8BitDo makes a surprisingly good mechanical keyboard, even if it is wrapped in various bits of nostalgia bait. The Retro design has good wireless, premium materials, very nice switches, and hot-swap capability, all for a hundo. Today, you can get it for just $62.39 if you’re okay with a Mecha Break: Panther colorway. That makes this both a mechanical keyboard and a mecha keyboard, har har.
I’ll be honest, I’m not really familiar with Mecha Break. The trailer looked amazing as a take on Gundam-style excess, but multiplayer free-to-play is a great way to make my eyes glaze over. That said, this version of the 8BitDo keyboard looks pretty dope. The frosted black transparent plastic has a great retro appeal, it comes with RGBs that shine through, and you get a bunch of alternative keycaps. Despite the fact that oversized NES buttons don’t really fit the mecha anime theme, you get them, too.
The keyboard is functionally identical to the one I reviewed a few years ago—the only difference is the addition of RGB lights, ABS keycaps to see them, and swapping out the clicky Kailh BOX White switches for “Glaze Jellyfish Pro” linear switches. I don’t know what the hell that means (switch colors stopped corresponding to anything years ago), but gamers might prefer the linear option. And the sockets are still hot-swap, so you can replace them to your liking if they’re not doing it for you.
It’s a darn good deal! If my house wasn’t overflowing with keyboards, I’d probably grab one and squint to convince myself it’s a Zone of the Enders design. The price is that good, I say.
Get an 8BitDo Retro Mecha Break keyboard for $63