Keydous NJ98 keyboard review (Kailh BOX Deep Sea Islet)
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- čas přidán 13. 11. 2023
- Skip to 10:02 for a typing demonstration.
Get it here: keydous.store/products/keydou...
Today we look at the NJ98, a hotswap keyboard with an integrated calculator, of all things! One can only hope these become more commonplace again. Hope you enjoy the video!
Intro by Kyle Carter
Outro by Facundo Cabanne
My keyboard reviews: bit.ly/1TbOtft
My switch teardowns: bit.ly/2C1QGHz
My TOP X videos: bit.ly/2FmpZfd
My XL typing demos: bit.ly/2OoAW3w
My tutorials and featurettes: bit.ly/2OrkLUh
My unboxing videos: bit.ly/2TSrr0m
I'm Thomas and I do videos and reviews on mechanical keyboards ranging from the most sickening modern RGB gaming keyboards to vintage hardware relics, or sometimes keycaps or keyswitches ranging from Cherry MX to Alps SKCM to IBM buckling springs and anything in between.
Follow me on Twitter for updates on my keyboard videos! / chyrosran22
The practice sentence was: "Hello my name is Thomas and I'm typing on a Keydous NJ98 keyboard right now. This is a really good-looking keyboard, and I wish more keyboards had calculators on them!" - Věda a technologie
You're the best and most trustworthy keyboard reviewer in my opinion. 90% of the ones I've come across almost never have anything bad to say about a keyboard they're reviewing or miss glaring issues but you have a really objective look with a lot of experience in the largely uncharted territories of vintage keyboards. I think you really put things into perspective :)
Thanks! :)
i miss the vintage reviews lowkey
We all do, but he hasn't received any donations for vintage keyboards as of late. 😢
@@zakutenakazumiya1516 It is true, I'm reliant on donations unfortunately :( . I do miss doing vintage reviews myself sometimes.
That said, I do like doing modern stuff as well. Nowadays there is more variation and innovation, more interesting switches and keyboards to cover. Not everything is equaally interesting, granted, but still. In fact, there are a few extremely kickass projects in the pipeline that I can't wait to cover :D .
@@Chyrosran22everything should just be Oki tactile gourd springs. That should be every keyboard
@Chyrosran22 I know for sure one of them will be the Ellipse Beamspring keyboard... that I'm definitely curious for
@@Chyrosran22 How can I send you something?
I find the calculator feature intriguing for playing Satisfactory, Factorio and other similar games. I keep my old A Level physics Casio by me when playing because I’m always doing maths to perfectly balance the machines.
I never played either of those to that level, but I hadn't considered that point, well thought of! :)
theres a calculator ingame in satisfactory
@@networkrage That's true, but since I play multiple different games where I need calculators, I've found it's easier to use the same one for everything.
@@Bagel-nu1hc This exactly. It's way faster on the casio one too as it has all the scientific stuff + all sorts of other useful features just built in
The three main demographics of mechanical keyboard users: gamers, typists, and catalysis enthusiasts.
You ever consider trying out Kailh's Mute Jade switches? Their click bar is modified and has a dampener where it hits the click bar hits to. Their tactile bump is pretty different from any other tactile switches as well cuz it has a different tactile element to other MX and Box style switches.
Maybe Box white v2 as well since they improved a lot imo. They sounded deeper both the clack and click and the feel is much smoother than their originals. Their long spring helps to avoid me accidently pressing the switch without making it heavier which is one of the issues I have from the originals.
Yes, in fact, if I'm not mistaken, I have some! I still need to get to them, somehow I keep not getting to them xD .
@@Chyrosran22 Ohhhhh okay then, cant wait for you to make a review video of them! I really enjoy using both of the switches especially the v2, it's probably my fav click bar switches I have in my collection! ^^
How do you get the box white V2? I've only seen box whites listed, but nowhere that specifies a V2. Also is there a box pink V2?
@@jammies701 Oh I got it from Chosfox, don't think there's pink v2s sadly but you can click bar swap it anyways for it. think they're the same.
I feel like you've already reviewed the mute jades, no?
afaik printscreen goes fast because most people rather use the snipping tool
The color scheme is amazing indeed!
My eyes lit up when you said calculator. I loved that style of keyboard even if I never bought it. I always like doing my bills on my computer so I use the calculator on my PC. Even if the calc button just opens the calculator, that would be helpful but I hope they take some of your feedback into consideration. I don't think you are the best keyboard reviewer just because you like the older stuff like Alps but I like how you experienced different versions of older keyboards so you have a reference and expectation when companies reintroduce these features. That's why I like whenever you bring up macros. Back in the day macros were stored on the keyboard but now they require software. There is no excuse for this as modern firmware chips can hold a lot more macros as the chips are bigger. It just blows my mind how new keyboard manufacturers don't look back to see what stuff was good in concept but were held back by the era they were made in.
I just love your rationalism in terms of pricing (and everything else actually) since most of kbd revieweres today consider $220 keyboard a budget option
southpaw 96 would be the dream
already have a lefthand numpad for my gmmk pro and it just feels great using it for excel and other numerical entries while also keeping mouse space for my right hand
Dang it, there are so many crazy, new switches out there. I just got some Kailh Deep Sea switches last year, and they have a bunch of new versions.
I bought this board with the steel plate and the grey gradient backlit keycaps. Although the font could be much better, I put on Kailh box pinks customized with lighter springs, i washed and re-lubed the stabilizers, I took out the foam (if there was any, I can't quite remember) and I'm finding myself quite comfortable with this board. I especially like the sound of the spacebar with the gummy thingies. It's not perfect, but for its price I think it's a really good product.
Let me guess. You can easily remap the cal key to the way you want it by simply install the 12 gigabyte device driver. :p
its only 70 megabytes
@@bismuth7730 Still 69 megabytes too large.
I remember shitting my whole ass when I found out the first bluetooth driver was something like 30MB, it took a very long time to download over dialup. But it meant I could wirelessly move pokemon gifs to my phone without having to keep the IR ports aligned. Magic.
@@Laundry_Hamper30 mb for a bluetooth driver. Was it for a cray computer? :p
I have this board and customized it with KAILH box summers switches and GMK TeraDrive caps.
Ha, there's a GMK TeraDrive now? Noice :D .
So Kailh has started putting in longer springs in the linears too?
They started with the v2 versions of their light clickbar switches to solve the problem of the lacking return force without making them stiffer last I checked.
I love my kailh whale switches, I havent tried the islet switches yet
@10:03 surprisingly silent! Besides calculator and the unusual form factor, I'd say that's the next major feature of this keyboard
Try using an 1800 layout where there's no spacing between any of the keys even though it's the same 98% key count. I use one daily from Keychron because my desk is too small but need a number pad and arrows. It was hard at first to get used to but now I love it.
that is like the Keychron K4 right? I use it daily- but as a second keyboard. The most annoying thing is the delete key- I will never get used to it. And the navigation keys in the top row are so out of the way that I have never used them.. I also like to reposition my keyboard and use the arrow keys kind of like a handle to grip on.. but that is also not possible here. I would much rather like a full 100% layout- but that is not available in my language...
Wouldn't that be a 96%, or do you still have spacing in the function row where insert and delete are missing? Inclusion of insert and delete is the line between a 96% and an 1800.
It'd be really nice if we could get a new naming convention for boards. Especially when layouts go far enough away from the norm that they can't really be called anything relative to what a full-sized is.
Don't know if you have done this already, but you should review something with kailh box rose red switches. I'm curious what you would think of them.
Wish you'd review the 8bitdo keyboards. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.
I just modded a nice Keychron V1 for a friend using those Islet switches. I was really amazed by their silence. However, I don't personally like non-clicky switches, so I wouldn't use them. I'll be interested to compared to my wife's new keyboard - the Varmilo 75 using Kailh Prestige silent liners. I don't think you can get those switches on their own...
The 98% layout from the Keychron Q5 is much more efficient and I think it's the best layout. For gaming I still use the Drunkdeer with its 75% layout though and even that is sometimes in the way of doing big mouse swipes.
I've been using the first version of Kalih Box Pink for years, and I notice that the switch housings have had the pigment bleached out of them by the leds in my board (they're always on, it's the V1 Hot Dox).
Have you or anyone else had this happen?
I long for the day Norman Reedus buys a Keydous.
They got rid of Prt Screen, which is useful, and put a calculator key there that just opened Windows calculator. Personally makes no sense to me that one
Chrystoran i think i found a way to make a 1 part clicky switch that dosent use metal and has a keycap mount. It eould be used in a optoelectric parts inside the housign pcb side, there is no coilspring in the design and it uses the top housing as a return force, and the same top housing has a slider attached to an "l" shaped assembly on both sides with a clicker made of plastic on one side. Its hard to explain
Why Fn+Enter? Surely if it was going to be an Fn chord it'd be Fn+Cal?
calculator keyboards are soooo good i have the varmilla va104c and the calculator is so great (the keyboard is kinda buggy and mid otherwise)
Is the volume knob clickable to mute? Is it reprogrammable for things like zoom level, and clickable to restore the zoom level? I think there would be more space for a decent calculator screen on a fullsize keyboard, in the dead space above the inverted T nav cluster.
I use the side scroll wheel on my Logitech mouse for volume, and the thumb button for the calculator app. I would like a proper clickable volume knob on the keyboard though. I have Volume down, up, and mute keys above my numpad. I find these less useful.
It is clickable, yes. I don't know anymore if that's mute though.
On some keyboards without seperate numpads, you could use the numlock key and 789, UIOP, JKL; and M,. Keys to use your letter keys like a numpad. Im not sure if theres a way to still do that.
you could always hook this up in autohotkey too
So far I haven't found a "modern" keyboard with built-in calculator function that works better than just having a Ducky Pocket sit next to the keyboard
it sucks that they dont make the ducky pocket anymore... that was my first mechanical "keyboard" lol.
I think Leopold & Filco are much better options for silent keyboards at this price range, but this honestly isn't too shabby.
Thanks for the tip had no idea pressing 0 key restarted the video on CZcams, sorry you had to find out the hard way.
Each number key skips to the minute mark of that number!
I think a 98% could work, but I think that layout rather bodged it up a bit.
Very nice keyboard it looks like but thanks for talking me out of this layout. I'd rather have a normal TKL and a dedicated numpad off to the side.
There's a 96% layout, I'm not sure how common it is in products, that rearranges the nav keys around the alpha and numpad clusters, though without gapping; function row now includes insert, delete, home, end, page up, and page down, and the numpad has a 1u 0 key to fit the right arrow, the only keys that're missing are print screen, scroll lock, and pause. There's a bigger brother to the 96%, the 1800, that reintroduces cluster spacing, arrows now have a 0.25u perimeter, but the function row spacing now gets rid of insert and delete keys. Honestly I think a hybrid could be workable, no spacing in the function row so that insert and delete, or a minimal spacing to add just delete, would be suitable.
This '98%' honestly looks like it's trying to be that kind of hybrid, adding a column to have delete, page up, and page down, while also having custom elements on top of the numpad. But at this point I have to question, why not add another column so that you can also have home and end, possibly insert, print, or pause as well. Then the question becomes, why not just have a full-sized that's only an additional row on top of that, considering this is now getting into the territory of defeating the purpose of a 96% or the 1800's 'compact full-sized' approach.
I also want to see these various layouts in a southpaw configuration. Where the right arrow cuts into left control (honestly 1u keys are usable and the spcacebar doesn't have to be that large), up arrow cuts into left shift, but left arrow cuts into the num enter key as southpaw numpads are not mirrored. This could also put nav keys left of escape, while delete somewhat naturally fits on top of backspace; or just do a 1u backspace and 1u delete. Though one additional thing I would do is a 16u main cluster, I know this is how 65%/75% boards get their navs, but just having one column of discretely macro keys would be nice.
That's one of the reasons why I skim videos with J / K / L rather than ← / space / →
Second keyboard today I'm seeing with this bastard layout, I'm not a fan of losing keys to save maybe 4cm of desk space.
What's the point of backlight if they keys are opaque other than gamery aesthetic? The point is being able to find the keys in the dark if you can't touch type, no?
No, I don't think anyone genuinely uses it for that purpose, to be honest xD . I'm sure they like to think so, but I doubt it's really true :p .
pretty sure the keycaps are based on the GMK Blue Samurai
I do generally prefer my navy blue keycaps to be accented in gray or something.
The black does look clean but I love me a classic tri-tone color scheme.
Navy blue is probably the best color for this tho, wine reds and matcha greens BTFO. Class.
For me the ‘cramped’ 98% layout looks better than full size. I got used the the layout after a while.
Yeah in term of the size, not much different.
Fullsize keyboards for me, too! ;))) (i like Ducky keyboards)
I would like a calculator on my keyboard, but it would need to be RPN.
#justiceforprintscreen
I think "Cal" is actually a typo because someone forgot to cross that "t". It should clearly be "Cat" 😽
They Keydous 'cause they ain't us
I thought it would be cool if the macro-pad had a key for pizza - and it does! "zza"
It's a suffix I use for takes. It's like an A or B take, except it has the benefit of coming alphabetically after other suffixes of the main scene ;) .
Ooh, a new plank review.
Form factor is really about getting used to it. Making mistakes because form is a bit different is expected. Not a real knock against it.
Only half-agree with you there. If it's not worth getting used to, it costs you time and effort for nothing.
7:37 I would actually like to disagree with the units, it is actually closer to 0.2334 hamburger patties by steam engines over the derivative of the integral of a football field.
it's contactless or the highway for me but I still watched because I'm a deviant.
I use 28-g spring keyswitches lol
I use 12-g spring keyswitches lol
@@michaelknight2342 lmaooo light gang
Me, as an imperial scum: 😮
another keyboard that sounds like wet noodle
Winkey+CTRL+S for printscreen or Winkey+Shift+S for snipping tool. Printscreen key is redundant and requires lifting hands.
I don’t know why you put yourself through these silly keyboards 😂
I watch both yours and other keyboard reviewers each time you review something that isn't older than my younger sister to see if from someone who would pay no shit for all the hype train and smoke & mirror, what would be the different.
For example, in this paticular board, you seems to praise the keycap a lot more compare to them. To us it's just another PBT double shot blue samurai set that we can buy for two dozen dollars and even budget china board under 50$ have them.
A "modern" reviewer would skip the keycap and talk about the switches, the mounting, the foam and the wireless connectivity, ect.. I don't think any of them would pay attention to the calculator function of the screen.
Interesting you mention that. I know I've got very different interests compared to other youtubers, I couldn't give a toss about their lubes and stabilisers and foam and stuff, while they don't care so much about switches, chassis, innovation and special features, which I focus more on, generally. I guess it depends where the viewer's interests lie!
@@Chyrosran22 in prebuild like this i think there's little to talk about the chassis since it's all came from a chinese OEM somewhere and the build quality isn't wildly different like vintage boards.
For the aluminum chassis, i mean they're all cnc aluminum, all of them are gonna be lethal if you smash someone's head with it, so naturaly, they talk about the asthetic and the finishing instead, which you too, are pretty excited when talking about the Class80.
For the foam, i think it will stay with the prebuild budget boards and future gaming boards, but the trend is now starting to go back to none foam boards. The rise and fall of the "foam trend" is basically run around Cherry and MX switches overalls.
Like the first few Korean custom boards was made pecificly to make Cherry Black and Brown sound good since they sound and feel like shit on plastic chassis.
The stabilizers in other hand, i think come down to the keyboard it self. You mainly using vintage board which was made to resemble the sound of type writer, so all the ticking and rattling doesn't sound all that clear when using. Most modern typing focus keyboard nowaday are much more quite and don't usually use clicky switches anymore, so the ticking are much more profound and noticeable. So, caring about the stab sound became a thing. That said, i don't think spending 30$ for a set of stabilizers is anything but dump. They sound not cost more than an actual working keyboard.
@@minhquanvu2944 Yes, it's true, when dealing with modern, MX-based keyboards I generally feel a bit like an Englishman in New York xD . Hence why I said the calc was half the reason I took this board. See THAT'S the kind of stuff I can work with ^^ .
FIRST
typed on my acer chromebok
Love the compact full size layout, could live without the knob and screen
don't really like the layout, not my cup of tea. beautiful keycaps though
Of all the wrong layouts, 96% and 98% are the most egregiously wrong.
What the fuck is that naming scheme
Linear keyboards are so dull and boring. Yawn.