MAGIC-REFINER RK68 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard, 60% Percent
MAGIC-REFINER RK68 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard, 60% Percent Gaming Keyboard, Apex Pro Mini 2.4Ghz/Bluetooth 5.0 Dual Mode 2-in-1 Receiver 68 Keys Hot Swappable Keyboard Linear Red Switch for PC/MAC
From the brand
MAGIC-REFINER
| Weight: | 680 g |
| Dimensions: | 33 x 11 x 5.5 cm; 680 g |
| Brand: | MAGIC-REFINER |
| Model: | Gris clair (interrupteur rouge) |
| Colour: | A-68 Keys/Light Grey |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | MAGIC-REFINER |
| Dimensions: | 33 x 11 x 5.5 cm; 680 g |
Really great value for money
My expectations were low given I only paid 36 for this, which as far as mechanical keyboards go is pretty cheap. However, the keyboard has really impressed me and massively exceeded my expectations.
I chose the clicky blue switches which are indeed very clicky and make it very satisfying to use. Be warned however, these are loud, so if you want something more quiet I would choose a different switch colour.
I really like the colour scheme – colours look good (not cheap). The overall build is very plasticky but this is to be expected, and you don’t notice it when using it. The non-slip pads stop it moving nicely and give it a heavier feel.
I’ve been using it without the dongle with my MacbookPro. Took a few seconds to connect, then was ready to go. As a British user, the only pain is the fact the keyboard doesn’t have a symbol printed on it, but can still be accessed with Alt+3.
2 AA batteries are required and these are not included with the item.
Very tall, but nice to use in general
The body is very tall, but as something to put in a bag and take with me it was a good budget option compared to some of the premium brands.
Keyboard sounds very clicky and the feel reminds me of the old keyboards when PC’s first came out. Enjoying the nostalgia. I like that I can type on my PC, then switch to either my phone or tablet easily, that is a good bonus. It is small and seems robust. I am happy with it. I find it easy to use and the typing angle is comfortable. Slight downsides, Takes AAA batteries. though they have lasted a couple of weeks so far without changing them. The function keys on the far right I have to get use to, though the more frequently used ones are there without using the Fn key. Lastly, if the user has big/Large fingers, like me, you can occasionally have to recheck your typing as occasionally hit two keys and not one.
very good if you use windows
if you want a mechanical keyboard but with windows key setup then this is really nice and small.
i had to return since i’m a mac user and was confusing to use special keys (win, alt) but i would use with windows os.
It’s a nice keyboard to work with. Took me sometime getting used to lifting my fingers higher than normal as a Mac laptop user. But once I got used to it, it gives me a rewarding feedback at work when I’m typing.
The only problem I have with it is it eats batteries VERY fast, in my opinion.
I had been using it for two months (7-8 hrs per days, five days a week, turned off after work) and it needs 2 AAA batteries every month.
It doesn’t go slow or give any warning when batteries getting flat, it just literally go flat and no longer responding. So they were times I was half way replying a message to clients and need to rush out to buy some batteries.
I also just spent 20 quids purchased a rechargeable batter chargers/ batteries to standby on the side just in case that happens again.
Other than that, I like the sounds it make when typing, the colours and easy keys removal for cleaning.
Very impressive for price poi
Very impressed with the price point. The only negative is that you cannot plug it in and charge its battery, you have to buy batteries. However they haven’t ran out yet. Works very well with ps5
Really nice solid keyboard. Good typing feel.
The responsiveness on this keyboard via the included dongle is maybe not SUPER speedy, but feels not too laggy at all. The physical keyboard itself is solid and compact with a great satisfying typing feel.
Funziona
Funziona molto bene tramite bluetooth con il mio macbook (m1 pro 14 pollici).
Un p di bizze con la connessione 2.4ghz con xbox, ma in pi di un mese mi capitato solo una volta, e sospetto fosse a causa delle batterie un p scariche.
Semplicemente ottimo rapporto qualità prezzo
Cercavo una tastiera compatta senza dover spendere troppo e con un buon design, direi che ci siamo in tutto, dopo un mese di utilizzo quotidiano, sono super soddisfatto dell’ acquisto. Unico neo che mi aspettavo i tasti fossero meno rumorosi, niente di esagerato assolutamente ma avrei preferito un po’ meno..
Daje roma
Tastiera veramente bella,ho avuto solo qualche problema perche pensavo che il pacco si fosse perso ma alla fine tutto si risolto,la tastiera bellissima dal vivo come estetica e sound molto bello e anche se wireless per il gaming ha quasi 0 delay
Un teclado estupendo y cómodo
Muy contenta con este teclado mecnico ptico. El diseo es muy chulo, el tacto suave y muy cmodo a nivel general. Lo recomiendo sin dudar. Estuve buscando durante mucho tiempo hasta dar con el teclado adecuado y este se adapta bien porque adems de funcionar correctame tampoco se dispara excesivamente de precio si lo comparas con otros.
Lo uso para trabajar a diario y tambin para jugar, as que buscaba un teclado cmodo y suave.
MAGIC-REFINER RK68
ottimo acquisto unica pecca e che le batterie non possano essere utilizzate quelle ricaricabili e altra pecca e che questa tastiera non sia dotata di una batteria interna ricaricabile tramite cavo micro usb per poterla ricaricare durante l’inutilizzo in modo da essere utilizzabile senza preoccuparsi che le normali pile da installare e da acquistare a parte si esauriscano
El teclado funciona perfectamente. Si ests pensando en un teclado mecnico y con diseo minimalista este es perfecto . Sin embargo, tiene puntos negativos como la carga. No tiene carga funciona a Pilas y no tiene luz en los teclados.
Si eso no es impedimento para usarla entonces te servir de mucho.
Lovely feel keys and easy to switch devices.
This keyboard connects easily to bluetooth and it is very simple and fast switching devices. The keys can be switched which is nice and they work well, without sticking. This is used for gaming by my son and he likes the feel and noise of the keys…he has autism and he loves the sensory feel of these keys..so thank you 🙂 Overall, a good keyboard, requiring only batteries and blue tooth for instant gaming fun 🙂
Un buen teclado mecnico a bajo precio. El tacto al teclear se siente suave y cmodo. El ruido es el que se puede esperar de unos switches lineales baratos, pero bastante silencioso.
La conexin inalmbrica funciona muy bien, cambiando muy rpido entre dispositivos. El enlace que trae es muy cmodo ya que solo es conectar al dispositivo y listo, pero prefiero usar bluetooth para no ocupar puertos, que por cierto se puede conectar el enlace por USB o USB-C.
La distribucin de teclas es americano ANSI, pero como se puede observar se puede escribir con acentos o .
Que tenga las fechas de direccin es muy prctico, ya que con un teclado del 60% tienes que usarlas a travs de la capa de funcin.
Las teclas son en plstico ABS de doble inyeccin, algo finas, pero se siente muy bien al tacto. Los switches son lineales (rojos) y bastante suaves. La PCB permite reemplazo en caliente, asi que puedes cambiarlos por los que ms te gusten e incluso las teclas y customizarte el teclado al gusto.
La nica pega que le encuentro es que hubiera invertido la posicin de las teclas Home y Delete.
great keyboard
his is the best value keyboard you will find as it as really good switches, sounds great and looks amazing,
however the layout is not the best but it is only a little thing.
i would recommend this keyboard and its worth every penny.
Lightweight, responsive and customisable
This is a smart, functional and very portable wireless keyboard, which has a very handy long range – ideal if you’re connecting your computer up to a big TV or wall-mounted monitor for your gaming and want to spread out. It’s extremely responsive and I noticed zero lag in use.
In terms of layout, if you’re used to a Mac keyboard then this will be no issue. It might differ from some UK keyboards in the placement of certain items like the at symbol, but since keys are movable and the entire board is hot-swappable, there’s plenty of scope to customise and refine the layout as per need.
It’s powered by 2 AAA batteries, which you’ll have to supply yourself. I’d prefer a rechargeable keyboard rather than the slightly fiddly battery operation, but a few weeks in and I still have no low-power warning, so a couple of fully-charged ones should last a functional while.
I do miss backlighting on it – I don’t think it would have been too much to add this in, considering that it’s otherwise a nice mid-range gaming keyboard. It’s a fairly minor issue, though, as otherwise I’ve had no problem at all with key labelling. That’s helped by the fact I am using the version with the alphanumeric keys in the lighter colour, which I think is much more eye-friendly. In any case, the keys are easily removable / replaceable if you intend to customise it.
It looks smart and responds brilliantly – these are the key features, and make this a pretty nice piece of gaming (or otherwise) input kit for your setup.
I’m unsure for gaming however..
This (yes I’m currently typing on this keyboard now) keyboard is amazing for what i need it for. Which isn’t gaming its for typing. I use it on my desk which doesn’t have the most room because of my art stuff so having a decent little keyboard that fits is great.
Also.. the feedback on the keys when typing is amazing, you get that bounce back and sound that makes you want to type more.
Try it if you’re looking for something like this and you won’t be unhappy!
I don’t have any issues distinguishing the font on the key caps, perhaps this is down to the colour I choose? The keyboard is excellent for travelling as it’s small and it’s width is just over the length of an iPad Air.
My biggest problem with the keyboard is there isn’t a backslash or pipe | key when your default language is UK English. This key is usually between Z and shift but on this model however on an iPad the keys correspond correctly although the @ is above the 2 but the is above the 3 so its a bit of a strange layout.
If you plan on using it with a tablet then its an excellent choice, much better then the apple keyboard cases and I can get a way with it using Excel, Word etc on a PC but the lack of and | when writing code means I have to switch keyboards.
Ottimo
Tastiera solida e piacevolissima da usare per lavoro o scrittura ,non ho messo 5 stelle per il fatto che i simboli impressi sui tasti sono poco visibili per cui difficoltosa da usare in scarsa luce
Almost perfec
Love the quality and build of the keyboard. Haven’t used for gaming yet so can’t confirm if good. What I would say is key placement takes getting used too and I didn’t notice before purchase it’s an American layout which means the @ and : keys are opposite from what is printed on the keyboard
Very thick, has a good angle
It’s quite a heavy keyboard for its size. It is hotswappable and has pretty decent keycaps already. It comes with a dongle, cheap switch and keycap pullers, and needs 2 x AAA batteries. I use this for when I travel, its not the most travel friendly due to its thickness, but the overall compact size helps. Its easy to use and connect with. It’s packaged very nicely and in a sturdy box that keeps it still. There are some rubber bits on the bottom to make sure it doesn’t slide too much, they work well but are quite thin, so I’m unsure how much use it could take before coming off. The switches are not the loudest or quietest, would not be able to get away with it in the library. For gaming while travelling, the responses are quick and the switches feel fine and don’t stick for me. Easy to pull out these switches too which is nice. The stabilisers are a bit too pingy for me, but I don’t notice them too much for it to be a real problem.
Meravigliosa
Solitamente non faccio quasi mai recensioni. Mi limito alla valutazione con le stelline. In questo caso devo anche commentare: questo prodotto PERFETTO. Opinione senz’altro soggettiva, ma per chi cerca tastiere alternative alle solite noie mortali, questo tastierino assolutamente perfetto per la scrittura o per chi fa delle lettere un utilizzo intensivo. Ottima qualit. Buon prezzo. Estetica eccezionale. Funzionamento immediato e impeccabile. Sia con trasmettitore, che con BT.
A good design and fair priced mechanical keyboard
It is a good keyboard. It uses both usb-c and usb-A type connectors and also bluetooth. I find all of the connectivity options slick and well implemented. It does not have backlight like some other gaming keyboards but I don’t mind. At least you can see some light coming from top left so you’d know if the keyboard is on or not. There is an on/off button to control its’ power just underneath the batteries slots. It uses 2 x AAA batteries (not included) to power up and I wish it had a charging function but that’s just a personal preference.
I have the Off-white & Orange/Red Switch version and I am happy that most buttons are visible and well implemented. I do have a slight problem, sometimes when using in the dark (for late night gaming sessions), I can’t see the grey buttons so I think that the grey buttons need to be a bit more visible. The typing experience is really nice, even my 8 years old son likes to type on it and does it with ease. There is a good feeling that you get when typing, that’s a great functionality due to this keyboard being a mechanical one. The keyboard is really compact and well sized without compromising the key sizes themselves.
A well made, compact and wirelessly connected mechanical keyboard that is good for not just for gaming but also for day-to-day office use with a few quibbles that would be nice to improve in the future versions. Highly Recommended!
decent keyboard
A decent keyboard for the price, has a bit of a cheap feel to it, keys feel nice enough but not amazing, there is not slot for the dongle to sit, everything pairs quickly and easy to set up. It sits nicely on the desk and would benefit from using a wrist rest to make more comfortable to use. Overall is a good keyboard for the price and better quality than some of the cheaper ones out there.
Great keyboard, but but replace the keycaps
This is a great mechanical wireless keyboard, I bought it after reading reviews that also said that the keycaps weren’t the best as I had planned on replacing them anyway.
But yes, the keys are designed for a backlit board, so they’re very hard to see.
Other than that, great keyboard.
Excellent entry-level, wireless board. Especially suitable as a modding platform. US ANSI layout.
This is a great keyboard, and excellent value for a true-mechanical keyboard with hot-swap switches.
However, there are a couple of things to mention about the keyboard. The first observation is that it’s an ANSI format with US keys. While this is the preferred option for much of the world, and also for many people in the UK, it’s not the ‘standard format’ that most UK users will be used to. The @ and ” symbols are swapped over, as well as a few other, minor differences. I’m typing this review using the keyboard, so it’s perfectly useable, and causing me no issues whatsoever. I should mention that I have lots of US keyboards, so I’m used to the layout.
It’s also a reduced format ‘Tenkeyless’ board, so it’s missing the top row of function keys and the numerical keypad. It does have arrow keys and a side row of keys, including ‘Del’, so as far as I’m concerned it’s the best compromise between size and functionality.
The other oddity is that there is no wired option. Instead of a wired connection, the keyboard connects via the supplied 2.4G Wireless dongle, or by Bluetooth. There is no USB socket, either for charging the internal battery, or for plugging the keyboard into the PC. There isn’t an internal battery, it takes two AAA batteries which are not supplied.
There are two Bluetooth settings, so you can swap between two paired devices. I’m using BT1 at the moment. It’s selected using Fn+W (and the key is labelled in case you forget). Within a few seconds of me pressing the keys, a box popped up on my laptop screen asking if I wanted to pair with the keyboard. I clicked ‘yes’, and that was it ready to use.
Out of curiosity, I activated BT2 and paired that with my iPhone – it connected immediately and I was able to type notes on my phone with the keyboard, then switch back to the PC again.
I’m genuinely impressed with the ease-of-use of the Bluetooth. Gamers might feel they ‘need’ the wired connection, but for my purposes it’s fine.
This is a fantastic choice for people wanting to try a bit of keyboard modding, because it features hot-swappable switches. If you are not sure what this is, it means you can remove the switches using a special puller (which is supplied), and replace them with switches of your choice, without any soldering and without dismantling the keyboard. You can also replace the keys with a set of your choice.
The supplied, OEM profile keys are sort-of modded already, and feature a multi-colour, retro-style scheme. The font chosen is difficult to read, made worse by not having any backlighting. I’ll be honest, I don’t much like the keyset, but that’s a personal preference and easily rectified.
The supplied switches are a reasonable quality, red / linear type with a fairly strong spring. They are not my first choice for typing, but many people will love them – again, it’s a personal choice and you can customise to suit so don’t take that as a criticism. One point to note is that the PCB under the switches will only take 3-pin switches. Fortunately, my favourite switches are three-pin, so will fit!
Straight out of the box, this is a really good, useable keyboard with excellent Bluetooth functionality. It can be modified further, so it’s really versatile. It’s great value.
Not standard U.K layout ......Can get confusing if you don't know how to get to the keys you want !!
This is a nicely made keyboard & generally you can type resonably well with it . However sometimes the keypress doesn’t register …. Maybe this is me, But on occasion it happens …. Maybe i need to press harder . I grew up using keyboards like this so it is not a NEW thing ….
The orange text on the black really doesn’t stand out enough and if you are using it in not optimal lighting conditions then you can struggle to find what you want.
A little LED somewhere to tell you that shift is locked would be beneficial as sometimes you can forget to take it off by mistake or accidentally hit it and end up WITH A LOT OF TEXT LIKE THIS….
I wouldn’t say this was any good for gaming cvertainly in flight sims as you really need a numeric pad to the right for a lot of the options.
Also make sure you have a couple of AA batteries in reserve for when the ones in the unit fail …. You just know that it will be when you least expect it !!!!
This is not a U.K layout keyboard … the @ & are hidden under the ‘ & 3 Key so this is more suited to the U.S .
It is nice that you can either use the WIFI dongle of Bluetooth …. So the dongle could be left in your p.c / laptop & while away use Blootooth to connect ….
All in all it’s an O.K Keyboard ….. I’m not a lover of the Weird Font used on the orange keys either …. It makes the top row a bit Garbled looking
Hope this helps …..
Compact, energy efficie
Compact mechanical keyboard that feels great to use.
-It connects quickly and can connect up to three devices – 2 vi BT and one via the 2-1 receiver.
-It looks sporty stylish attracts the sight of anyone enters the room.
-runs on two AAA batteries which are not included
– Has got a compact but ergonomic design. Doesn’t tiring at all.
– It hasn’t got a backlit option so the battery should last longer. It is too early for me to comment on the longevity of the battery.
Overall, I believe it is a well made, reasonably priced mechanical keyboard for those who are looking for budget friendly, space saving and ergonomic keyboard.
Good cheap keyboard
As a keyboard is not that bad, it’s cheap but it’s decent.
The typing feeling isn’t as good as more popular brands, but it’s way better than other non-mechanical keyboards with the same price.
I’d recommend it as a spare/travelling keyboard for anyone with more expensive ones, or as a first mechanical keyboard for those who have those 15 mouse+keyboard sets.
Connecting it to the laptop is easy and then the keyboard works just fine.
Amazing value for money!
As an IT veteran, I am admittedly flabbergasted when I see what sort of quality of mechanical keyboards you can get for 40 these days! The switches in this keyboard are obviosly a clone of Cherry MX Reds, but a very good such. I also like the overall design, which really goes great with the retro theme I am using this keyboard for, most of the time, as well as a supplement to my Android TV. The only downside is that you need exchangable 2xAAA batteries, but even those can be chargeable, so this presents only a slight annoyance.
For the money, you won’t find better! And no, most of us don’t really need designated Function buttons (you simply press a dedicated Fn mofidifier and a number), nor the seaparate digits. Also, these are not 60% but 65% keyboards, as they include arrow, Home, Del, PgUp and PgDn keys, which in my view, means the perfect compromise.
But beware, the change of colour design (keycap set) above may imply change of actual switches you get — there are both Red (linear) and Blue (clicky) such. The latter provide clicky feedback some prefer but are quite noisy. Reds tend to be a much better choices for gaming and ocassional typing, and these feel and sound super smooth — highly recommended!
Fantastic little keyboard
First time using a 60% keyboard and was really impressed at how little space it takes up. Sadly I play a game which requires use of the F-keys, and it doesn’t have the ability to Function-Lock the numbers to their F-variants which gave it a knock down on it’s score, but for anyone else that doesn’t need such function lock, I would recommend this to them
Legacy blue-booth compliance very little suppo
First things first. Their choice is not to included batteries. Others do, this brand did not…
Bluetooth’s compliance with consoles None
Bluetooth’s compliance with tablet none
Bluetooth’s compliance with PC Yes
But that’s what the USB 2.4 GHZ is actually for… this returns compliance… have to use the dongle would have been nice not to but legacy devices support is only via 2.4 GHz dongle use…
Ideal for when you need bluetooth connection.
This compact, neat Bluetooth keyboard is really useful. You need to update bluetooth drivers but that is easy to do and although the instructions are not perfect they are clear enough to make connecting it up straightforward enough even for a non-technical person like me! The Receiver is small, but the included Clip to help disconnect the receiver was a nice bonus. I like the ‘clicky’ feel to the keyboard, it is easy and comfortable to use.
Good value mechanical keyboard, no backligh
I ordered this keyboard for my daughter who has wanted to try these for a while and she was super happy to find it had a standard ‘cherry’ switches (actually they are red Jixian switches which are Cherry copies) but it means she can put cherry caps on them.
As a beginner she is happy with the board and she likes the noise it produces which is fairly soft and clicky, quite muted. It also came with a switch removed.
You can connect via the dongle or via Bluetooth and she connected it all up very easily and without any help. It is smaller than the average keyboard, mini size (see photo) but the keys are all regular size.
Sturdy and Good Desig
The first thing I noticed about this keyboard, even before opening the box, was that it is quite heavy. It’s certainly heavier than my 101 key Dell multimedia wired keyboard. I don’t see this as a problem and in some ways it gives me a bit of confidence about it’s build quality.
On getting the keyboard out of the box you’ll notice it is compact and brightly coloured in white, orange and grey with a stylised font printed on each key in orange and grey. The keyboard is significantly narrower than a normal keyboard and also much deeper. There a rubber feet on the keyboard to prevent scratches on your desk or table.
If you know your way around a keyboard then the format and colours won’t pose too much of a problem as your ‘typing memory’ will get you to the right keys, however if you are the person that is constantly looking at the keys for what letter or symbol you want or you are visually impaired then this might be an issue. I found the orange/light grey font on dark grey keys particularly poorly contrasted.
Setting up the keyboard is straightforward using the USB dongle, this is a double ended dongle that fits either the larger USB A or the smaller USB C connectors. Simply plug in the dongle, your OS will install the software and then put 2 x AAA batteries in the keyboard and turn it on with the slide switch on the back, it will connect automatically and your ready to go. If it fails to connect then press FN+Q for 3 seconds and a green light on the keyboard will flash until it connects.
To connect using the built in Bluetooth is a similar process, press FN+W or E to enter pairing mode then pair with your device in the usual way. I like the option to store one device on the W key and one on the E key.
The keys are clickless and depress positively which means typing is nice and quite.
There is very little lag between key depression and the characters appearing on screen. I wasn’t aiming to use this keyboard for gaming but I’d assume that this is important for reactions during game-play.
Verdict: Despite the colour and font issues I like this unit, I know my way around a keyboard so that isn’t a big issue. It feels very sturdy but not so much that you’d get tired of it if it were sat on your lap for a few hours. As there is no back lighting or lights for CAPS or SCROLL LOCK etc then I expect battery life to be close to the makers stated time, auto shut off helps with this.
I’d say that this is worth the 40 price tag.
Decent keyboard
The benefit of a compact 65% keyboard such as this is that you get all of the primary keys, such as the alphas, numrow and even the nav row (including the delete button), but none of the less-used keys (depending on how you use your computer), such as the function row. This means you save a lot of space, both depth and length-wise, freeing up desk space and allowing more room for your mouse to move. While it can take some getting used to having a smaller keyboard with the keys all close together, I personally think the compromise is worth it.
I ordered the variant with red switches. Red switches are linear, meaning the travel should be ‘smooth’ with no bump before bottoming out. The actuation distance of the switches should be 2mm, half of the full keystroke, meaning that you don’t have to press all the way to get a keystroke. Now within the mechanical keyboard scene, many people obsess over how smooth a switch is and the relative pitch during bottoming out and topping out. Stock these switches are not lubed and are cheap red switches, so they are not very smooth. That said, I think they are perfectly fine, and for people who aren’t into the hobby, spending 40 on switches and lubing each and every switch, this will be perfectly fine. They have a little bit of spring ping, but they are manageable and won’t really be noticeable under normal typing.
Although these switches are not clicky, you still get the sound of bottoming and topping out, so it’s not really a keyboard I can recommend in a public office space. There is a tiny bit of rattle, but it’s very minimal on my unit, so much so that most would not notice anything had I not mentioned it.
There is no per-key lighting, white or RGB. People may find this a disadvantage, but personally, I don’t see it as such. The RGB sucks so much power from the batteries and, honestly is more of a gimmick. Sometimes it can be distracting, and busy, and I find it’s not even needed, especially for those who understand the general layout of a keyboard already. There are, however lights behind the QWE keys to indicate the connection method.
This keyboard is solely a wireless keyboard. You can either use a 2.4Ghz dongle which is included or one of the two BT devices. The dongle will perform better using a wifi connection, so you should get lower latency and none of the reconnecting Bluetooth business. One thing to note is that although I personally really like the dongle having both a USB-A and USB-C end, so I can use it on both my mac (no USB-A ports) and a normal PC, the addition of the USB-C end means that it will not fit in the compartment at the back of the keyboard. This means it’s more likely to be lost during transportation. Again, the keyboard should still be usable without the dongle using a Bluetooth connection. THERE IS NO USB PORT TO KEEP WIRED TO A PC.
The keyboard requires power from 2x AAA batteries. I would have preferred a rechargeable li-on battery, as that would be easier, cheaper and better for the environment in the long term, but there is no USB port to charge it, and it works fine, although I haven’t been able to get a general number for how long the keyboard should last.
The build is decent, but what you’d expect for the price. At around 40, it’s decent value for a wireless, proper mechanical keyboard with hot-swap sockets, not the best value in terms of features, but competitive. There are no adjustable feet, although you do get a slight angle from the plastic case and rubber feet for friction, which works well. The case is high-profile, so you don’t see the side of the switches, which I prefer more, and due to the plate and relatively small size, you don’t get much flex from the case. I’m not too much of a fan of the keycaps. They function well but don’t look that nice, in my opinion. That said, I wouldn’t mark down on this as these are easily replaceable with other keycaps, as this keyboard uses an MX-clone switch.
The main benefit of this keyboard is that it is hot-swap. This means that you can easily pull out each switch if you would like to modify it, such as adding foam inside or just replacing the switches without any desoldering. I can imagine people swapping out the provided switches for something a little higher quality. You could even change to a tactile/clicky switch if you wanted. One thing to mention, however is that this is only a 3-pin PCB. Normally this would be less stable than a 5-pin variant, but the switch plate helps keep the switches secure, so I wouldn’t say this is too much of an issue. However, the 3-pin variant means that if you have 5-pin switches, you’ll need to snip off the two extra plastic legs, which is a permanent modification.
Overall, I am happy with the keyboard. I think it’s good value and as a stock product, it’s very good. I like the convenience of the wireless capability. While not 5-pin, the 3-pin hot-swap capability is very welcome. Someone did mention something about there being no legends for the Mac keyboard (the mod keys generally are called different things and are in swapped positions), and that is true, but I don’t think it’s too big of a problem, but I can see people working around this by memorising the location of the switches (with the exception of the mac fn/language key).
Hope this was helpful!
Could become your only keyboard
A very high quality small keyboard. It takes a little while to get used to the fact that the number keys are the function keys. The keyboard is quite heavy and so sits securely on the desk or your lap. The key travel and resistance make for a very good typing experience.
The front lip of the keyboard sits about 22mm off the desk, whereas normally a keyboard is about 15mm off the desk at the front. That affects how you rest your hands and so some people with smaller hands might find that uncomfortable. A wrist support would probably help.
It comes with a dongle, but I used Bluetooth. I love the fact that you can easily toggle between two different Bluetooth connections and a dongle connection. If you are short of room on your desk, you could easily make this your main keyboard.
10/10 keyboars
This keyboard is one of the best i’ve used. It was really easy to set up, and once you’ve connected it to your device once it automatically connects after that. It’s small so doesn’t take up too much space and there’s no delays even though it’s wireless!! Personally i like the sound of a ‘ clicky’ keyboard so this is perfect for me. You can also change the keys and it comes with a set of tools to allow you to do that. Personally i wont be changing them but you can if you like. I would definitely recommend buying this keyboard!!
Love this keyboard perfect for gaming but wished it was rechargeable
I absolutely adore this gaming keyboard. With it’s blue switch I found it perfect for gaming it’s extremely responsive and I haven’t experienced any lags or delay thus far. I quite enjoy the dual connections allowing me to connect to multiple devices from my work and personal PC.
The quality feel good I’ve had no problem using it thus far. It’s also very small and compacted making it great for any sized desk. I also love the separate function button like delete and page up and down, it makes it so easy to use. If I was being picky I wished it was rechargeable as this keyboard requires AAA batteries which doesn’t come with the product. Other than that I think it’s an amazing keyboard and would recommend it.
Hope you found my review helpful.
Small, wireless, mechanical, and looks like the Tester68; Geek heaven for the cost conscious!
Detected straight away on Windows 10 as ‘2.4G RF’ Keyboard and just works — once you have added the 2 AAA batteries required, inserted the RF receiver into a free USB on your computer, and turned the keyboard on via the on/off button at the bottom (once you turn the keyboard on it will sleep after 30 mins, so its an ‘always on’ deal after that).
Bluetooth is easier; no receiver dongle required, just press Fn-W or Fn-E and search for it in your Bluetooth devices (it comes up as ‘K68 BT5.0’ and the keys are labeled).
It’s a mechanical keyboard, and you can tell, although the large keys (Space, Enter, Shift, Caps, Tab and Backspace) sound different than the single keys. According to the box, this is by design, although it is normally seen as a feature of cheaper mechanical keyboards…
It’s also very small; the smallest keyboard with decent full-sized keys I have seen. My partner described it as ‘cute’, and it is!
Notable features?
The box says this contains red switches. The other options are blue and ‘tea’ (which I suspect means brown).
The escape key has an fn and fn -shift keypresses to get the ` and ~. Small point that will not affect anyone except programmers and web designers. The Escape key and all the f keys have three functions. You get used to it, and it’s the price you pay for a compact layout.
It has a decent heft to it without being heavy. It also doesn’t creak if I try to bend it.
Despite its compact size, the Refiner has full media controls (they are accessed via fn+key for the tyuiop keys, so they’re all together.
The RF dongle has a little compartment to store it by the battery slot underneath the device, but it doesn’t fit. Also there’s no mention of Magic-Refiner anywhere on the box. Its actually a Zi Youlang K68. The good news is that there’s no overkill brand name on the front of the keyboard. Its all very stylish and functional.
It has RF and Bluetooth but no USB port on the keyboard at all, meaning you can’t use it in a no-batteries-wired mode. Unusual.
The whole device is a lower price copy of the Tester68 keyboard. Cheaper, but also slightly cheaper build. That’s of course both a disadvantage and advantage!
Like the real Tester68, the blurb says you can swap out the key switches as they are solderless, but I’ve not tried this. Even the real Tester68 has reports of some switch slots losing contact through repeated insertion/removal, so I’ll give that a miss!
The fact that you have two Bluetooth connections (BT1 and BT2) makes it easy to switch between 2 machines. Useful for some developers, as you no longer need a KVM. Even better for pair programming as you can have also do the reverse (two K68 keyboards to one machine).
Mechanical keyboards are touted as the bees-knees for gaming. I’m not convinced; I just like the sound of them and the tactile feedback they give, and this keyboard is good for that.
There’s no angle riser legs. I don’t think you need them, and the lack makes the rear of the keyboard more portable as the keyboard has a flat back making it easily stowable in a laptop bag without things pinging off. The fact that the whole keyboard is shorter than my smallest laptop (14 inch Lenovo Carbon) makes it very stowable in almost any laptop bag.
No RGB fancy lights. There’s a green light for on/bluetooth status and a red one for Caps-lock/low battery and that’s it.
Who would buy this?
A laptop owner who wants a full travel mechanical keyboard for gaming and typing. Its small and fits easily into a laptop bag.
Someone who wants to geek out on something that looks like a Tester68, but on the cheap.
A small form mini-computer in need of an equally small 10-keyless keyboard.
Anyone who has a non-desk based simulation chair for flight sims and the like. This is good enough to fit in a non-desk environment as its small, not wired and of course has military sounding clacky keys rather than silent and spongy dome keys. But, worth noting the keys make a ‘clacky’ sound rather than the cleaner ‘clicky’ sound of my other mechanical keyboard. I don’t think that will matter to anyone but an absolute purist, and if it does , there;s always the little circular plastic inserts you can buy so you hear more of the mechanical switch spring ‘click’ sound rather than the ‘clacky’ key reaching end of travel and ‘hitting something equally plastic’ sound. To be fair, I had to add such inserts on my other keyboard for certain keys (ok, yeah, I admit it – I’m ‘that’ purist I was talking about!).
Anyone who just needs one of the smallest, most portable and well-priced mechanical keyboards out there.
Overall, very nice. It remains to be seen if the key labels fade (I don’t think they will as they look to be double shot), or if the batteries don’t last long enough, and I’ll update if either are a problem, but so far this looks like a solid compact wireless mechanical keyboard. Some weird keystrokes for obscure characters (NB — I’m a web developer), but I’m already getting used to them!
So I have only recently bought this board so I cannot speak to how it stands up in the long term but if you are looking for a budget mechanical keyboard this is a great option. The sound is good for the price point if a bit rattly and the keys are a bit sharp but the bluetooth works flawlessly. The legend on the keycaps can be a bit hard to see and it feels like there is supposed to be a backlight but there is not one.
The fact it is modular also means when you get some more money you can upgrade it, change the keycaps and switches and make it even better.
Definetly recommend for the price 🙂