8BitDo’s newest mechanical keyboard riffs on the design of a Eighties laptop with one of the vital iconic-looking keyboards of all time: the Commodore 64. 8BitDo’s Commodore 64 version of its Retro Mechanical Keyboard collection is available to preorder beginning at this time for $109.99, with plans to ship it on Might twenty sixth.
Beneath its superbly chunky brown keycaps (ABS plastic with double-shot legends) and Commodore-style rainbow emblem, that is mainly the identical peripheral as 8BitDo’s previous NES keyboard. It comes with clicky Kailh Field White V2 switches as customary, however they’re hot-swappable if you wish to swap them out for one thing rather less loud down the road. It could actually hook up with units by way of a alternative of USB, Bluetooth, or with a 2.4GHz USB dongle; and there’s additionally a built-in quantity dial on the high left of the keyboard.
Getting back from the NES keyboard are the programmable “Tremendous Buttons,” which nonetheless appear like the Nintendo Leisure System controller’s A and B buttons. This time, they’re joined by a small joystick known as the “Tremendous Stick.” If the development of this keyboard is similar because the final, anticipate each of those equipment to be wired and to plug into the highest of the keyboard by way of 3.5mm jacks. The entire keyboard makes use of a tenkeyless type issue that omits the numpad however in any other case maintains a comparatively conventional format, and there’s no RGB lighting to talk of.
Curiously, whereas the unique Commodore 64 has that chunky look I’d usually affiliate with clacky mechanical keyboards, it was really outfitted with Mitsumi hybrid switches, that are a cross between a rubber dome and mechanical swap. Retro keyboard YouTuber Chyrosran22 did a review of the Commodore 64C (a variant of the Commodore 64 with a lighter shade scheme), if you happen to’d like a more in-depth take a look at the insides of the unique.