8Bitdo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, Bluetooth/2.4G/USB-C Hot
8Bitdo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, Bluetooth/2.4G/USB-C Hot Swappable Gaming Keyboard with 87 Keys, Dual Super Programmable Buttons for Windows and Android – Fami Editio
8Bitdo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, Bluetooth/2.4G/USB-C Hot Swappable Gaming Keyboard with 87 Keys, Dual Super Programmable Buttons for Windows and Android – Fami Editio
I LOVE THIS THING.
This keyboard is clicky in the best way, insanely responsive, and amazing on battery. I love this thing more than anything else I use at my desk.
The colours on the FAMI version come out slightly different, specifically slightly more aged white – which is exactly what I was looking for!
If you’re looking for a well-designed and sturdy keyboard in a retro style, there’s no reason not to get this one.
Got the fami edition, and I love it so far! Haven’t found a use for the huge A and B buttons,so I sat them on my desk and clack on them all the time cause it’s just fun. It has a pretty light keypress compared to my last mechanical keyboard (from shurikey) but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as I’m sure the switches can be swapped out.
Connecting it is simple as plugging the adapter into your computer and flipping the switch to 2.4 (or BT if you want to use Bluetooth, then just connect it as you would any other device)
It hasn’t died nor have I charged it once since it’s got here and I’ve used it a LOT so that’s pretty impressive, in my opinion at least.
The colors on the keyboard make it REALLY easy to read, even in a dark room, which I love.
Overall, I love how it looks, I love how it feels, (especially the dials/switches for volume and power), and would definitely recommend!!!!
responsive and does the job. looks very nice. i cant comment about the bluetooth because i dont use it.
i can say if you’re buying this in hopes to mod it, good luck, the screws are under the rubber feet but i’ve had no luck getting them out.. so my only peeve with this is how hard it is to take apart the keyboard.
the space bar sounds a little hollow but i shoved some foam into the keycap and it sounds a little better.
the last thing is the mini controller thing was broken when i got it, which wasn’t a big deal because i didn’t buy it for the controller.
i think itd be nice if a keycap/switch puller was included.
I use this keyboard for writing documents and gaming, and it is a joy to use for both. The switches and keys feel incredibly high quality and satisfying to type on, the finish is amazing, keyboard is very sturdy, and lots of connectivity options. I love the dials too.
I bought this keyboard planning to change the switches. I was shocked at how much I like the switches it came with. It really suited the keyboard and they felt very nice. I usually prefer switches with a deeper tone. The ones on this keyboard are clicky and tactile. Even though I usually don’t prefer clicky, I actually like them more than the Epsilon V2s that I ended up switching them out for (I spent $80 on the switches, might as well use them for a little bit lol). So the clicky switches were surprisingly very nice.
Other pros:
– I really like the red and white theme
– Stabilizers were excellently PRE-LUBED
– Various connectivity options (Bluetooth, 2.4 wireless USB, USB-C)
– Input lag is minimal on wireless modes
– Keycaps have a very nice profile and smoothed edges, they feel great
– The extra mega buttons are neat, however I just use them for decor.
– High-quality materials all around.
– Great packaging & unboxing
– Overall excellent product quality and attention to details
Cons:
– Would’ve liked to see a multimedia button. (1 tap pause, 2 tap skip forward, 3 tap skip back)
The keyboard looks are by far the biggest selling point. I personally dig the retro famicom look and style. The keycaps are PBT, so they have a lightly sanded texture to them, which I personally find to add to the retro feel 8bitdo was going for here. In addition, the keyboard comes with Kailh Box White switches, which I find to be the ideal balance between weight and clickiness for most folks looking to pick up something more retro inspired. These are not at all like your typical MX blue style of switch. These Box Whites use click bars for a more distinct and tactile click. The clicky switches, paired with the somewhat larger and open case design, makes the sound of the keyboard harken back to the older boards of the yesteryear.
The giant buttons it comes with are also a nice touch, and I love that you can program them on the fly without any additional software. These big buttons are NOT the same switches as the rest of the keyboard, however. These are Gateron Green clicky switches, and sadly aren’t nearly as clean-sounding as the box whites. The neat thing though is that these too are also hotswapable, meaning that you can change them to other switches if you’d like.
I took this board just a little bit further and decided to hotswap the switches out with modded Zeal Clickiez, giving the keyboard an even more tactile and deeper click (SEE VIDEO). I was also surprised to know that the stabilizers have been factory lubed and dampened, making it that much more worth its value. The mods have made this keyboard one of my favourites and I’m currently using this one as my daily driver for the time being.
i’ve heard alot of good things about 8bitdo and after buying their keyboard I’ve gotta say i can see why people are such big fans of them the quality is amazing I’ll just rattle off a few cool things about it real quick
1. super clicky (if that’s something you like its awesome!)
2. unlike most random keyboards you order of amazon this one feels HIGH quality AF
3. 2.4 DONGLE is superb and i haven’t noticed any missed keys or randomly stopping while gaming
4. in wireless mode it seems to sleep after a shortwhile so it doesn’t just leak battery life
if you got the money to spare pick this thing up!
“But wait,” they said, dangling your childhood in front of you, “there’s more to it than just classic good looks.” The top left console comprising the dials and pairing/macro buttons are high quality. The connectivity dial snaps with reassuring heft. The volume dial feels premium and confidently notches into place. And there are tiny lights above the pairing and macro buttons to show when they’re in use. Then there’s the classic red power LED at the top right, next to the metallic accent panel overlining the keyboard. Very nice attention to detail.
To give an idea of the value proposition: toward the top right in one of my pictures you’ll see one of my custom keyboards that I built basically from barebones. There’s the Monsgeek M1W lavender chassis, the Morandi linear switches underneath the Cannonkeys Minty keycaps, and the various bits of custom work I did within the chassis to get the sound profile to my preference. The Cannonkeys Minty keycaps alone – just the keycaps – run $70 before tax and shipping. (The overall custom kb runs $260 before tax and shipping.)
So what 8Bitdo offers, as a whole keyboard, is pretty compelling.
And that’s not even touching on the gigantic two-button gizmo they include in the box. It’s built like a brick, with the underside lined edge to edge with high quality rubber. And dude, they factory lubricated underneath the buttons. Seriously. I popped off my buttons (I did a whole switch swap to linear switches because I’m not a fan of clickys) and the buttons are factory lubed where they interface with the lower housing to slide up and down. Bonkers attention to detail at this pricepoint.
A couple caveats (but not enough to remove a star): while the keycaps, dials, and accents are high quality, the chassis *feels* (and sounds) like a $100 keyboard. It’s rather plasticky and ultimately a bit hollow. This is appropriate given….. that’s the MSRP. But coming from the Asus Azoth ($250) and my similarly priced and custom built M1W, this keyboard practically begs to be cracked open and modded. The marketing seems to hint that this can be the case, since hot swappable switches are advertised.
Unfortunately, the assembly design is very unfriendly to experienced keyboard modders. There are 5 screws underneath the keyboard that need to be removed – four of them sit under the rubber feet, which need to be ripped off since they’re fastened with adhesive to the chassis. This is fine, since the feet can be re-attached and reglued neatly and without much fuss. But the 5th screw is maddeningly under the center sticker. So you either need to rip off the sticker, which will feel worse than ripping off the rubber feet, or get a hobby knife for a neater approach like administering a circular cutout around the screw.
Again, for the asking price, what you get is completely justified by the aesthetic design and high quality keycaps, accents, and accessories. The chassis is true to msrp (this is not necessarily a compliment for those who regularly use more expensive custom keyboards), and making the chassis easier to crack open for experienced modders to get in there and get to work making it feel more premium would take this over the top.
Besides, I spent hours blowing on cartridges just to get them working. I spent days and weeks fidgeting with remotes running on years old batteries scavenged from some dusty corner in the garage, figuring out how to get the TV to stop skipping Channel 3. Think some rubber feet and a sticker’s gonna stop me? THINK AGAIN, 8BITDO.