8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, Bluetooth/2.4G/USB-C Hot Swappable Gaming Keyboard with 87 Keys, Dual Super Buttons and Super Stick for Windows and Android - C64 Edition

8bitdo is known for their wireless controllers and it seems like they've decided to expand into mechanical keyboards. This is a great first attempt by them! I have a couple mechanical keyboards so I'm not an expert by any means, but I'll try to make it make sense for newbies.I have a Redragon K556 Pro that I used to type on before I got this and 8bitdo's has blown that out of the water.Battery life:The battery life is fantastic. I can't get my redragon to last more than a couple days even with turning off the keyboard at the end of the day. I haven't had to charge the battery yet for 8bitdo's and I started using it around early November 2023. Can't remember if it was bluetooth or 2.4 so I'll update when I check next time I'm in the office.The switches:I swapped out the switches in my Redragon for speed silvers which I do love, but I also love the switches on the 8bitdo keyboard. If you're a newbie to mechanical keyboards, the switches they use on 8bitdo's are the Kailh White switches which aren't super noisy, but aren't linear either. They're tactile. They're louder than speed silvers but still type nicely and aren't as loud as cherry blue switches. The clickiness volume sounds like a normal keyboard so your coworkers won't be super unhappy with you unless you're an angry typer like I am, lol. They sold me on the Kailh switches so if I ever decide to switch, that's what I'm using.The keycaps:I swapped out my keycaps on my Redragon which have a KCA profile. I wasn't super happy with them because I kept mistyping. I'm more of a Cherry girl. If I had to guess which keycap profile these were, these look a lot like DSA or XDA which are probably more my speed. They remind me of the XVX XDA profile keycaps actually (also sold on amazon), which are about same height as a normal keyboard's keycaps. That was smart because that makes this as close to a normal keyboard with the benefits of a mechanical keyboard. It's great for those who are thinking about swapping to a mechanical keyboard but also don't want to sink $$$ into one or wasting money trying to find the right keycap profiles for their typing style.The big red buttons:These are just so fun to use! It took me a second to figure out how to program them, but the instructions included were very helpful so I figured it out. They also weren't on fragile paper and I have it hiding under the buttons. It came with stickers too. I programmed my two to be Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V because they are my most used buttons and they work great when I remember to use them. My coworkers love to come over and mess with me by clicking them. These are wired, but the wire is long enough and unobtrusive.Was this worth it?:Absolutely 100% worth it. Mechanical keyboards get so costly. The fact that they made this keyboard $99.99 is extremely accessible when you consider that mechanical keyboards can cost hundreds. I hope to see a full sized version someday. No lie, I also wish they sold the keycaps because I absolutely love the retro aesthetic of this keyboard. It feels good and looks good so I would recommend this.

The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a stunning blend of vintage design and modern functionality. Its nostalgic color scheme, reminiscent of classic gaming consoles, immediately catches the eye. The matte finish and sleek keycaps add a premium touch, while the solid aluminum base ensures durability.Typing on this keyboard is an absolute pleasure. The tactile feedback from the mechanical switches offers a satisfying, clicky feel with every keystroke. The ergonomically designed keycaps make long typing sessions comfortable, and the overall build quality is top-notch.If you’re looking for a keyboard that looks gorgeous, feels fantastic, and delivers on both style and performance, the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a must-have. It’s perfect for anyone who wants a little bit of nostalgia with their tech.

I have used a few mechanical keyboards over the years, but there is something about the way these switches feel, it legitimately feels good typing on this thing, I've mostly used cherry and romer g switches, usually tactile with a few clicky, these clicky switches are a big surprise, not as loud as others not as sharp of a click, just very satisfying. Actually very recently I got to try out some linear switches and I really liked them, and was worried I wouldn't like this keyboard, I was even looking into buying replacement linear switches, which you can do with this keyboard if you want, but it's just such a delight out of the box.So the keys feel good, that's probably the most important part, I don't believe 8bitdo's software is out yet, so programming the keys is still done directly on the keyboard, I would like to see legit software soon though, The volume knob works but won't earn any awards, it can freely spin in either direction lowering or raising the volume, so it can look like it's pointing towards low volume when you turn it up, it's a small issue. The input knob is awesome, I often switch between my pc and my steam deck and I love how easy it is. the 2.4 feels great and I've had no issues on bluetooth.It looks good, it just does, I've actually always liked the idea of having a retro style keyboard, this ticks all the boxes for me while still being a fully featured keyboard at a great price. It's all plastic but it feels nice, I thought the strip at the top that says 8bitdo and has the lines like an nes would just be a sticker but it's a printed on piece of plastic, much nicer. The power button is gorgeous. This thing is awesome I love it, now I'm rambling because it just feels nice to type, so I'll end it here, if you think this looks good then you should buy it.

Every single aspect of this keyboard is perfect. I'm more of a fan of vintage Alps type boards, but I like tenkeyless boards because I never use the numpad and I prefer to have as much desk space as possible. This has a roomy yet very solid case like older keyboards, with amazing SA style keycaps that are fortunately double-shot ABS and not PBT. They weren't able to make double-shot PBT caps in the old days, and honestly? I love how silky these caps feel, and they bring out the deep sound of the case even more. Despite being hot-swappable, I find that the box whites match this board really nicely and also just sound really good. All the switches in mine are very consistent out of box and the additional joystick/buttons are neat to mess around with (even the B and A buttons have hot swappable switches! Mine came with Gateron green.)If you're a fan of older keyboards but want something newer and perfectly serviceable, this is it. There's nothing else out there that will even come close. Also give their controllers a try if you're in the market for one, they're really good too.