geekhack
geekhack Community => Reviews => Topic started by: josephchoi on Tue, 28 August 2018, 09:28:11
-
It's my first time to write a keyboard review in English LOL.
Let's start :cool:
Looks and build quality
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1850/44231635622_97a8147317_k.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1867/44231633652_9b42ee5778_k.jpg)
The aluminum upper case looks stunning, a bit like an black-colored iPhone
The texture is power-coated, instead of andozied, still looks great tough.
At least it's the best quality upper case I have seen in this price. :thumb:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1849/30413145508_4cc17208eb_k.jpg)
The build quality is not bad, upper case fits the lower case quite well, touching it won't give a sharp feeling.
Light effects
This keyboard features RGB light effects. However, the light effects are fair.
First, it don’t comes with a software to set the light effect manually, users can only select the light effects from a few of presets. Moreover, the color transition effects are not smooth, instead of transiting one-by-one led, they are transited in 5 blocks, as shown below:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1847/42471990780_71fcab4796_k.jpg)
It makes the RGB light effects feels sluggish :confused:, luckily there is single light effect in the presets. :p
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1893/29344148657_d5a26bcd50_k.jpg)
Keycaps
The keycaps used are not the usual ABS keycaps of keyboard around this price.
They are PBT double-shot in OEM profile.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1846/44231627702_9bbfa1092b_k.jpg)
The thickness is about 1.3mm, not the thinner types of PBT. :thumb:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1841/42471986160_92a73c0f38_k.jpg)
Functionality
For N key row-over, this keyboard has up to selected 3x key row-over, which included all the frequent-using keys in gaming, as shown below(from offical site):
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1858/42471981610_201ff4f5f8_k.jpg)
There are indicator for caplocks, numlocks and win-locks, the keys themselves will shine at red tint when activated:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1864/44231634232_e0f23e1177_k.jpg)
Last but not least, there are media shortcut keys at Function layers.
Switches and key feel
This keyboard featuring a brand new switch from TTC, named MT hybrid switch.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1847/29344149757_cced2c9e26.jpg)
This switch looks alike with traditional mx switches, but it don’t have the copper leafs inside.
Then how can a switch triggered? It has a little stick within the switch, which will extends and comes out from switch to touch the membrane below switches. So, yes, this keyboard is kind of membrance keyboard :) .
Because it doesn’t have the rubber dome sheet inside, which exists in most membrane keyboard, so it doesn’t give any mushy feel when typing.
Surprisingly, it gives a bit clicky feel LOL. :eek:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1843/43562797494_889a45bfcd_b.jpg)
It’s called a hybrid switch because it’s some how a hybrid of red and black switch (at least the original concept was so LOL).
As you can see at above graph, the first ⅔ key travel has lower pressure like red switches, which the last ⅓ key travel has higher pressure like black switches. The switch actuate at 2mm. It is a main difference with tradtional membrane keybaord, which actuate distance is always equal to travel distance.
Theoretically, it combines reds and blacks charactistics, feeling soft when need to press quickly, and bouncing back fast because of the heavy bottom-out pressure.
However, at 2mm, due to the force changes and actuate noise of stick hitting membrane, it gives quite a bit clicky feel, funny huh?
TTC claims there will be different MT hybrid switches coming, which may be available to swap on this keyboard, since MT switches are hot-swappable.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1847/42471983120_00648bc28f_k.jpg)
soundtest:
Summary
Overall it is a quite funny keyboard. :p
Instead of that mushy membrane-key-feel you are expecting, this keyboard offers simmilar key feel of mechanical switches with a bit differences.
Although it’s not a true “mechanical” keyboard, at such low price (around $27 at Taobao), it sports an aluminum upper case, shine with RGB light effects (though not so perfect) and comes with PBT double-shot keycaps. I would say it’s definitely worth trying. :thumb:
-
That's interesting. I don't know how I would feel about the "switch" type but I guess it gives people the surrounding benefits to mechanical keyboards, sans switches.
-
Nice review. I guess it is worth a try haha for that price. ;D
-
Really cool, thanks for the review!
-
Nice review w/ good pictures. The sound test clip is especially helpful. The fine aluminium case is really interesting given its cheap price.
-
If the membrane portion breaks from wear/tear or a dropped heavy object, is there a way to repair it ?
Does it rely on the stem slider to prevent overtravel ?
-
never heard of that switch, very interesting :cool: