A small but undeniably fascinating part of the mechanical keyboard community, wireless mechanical keyboards are an effective way to achieve a clean desk surface without sacrificing typing experience.While popular bluetooth mechanical keyboards like the Varmilo VB87M or the Manilia Air cost upward of $100, a much more affordable, $60-or-less option exists.
Keyboard enthusiasts: say hello to the Royal Kludge RK61, a fully mechanical, 60% bluetooth keyboard with Kailh blue switches. Will this keyboard satisfy most users’ typing needs? Absolutely. But is it good for gaming? Probably not. I examine this board in-depth below.
Typing Experience
I was initially skeptical about this keyboard’s bluetooth performance. However, after many hours of testing, I’m pleased to say that this keyboard types well. When left idle for a long period of time, the keyboard does exhibit slight input lag of around half a second. However, once you start typing, the input lag all but disappears. I achieved 100 WPM on a typing speed test using this keyboard, a speed which lies in the upper range of where I usually score. When I type extremely quickly (above 80 WPM, perhaps) the keyboard will occasionally stutter, but the lag is momentary, and all of my characters will eventually appear on the screen.
The keyboard’s Kailh blue switches, like all blue switches, are loud. While I don’t have a particular switch preference, fans of other types of switches will have to settle for blue. Luckily, Kailh switches are fully Cherry MX compatible, so they should fit any MX-style keycaps.
Since the RK61 is a 60% keyboard, it lacks dedicated arrow keys and its function keys are combined with the number keys. Both types of keys can be accessed by holding down the Fn key and the corresponding key simultaneously. Because of this compressed layout and aforementioned, slight bluetooth lag, I wouldn’t recommend this keyboard to gamers.
One last note: on Massdrop, I read several complaints about the stabilizers underneath the board’s space bar. I have not experienced any issue with the space bar, and I think that it’s safe to say that the space bar issue is an isolated occurrence.
Build Quality
I am thoroughly impressed with the RK61’s build quality. Although encased entirely in plastic, the keyboard has a considerable weight to it and feels very durable.
Features
The keyboard is backlit, featuring rainbow LED’s whose colors cannot be adjusted but can be brightened by pressing Fn+. Battery life is advertised as 10 hours, but I’ve experienced much longer than 10 hours in my use. The keyboard easily lasts through an entire day (several days, in fact, with moderate use) and can be charged at night through a micro-USB cable.While you can connect this micro-USB cable to a laptop or monitor USB port, I wouldn’t recommend this. The cable automatically charges the board, and constant charging can damage the board’s lithium-ion battery over time.
Bluetooth pairing, achieved by holding down Fn and P, was instantaneous. The RK61 can remember up to three bluetooth devices, and the CAPS LED light light flickers when battery runs low. A simple on/off switch lies at the bottom of the keyboard along with four rubber feet.
Flaws
Aside from some inevitable bluetooth lag and the inherent compromises of a 60% layout, I can’t identify any major issues. It would be nice to be able to adjust the LED’s, but at this price point, I’m not complaining.
Overall
Currently, the sub-$100 bluetooth mechanical keyboard market offers only two viable options: the Anne Pro keyboard and the RK61. The Anne Pro offers a host of LED adjustments but costs $80. The RK61 is not only the most affordable bluetooth mechanical keyboard you can buy today–it’s also well-designed and practical.
Where to Buy
I purchased this keyboard on mechanicalkeyboards.com for $47 (https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/search.php?keyword=bluetooth) after I applied a promo code which I found through a Google search. But even at the $60 price point, this keyboard is a buy.
Ming Reviews Thing 