested nearly every variant of Turtle Beach’s Vulcan lineup of keyboards. While they’ve been good at some things, they’ve been very bad at others — and the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is no different. The good news is that it’s built extremely well and it offers a great typing experience. It packs a 1,000Hz polling rate and N-key rollover, both of which contribute to powerful gaming performance. Its RGB lighting is highly customizable too, and it can synchronize with other Turtle Beach products.

But the bad news is that the Vulcan II Max costs a premium which feels difficult to justify given its faults. It can’t be used wirelessly. Switch choice is very limited. The ABS keycaps tend to get shiny very quickly. These flaws are disappointing given you’d be spending upwards of $200 on it.

So, could this still be the best keyboard for you? Read my full Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max review to find out.

Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max review: Specs

Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 100% full-sized keyboard with optical switches and 1,000Hz polling
• Who is it for? Casual gamers and typists
• How much does it cost? The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is available for $229 / £194
• What do we like? The premium construction, bright RGB lighting, great gaming performance, lovely typing experience, and companion software
• What don’t we like? The shiny keycaps, wired-only design, limited switch choice, and premium price tag

Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max review: The ups

The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is built well and it features bright RGB lighting that can synchronize with other Turtle Beach products. It boasts strong gaming performance and a great typing experience too.

Premium construction

Just like its Vulcan stablemates — the Vulcan TKL ($99) and the Vulcan II TKL Pro ($149) — the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is built extremely well. It features an anodized aluminum top plate and a plastic chassis, so it boasts premium construction. Thanks to the aluminum plate, there’s no flex in the body, so the keyboard doesn’t twist if you, well, twist it by holding its sides. The keys don’t dip into the PCB either, which is something we’ve seen with plasticky keyboards, such as the Epomaker Cypher96 ($89), but this keyboard costs a premium, so that’s not something I’d expect to happen anyway.

I also really like the styling and design of the Vulcan II Max’s keycaps. Though they’re made of ABS and that has its drawbacks (more on that soon), I love their soft matte finish which feels nice to touch with my fingertips. They feel similar to the ones on my MacBook Air M2’s keyboard, a laptop I’m more than familiar with and enjoy using. The Vulcan II Max is fitted with a textured volume wheel in the top-right corner which adds to the overall premium feel of the keyboard. It gives good tactile feedback when it’s turned.

Also adding to the Vulcan II Max’s build quality is its detachable wrist rest which is fairly comfortable for long periods of time. I like the translucent design too, which reflects the keyboard’s RGB lighting when it’s turned on. The Vulcan II Max feels like the ideal full-sized keyboard to have on your desk if it’s premium build quality you’re after. It measures 18.23 x 9.29 x 1.32 inches and weighs 2.86lbs (with palm rest) so it isn’t exactly portable. I’d recommend the smaller 80% Turtle Beach Vulcan TKL if you want a compact keyboard. But as full-sized ones go, the Vulcan II Max is great.

Bright RGB lighting

If you’re a fan of in-your-face RGB lighting, you’ll love the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max. It utilizes Turtle Beach’s AIMO illumination technology which, essentially, synchronizes the lighting between the brand’s keyboards and mice. This needs to be enabled via the companion software (more on that shortly) and once it’s enabled, the RGB effects will flow in sync, react accordingly and spread from one device to another if you’re using, say, the Vulcan II Max and the Turtle Beach Kone XP Air ($129) mouse.

In addition to that, the Vulcan II Max’s RGB lighting is very bright, and the see-through optical switches light up the entire board, making it easier to type in the dark as you can see the see-through legends on the keycaps as well. I love a good RGB system on keyboards, and the Vulcan II Max’s hasn’t disappointed me so far. The RGB lighting can be customized even further via companion software which is very easy to use.

Great gaming performance

The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is, first and foremost, a gaming keyboard as it’s advertised as such. It has a 1,000Hz polling rate straight out of the box and its TITAN II linear optical switches are highly responsive. Not only is every input and command instantaneously registered, but I didn’t experience any latency issues either. The linear switches require 45g of force to activate and they have a pre-travel distance of 1.4mm, so you don’t need to press the keys all the way down for them to activate.

I played a few rounds of Counter-Strike 2 and a couple hours of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to test the Vulcan II Max. In both games, the Vulcan II Max performed well. All of my commands were promptly registered and my fingers and hands didn’t feel fatigued after hours of gaming either.

The keyboard also features N-key rollover with 100% anti-ghosting. N-key rollover enables multiple inputs to be registered at the same time, which can come in clutch in FPS titles and even RPGs as it gives you a bit of a competitive advantage. You can basically press two keys at the same time and both commands will be registered by your computer and executed. As an example, if you press Ctrl and Q together in Counter-Strike 2, you can duck and draw your last used weapon simultaneously.

100% anti-ghosting also means that regardless of how many keys you press together, each and every press will be registered by your computer. I tried this out by pressing WASDUHJK together with a Google Doc open, and all eight letters showed up on screen instantly. For competitive gamers, N-key rollover and anti-ghosting are essential as you don’t want your keyboard to fail to register an action or not execute a complex chain of commands.

All of this contributed towards me executing perfectly-timed parries and counter-attacks in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 too. As I didn’t need to press the key to parry all the way down, I could quickly and confidently execute it, knowing full well that the Vulcan II Max wouldn’t let me down.

Lovely to type on

The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is a delight to type on, and its productivity performance is just as solid as its gaming performance. First of all, you get 24 multi-function Smart Keys which can be customized and can enhance your productivity. These are dual-function keys toggled via the Easy-Shift[+] feature, and doing so unlocks a second layer of commands. Basically, they serve as macros, and you can execute two actions via one button.

These keys can be programmed to answer/reject incoming video calls, control audio playback, etc. If you’re someone who relies on your keyboard to execute certain commands, you’ll appreciate the Smart Keys, and I’d recommend playing around with them to find the best combination that works for you.

Adding to the Vulcan II Max’s productivity capabilities is the smooth typing experience the keyboard offers. Its TITAN II optical linear switches require a moderate 45g of force to activate and they have a pre-travel distance of 1.4mm. Although I usually prefer lighter switches, such as the 35g Sea Salts on the Epomaker RT100 ($115), my fingers didn’t feel fatigued after typing on the Vulcan II Max all day long.

To see how the Vulcan II Max fared against other mechanical keyboards I’ve tested recently, I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com. While my words-per-minute score is lower than usual, it’s still very good, and I’m pleased with it.

Detailed companion software

To customize the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max, you’ll need to download Swarm II on your Windows machine. The software is clean and easy to use, and it’s your one-stop shop for personalizing all your Turtle Beach products — mice, keyboards and headsets. It sports a clean interface, is signposted well, and is easy to get to grips with.

Through Swarm II, I was able to remap the Vulcan II Max’s keys, record macros, update/flash the firmware, customize the RGB lighting and effects (and there are plenty to choose from), and assign Smart Keys. You can also customize and save up to five profiles to the Vulcan II Max’s internal memory, and swap between them using key combinations.

Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max review: The downs

While the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is good, it isn’t without its faults. It can’t be used wirelessly, its keycaps tend to get shiny, switch choice is limited, and it’s expensive.

Wired only

The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is a wired-only keyboard which means you can’t use it wirelessly as there’s no built-in Bluetooth or 2.4GHz dongle. This is fine as the keyboard is full-sized and most likely to stay put on your desk. However, it isn’t great news for anyone who does want to travel with the board. The Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($114) is a great alternative for anyone who wants a wireless mechanical keyboard, and one that packs 8,000Hz wireless polling too.

Keycaps tend to get shiny

As I mentioned earlier, I like the matte finish on the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max’s keycaps — but what I hate is just how shiny they get. The keyboard’s keycaps are made of ABS, similar to the ones on the Vulcan TKL and the Vulcan II TKL Pro. They aren’t as durable as double-shot PBT keycaps, and aren’t as oil-resistant either. This means that they get shiny really quickly. After a couple hours of use, I instantly noticed the sheen on them — and this was before I’d had my lunch, so my fingertips weren’t even dirty!

This is an inherent problem with ABS keycaps, though, and isn’t something exclusive to the Vulcan II Max. The good news is that the Vulcan II Max’s keycaps are replaceable and compatible with third-party ones, so you can swap them with PBT ones if you so wish. Just remember to check out Turtle Beach’s guide to keycap compatibility and mounting requirements before buying some.

I will always recommend double-shot PBT keycaps over ABS ones. The former have never given me anything to complain about. If you want double-shot PBT keycaps straight out of the box, I’d recommend the Epomaker RT100 or the Keychron K10 Max ($119) as long as you don’t mind mechanical switches over optical ones.

Very limited switch choice

The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max comes fitted with pre-lubed TITAN II optical linear switches which I love, but if you’re looking for a more tactile or clicky feel, you’re out of luck. Unfortunately, the TITAN II linears are the only switches you can buy for the Vulcan II Max. It isn’t hot-swappable either so if you want to replace the switches, you’ll need to de- and re-solder them to the PCB which is extremely tricky and not worth doing — you’re best off buying a hot-swappable keyboard.

The much cheaper Turtle Beach Vulcan II ($119) is hot-swappable. I’d also recommend the Epomaker RT100, Keychron K10 Max, Keychron V6 Max ($99), or the McHose x Unbox Therapy UT98 ($139).

Expensive

Last but not least, the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max is a very pricey keyboard. It retails for $229 / £194 at Amazon which is quite expensive for a wired-only keyboard whose keycaps get shiny quickly and whose switches can’t be hot-swapped. The Vulcan II Max faces fierce competition from not only mechanical keyboards, but Hall Effect ones too, which are far better for gaming and customization.

Today, you can get a more powerful Hall Effect keyboard for either the same price or cheaper, and if you need a good gaming board, I’d recommend the Lemokey L5 HE ($220), the Keychron Q12 HE ($249) or the Keychron K4 HE ($134). If a mechanical deck is more your speed, I’d recommend the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K or the Keychron V6 Max.

Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max review: Verdict

The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Max isn’t the worst keyboard I’ve tested — but it’s also a far cry from the best. Don’t get me wrong: it has its upsides. Its aluminum plate and high-quality ABS plastic contribute towards a top-notch build. The keyboard features 1,000Hz polling, N-key rollover, and responsive optical linear switches, all of which are excellent for gaming. It’s nice to type on too, and the bright RGB lighting is sure to charm you.

But this keyboard costs nearly $230, and for that price, I was expecting to be blown away. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The Vulcan II Max’s wired-only design and keycaps that are prone to getting shiny leave a lot to be desired. The (very) limited switch choice is another letdown, and I expected more for the price.

A 3-star rating at Tom’s Guide means the product is good but there are better options available, and that’s true in the case of the Vulcan II Max. Keychron, Lemokey and Epomaker, alas, offer far better value for your money.

In January 2026, keyboard giant Keychron unveiled its Ultra series which brings 8,000Hz polling and 660 hours of battery life to its V and Q series of mechanical keyboards. As someone who loves the original Keychron V1, I couldn’t wait to test the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K — and after a week of testing, it didn’t disappoint.

The V1 Ultra 8K offers 8,000Hz wireless polling and packs an incredibly long battery life, and throws dual RGB lighting systems into the mix as well. It’s a delight to type and game on, and it’s an exceptional keyboard for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts who want latency issues and input lag to be a thing of the past. It doesn’t break the bank, and customization remains as easy as ever via web-based software.

Is this the best mechanical keyboard for you? Read my full Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review to find out.

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An upgrade of the original Keychron V1, now with 8,000Hz wireless polling
• Who is it for? Hardcore typists and gamers
• How much does it cost? The Keychron V1 Ultra is available in the U.S. only for $114
• What do we like? The 8,000Hz wireless polling, excellent typing and gaming performance, long battery life, dual RGB lighting, and the competitive price tag
• What don’t we like? Some flex in the body

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review: The ups

From its highly customizable RGB lighting and wonderful typing experience, to its powerful gaming performance, the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K is a stupendous keyboard.

Beautifully lit up

I love how the OG Keychron V1 is designed: minimalist yet charming. The Keychron V1 Ultra 8K is designed similarly, with black and gray keycaps as well as a singular orange keycap which make the keyboard inconspicuous and fit for the office. An addition I love? The dual RGB lighting systems. The top plate is lit up by “Mix RGB” as well as per-key RGB.

Per-key RGB is just like the one you find on the original V1, where every single key’s lighting can be individually customized and over 22 effects can be applied. Mix RGB goes a step further by splitting up the keyboard into two custom lighting zones, each with unique effects. I love this as it enables me to set different lighting effects for different keys via Keychron Launcher.

For instance, I set the alphabet keys to reactive lighting, so they only light up when pressed, and the other keys (Function row, Pgup, Pgdn, etc.) to remain always lit up in a rainbow wave. This extensive RGB customization is sure to please anyone who likes a colorful keyboard.

Still a dream to type on

When I tested the Keychron V1 nearly two years ago, it was a long time before it left my desk. It offers a strong typing experience with its responsive switches and lovely keycaps, so I’m over the moon that the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K offers a similarly rich typing experience too.

Firstly, the keyboard comes with one of three stock switches: Keychron Silk POM Red (linear), Brown (tactile) or Banana (tactile) mechanical. I tested the Banana switches which are a little on the heavy side of things as they require 57g of force to activate. I usually prefer lightweight linear switches, such as the 35g Sea Salt switches found in the Epomaker RT100 ($115). Even so, I didn’t mind the Banana switches much, and I didn’t find the V1 Ultra 8K’s Banana switches fatiguing to type on — I even wrote this review on the keyboard! And I like that the V1 Ultra 8K is hot-swappable so I can change the switches as and when I like without de- and re-soldering them to the PCB.

Secondly, the V1 Ultra 8K feels and sounds lovely. It uses a gasket-mount, which offers a cushioned feel, reducing vibrations from key presses. The gasket, in tandem with the V1 Ultra’s several layers of enhanced acoustic foam, negates any unwanted metallic pings that would otherwise take away from the board’s sound profile. Together with the double-shot PBT keycaps, the keyboard sounds poppy and — although I’m more of a thocky fan — I can’t deny that the V1 Ultra 8K sounds delightful.

I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com to see how the V1 Ultra 8K fared against other mechanical keyboards I’ve tested recently. As you can see from the table above, the V1 Ultra 8K performed formidably. However, my speed is a little slower than on the Epomaker P65 ($119) and the GravaStar Mercury K1 but that’s probably down to the switches being heavier. Still, 94 words-per-minute is excellent, in my opinion.

Powerful gaming performance

The original Keychron V1 is excellent for both typing and gaming as it has a 1,000Hz polling rate. As the name suggests, the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K now features 8,000Hz wireless polling. This means that if you’re using the included 2.4GHz dongle (that neatly slots into the keyboard’s side for safekeeping), you can achieve a blistering 8,000Hz polling rate wirelessly — or wired, if that’s more your speed.

The only other keyboard I’ve tested with 8KHz wireless polling is the Epomaker HE65 Mag ($99) but that’s a Hall Effect deck, and to my knowledge, not many mechanical boards aside from Keychron’s Ultra ones (and the Keychron C1 Pro 8K) feature 8KHz polling. 8KHz polling, while impressive on paper, feels quite gimmicky, and most players (inlcuding myself) can’t tell the difference between 8KHz and 1KHz polling rates. Both negate input lag, and both ensure your inputs are registered instantaneously. The biggest difference is that 8KHz is a massive drain on your system resources as well as the V1 Ultra 8K’s battery life, and can only be really noticed by esports and competitive teams on a macro level.

To test the V1 Ultra 8K, I played a few rounds of Counter-Strike 2 and a couple hours of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with the 2.4GHz dongle plugged in. I found the Banana switches highly responsive. They have a pre-travel distance of 2mm so they need to be pressed about halfway down to activate. I didn’t find them very fatiguing or problematic, and I appreciated the tactile bump on them too, as it gave me a good idea of when to let go off the switch. It’s worth swapping to lighter linear switches if you want an even smoother gaming experience, though.

I also appreciated the keyboard’s N-key rollover (in lieu of Last Key Prioritization or other gaming-specific features) in both games. N-key rollover is available over wireless and wired connections, and it enables multiple inputs to be registered at the same time. In practice, this means that you can execute two commands simultaneously. If you press, say, Ctrl and Q together in Counter-Strike 2 as I did, you will duck and draw your last used weapon at the same time.

Having N-key rollover in Counter-Strike 2 as well as Cyberpunk 2077, I was running circles around other players and NPCs in both games. In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I appreciated my commands being registered within mere nanoseconds and this helped me execute perfectly-timed parries and counter-attacks.

While the V1 Ultra 8K is good, for serious gamers, I’d recommend grabbing a Hall Effect keyboard that enables you to adjust each switch’s sensitivity for ultra-responsive gameplay any day. My top recommendations include the Epomaker HE68 ($59), the NuPhy Air60 HE ($139) or the Epomaker HE65 Mag. Note that the first two are wired-only decks, though, which is a common occurrence in the world of 8KHz polling.

Loooong battery life

The Keychron V1 Ultra 8K packs a mahoosive battery life. It’s fitted with a 4,000mAh rechargeable battery that Keychron says can last up to 660 hours. This, of course, depends on the usage conditions, and to achieve that much battery life between charges, you’ll need to turn off the RGB. Where’s the fun in that? Still, it’s amazing, and it’s the longest battery life I’ve seen from a mechanical keyboard yet.

The V1 Ultra 8K’s predecessor, the V1, has a 190-hour battery life while the Keychron K8 Max ($124) has a 180-hour battery life. The V1 Ultra 8K shares its long battery with its Ultra stablemates too, such as the Keychron Q1 Ultra 8K ($229). I couldn’t get through the 660-hour battery life in my testing, but with polling set to 8,000Hz and RGB brightness in full swing, I only last 5% of battery life in a week, which is outstanding.

Easy-peasy customization

Similar to other Keychron keyboards, the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K can be customized and personalized via the web-based Keychron Launcher. Keychron Launcher negates the need to download proprietary software or bloatware onto your machine, and it works like a charm on Windows and macOS. Here, as I mentioned earlier, you can adjust the keyboard’s per-key and mix RGB which is a lot of fun to do.

Alongside this, you can remap keys, record macros, update/flash the keyboard’s firmware, and even personalize and save multiple profiles to the V1 Ultra 8K’s internal memory. You can also adjust the polling rate according to your needs. Keychron Launcher sports an easy-to-read interface and it’s one of the most user-friendly apps I’ve had the pleasure of testing.

Competitively priced

One of the best things about the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K is that you get a plethora of features for a price that doesn’t break the bank. Its wired-only stablemate, the Keychron V1, costs $74, while the wireless Keychron V1 Max costs $99. Keychron has retained their lovely typing sound and feel and added long battery life and 8,000Hz wireless polling to the mix for $114, and in my opinion, the V1 Ultra 8K is worth every cent.

The V1 Ultra 8K costs the same as the Cooler Master MK770, the NuPhy Air75 V2 and the Lemokey P1 Pro, but the V1 Ultra 8K offers better value for money as it features a longer battery life. It’s also cheaper than the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% ($299) which offers only 4,000Hz wireless polling and just one switch choice. If you’re seeking great gaming performance with the tactile feel of a mechanical keyboard, the V1 Ultra 8K is the way to go.

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review: The downs

There isn’t a lot wrong with the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K, but it’s important to note that its body has some flex in it.

Some flex

The Keychron V1 Ultra 8K is made entirely of ABS plastic which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s important to note that due to this, there is some flex in the keyboard’s body. If you hold the V1 Ultra 8K by its sides and try to twist it, it twists fairly easily, which is a little disappointing but not surprising given that the deck is made of plastic. What is surprising, though, is that I didn’t experience this with the OG Keychron V1, but it utilizes a steel plate which is why.

This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced something like this. I’ve faced a similar issue with the Epomaker TH99 ($82) and the McHose x Unbox Therapy UT98 ($139), amongst others. It isn’t a massive dealbreaker but it does make me question the V1 Ultra 8K’s longevity.

Limited availability

Keychron’s ultra lineup was announced in early 2026 and since then, the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K has been available to buy in the U.S. for $114 at Amazon. Unfortunately, if you’re based in the U.K. like I am, the keyboard isn’t available in the British isles yet. I reached out to one of Keychron’s marketing representatives about U.K. availability, so I will update the review once I know more.

If you really like the look of the V1 Ultra 8K, I’d recommend the Keychron V1 Max which costs £109 and is still widely available at Amazon U.K. It’s basically the same keyboard as its Ultra counterpart, but the biggest difference is that it features 1,000Hz polling as opposed to 8,000Hz. If you want an 8KHz mechanical deck, I’d recommend the Keychron C1 Pro 8K (£75). Not many other mechanical keyboards feature 8KHz polling so if that’s something that’s important to you, consider a Hall Effect keyboard, like the Epomaker HE68 (£59).

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review: Verdict

As mechanical keyboards go, the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K is one of the best out there. It’s competitively priced so rest assured that you’re getting bang for your buck. And for less than $120, you get 8,000Hz wireless polling which negates any input lag, as well as N-key rollover which gives you a competitive advantage. I love the dual RGB systems Keychron has added to the keyboard as it gives you lots of control over the lighting.

Typing on the V1 Ultra 8K is just as delightful as it was on the OG V1, and with powerful gaming performance to boot, it has now become my go-to keyboard for everything — whether that’s writing my reviews or playing video games in my downtime. As long as you don’t mind the slightly flexing body, I really can’t think of many reasons to not recommend the V1 Ultra 8K.

I test the best keyboards here at Tom's Guide. Since I started in April 2024, I have tested over 80 of them — mechanical, membrane and magnetic. Many of them have been great, some of them have been downright awful to the point that I've boxed them up as soon as I've finished testing them.

Recently, I've noticed a trend. Whenever I'm contacted by a brand or a keyboard arrives at our testing lab, it's often a Hall Effect keyboard. And honestly? I'm tired of it.

Magnetic keyboards are fantastic, don't get me wrong, but it feels like every manufacturer is jumping on board the Hall Effect hype train. It makes sense, but can we please start showing mechanical keyboards some love again? At least Keychron has decided to refresh some of its mech keyboards and introduce 8K polling to them, such as the V1 Ultra, which is nice.

I've spent the last week testing a Hall Effect keyboard and a mechanical deck, and I much preferred the latter at the end of the testing period. In my opinion, the GravaStar Mercury V75 Pro HE can't hold a candle to the Epomaker P65.

The Mercury V75 Pro HE is a good keyboard, but the P65 is a great keyboard. Though they're different in terms of the switches they use (Hall Effect vs MX), if I had to buy just one, I'd get the P65. It's sleek. It's portable. It's fast. It sounds incredible, and it types even better, and it's convinced me that magnetic decks aren't the end-all be-all. Here's why I'd still buy a mechanical keyboard in 2026.

Nothing comes close to the sound profile

One of the most important things I've learned, having reviewed keyboards for nearly two years, is that people love how they sound, and a keyboard's sound profile is a big pre-purchase consideration for some.

You've got so many different sound profiles. Clacky, thocky, creamy, silent, and so on. Mechanical keyboards, by the nature of their switches, sound much better than magnetic decks, in my opinion. The Epomaker P65 sounds so much better than the GravaStar Mercury V75 Pro HE, and it isn't even close.

The P65's Wisteria linear switches (which I tested) sound thocky and clean and oh-so-sweet. I could listen to its sound profile all day long if I could. The Mercury V75 Pro HE sounds... okay. But this is a limitation of Hall Effect switches. Mechanical switches utilize physical moving parts that create distinct sounds upon impact, while Hall Effect switches are designed to be frictionless, contactless and usually muted, as they use magnets instead of actual physical parts.

Technicalities aside, to me, mechanical switches sound like they have more soul and feel to them. This is entirely a personal preference, but I simply prefer the auditory feedback of MX switches. Thanks to the auditory feedback, it also makes me a faster typist, which brings me to my next point.

A typist's dream

The Epomaker P65 is a typist's dream, and I will die on the hill that mechanical keyboards are much better for typing than magnetic decks. This might not even be an unpopular opinion because mechanical switches offer superior tactile feedback and a "physical bump" which helps you type faster, as you can tell exactly when the switch has been pressed and activated.

Magnetic keyboards are far better for gaming than they are for typing. The GravaStar Mercury V75 Pro HE's Gateron switches have adjustable actuation points down to 0.005mm, so you can tailor the switches to suit your game style. They're also more durable, so they're better suited to gaming. While they're decent for typing, my typing speed and accuracy have always been better on mechanical keyboards.

Of course, one of the downsides of using a mechanical keyboard over prolonged periods of time is that the switches' physical components can get damaged and need to be replaced. A keyboard like the P65 is hot-swappable, so you can change switches without de- and re-soldering them to the PCB, thankfully. Magnetic switches are longer-lasting and more durable, in comparison. Even so, as someone whose bread and butter is typing 10,000 words a week, I'd stick with a mech deck.

Money well spent

This won't be true for every magnetic and mechanical keyboard, but it is true with the GravaStar Mercury V75 Pro HE and the Epomaker P65. I, personally, wouldn't want to spend over $200 on a keyboard that looks like a spray can exploded next to it.

The Mercury V75 Pro HE, as I pointed out in my full review, looks like someone ate a bag of Skittles and then threw up on the board. The Neon Graffiti design is just not to my taste. I prefer my keyboard a bit more lowkey — and less cringe.

GravaStar has never shied away from giving its keyboards funky designs unlike anything we've seen from the likes of Epomaker, Keychron, Lemokey, or NuPhy. After all, this brand made the fully transparent Mercury K1 Lite, which could help guide planes that are landing. But I think this time, GravaStar may have gone a step too far. There's nothing wrong with innovation — in fact, it should be encouraged! But I feel like there are more tasteful ways of doing so.

This is one of the primary reasons I much prefer the Epomaker P65. Its low-key Khaki design has won me over, and if it wasn't for the RGB backlighting, the keyboard would look like one I used to type away on in my school's computer lab. I will say, though, that this comes down to individual taste and preference. If you like the (ridiculously) colorful Mercury V75 Pro HE, good for you. But if you prefer the P65's inconspicuous design, I'll give you a virtual high-five.

More from Tom's Guide

• The GravaStar Mercury V75 Pro HE stands out for its polarizing design — but its rivals outperform it at much lower prices
• I just tested the Epomaker P65 — and it's reminded me how much I love mechanical keyboards in the era of Hall Effect
• Best keyboards in 2026: tested and rated

If you’ve any prior knowledge of keyboards, you’ll know about the Keychron K2 HE. It’s one of the best keyboards out there right now — a glorious combination of gaming performance, type feel and looks, all at an affordable price. I reviewed the Keychron K2 HE when it first came out, and honestly, there wasn’t really anything to improve on (which is why I awarded it 4.5 stars and our Editor’s Choice badge, and why I still own and use the deck now).

Apparently, though, there was still work to do on the K2 HE. And whoever was doing said work was either very bored, or sitting by a window overlooking a construction site. Or both. Definitely both.

Yep. Keychron’s latest update to the K2 HE has been to craft the damn thing out of concrete, keeping almost everything else (the mount, switches, keycaps, poll rate) the same, and raising the price to $199. To my knowledge, this is the only concrete keyboard out there… which seems kinda obvious, right? After all, why would anyone make a concrete keyboard?

Anyway, I’ve managed to get my hands on one of these special edition concrete keyboards — released alongside a slightly more normal-looking resin edition — to find out whether it’s worth the extra $60 over the base K2 HE Rosewood, or whether it’s just a gimmick.

Desk monolith

I’ll be upfront: I’m a concrete lover. The look and feel of smooth concrete just gets me. I take photos of brutalist concrete buildings in my spare time. I stroke the pillars in underground IKEA parking lots. For me, it’s the sensory equivalent of ASMR. It must run in the family, too — cement in the veins or something — as my sister is a concrete-loving architect.

I’m also a Keychron K2 lover. My first ever mechanical keyboard was a Keychron K2 — it’s the board that started the buzz. And at home, I’ve had the K2 HE as a regular part of my keyboard rotation (when you own over 30 boards, you need a rota) ever since reviewing it.

As such, you’ll understand I bloody love having this keyboard on my desk. It’s not quite as drop-dead gorgeous as the Lofree ZERO ARTZ terrazzo keyboard. But nevertheless, the concrete K2 looks fantastic. Its case is made from a single piece of concrete, giving it a monolithic, minimalistic look. It’s like something you’d see in one of Optimum Tech’s über-slick setups.

I didn’t think Keychron could improve on the Rosewood K2 HE, with its wooden side panels; then it released the full Rosewood K2 HE, with an entirely wooden case. Now this. I’m here for it.

More wackiness, please, Keychron

It’s also great to see Keychron finally dabbling in some experimentation. Don’t get me wrong, Keychron is a manufacturer I love. I think it’s doing great things for the industry, giving the market excellent, reliable and modifiable keyboards en masse.

It’s gotta be said, though: Keychron basically re-releases the same decks — with similar designs, switches and keycaps — over and over again. They’re all mostly fantastic, but design-wise, at least, it’s just been getting a little dull (I’m sorry, Keychron, you know I love ya!)

Now, I know Keychron hasn’t been lazing around on its backside. I appreciate the constant pushing of new tech like magnetic switches, easy to customize firmware, higher polling rates. But the new tech is almost always wrapped in the same shell.

Compare that to NuPhy, which is constantly messing around with avante garde ideas: boards that can swap between low- and standard-profile like the NuPhy Kick75; low profile switches that behave like standard-profile switches, as on the NuPhy Air75 V3; new design features like the touchbar-equipped NuPhy Node75; and radical shifts away from core brand design values, like the NuPhy Field75 HE and NuPhy Nos75.

All this is to say, it’s nice to see Keychron doing something fun and a bit silly for once. Although I wish the brand would take it further, and start releasing even wackier designs with more than just a different case material. I just want more.

Solid core performance

The K2 HE concrete, aside from its stone case, is the same as the base K2 HE Rosewood. Same keycap profile, same switches (Gateron Double-Rail Magnetic Nebula), same tray mount, etc. And that’s all a good thing. This is a fantastic keyboard.

I first drafted this article on the K2 HE concrete, and it still types like a dream. You can adjust the actuation distance of keys in the Keychron Launcher companion app, and I get the best results with the actuation backed out to 2.6mm.

And when you want to game, the K2 HE has you covered. While the board serves as a hybrid productivity/gaming deck, with those magnetic switches, it’s fundamentally a gaming board at heart. Adjustable actuation, rapid trigger, last key prioritization (A.K.A ‘Snap Tap’), this thing can do it all.