I’m a sucker for the outdated days. I do my greatest to maintain my rose-tinted glasses off as a lot as doable, however give me a vinyl deck over an MP3 any day, a GameBoy cartridge over a digital obtain each time. In consequence, the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is urgent all the proper buttons for me.
Not solely is it an excellent mechanical keyboard in its personal proper, with most of the trendy conveniences you’d anticipate of a keyboard in 2024, but it surely aesthetically harks again to some basic gaming programs that may attraction to many individuals of a sure classic. In the event you’re a gamer who turns their nostril up on the trendy obsession with RGB-everything — or simply in the marketplace for a well-priced keyboard with a little bit of persona, the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard must be excessive in your listing. It joins the ranks of our high picks among the many greatest mechanical keyboards for Mac.
And naturally, this whole overview is written utilizing the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard.
Value and availability
The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is offered now, and is available in 4 completely different types — Fami, N, C64 and M. Fami is modelled after the Japanese 8-bit Famicom computer systems with beige shell and a choice of pink buttons. It’s the one we’re testing out immediately, although they’re all functionally equivalent. N is modelled after the gray and pink stylings of the Nintendo Leisure System (NES) which dominated residing rooms within the 80s. C64 appears similar to the Commodore 64 computer systems, whereas the M takes its cues from Amiga programs.
They’re priced at $99.99 — although the corporate has repeatedly been knocking $10 bucks off that worth with restricted time gross sales. The exception is the C64 version, which has a $109.99 price ticket. And all embody a separate set of outsized, programmable ‘Tremendous Buttons’ within the field too — a enjoyable and quirky additional.
Whichever mannequin you go for, that’s an ideal worth for a extremely stable mechanical keyboard, even earlier than you throw in these extra macro buttons. You may simply pay double that worth to get a mechanical keyboard with this function set, so it’s an ideal worth providing from 8BitDo right here.
What I really like
Simply take a look at this factor! Although I grew up with the NES styled 8-bit Nintendo system quite than the Japanese Famicom that this specific model is aesthetically aping, you’ll be able to’t assist however overload no matter gland is answerable for retro nostalgia everytime you take a look at the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard. It’s only a beautiful merchandise, with its combination of pink and cream colorings, golden particulars and kanji characters alongside the Roman alphabet on the keys.
There are a ton of cool particulars right here, from the NES-like arrow keys to the customizable B and A buttons that sit beneath the proper Shift button, to the old-school bulb-like energy indicator to the highest proper. I just like the little nods to analog physicality right here too — there’s a dial for leaping between Bluetooth LE, 2.4GHz wi-fi (over a Mario-block type dongle USB-A dongle that neatly shops away right into a recess), and OFF / wired modes, and one other dial for cranking up your system’s quantity. Subsequent to those is a trio of spherical buttons for connecting to gadgets wirelessly, establishing macros, and switching between customized key profiles. USB charging is on the rear edge, in addition to 4 enlargement ports for add-on equipment 8BitDo sells — in addition to the included Tremendous Buttons, you may get particular person large buttons, an arcade-style joystick, and a four-key SNES-style key add-on, every offered individually.
These Tremendous Buttons are dumb enjoyable too. You may program them to do any operate of your selecting. Are they that helpful? In all probability… not? However there’s one thing enjoyable about switching between apps, for example, with a push of an enormous mushy controller button. It’s enjoyable, and hasn’t appeared to have added an enormous additional expense to the general price, so I’m right here for them.
It’s total typing expertise too — a bit noisier and clicky than I’d like, but it surely’s really feel. There’s 3.6mm journey to the keys, with a hot-swappable circuit board and N-Key rollover help (letting you press nonetheless many buttons as you want concurrently with out the keyboard freaking out and misinterpreting your inputs). 8BitDo kits the keyboard out with Kalih Field White Switches (V2), and the keycaps are dye-sub PBT, which ought to defend the icons from sporting off over time.
Although tenkeyless, it’s a chunky keyboard for the format (87 keys whole), partially because of its full-size operate row keys and separated units for the likes of Print display, Insert, Delete, PGUP, PGDN, and so forth. It measures 377 x 170 x 47mm, and weighs in at 1050g. The load works in its favor — this man gained’t slide round if you’re furiously typing away.
Although I’ve not had the time to check the 200 hour utilization declare but, that appears in-line with what I’d anticipate from the inner 2,000mAh rechargeable battery onboard right here. 4 hours of charging time over the included USB-C cable will carry the battery to 100%, and the keyboard can nonetheless be used with zero energy with that cable plugged into your pc and the connectivity dial switched to ‘OFF’.
What I don’t love
The very first thing right here will probably be apparent to anybody these pictures above intently — this isn’t a Mac-layout keyboard, and 8BitDo doesn’t supply the choice. By default you’re caught with Home windows and ALT keys quite than Choice and CMD, and whereas all of them map intuitively, you may be a stickler for a keyboard that matches your main platform. Seeing because the keys are swappable, it’d be nice if 8BitDo may supply a sold-separately Mac-pack sooner or later, however this appears unlikely. I don’t assume I’d wish to spoil the aesthetic with non-matching third-party Mac keycaps both.
Maybe extra irritating is the accompanying keyboard software program. On Home windows, it’s really nice — you’re in a position to remap keys to any operate you need, program these huge Tremendous Buttons to macros, and scroll by means of completely different profile configurations. It’s nice for constructing out customized shortcuts, or game-specific key mappings. It’s a disgrace then that there’s no Mac help for the software program — and probably troubling for the long-term well being of the keyboard when paired solely with a Mac, because the software program suite is the one present solution to replace the keyboard’s firmware.
Competitors
There are such a lot of completely different mechanical keyboards with completely different options to suit your wants. And with countless customization, there’s not essentially a one-size-fits-all when figuring out the perfect.
The NuPhy Halo 75 is barely costlier than the 8BitDo coming in at $130 but it surely affords a incredible typing expertise with each connection possibility you possibly can hope for. With a number of switches to select from, the Halo 75 is the perfect mechanical keyboard underneath $150.
In the event you’re in search of one thing extra customized and wish to get your arms soiled with a DIY venture, look no additional than the Meletriz Zoom75. This beautiful keyboard has distinctive construct high quality and is good for anybody who desires to make mechanical keyboards their pastime.
For one thing a bit of extra low profile we advise the Lofree Circulation 100 which provides you an ideal sounding keyboard and construct high quality that appears like Apple may’ve made it.
Ought to You Purchase It?
Purchase the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard if…
- You’re keen on the retro aesthetic
- You benefit from the really feel of mechanical keyboard
- You need a keyboard with a little bit of heft to it
Do not buy the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard if…
- You need a extra sedate-looking keyboard
- You like low-profile or chiclet keyboards
- Desk area is at a premium
Verdict
I’m smitten with the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard. It’s so good trying with such enjoyable little options that it’s straightforward to fall in love with — and that’s regardless of its lack of actual Mac help, and me being a Mac person primarily, and my normal desire for low-profile keyboards. Typically although, you simply wish to look down at one thing you spend a lot time of your day in entrance of, and have it elevate a smile. The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard does that, and at an ideal worth too. If 8BitDo ever will get its software program over to the Mac, this could get high ‘wonderful’ high marks. For now it’ll should make do with ‘very, superb’ as an alternative.
8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard
Backside line: A fantastically enjoyable mechanical keyboard at an ideal worth. All it lacks is healthier Mac help, although you’ll be able to nonetheless fortunately sort away with it as-is on with Apple’s computer systems.