Royal Kludge Backlit Retro Typewriter Gaming Keyboard Review – It’s Amazing!
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This is a review/personal opinion of the Royal Kludge Backlit Retro Typewriter Gaming Keyboard.
As someone who types a lot, having a decent keyboard is SO important.
For years I’ve had so many keyboards – since I discovered backlit/gaming keyboards I’ve been hooked!
Gaming keyboards are honestly such a game changer as they are designed to look good and to be so responsive!
Whether you game, are a blogger, author of any sort or work from home and type a lot – you need a decent keyboard!
If you think of it as like any other hobby or profession – you need the right tools for whatever you are trying to achieve.
Especially if it’s something you use every day!
Up until recently I’ve always had ones at the lower end of the scale price wise.
To be fair (up until recently) they have all done me well – until recently.
Of course over time they stop working, lights fade, keys become less responsive etc.
This year I decided to invest in a decent (and beautiful) new keyboard.
Especially as my job requires so much typing!
I honestly didn’t think there would be SO much of a difference between a really good keyboard as opposed to a more budget one.
After my last keyboards keys started to stick and I realised it was putting me off wanting to type, I realised an upgrade was in order!
I spent a lot of researching and looking into different keyboards.
In the end I decided on this Royal Kludge Backlit Retro Typewriter Gaming Keyboard.
That turned out to be such a good decision!
I’ve broken this review down into categories so it’s easy to locate whichever pieces of information you’re looking for!
For reference, I bought this in November 2022 so will update if necessary, but have been using it a lot over the past couple of months.
I knew I was loving it when I mentioned it in this post but I wanted to give it a good shot before reviewing!
Aesthetic
This keyboard is literally beautiful.
Its base is black metal with matching wrist rest.
I love the fact it can look a lot more streamlined if you fold the wrist rest in under itself!
The round keys absolutely resemble a typewriter as it states, and each key has a silver/chrome ring around each one.
Each key is quite high from the board itself which I personally prefer as it makes it a lot easier to clean and there’s more space for the lights to shine out!
(For cleaning I use a can of compressed air and it works perfectly with these more open keys).
One thing to be aware of is that on some lighting modes, some of the letters/symbols don’t stand out overly well.
If you’re like me and touch type then this won’t be an issue, but just something to be aware of!
Sound
Due to the nature of this keyboard having a typewriter resemblance, this is by no means a silent keyboard!
If the sound of typing annoys you, this is not the right choice for you lol.
It’s not as loud as a typewriter would be but has a good click to each key!
I personally really enjoy mechanical keyboards and love the noise this one makes – but it’s all personal preference!
Typing
This is by far the most responsive/sensitive keyboard I’ve owned.
It actually took a few days to really get used to typing on it but once used to it it’s a dream to type on.
I love the fact that this keyboard is so responsive.
It takes any strain out of trying to type for long periods of time as there’s no force needed on the keys.
Lights
The lights in this keyboard are so bright!
It states there are up to 168 different lighting modes!
I’d be lying if I said I had found them all haha, but it does come with instructions!
To name a few there are your standard colour options, fading colours going varying directions or “breathing” colours.
You’ve also got all the extra functions!
You can have the keys light up as you press them, or having light shoot across the row of the key you’ve just pressed!
I certainly haven’t found/used all of the options yet!
My favourites are the colours fading across the keyboard, and the option where each key is a different colour and is rotating through the other colours.
As the colour behind each key rotates, the lights reflect off of the chrome key surrounds so it looks like there’s a carousel of colours changing all the time!
As mentioned earlier, the fact these keys are taller and have more space under them, it really helps the lights to shine out.
The colours make it so fun to use.
I much prefer it when I have coloured lights in my working area, so having the bright coloured lights was something I was specifically wanting.
There are sections on the side of the keyboard that also light up, and you can change lighting mode for these too!
The side section you can choose any of the static colours or choose the rainbow/colour fading option.
Wrist rest
This keyboard has a detachable wrist rest!
It makes the keyboard look quite a bit bigger but is actually really comfy to use.
It’s not cushioned but sits at a lovely angle if you find this helps.
I personally prefer keeping it folded under itself and folding the standard keyboard feet out as it puts the keyboard at a lovely position to speed type at.
I don’t feel this rest is a necessity, but it’s a nice touch!
One note I will say, if you choose to have the rest out, the hinges can feel a little sharp against the desk underneath.
If you find this, you may want to pop a desk mat or something under it in case it scratches!
Weight
I’ll admit I didn’t look at the weight when I bought this as it really didn’t matter much to me!
As long as it was sturdy and reliable, it didn’t matter.
One of the cheaper keyboards I’d been using used to bend so badly in the middle I was always worried it would break!
So I was wanting to avoid that, especially when paying more.
This keyboard comes in at just shy of 1kg!
It’s metal construction and the metal wrist rest mean that this keyboard feels STURDY.
The beauty of the weight (albeit unexpected when I opened it), is that it doesn’t move at all when you’re typing on it!
I’ve been known to fidget and having a keyboard that just stays in place is amazing lol.
Price
This is by far the most I’ve ever spent on a keyboard, but honestly it’s been so worth it and you really do see and feel the difference.
I got it for £79.99 which is the RRP.
That probably doesn’t feel like a lot to any hardcore gamers lol but for me it was a lot to spend on a keyboard!
Was it worth it and would I absolutely pay that again if needed? Yes!
Mouse
As I decided was going to splurge on a good keyboard, I decided to get a new mouse too!
I wanted one that matched but not one that was going to cost a fortune so picked this one up for just £10 or so.
Can get any mouse you like, but this is the one I got!
Black and changes lighting colour so matches the keyboard really well.
It has a really low profile so feels a lot better in my hand than a standard bulky mouse. My hand feels at a much more natural angle.
Super quiet and very responsive.
Does need to be recharged as it’s wireless.
It can be used while plugged in so hasn’t been a problem at all.
Summary of Pros and Cons of the Royal Kludge Backlit Retro Typewriter Gaming Keyboard
Pros
Amazing design
Bright LED lights with so many lighting options
Fold out wrist rest is handy for when needed
Weighty so stays put
A dream to type on
Easy to keep clean
Cons
Hinges may scratch if wrist rest is unfolded (hasn’t happened to me but it may)
It is quite loud if you prefer a quieter keyboard this isn’t the one for you
I will put the price in the cons section, but only because it’s a lot of money, not because it isn’t worth it!
I adore this keyboard and I’m so happy I chose it.
Don’t panic if you receive yours and the picture on the box looks nothing like the keyboard you’re expecting!
I’ve included a photo to show the square keys on the box picture, but the right one was inside so it didn’t matter!
After getting used to how responsive and sensitive the keys are, it’s such a breeze to type on!
It’s also just so cool with all the bright coloured lights shining through, with any colour mode option to suit your want/mood!
What do you look for in a keyboard?
Speak soon!
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