Category: Reviews

Specifications

Length	~119mm ~4.7in
Width	~79mm ~3.1in
Height	~41mm ~1.6in
Weight	~127g
Sensor Type	Optical (100 – 16K DPI)
Polling Rate	125 – 1000 Hz
Cable Length	1.9m (6.2ft)

In The Box

In the box, you will find the UtechSmart Venus Pro with a solid amount of accessories.

Manual: This helps explain the basics of the mouse, the functions of the software, and basic warranty information.
Cable: A 1.9m (6.2 ft) braided USB-A to USB-C Cable.
Dongle: 2.4 Ghz dongle for the wireless connection.
USB Stick: Attached to a small card to download the software for the mouse.
Sticker: A square sticker with the logo.
Bag: Grey-colored bag that holds the mouse if you are on the go.
Extra Feet: Probably not needed but you will find some extra feet just in case.

Build Quality

Angled view from right side of UtechSmart Venus Pro at desk setup.

The UtechSmart Venus Pro is constructed from strong plastic with liberal use of textured material throughout. The mouse features an all-matte black look with one portion in the palm area that is gloss plastic that, honestly, looks a bit out of place.

At just under 127g, the Venus Pro feels quite hefty for a mouse in 2023. That being said, the use of materials makes the Venus Pro feel premium.

One area that makes the weight slightly less noticeable is the feet. The Venus Pro comes with decent-sized feet, made from PTFE, that provide a smooth glide. Now you won’t get quick flicks with this mouse but it does make it better.

The Venus Pro has a standard USB-C port for charging and at the bottom of the mouse is a slot for the dongle. The slot is magnetic which makes it very easy to find the spot for the dongle, but unfortunately, the dongle does not fit flush in the slot.

Overall the mouse feels well made and that is supported by a one-year warranty. There is minimal rattle and no flex in any part of the mouse. It would just be nicer to see a lower weight.

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Style and Comfort

Top view of UtechSmart Venus Pro on mousepad

The styling of the Venus is really what makes it unique. It has an ergonomic shape that forces all your fingers into place. The Venus is on the taller side and does have a decent curve to it. The 12 side buttons are positioned perfectly for the thumb.

The styling of the Venus Pro is perfect for a palm grip but not the best fit for fingertip or claw grips. Additionally, the mouse is designed for right-handed use. For those with smaller hands, the Venus Pro might not work too well. However, those with medium to large-sized hands should find this mouse to be a comfortable fit.

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The main two buttons and scroll wheel are easy to find. However, since there are 12 small side buttons, it can be hard to click the right one. This is especially the case due to the lack of texture on each button. One strong element is that each row is angled differently so you can find each one.

With muscle memory, this could definitely become earlier, but I found the buttons to be more inconvenient than normal button placement in games. They could be nice to have in some slower-paced games or for work-related tasks.

The design of the Venus Pro can be either an upside or a downside. If the Venus Pro suits your hand then it could be perfect because there are not a lot of alternatives at this price. However, if you are not used to a mouse of this style, then it may take some time to get used to.

Switches and Scroll Wheel

Top view of UtechSmart Venus Pro mouse at desk setup

The UtechSmart Venus Pro comes with 16 programmable buttons and 19 buttons in total. The DPI buttons, and “profile switch” button on the bottom of the mouse, cannot be programmed.

The scroll wheel is rubberized with light tactile steps. All the buttons on the top side of the mouse are clicky and feel snappy. On the other hand, the side buttons feel a bit inconsistent. Underneath the buttons are Omron switches that are rated for up to 10 million switches.

There is a button that triple clicks very quickly, but it would have been more helpful if this could be switched to a spam click button. In my experience, it is quicker to triple-click with mouse button one rather than move my finger to this dedicated button.

Additionally, the lack of forward and back buttons out of the box was frustrating, but this can be easily changed within the software.

Sensor and Polling Rate

Bottom side of UtechSmart Venus Pro mouse

The UtechSmart Venus Pro comes with a Pixart PAW3335 sensor. It offers a DPI range from 100 to 16000 with adjustment steps of 100. While the PAW3335 might be an outstanding option for mice at the $30 price point, it is average for the $50 price point in 2023.

The lack of adjustment of DPI in increments of 50 is pretty disappointing to me as I was not able to use my usual DPI. Additionally, if you aren’t looking for this mouse shape, there are plenty of mice from the likes of Glorious or Logitech that will give you better sensor performance for only about $10 more.

The Venus Pro features an industry-standard 1000 Hz polling rate. This can be changed both in the software and with the profile switch button at the bottom of the mouse.

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RGB Lighting

The UtechSmart Venus Pro features RGB lighting on the logo, side buttons, scroll wheel, and front of the mouse. I didn’t find the lighting to be over the top and the lighting is defused quite well. It can help add to the theme of your desk and if you don’t like it, you can easily turn it off.

The lighting also serves some functions. When plugged in, the Venus Pro glows yellow until the battery is full. When the mouse drops to 20% charge, a red breathing effect lets you know that it needs to be charged.

Additionally, four red LEDs display your selected DPI level. These will be on regardless of if the rest of the RGB is on or not.

On the bottom of the mouse, you can either turn on the Venus Pro in RGB On or RGB Off mode. RGB Off is a great way to save battery or have a more discrete look for the office. However, if you are in RGB Off mode, you won’t know that your device is low on battery until it dies.

Wireless Connectivity

UtechSmart Venus Pro mouse with 2.4 Ghz dongle

The main difference between the regular UtechSmart Venus and Venus Pro is the wireless connectivity. The Venus Pro supports 2.4 GHz wireless via a USB dongle. Note this won’t be as fast and reliable as the wireless tech from top gaming brands like Razer or Logitech, but it is certainly a step up from Bluetooth.

A 2.4 Ghz connection may perform slightly worse than wired but in my experience it did not impact me in RPG, sim, or open-world titles. Only in FPS games may you benefit from a wired or better wireless mouse but that mostly comes from the high switch latency and sensor.

The Venus Pro does not feature Bluetooth but that is pretty common for gaming mice. For travel or using the Venus on multiple devices, this may be annoying but you can store the dongle in the bottom of the mouse and take it with you.

As for battery life, the UtechSmart Venus Pro is rated for 70 hours of battery life but with RGB on at a 1000Hz polling rate, you should get about half a week of regular usage.

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Software Support

Generally, software is not the most important element of a gaming mouse, but it is a great way to unlock its potential. This is especially the case with all the programmable buttons. UtechSmart’s software allows you to change DPI, button mappings, lighting effects, and create macros. Battery life is also displayed in increments of ten here.

Honestly, the UtechSmart software is not the best. While it does not miss any major functionality, it lacks refinement. One key flaw is the gamery look with a non-rectangular window. Additionally, you can’t even maximize the window. Unfortunately, this software also only works on Windows, limiting functionality for anyone who primarily runs MacOS or Linux.

In the UtechSmart software, some features don’t feel as complete as other mice in the category. For example, only one lighting effect can be applied to all LEDs. Furthermore, there is only one user profile, which could be inconvenient for someone who potentially shares the mouse between different devices or people.

I will commend the fact that UtechSmart includes a USB with the software. This makes setting up the software easy and saves you from trying to find it on their website.

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Conclusion: Is The Venus Pro Good For Gaming?

UtechSmart

The UtechSmart Venus Pro might not offer the market’s usual hyper-lightweight, FPS-ready mouse, but it serves a distinct audience. For those who want an ergonomic mouse with tons of buttons, wireless connectivity, and quality RGB lighting, the Venus Pro is a fantastic option that won’t break the bank.

Despite the unique design, there are several flaws that come with its lower price point. You get an average sensor found in $30 mice and a click latency that makes the Venus Pro a second choice for competitive gaming.

If you like the Venus Pro but are looking for top-of-the-line performance, consider the Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless or Razer Naga V2 Hyperspeed. They will offer more accurate sensors, lower latency, and better software if you are willing to pay double the price.

With plenty of buttons for macros, vibrant RGB, and a design that perfectly suits a palm grip, the UtechSmart Venus Pro is the ideal option under $50 for any MMO, MOBA, RPG, or simulation gamer.

August 31, 2023

Drop + Stack Overflow The Key V2 Macropad Review: A Developers’ Only Keyboard

When Drop and Stack Overflow first collaborated to release The Key macropad on April Fools, they never anticipated that it would be such a success.

With now The Key V2’s 10k sales and 20k sales between both iterations, Drop has created a useful macropad with a playful character.

Today we are looking at this fun little macropad and see if The Key V2 is the piece of character that your desk setup needs.

The Verdict

The Key V2 macropad next to a mechanical keyboard.

For only $30, Drop delivers an incredibly fun and useful macropad. You get a great-looking macropad that can serve as a means of copying and pasting or anything else that you choose.

With a solid case, keycaps, and switches, Drop delivers one of their best keyboard products with great value. Additionally, it can be programmed to different functions relatively quickly.

If you want a simple macropad for something like dedicated media keys or you just find the Stack Overflow theme humorous, The Key V2 makes a great addition to any developers’ desk setup.

Drop

In The Box

The unboxing experience is pretty simple but well-packaged.

Macropad: The Key V2 comes preassembled and surrounded by some clear plastic.

Coiled USB-C Cable: You get a rubberized cable. Personally would prefer a straight cable rather than a coiled cable.

Extra Screws: You are given extra screws although I anticipate you won’t need them.

Rubber Feet: There are no feet on The Key V2 to start, but you are given four feet to place on the pad.

QR Code Card: You are given a card with a QR code with important information about setting up The Key V2.

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Build Quality

The Key V2 is made from an all-frosted acrylic construction. It feels sturdy in the hand and is held together quite well with four metal screws. They include extra screws if needed and four rubber feet that you will need to attach the macropad yourself. When the feet are placed on, the pad does not move around the desk.

The macropad utilizes a right-mounted USB-C connection. Regardless of the price point, The Key V2 is well made.

Keycaps

Drop and Stack Overflow’s The Key V2 comes with a set of XDA profile PBT keycaps. One keycap features a Stack Overflow logo while the other two are the ‘C’ and ‘V’ keys.

These keycaps have durable dye-sub legends meaning you don’t have to worry about the legends wearing off. The use of PBT prevents shine from developing and creates a nice texture on the top of the caps. The XDA profile that the keycaps come in is shorter than OEM profile but taller than cherry profile keycaps.

The keycaps create the playful part of the design. The use of ‘C’ and ‘V’ keys adds to the joke of copying and pasting from the site Stack Overflow.

Overall the keycaps are good quality and add a lot of character to this macropad.

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Switches

Drop opted to put Kailh Black Box switches. They feel pretty smooth stock and sound pretty decent as well. There is no significant ping and the acrylic case helps the sound too. The Black Box switches also come with clear top housings to help the lighting shine through them better.

Although the stock switches are 3-pin, The Key V2’s PCB supports both 3-pin and 5-pin via hotswap. This means you can change out the switches in Drop’s macropad in under a minute to almost any mechanical switches that you would like.

If you wanted to use The Key as just a switch tester you could because of the hotswap PCB. It also allows for customization to be a lot easier if you say, prefer tactile switches in your macropads.

Backlighting

Angled view of The Key V2 macropad with RGB lighting on

To pair with the frosted acrylic case, you will see five LEDs on The Key V2. This was the main improvement over The Key V1 which did not have LEDs.

The LEDs paired with the translucent look of the acrylic create a cool glow. The LEDs are quite bright with the stock switches. I found that putting some opaque switches in the macropad still looked great and aren’t uncomfortable for me. For most people, I anticipate this will not be an issue.

The lighting makes The Key V2 look quite good. The only change that I would suggest is having more LEDs on the bottom to have a more even distribution of the lighting.

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Software Support

While The Key V2 does not offer the ease of use of software like Razer Synapse, it does still use a favorite among keyboard enthusiasts: QMK. QMK is an open-source software that is quite powerful. It is perfect for all your lighting and button mapping changes.

Although the board has a default mapping of ‘Ctrl,’ ‘C,’ and ‘V,’ you can change this to various other options. You can switch the function of the keys to have media keys, quickly open apps, create macros, have additional keys for editing, add more navigation keys, and much more.

Although this software may seem intimidating for people who have minimal experience with keyboards, there is actually a lot of information out there about how to use it and it has grown easier to use as more updates have been released.

While it is nice to see VIA support for custom keyboards and macropads, QMK is still more than acceptable and provides a good experience. It is not plagued by the bugs and bloatedness of software from big gaming brands like Corsair or Logitech.

Conclusion

The Key V2 in front of its box with the lines "Good artists copy. Great artists steal. Greatest artists copy, then paste."

Drop

In the niche world of macropads, Drop delivers arguably their best-value keyboard product with The Key V2. You get bright RGB lighting, a solid build, durable keycaps, decent stock switches, and QMK software support.

Drop and Stack Overflow’s The Key V2 is a great addition to the setup of a programmer, for a playful touch and some function too. You can have dedicated media keys or macros while getting laughs from your coworkers.

If you liked this review, check out some of our other keyboard content and if you’re curious about other fun keyboard projects, check out our vendor list.

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April 1, 2023

Royal Kludge RK84 Pro Review: Heft and Value

Royal Kludge is a peripheral manufacturer that recently has focused on making value prebuilt keyboards. With their RK84 Pro, they provide quality materials at a competitive price point.

The Royal Kludge RK84 Pro is a 75% mechanical keyboard that offers an aluminum case, wireless connectivity, and a hotswap PCB for modability.

So if the RK84 Pro sounds interesting to you, keep reading to see if this board could be the right one for you.

The Verdict

The Royal Kludge RK84 Pro is a 75% mechanical keyboard that comes with an all-aluminum case, a hotswap PCB, wireless connectivity, bright backlighting, software support, and MacOS support. You get all this for a competitive price that makes the RK84 Pro a star option to consider in this price bracket.

Regardless of if you want to use this keyboard for gaming, at the office, or as a way to get into the mechanical keyboard hobby, the RK84 Pro is a solid choice. The only potential downsides are the under-lubed stabilizers and lack of PBT keycaps.

If you want a board with a ton of features, a solid build, and incredible value, the Royal Kludge RK84 Pro is certainly a good option to go with.

In The Box

In the box with the RK84 Pro, you will receive a few extra items to add to your overall experience.

USB-C Cable: This is just your standard rubberized cable. This is mostly useful for gaming or charging due to the wireless connectivity of the board. The cable also is about 6 feet long.

Keycap and Switch Puller: You get a keycap and switch puller in one. It is not the best one that I have seen included in the box but certainly isn’t the worst. It gets the job done without issues.

Extra Switches: Some extra switches are included in case a switch ever breaks. They will match the switches in your board.

Add-on Feet: If you would like to raise the level of height on the board, some feet are included that magnetically attach to the bottom of the board.

Documentation: There is a sheet to explain macro functions and answer any basic questions you may have about how to use your board.

There is nothing to complain about on the packaging front and everything is organized nicely.

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Build Quality

The factor that gives the RK84 Pro the pro name is its build. The RK84 Pro comes with an all-aluminum case with thin bezels and a silver look.

The board feels quite hefty at comes in at 1.08 kg (2.37 lbs). You get a rigid build and an audible thunk when you place this board down on your desk. If a plastic build would be adequate for you then you can save about $20 and opt for the standard RK84.

On the bottom of the board are 4 large rubber strips to keep to board from sliding around. There are no flip-out feet but there are magnetically attached feet included in the box. The stock typing angle is pretty comfortable so for most people you won’t need any feet.

The RK84 Pro has a left-mounted USB-C connection. On the bottom of the board are two switches. One to turn on the board and the other to switch between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless.

At this price point, the RK84 Pro has one of the best builds of any prebuilt keyboard. If you want something more refined then you will want to go the custom keyboard route, but compared to Keychron or gaming brands, the RK is a solid option.

The Keycaps

The RK84 Pro comes with the same white ABS shine-through keycaps that are on its non-pro counterpart. These keycaps are in the OEM profile and feature a slight sculpt that makes them more natural to type on than laptop keyboards. They also offer sub-legends to show the secondary functions of the keys.

The keycaps allow a decent amount of light to come through, while the double-shot legends mean the letters will not fade away. The legends look clean and don’t have any gamery font. This means the RK84 Pro can go in a setup for work or gaming.

The caps are about what I would expect on a pre-build keyboard of this price. In my experience, they did not develop shine, but for most people, you may find shine developing after a few months. These keycaps feel and sound pretty average but they are better than some budget ABS sets from Logitech and Keychron.

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The Switches and Stabilizers

The only choice you make when buying the RK84 Pro is what switch to put in your board. You can get either a linear, tactile, or clicky switch.

RK Red	A light-weight linear switch with a smooth travel
RK Brown	A medium-weight tactile switch with a light tactile bump
RK Blue	A medium-weight clicky switch. It has a loud sound and sharp tactility

Royal Kludge’s RK switches may not be from a large switch manufacturer, however, having tried all three, they are pretty decent considering this price point. The RK Red switches aren’t the smoothest red switch I have tried but also not the worst. Also, the brown switches actually have a noticeable bump compared to Gateron and Cherry Browns. Their blues feel just about the same as any other blue switch.

When compared to after-market switches, the RK switches are no competition but they are a good stock offering at this price point. The inclusion of plate foam makes the board not sound too hollow or pingy either. That being said, the RK84 Pro has audible ping compared to its plastic case counterparts.

For stabilizers, Royal Kludge offers slightly lubed stock stabs. They have some rattle stock but they aren’t unbearable and certainly ok if this is your first mechanical keyboard.

If you are willing to lube the switches or stabilizers, the RK84 Pro actually has a decent amount of potential. The stock sound may be the weakest aspect to a keyboard enthusiast but it is still more than passable.

Hotswap PCB

The RK84 Pro features a hotswap PCB that supports both 3-pin and 5-pin switches. This means that almost all mechanical switches will fit in this board.

The sockets come in a north-facing configuration. That means cherry profile keycaps will face an issue called interference. Although switches will still activate, when pressing down on cherry profile keycaps, they will make contact with the housing of the switch before they bottom out. What that means is if you plan to use cherry profile keycaps, you may lose out on some of the satisfaction of a mechanical keyboard.

Overall a hotswap PCB is a great feature for anyone that wants to mod their keyboard or try out different switches. If you would like to tune your stabilizers or play around with the foam in the board then you can do so too.

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Wireless Connectivity

Like the Royal Kludge RK96 or RK84, the RK84 Pro allows for three options of connectivity. In addition to the wired connection, you can use the included dongle for the 2.4GHz connection or connect to up to three devices via Bluetooth 5.0. I would recommend using the 2.4 GHz connection over Bluetooth as it is faster and seemed to have similar performance to a wired connection.

The dongle for the 2.4GHz connection is magnetically attached to the bottom of the board so you don’t have to worry about losing it when on the go. It is nice that you have so many options for connectivity with this board so you can create a clean wireless setup.

The RK 84 Pro includes a 3750mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is rated for up to 200 hours with lighting off. I found that I was still able to get about two weeks of usage with lighting, which is quite respectable. It takes about six hours to fully charge the board from empty.

To conserve battery, the RK84 Pro will go to sleep when you are not using the board. However, the board will wake up instantly when you start using it again.

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Mac Support

If you are a Mac user then the RK84 Pro will still work with your board. Just switch the board’s mode with the function and s keys.

If you want to use this board with a tablet or phone, you may not get all the onboard functions but the board will still work like a regular keyboard.

Backlighting and Software Support

Royal Kludge’s RK84 Pro offers bright RGB lighting. The lighting can be controlled both through software and with onboard presets. If you want a cleaner look you can change the lighting to an all-white look or just turn the lighting off because the keycaps are easy to read even without lighting.

Compared to other options at the same price, the RK84 Pro is brighter than the Keychron K6 but about the same as the Epomaker GK68XS.

The software does the job. It is not as simple to use or clean looking as Razer Synapse or VIA but it has all the needed functions. You can change between lighting effects, create macros, and switch profiles. The software can also save a profile to the board so you can keep your settings on different systems.

Conclusion

Royal Kludge’s RK84 Pro is a solid competitor in the $80 to $120 price bracket. With various options from Keychron, Vissles, Epomaker, and new custom keyboard options, the RK84 Pro delivers a variety of features that make the board a great option for a variety of audiences.

The wireless connectivity and sleek design make the board a great option for the office. The RGB lighting and software support might make this a good option for a gaming setup. For those that want to modify their keyboard, the hotswap PCB makes this board very easy to change switches and make changes.

It would be nice to see better-lubed stock stabilizers and PBT keycaps but if you would like to modify your keyboard then you will end up replacing these components anyway.

We hope that you enjoyed this article and you find the right keyboard for your setup. For more, check out our other keyboard reviews for more content.

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February 28, 2023

Royal Kludge RK96 Review: Get This Over A Full Size

Royal Kludge is a gaming peripheral company that is known for making mechanical keyboards with incredible value. The Royal Kludge RK96 continues with this same reputation.

The RK96 is a 96% mechanical keyboard that offers wireless connectivity, media controls, and an efficient layout while still maintaining all the important keys.

Today we will take a deeper look at the Royal Kludge RK96 and see if this board is the right one for you.

The Verdict

Royal Kludge RK96 mechanical keyboard next to a mouse on a desk.

If you are looking for efficiency while maintaining function, Royal Kludge delivers a great value pick with their RK96. The RK96 gives you all the abilities of a full-size keyboard while taking up less space. For under $80 you get wireless connectivity, a hotswap PCB, bright backlighting, software support, and MacOS support.

These features make the board incredibly versatile and useful regardless of whether this is a keyboard for gaming, work, or as an entryway into the mechanical keyboard hobby. You won’t get an aluminum build or PBT keycaps but you will still get a solid build for the price.

If you want a board with a ton of features and a great price, the Royal Kludge RK96 may be the right board for you.

In The Box

Unboxing of Royal Kludge RK96 mechanical keyboard.

In addition to the RK96, Royal Kludge gives you a few other accessories to improve your experience.

USB-C Cable: You get a rubberized cable included with the board. Due to the wireless connection, this is mostly useful for gaming or charging. The cable is about 6 feet long.

Keycap and Switch Puller: You get a keycap and switch puller in one. This is pretty decent and gets the job done without issue.

Extra Switches: In case any switch ever breaks, you get a few extra switches. They will be the same kind as the ones in your board.

Plastic Wrist Rest: If you would like a wrist rest then the idea of one being included is nice. That being said the included one is nothing special. It is made of hard plastic and stretches the width of the board.

Documentation: There is a sheet that helps explain all the layers and how to set up your keyboard.

Overall the packaging is well done and keeps everything secure.

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Build Quality

Zoomed in view of Royal Kludge RK96 mechanical keyboard.

The Royal Kludge uses an all-plastic build with thin bezels all the way around. You can get the RK96 in both black and white colorways.

The weight comes in at about 0.94 Kg (2.08 lbs). For its size, the board feels on the lighter side but still feels quite solid. The board features a steel plate which gives it a rigid build and a decent amount of its weight.

The RK96 allows for three heights with two levels of rubberized flip-out feet. Additionally, there are four strips of rubber on each corner of the board so the RK96 isn’t sliding around on your desk.

The board offers a left-mounted USB-C connection at the front with two switches at the bottom of the board. One switches between 2.4GHz or Bluetooth wireless and the other turns the board on.

At this price point, the RK96 delivers a solid experience. If you would like an aluminum case or a heavier weight then you will need to look at a board at or above $100 though.

The Keycaps

Close up of keycaps on Royal Kludge RK96 mechanical keyboard.

The RK96 features ABS shine-through keycaps that are color-matched to the board. The keycaps come in OEM profile and also feature sub-legends to show the secondary functions of the keys. The OEM profile is common with prebuilt keyboards. They are sculpted to make typing more comfortable but are taller than something like a laptop keyboard.

The ABS keycaps are average. They are nothing special but better than many other gaming keyboards. Like most budget ABS sets, these keycaps will develop shine after a few months of usage. However, these keycaps seem to hold up better than some other budget ABS sets I have used from Keychron, Corsair, and Logitech.

The keycaps let in a decent amount of light and the double-shot legends mean the letters will not fade away. The legends don’t have a gamery-looking font, allowing the RK96 to fit in both at home and in the office.

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The Switches and Stabilizers

Close up of RK Brown switches on a mechanical keyboard.

Royal Kludge offers three different switch options with their RK96. You can either get a linear, tactile, or clicky switch.

RK Red	A light linear switch with a smooth travel
RK Brown	A medium-weight tactile switch with a light tactile bump
RK Blue	A medium-weight clicky switch. It has a loud sound and sharp tactility

Royal Kludge’s RK switches may not be from a large switch manufacturer, however, they are pretty decent considering this price point. The tactility of their brown switches is actually noticeable compared to Gateron or Cherry Browns. Also, their RK Red switches aren’t the smoothest switch in the world but are smoother stock than again Gateron or Cherry’s Red switches. The inclusion of case foam makes this board not have any case or plate ping too.

All that being said, these aren’t anything groundbreaking. When compared to any more premium after-market switch, I would take those over these RK switches. Additionally, I cannot speak to the reliability of these switches but extra switches are included in the box and I had no issues in the first few months of usage.

As for stabilizers, they aren’t amazing but aren’t terrible either. They are not the best stock stabs I have tried but didn’t have an unbearable amount of rattle either. As someone who is used to more premium, I felt the need to mod the stabilizers, but for most people, they should sound and feel adequate.

If you are willing to lube then you could make the switches sound pretty decent without buying a new switch. Most of the weakness in the switch is the springs sounding quite pingy, but after lubing most of this should go away. Again, however, most people will find the switches and stabs quite good.

Hotswap PCB

Royal Kludge RK96 mechanical keyboard with tools on a desk.

The RK96 comes with a hotswap PCB that supports both 5-pin and 3-pin switches. This is a fantastic feature for those who want to mod their keyboard or just try out different switches. The support for 5-pin switches means that almost all mechanical switches will work with the RK96.

The sockets come in a north-facing configuration. This means that cherry profile keycaps will face an issue called interference. This will cause cherry profile keycaps to not bottom out properly. While switches will still activate normally with cherry profile keycaps, the interference will take away from the satisfaction of the board.

Overall the hotswap PCB is a great feature to have. If you want to tune your stabilizers, change your switches, or add additional foam to your keyboard then you can take out the existing switches in just a couple of minutes.

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Wireless Connectivity

The RK96 allows you to connect up to three different devices with Bluetooth 5.0. If you don’t want to use Bluetooth you can also opt to use the 2.4GHz connection. This will be faster and more reliable than Bluetooth. These both make for fantastic options to keep your setup clean. The dongle also has a magnetically attached spot at the bottom of the board so you don’t have to worry about losing it.

Royal Kludge includes a 3750mAH rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is rated for up to 250 hours with lighting off. In my experience, I was able to get two weeks of usage out of the board with lighting enabled. If you game wired frequently, you may never need to take time to charge the board either.

To save power, the board will go into a low-power mode. If you start typing, the board will wake up almost instantly though.

I still would recommend using a wired connection while gaming, but during casual gaming I found the dongle to work perfectly fine. Overall I didn’t have any issues with the wireless connectivity.

Mac Support

Although the RK96 does not come with any mac specific keycaps, it still offers MacOS support. To switch to Mac press the function and s keys.

Not all the onboard functions will work on iOS or even Android but the main function of the keyboard works perfectly fine.

Backlighting and Software

Close up of Royal Kludge RK96 mechanical keyboard with RGB lighting enabled.

The Royal Kludge RK96 offers blue lighting that can be controlled both onboard and within the software. The lighting is decently bright and makes the letters easy to read both during the day and at night.

The software isn’t simple or clean but it does the job and can be understood after a few minutes of playing around with it. The software will allow you to choose between about 30 different lighting effects, create macros, and switch between different profiles. Note the software will only save one profile to the board, so you may want to keep it installed to make changes.

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Media Keys and USB Passthrough

Close up of scroll wheel and mute switch on Royal Kludge RK96 mechanical keyboard.

If you want to control your volume on the fly, the RK96 features a textured aluminum scroll wheel and a mute button. This is a great addition to quickly change volume in the middle of a game or if an ad comes on in the middle of a podcast.

Additionally, next to the USB-C port, sit two USB 2.0 ports. This is good for plugging in a flash drive or maybe an additional macro pad. This makes for a welcome addition, especially in laptop setups where USB ports are already scarce. Unfortunately, the ports are disabled when in wireless mode though, making this feature often useless.

Conclusion

Angled view of Royal Kludge RK96 mechanical keyboard on a desk.

The sub $100 market has been a great area of growth in the past few years and Royal Kludge’s RK96 is another great addition. It offers a ton of features and great potential if you want to mod the board too.

You get bright backlighting, media controls, wireless connectivity, a hotswap PCB, and many more features. Additionally, you get the function of a full-size keyboard with a numpad without taking up as much space with the more compact 96% form factor.

The board doesn’t have any major downsides for the price point and honestly is impressive on many fronts. In fact, the RK96 may just be the best 96% out now at its price point, especially if you can find it on sale.

We hope that whatever your needs may be, you can find the right keyboard for you. If the RK96 does not suit your needs or preferences, maybe check out some of our other keyboard reviews for some other potential options.

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January 7, 2023

Vissles V84 Review: The Keychron Killer?

Vissles is relatively new to the mechanical keyboard space. However, their V84 75% mechanical keyboard gives the impression that they have experience in the world of keyboards.

The Vissles V84 is a mechanical keyboard that delivers Bluetooth and a decent stock sound all in an efficient 75% layout.

Today we will take a deeper look at the Vissles V84 and see if this board beats out the competition.

The Verdict

Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard sitting on a desk with a mouse and speakers.

The $100 price point has become a very competitive segment in the past few years. What was once an easy referral to one of Keychron’s K series boards is now matched by many options, including Vissles new V84.

The V84 improves on some of Keychron’s issues and offers a solid overall package that might just be the best option at this price point. You get solid RGB lighting, a painless Bluetooth 5.1 connection, a hefty feeling build, and a decent stock sound experience.

The V84 gives you a quality stock experience but with its hotswap PCB, you can easily modify the board for a better sound and feel. You can choose between a few different switch and keycap offerings too. Additionally, Mac support also makes the V84 more versatile.

If you want a board with a ton of features and a solid competitor in the space, the Vissles V84 is a solid value offering. Regardless if you are working from home, in the office, or gaming the Vissles V84 could be the right option for you.

Note: Before March 31st you can get an additional $10 discount by using the code “V84” if you buy from Vissles website.

Vissles

In The Box

Besides the keyboard, Vissles gives you a variety of accessories to add to your experience with the V84.

USB-C Cable: You get a rubberized cable included with the board. You will mostly need this if you are charging the board or gaming.

Keycap Puller: If you ever want to mod the keyboard or you are just cleaning it, a wired keycap puller is included.

Switch Puller: You are also given a switch puller to change out switches whenever you would like. Often hotswap keyboards include pretty useless switch pullers but this one I would use while working on other keyboards.

Mac Keycaps: If you are a mac user, mac specific keycaps are provided to go along with the mac support of this keyboard.

Wrist Rest: If you are someone who likes wrist rests or is not used to the height of mechanical keyboards, the pleather wrist rest is a great addition for you.

Microfiber Cloth: This is great for cleaning the board. Plus it’s always nice to have another microfiber.

Grips with Adhesive: Honestly I didn’t find much use for these but it looks like you can just attach these to the bottom of the board if you would like.

Documentation: There is a sheet that shows you all the macros and keyboard commands along with a user manual with all the information to help you get started.

Overall the packaging is quite nice. It is one of the nicest experiences I have had at this price point and the accessories add to the stock experience of the board.

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Build Quality

Angled view of Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard sitting on a desk

The Vissles V84 offers a dense all-plastic construction with a blacked-out look. The board has a moderate weight at about 0.82 Kg (1.82 lbs). Despite the plastic construction, the weight of the board still makes it feel quite hefty. In the hand, it feels more premium than most gaming keyboards at this price. Vissles also opted to put a removable plastic bezel around the sides of the board to improve the look of the board.

Unfortunately, competitors at the same price point are able to achieve the same look but with better materials like aluminum. The plate appears to also be plastic but feels quite solid and with a tray mount system, it creates a firm typing feel.

The V84 offers a 6-degree typing angle but comes with strong magnetic feet for more adjustment. Also on the bottom are four rubber feet that make the board only move around when you want it to.

The board utilizes a right-mounted USB-C connection along with a button on the bottom of the keyboard to turn on the keyboard for wireless connectivity.

Although there is no use of metals to be found on this board, the Vissles V84 feels more solid than other keyboards in the price segment such as the Keychron K6 or gaming boards from Corsair or Logitech.

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The Keycaps

Close up of keycaps on Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard

Depending on what version of the keyboard you purchase, there are two options for switches. There is a white PBT set in cherry profile and a grey ABS set in OEM profile with shine-through legends. The PBT option of the board will cost about $10 more but also comes with better switches. The ABS keycaps are the same keycap set offered on Keychron’s K series boards.

ABS material will develop shine more quickly than PBT keycaps. However, in my experience, these keycaps usually don’t develop much shine for the first few months of usage. The shine will come from the natural greases and oils of your hands. The OEM profile that they come in is the standard among pre-build keyboards. Since these keycaps are also shine-through, if you do care about RGB lighting then I would recommend getting the ABS keycaps with your Vissles V84.

The PBT keycaps, on the other hand, are thicker, sound better, and look more durable. Unfortunately, however, I don’t recommend the PBT keycaps for one main reason. The Vissles V84 offers north-facing switches, what this means is that certain profiles of keycaps are not fully compatible with switches. This is the case with the Vissles V84 and cherry profile keycaps. As the keycaps are pressed down, the switches are not able to bottom out. Although the switches will still activate your key presses. The satisfaction that comes with mechanical keyboards goes away with this issue.

For this reason, I would save your money and go with the ABS keycaps. Then you can upgrade your keycaps to something in the MT3, XDA, or DCX profiles. For most people, the ABS keycaps are already a decent starting point so there is no need to worry about upgrading your keycaps unless you are interested in modifying your keyboard.

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The Switches and Stabilizers

Close up of switches on Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard

The switches are slightly disappointing for the price. It would have been nice to see some Cherry or Gateron switches. Instead, you can either choose from a selection of Outemu switches or Vissles’ own VS II switches. If you opt to get the Outemu switches you can choose from a linear, tactile, or clicky option, while Vissles’ VS II is a linear switch.

Vissles VS II	A prelubed, light linear switch with a smooth travel
Outemu Blue	A medium-weight clicky switch. It has a loud sound and sharp tactility
Outemu Brown	A medium-weight tactile switch with a light tactile bump
Outemu Red	A light linear switch with a smooth travel

Outemu typically provides switches for budget boards around the $50 price point or less. They are quite scratchy and don’t provide the best experience. In contrast, the VS II switches are prelubed and after a few days of usage feel pretty smooth. They aren’t as smooth as some higher-end linear switches, but they feel and sound better than the Outemu offerings.

The VS II switches are advertised as being silent switches. Despite them being quieter than Outemu switches, as they are lubed, they will not be as quiet as silent switches. They should be quiet enough for most office settings though.

As for stabilizers, they come prelubed and sound as good, if not better, than most of the competition at this price point. They sound about as good as Keychron’s options and better than most big gaming brands or companies like Redragon or Royal Kludge.

One of the best things about this keyboard is the sound. The stabs being prelubed as well as the inclusion of foams into the case of the board provide a full sound with no significant ping.

Hotswap PCB

Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard on a desk with screws and tools

As mentioned previously, the Vissles V84 comes with a hotswap PCB. The PCB supports 5-pin switches in a north-facing configuration. The sockets supporting 5-pin sockets mean that almost all mechanical switches will work with this keyboard. Again the north-facing sockets do prevent you from using cherry profile keycaps with this keyboard though.

Overall this is a great feature to have. If you want to change your switches, tune your stabilizers, or add additional foam to your keyboard. If you want to try out different switches to find your preference or just need to replace a switch that is broken then the V84’s hotswap PCB allows you to change out switches within just a few seconds.

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Wireless Connectivity

One of the best features of the Vissles V84 is that it allows you to connect to up to five devices via Bluetooth 5.1. This makes this board a nice option as a work or travel keyboard. The Bluetooth works with all operating systems and is great for keeping your setup clean.

The battery is a 3750mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated for about 20 hours with backlighting on and 160 hours with backlighting off. Their estimates are pretty accurate in my testing. Unless you are using shine-through keycaps, you could turn off the lighting and use your board for weeks or even a month without charging.

The board will go into a low power mode to save battery, however, it will wake up almost instantly. This is much better than other competitors like Keychron’s boards which take a few seconds to wake up from sleep.

The latency with Bluetooth is not really noticeable, although I would still use the wired connection for competitive gaming. Overall my wireless experience with the V84 has been flawless.

Mac Support

A nice feature of the Vissles V84 is that it has official MacOS support. Vissles not only supports Mac with this board but also offers additional keycaps for option, control, and command. Mac support is not uncommon with current keyboards but the additional keycaps are nice to see.

Note you will need to switch the keyboard into MacOS mode by pressing the function and s keys at the same time.

RGB Backlighting and Software

Close up of Vissles V84 with back lighting on

The Vissles V84 offers per-key RGB lighting. This can be controlled both via onboard commands or with Vissles’ software. The software is not too difficult to use and is better than what most of the competition has to offer at the price. The only downside of the software is that it is only supported on Windows. This leaves Mac users to only use onboard functions.

As for lighting, there are a variety of effects and it is decently bright. Their software allows you to control the lighting in more depth, but you can switch between up to 28 different effects without it.

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Conclusion

Vissles

Note: Before March 31st you can get an additional $10 discount by using the code “V84” if you buy from Vissles website.

Even in a competitive segment, the Vissles V84 seems to come out on top and beat out even the long-standing recommendation of the Keycrhon K2.

You get brighter RGB lighting, more accessories, a better stock sound, software, and a heftier feeling build. The use of foam makes the board sound pretty decent stock and the use of software is not even a feature that Keychron offers.

The only downsides compared to Keychron are a worse stock switch selection and no aluminum case option. The use of Outemu switches is pretty disappointing and if you want to opt for Vissles VS II switches you will be given cherry profile keycaps that will cause interference ruining the best available switches between the two of the boards. The no aluminum case option isn’t great but the V84 still managed to have solid-feeling buttons, nice front USB-C placement, and a weight that makes the board feel sturdy.

Additionally, Vissles provides mac support and prelubed stabs. If you do throw in some after-market switches and keycaps into this board though, then you can get a very solid sound experience without needing to build your own keyboard.

If you really want an aluminum case but still want to maintain wireless connectivity, then options like the Royal Kludge RK84 Pro or Keychron K2 may be better for you.

We hope that whatever your needs are, you find the right keyboard for you. If you would like to keep looking at other options, check out some of our other keyboard reviews.

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December 20, 2022

Redragon K617 Fizz Review: Your First Keyboard?

Redragon is a gaming company that is no stranger to making budget keyboards that still give consumers a mechanical feel. The Redragon K617 Fizz is a 60% mechanical keyboard that provides enjoyable features like RGB lighting and a compact size.

Today we will take a look at the Redragon K617 Fizz to see if it should be the board to start your gaming setup.

The Verdict

The Redragon K617 Fizz is a budget 60% keyboard that offers an interesting design and a mechanical experience without breaking the bank. You get features like a hotswappable PCB and RGB lighting.

You won’t find features that you might find on more premium keyboards like Bluetooth or an aluminum case but the K617 beats much of the competition on the quality of the lighting and the sound of the keyboard. Unfortunately you do not get any switch options and features like hotswap are not very well executed.

If you want an interesting design, compact footprint, and a mechanical feel without breaking the bank, the K617 Fizz is a solid option to consider.

In The Box

Unboxing of Redragon K617 Fizz mechanical keyboard

Besides the keyboard, Redragon gives you a variety of accessories to improve your experience with this keyboard.

USB-C Cable: You get a rubberized cable with a 90-degree angle so it can be nicely plugged into the side-mounted port.

Keycap Puller: If you ever want to change the keycaps on your board, a plastic puller is included to easily take them off. This puller is not anything special but does the job.

Switch Puller: Along with the keycap puller, a metal switch puller is included so you can replace the switches at any time.

Extra Switches: If any switch ever breaks, four extra switches are included.

Sticker and Documentation: You are given a user manual to help you get started with the board as well as a sticker with the Redragon logo.

Overall everything is packed quite nicely and it is good to see that Redragon gives you extras to go along with the board.

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Build Quality

Bottom of Redragon K617 Fizz mechanical keyboard

The Redragon K617 offers an all-plastic construction with a mix of either pink and white or white and grey. The board is on the lighter side at about 0.43 Kg (0.95 lbs). The low weight with the small footprint makes the K617 a very portable keyboard if you want to bring your board around with you.

The K617 has a slight angle to improve the comfort of the board. If you would like more angle though on the bottom of the board there are two rubberized flip-out feet. Also on the bottom are two additional rubber feet. This means the board shouldn’t move around while you are gaming.

The board uses a side-mounted USB-C connection. This is a downside if you care about cable management but at least the included cable has a 90-degree angle.

You won’t get a super strong board like you would with more premium aluminum boards but I considering the price point the build lines up with my expectations.

The Keycaps

Angled view of Redragon K617 Fizz keyboard

Redragon’s K617 Fizz comes with a set of double-shot ABS keycaps with shine-through legends. The keycaps are in the OEM profile. OEM profile is common with prebuilt keyboards. They are sculpted to make typing more comfortable than with something like a laptop keyboard.

The fact that the keycaps are made of ABS means that they may be more prone to developing shine over time but they seem to handle it a bit better than other keyboards I have used. They are a slight improvement over the keycaps on their older keyboards like the K552.

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The keycaps let in quite a lot of light through however this is paired with a font that does not look very good. The legends have a gamery look to them and to go along with that don’t look very consistent. However, this is all personal preference so if the gamery font is actually something that you do like then these keycaps are a decent option considering the price of the board.

The Switches and Stabilizers

The Redragon K617 comes with Redragon’s own red switches. They are linear switches giving them a smooth travel. The actuation force is quite light like other red switches. The switches don’t provide the best experience in the world but at this price they match the competition. If this is your first mechanical keyboard then you will have a pleasant experience with this board.

Typically on budget mechanical keyboards the stabilizers are quite bad but I was pleasantly surprised with the stabs on the K617. The stabs come with some grease on the wires and as a result the spacebar actually has a decent sound. The rattle and ticking of many gaming keyboards is not as bad of an issue here.

After lubing the stabilizers they all sounded pretty decent and did not feel very scratchy. The only issue is that some of the stabilizers had a sluggish feeling when pressing them all the way down.

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Hotswap PCB

A feature that has grown especially popular in the last few years is hotswappable PCBs. What this means is that you can swap the switches out of their sockets and replace them with different switches without needing to do any soldering. You can swap out switches in just seconds.

The K617 supports 3-pin switches and is north-facing. This means that the board supports certain switches that only have 3 points of contact with the PCB rather than 5. The fact that this board has north-facing sockets means that there could be some interference with Cherry Profile keycaps.

Unfortunately, I did have issues with switches seating perfectly in the plate unless they were Redragon or Outemu switches. Some switches like Kailh BOX switches seem to not fit very well in the keyboard. This is a result of the LEDs protruding rather than being flush with the PCB.

It is nice that the K617 has hotwap support, especially at this price, but it only really is good if you want to want to mod your stabilizers or a broken switch needs replacing. If you are looking for a cheap keyboard to try out different switches then we cannot recommend the K617 for you.

RGB Backlighting and Software

Top view of Redragon K617 Fizz keyboard on deskpad

The Redragon K617 Fizz provides per-key RGB lighting. This can be controlled both onboard or more in-depth with their software. The lighting is quite vibrant and honestly, I have no complaints. This is probably assisted by the fact that the plate is white so it reflects the lighting better.

On the keyboard, you can change the lighting effects, brightness, and speed. With their software, you have much more control over the keyboard. Redragon’s software allows you to control lighting, change mappings, and add macros. I have used better software on keyboards but it does the job. Changes made to the lighting of the board will save to the board so they will work even if you use multiple computers.

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The software looks like it was designed to look gamery and as a result, it doesn’t properly take up a full window. Furthermore, it does not look HD for some reason. The function of the software might do the job but the interface certainly brings down the experience. Overall the lighting is well executed but I wish there were some updates made to the software.

Conclusion

For the price, Redragon delivers a decent option if you are looking to get a budget mechanical keyboard. You don’t get many features like a scroll wheel, Bluetooth, or a metal build but the board does the job. The only big feature that the board does have is a hotswappable PCB but the PCB doesn’t have great compatibility with other switches.

The poor interface of the software and the gamery-looking keycaps also slightly take away from the experience. However for most people who are just looking to get a compact mechanical keyboard, this board is a decent option to consider. This is especially the case because the stock sound is actually pretty decent.

Thanks for reading and if you would like to see more keyboard content check out the sound tests on my YouTube channel or some other keeb reviews.

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July 7, 2022

Redragon M808 Storm Pro Review: Lightweight On A Budget

Wireless gaming mice are expensive, but do they have to be? The Redragon M808 Storm Pro manages to provide a strong performance along with wireless connectivity, all at a competitive price.

So if you want to learn more about the Redragon M808 Storm Pro, keep reading to find out if it is the mouse for you.

The Verdict

Top view of Redragon M808 Storm Pro mouse on white table

The Redragon M808 Storm Pro offers solid performance at a very competitive price. It rises to be a top option under $40 by being a jack of all trades.

The M808 Storm Pro beats out the competition in a variety of categories. While other competitors may not even offer software or wireless connectivity, the M808 does. It gives you a decently light weight and a comfortable design too. The M808 Storm Pro certainly isn’t competing with top wireless options from Glorious, Razer, or Logitech but it is still a great option at its price.

If you are looking for an accurate sensor, a sub 100g mouse, with tasteful RGB lighting, and wireless connectivity that is superior to Bluetooth then the Redragon M808 Storm Pro manages to suffice those needs without breaking the bank.

Specifications

Length	~126.8 mm ~4.99 in
Width	~65.6 mm ~2.58 in
Height	~41 mm ~1.61 in
Weight	~96g
Sensor Type	Optical (100 – 16K DPI)
Polling Rate	125 – 1000 Hz
Cable Length	1.8m (5.9ft)

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In The Box

Unboxing of Redragon M808 Storm Pro mouse

In the box, you will find the mouse with all the essentials and a few accessories.

Manuel: This will help you get started with the mouse.
Cable: A braided USB-C cable that is 1.8m (5.9 ft) long
Dongle: 2.4Ghz dongle for the wireless connection.
Sticker: A sticker with the Redragon logo.

Overall everything is packaged nicely.

Build Quality

Front view of Redragon M808 Storm Pro mouse

The Redragon M808 Storm Pro is made from an all-plastic design with some rubber on the scroll wheel. The mouse comes in at 96g making it a solid mouse for FPS games. Despite the weight and all plastic design, the mouse doesn’t feel cheap at all.

One area where the design lacks is with the feet. The feet are certainly better than some budget mice I have tested but are not as good as the top gaming mice companies such as Razer or Logitech. The M808 Pro allows quick flicks and a smooth travel but I would still recommend using it on a mousepad for the best experience.

Although there are physical holes in the mouse with the honeycomb design, it does not seem to have an effect on the reliability of the mouse. I would not recommend testing the water resistance of this mouse however in the few months that I have gotten to use this mouse, I have had no issues.

Redragon opted to use a USB-C port which I really like as some big gaming mice companies still have not made the switch to USB-C. Also, on the bottom of the mouse is a spot to store the 2.4Ghz dongle if needed.

The build of the Redragon M808 Storm Pro looks and feels a lot more premium than its price says it should be.

Style and Comfort

Close up of Redragon M808 Storm Pro mouse

Redragon’s M808 Storm Pro features an ambidextrous shape but its buttons on the left side make it perfect for people with right-handed mice. The M808 allows you to use either hand and does not lock you into any mouse grip either.

The M808 has a fairly short height like the Logitech G203 or Razer Viper. It also features a long shape. The side of the mouse is textured along with the scroll wheel to provide additional grip. The scroll wheel is made with rubber but the sides aren’t. I wish the sides did at least have some sort of soft-touch material but it would likely add to the weight and cost.

The most defining part of the design is the hexagon-shaped holes on the mouse. Although there are quite a few of them to help lower the weight, they do not affect the comfort of the mouse at all.

Overall the mouse is quite comfortable to use with all hand sizes and grip styles. Additionally, the side and main buttons are placed quite nicely and are easy to press. The buttons on the top are not the easiest to press quickly but are still nice to have.

Switches and Scroll Wheel

Top view of Redragon M808 Storm Pro mouse on deskpad

The Redragon M808 Storm Pro comes with 8 programmable buttons. They all feel quite snappy. The main two switches are from Haunho. So far they have held up well and there don’t seem to be major reports of double-clicking.

In our testing, and that of others, we found the Redragon M808 Storm Pro to have a click latency of about 11 to 13ms. This is on the higher end for gaming mice however still an improvement over most regular mice. While actually playing video games I couldn’t notice much of a difference from other gaming mice that I have used. This may not be the best mouse for professional gamers but for the standard gamer, the M808 will do the job.

Sensor and Polling Rate

Bottom side of Redragon M808 Storm Pro mouse

With the M808, Redragon has opted to use the PixArt PAW3335 sensor. PixArt is renowned for making some of the most accurate sensors on the market and the PAW3335 is a very accurate option itself. From my testing, I did not notice any difference in accuracy while gaming between this mouse and my more premium mice like my Logitech G703.

The PAW3335 features a DPI range of 100 to 16000 with adjustability in increments of 100. Although I was impressed with the sensor’s performance, the fact that you can only adjust DPI in steps of 100 left me disappointed. I was not able to use my usual DPI with this mouse. I wish the M808 Storm Pro supported increments of 50 for slightly more precise tuning.

The strong sensor goes along with an industry-standard 1000Hz polling rate which you can change both in the software or with the rearmost button at the top of the mouse.

RGB Lighting

Side view of Redragon M808 Storm Pro mouse on desk

The Redragon M808 Storm Pro supports bright RGB lighting on the scroll wheel and the sides of the mouse. The RGB doesn’t feel like too much and makes for a nice accent. If you don’t like RGB then you can also easily switch it off in the software.

Many mice at the same price point have limited effects or don’t even have RGB but here you have multiple RGB lighting zones, numerous effects to choose from, and software to change the lighting. Considering the price point and the other features offered, this is quite impressive.

Wireless Connectivity

Redragon M808 Storm Pro mouse with 2.4 Ghz dongle

In addition to a wired connection, the M808 Storm Pro supports 2.4Ghz wireless connectivity via a dongle. This isn’t as good as Logitech’s Lightspeed or Corsair Slipstream but it certainly better than Bluetooth. The wireless systems from the bigger gaming brands will give the same reliability and speed as a wired connection. A 2.4Ghz connection may be slightly worse than a wired connection. That being said in my experience during gaming I did not feel like the 2.4Ghz wireless took away from my gaming experience.

If you play singleplayer games or multiplayer non-competitively then I don’t think that using this mouse wirelessly will take away from your experience. Even in some competitive gameplay, I would say it is fine unless you are playing in the most competitive ranks. In those cases, there are some better alternatives, albeit that will cost more, or you could just plug the mouse in and use it in its wired configuration.

The M808 Storm Pro features a 500mAh battery. At 1000Hz with RGB enabled, I got about 20 to 25 hours of battery life with Redragon’s M808 Storm Pro. If you turn the lighting off or turn the polling rate down then you could potentially get through an entire week, or more depending on your usage.

If you are not using the mouse it will automatically go into a sleep state. Furthermore, there is an eco switch at the bottom of the mouse which seems to save battery when you switch it on. It turns off the side RGB but I am unsure if it does anything else. That being said it did seem to lower the rate at which the battery depleted.

Software Support

Although the Redragon M808 Storm Pro delivers strong performance, the weakest part of the experience is the software. That being said many budget gaming mice don’t even offer software or the software might not support multiple languages like Redragon’s.

Redragon allows you to change button mappings, lighting effects, DPI, and the polling rate. You can also create macros and check the battery life (which is displayed in increments of 10). Any changes will be saved to the mouse directly which is nice if you want to keep your settings when switching to another computer.

Unfortunately, I had some issues changing button mappings. I found that with my current version at times didn’t even have the option to change them if I wanted to. At times I also had the same issues with changing lighting. Furthermore, the interface looks low quality. I wish the resolution was higher and the window was just a rectangle rather than having some gamery indents in it.

The software may not look as good as other options like Corsair iCue, Razer Synapse, or Logitech G Hub, but it is not as heavy. With a mouse of this price, it is clear that Redragon would have to make some sacrifices so I am not super disappointed. Ultimately you don’t need to use the software with this mouse if you don’t want to but it makes things like changing the DPI or lighting much easier.

Conclusion: Is The M808 Storm Pro Good For Gaming?

After my use of the Redragon M808 Storm Pro for a few months I can definitely say I am impressed. At such a price point I was not sure what to expect but Redragon offered me something that was better than other budget mice I have tested in the past. While none of the specs are truly flagship level, the mouse still delivers in a variety of categories.

The M808 Storm Pro does not have sub-1ms Lightspeed technology or very sophisticated software but I still found that as someone who daily drives a high-end mouse from Logitech I didn’t feel super disappointed.

My main two gripes are the issues with the software and the lack of adjustability with the sensor. I had to play at a DPI different than what I am used to and the software looked low quality. However, if this is your first gaming mouse, this is a great place to start. Wireless connectivity comes with many positives by getting rid of the cable and is a very pleasant experience. And with the M808 Storm Pro it is quite accessible.

May 26, 2022

Redragon Horus K618: The Best Value Low-Profile Keyboard

Redragon is a keyboard manufacturer that is no stranger to making value-focused mechanical keyboards.

The Redragon Horus K618 is a low-profile keyboard providing a solid experience at a competitive price. The Horus K618 offers wireless connectivity, macro keys, and a variety of other features to make it a good option for anyone who is looking for a full-size mechanical keyboard.

Today we are going to take a look at Redragon’s Horus K618 and see if this low-profile board is the one for you.

The Verdict

A comparison between the board lubed and unlubed

The Redragon Horus K618 is a low-profile, wireless mechanical keyboard that is perfect for those looking for value. Redragon features Bluetooth and 2.4ghz connectivity, RGB lighting, dedicated media keys, a dial, and a hotswap PCB.

A low-profile keyboard is often found to be more comfortable. With the K618, Redragon is delivering a lot of what the competition offers at a lower price point.

For the price, Redragon gives a lot of features and a pretty solid build. For the gamer who wants a low-profile board that will give them a solid experience all while not breaking the bank, the Horus K618 has a lot of potential. Furthermore, if you want to get a screwdriver out, the K618 is not too difficult to mod if you are interested in a more satisfying sound and feel.

In The Box

Inside the box, Redragon gives you everything you need and more.

Keyboard: The keyboard comes in a sleeve of protective foam to protect it while in transit.

USB-C Cable: You get a braided cable with a 90-degree angle so it can be nicely plugged into the side of the keyboard.

Switch Puller: A metal switch puller is included in case you ever need to replace a switch or if you want to mod this board. The puller isn’t anything too fancy but it does the job.

Wire Keycap Puller: Along with the switch puller you get a decent quality wire keycap puller. This is a nice inclusion as taking off your keycaps is essential if you are cleaning or modding your keyboard. Often companies included a cheap plastic puller that may scratch your keycaps or don’t include one at all.

Extra Switches: If any switch ever breaks, eight extra switches are included in the box.

Sticker and Documentation: You are given a sticker with the Redragon logo along with any documentation that you may need for the board.

Overall everything is packed quite nicely and it is good to see that Redragon gives you quite decent extras to go along with the board.

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Build Quality

For the Horus K618, Redragon elected to go with a plastic case and thin aluminum top piece. The rubber media keys are made of rubber and the scroll wheel is also made of aluminum. The board comes in at about 700g (about 1.5 lbs) in a full-size form factor. It looks to be about the height of most modern membrane keyboards at around 2cm tall or just under an inch. If this is too big for your desk then Redragon also offers a tenkeyless variant.

The K618 feels pretty solid and this choice in material is not bad for the price. If an aluminum case is important to you then I would suggest spending a bit more for the Keychron K1 which offers an aluminum build and hotswappable PCB.

On the bottom of the board are four rubber feet. Two of which flip out for additional height adjustment. On the side of the board are a power switch and the USB-C port. The side placement of the port is not ideal but since this board is wireless I rarely used the board wired anyway so it was not much of an issue. Additionally, the wire given with, a 90-degree angle, remedies this issue.

Overall the build is decent for the price and the design is quite nice.

The Keycaps

On the Horus K618 you get low-profile ABS keycaps that feature doubleshot legends. This means that the main legends are permanent. For the secondary functions printed in white, those are pad printed so that could become an issue later down the line after extensive use.

The ABS keycaps feel smooth and are what you would expect for a gaming keyboard. The only flaw with the keycaps is the legends. Although the legends while not wear off, they don’t look that great. They have this sort of gamer font with some letters not having connected parts of the letter like on the A or the O keys.

That being said the legends are a good size so they are easy to read and they let a decent amount of RGB lighting through. Also unlike most low-profile mechanical keyboards, the Redragon Horus K618 has switches with cherry-style stems. This means that if you ever wanted to change the keycaps you actually could.

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The Switches and Stabilizers

Redragon offers one switch option with the K618 with their low-profile red switches made by Outemu. Weirdly these switches have a different pin layout than the regular low-profile Outemu switches. These switches look to be about half the height of a regular key switch. The low-profile reds are a linear switch with an actuation force of 45g.

The low-profile reds are about what I would expect from other low-profile mechanical keyboards. They feel pretty decent for the average gamer and they were comfortable to type on for extended periods.

The switches are on a hotswap PCB meaning typically you would be able to replace the switches with other types of switches. However, the nonstandard pin placement means you cannot actually replace them with other switches. Honestly, this is one of my least favorite things about the board but the fact that this is even offered for the price is nice. You are still able to easily replace a switch if it is broken and mod the keyboard pretty easily because of the hotswappable PCB.

The stabilizers on this board are cherry-style plate mount stabs. They were alright. They were better than most gaming keyboards I have had experience with from the likes of Logitech or Razer however they were nothing crazy. Luckily because the board is hotswap I was able to put some dielectric grease onto the stabilizer wires and they sounded much better afterward. Overall the stabs are fine for most people.

RGB Back Lighting and Software

Redragon’s Horus K618 features RGB lighting. The lighting is pretty bright and definitely better than some of the competition. There are a few onboard presets that can be cycled through without using any software. If you want a clean look you can change the lighting all to white.

The software lets you control the lighting, change mappings, and a few other basic things. It is not as good as VIA, arguably the best keyboard software, or even Corsair iCue but it is better than having nothing. Many keyboards even from companies like Keychron have no official software support this is nice to see.

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Wireless Connectivity

Aside from the option for a wired connection, Redragon gives you two other options for this board. Connection via a 2.4ghz USB dongle or Bluetooth 5.0. You can connect up to 3 devices with Bluetooth 5.0.

The dongle is stored magnetically at the bottom of the board which is nice so you don’t lose it if you aren’t using it.

Personally, I used the dongle the most. It requires no setup and delivers a connection with less latency than Bluetooth. Although I would recommend a wired connection when gaming, I found that using the 2.4Ghz connection was pretty solid. I never felt like it was ruining my experience during single-player or even casual multiplayer gameplay.

The K618 features a 1900mAh battery that Redragon states should last for up to 30 hours. With white LEDs and the 2.4Ghz connection, I was able to get around 25 hours of use. If you use the RGB lighting you might get a little less and with lighting turned off you would probably get more. It also depends how much you are actually typing on the board in a day. You could probably go three to five days with this board.

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When the board is not being used, after a minute, it will go into a sleep state to conserve battery. If you start typing on it though it will start typing almost immediately. This is better than my experience on a lot of other wireless boards like on Keychron boards. Also when you are running low on battery the board wi

Overall wireless connectivity makes the experience of using this board very enjoyable. It is well implemented and I don’t feel like they cheaped out at all.

Media and Macro Keys

Media and macro keys are always a nice to have. Before I had a dedicated macropad they were a must for me.

The media keys work well. They feel slightly mushy but have a tactile response when you press them down. There are also secondary functions for some keys which can do things like open the calculator app.

The scroll wheel allows you to either change the brightness of the lighting or volume. I found that it doesn’t make much of an impact in changing volume. You have to scroll it all the way down just to go down 2 percent. To me, it isn’t that great for changing volume on the fly. Also, I wish the macro keys had dedicated backlighting at all times too.

Conclusion