8BitDo keyboard review (Kailh Box White v2)
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- čas přidán 8. 03. 2024
- Skip to 9:18 for a typing demonstration.
Get it here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCP8KYGG
Quite excited for this review; we take a look at the 8BitDo keyboard! With the new Kailh Box White v2 switches in it, no less. Next week I'll be putting out a TDXL video of this board with Clickiez in it, that should be good too ^^ . Hope you like 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 an 8bitdo keyboard right now. I love this thing, this is one of the coolest-looking keyboards I've reviewed in a while!" - Věda a technologie
I pre-ordered the C64 version of this keyboard, and I am EXTREMELY excited for it to arrive. There rarely are any keyboards that are modern, yet have that aesthetic of a classic keyboard, so the fact that these keyboards exist are awesome.
A full-size version of this would be the dream. Definitely putting jades and navies on it.
Making a nostalgia product in anything but full-size or at least 1800 is kind of a head scratcher
@@kfcdoubledown1690 Well the real OG Famicom keyboard is also a TKL.
You go back far enough and the numpad was just a feature not everybody got.
Now, having no numpad is the feature. lol the cycle.
@@kfcdoubledown1690 Most retro computers didn't have number pads unless they were for boring office work. :p Maybe to go with the extra retro charm, they could sell a separate numpad. That was a somewhat common feature for making a home computer have more business utility.
8bitdo indeed makes controllers, and the Pro 2 Wired is one of the best controllers i have ever wielded
They also make/made a mouse, which I still use as my day to day. :p
I use their M30 controller. Awesome thing for bullet hells and 2D platformers
The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is hands-down the best keyboard I've ever owned. I love the typing experience on this thing, and the reddish-brown color on the Famicom-themed one I own is gorgeous.
You might want to know that 8BitDo has just announced that they're bringing out a Commodore 64 edition of this keyboard. And it's not just a color swap. In addition to adding a joystick to the package (to pair with the super buttons), they've changed the keycaps to SA profile keycaps.
Yes, they're sending me one soon :) .
I'm always wary when a non-keyboard company launches a keyboard but knowing 8bitdo my mistrust was probably unfounded. They ultimate wireless controller is amazing and has replaced both my switch pro controller and the dualshock 4 I was using for PC purposes. Good to see they're keeping up their quality with this keyboard.
I would not be surprised if 8bitdo would eventually release a numpad down the line that has support for their macro software like the big buttons. I have many of the controllers made by this company and every single one is great. It honestly feels like they're the only company today that knows how to make a good d-pad.
As someone who has been daily driving the famicom version with zeal clickiez in them this board is honestly amazing for what it is.
I really hope they end us giving us differing sized boards, maybe one in the style of a SNES or Megadrive
A black one with the Teradrive color scheme would be fully sick
@@inzyster Or pc engine supergrafx gray and blue.
8bitDo really is something cool, they do great stuff that are USEFUL like adapters to play retro consoles with recent controllers and HE controller joysticks!
The fact that they are also unexpensive is pretty cool as well. Makes you think about those QMK keycaps they sell for *80$* .
100% agreed about keyboard chassis. Every typing demo of lubed linear switches in an all-metal low-profile keyboard with foam and gaskets, flooded with use of the word "thocc" in the description and comments, should rightly be described as "ticc" because they have absolutely no oomph to them at all, they sound anemic. Roomy plastic is the way to go and I hope more people start realizing this.
Yeah. Those are normally the "noobs". Fortunately, real keyboard enthuasts are starting to take the foam out (makes them sound a lot higher pitched but still have some umph comparatively). Most of the time lube was used for smoothness, but the gateron cjs use some random crazy tech to eliminate Most friction and they sound a lot better stock(lube makes them literally scratchier).
Also there are more custom Alps biulds.
I think it's better, not good, but better than it was.
Still, this comment still holds water and is absolutely true.
I think what happened is the modern community heard only mx style switches from keyboards like the blackwidow which has the shit that was mx green and a case that was roomy enough to amplify crap sounds but not enough to drown them out so they tried and suppressing the "hollow sounds" the case made instead of amplifying the small amount good sounds by using thicker case.
I'm good with silenced keys, but yeah I don't like the lube. it just feels weird.
A 104 key version would be an immediate buy from me. It looks amazing, has a few additional features that are actually usable, hotswappable without being limited to Outemu, and isn't massively overpriced for what it is.
That's a hell of a sweet spot for them to hit.
I've been waiting for you to review this! Thanks!!!
"The company also make controllers - and that makes them you know? Satan!" 🤣 Chyrosran22 is a PC man through and through - give him a mouse and keyboard any day of the week!
:D
Their arcade stick is apparently pretty good, I've heard.
@darkholyPL Their retro-inspired controllers are very good too, I believe.
I actually own one, but it turned out incompatible with the intended hardware I bought it for (not 8BitDo's fault) so I've barely tried it.
@@darkholyPL I have it, and yes, it is. Also matches the aesthetic of this board nearly perfectly.
On the contrary, the best part about PC gaming is choice! I mostly use keyboard and mouse, but just try playing a game like Pizza Tower with a keyboard instead of a controller. It sucks.
Love the sound of that space bar, deep and solid.
bought this one after your preview, love it.
Very excited for that additional typing demo. I know you're not one for the modern MX style keyboard modding methods, but I will say that the practice of putting masking tape on the back of the PCB tends to make switches even louder. I did that with my 8bitdo board with Zeal Clickiez and it's even more thunderous.
Appreciate the Commodore style Power LED and label
That's why Arcade sticks are so enjoyable to press and smash. A large boomy plastic box to whack them into. U could review Sanwa buttons for fun, they are basically mechanical switches with very large housing and extremely sensitive. I have switched to Kailh red low profiles for fighting games with hitbox (Jargon: Hitbox is a keyboard like fighting game controller that replaces the stick with 4 individual keys instead of a joystick), but damn, Sanwa's are still like 10x more satisfying to press with way lower profile, like you think about them and they activate. The effort is actually massive between Sanwa's and the softest keyboard switches. Even the joysticks have mechanical Omron switches so why the hell not? Get your opinion out of that.
very cool! i look forward to the clickiez sound test. :)
And I bought it today (about 7 hours ago from the time of this), in the Famicon colour scheme.
I LOVE IT!
Also, I got it at just USD75! I live in Penang, Malaysia, and I guess I am lucky to get it at this price from the vendor.
I am really looking forward to your video on this keyboard with the Zeal Clickiez switches!
I wish they would make an ISO QWERTZ version for that keyboard.
that is the reason I only ever buy cherry keyboards from about 2003 or Keychron (they actually sell about half their stuff in ISO)
I really like this keyboard, especially the switches. I changed to a more legible retro styled double shot PBT keycap set, and that changed the sound quite a bit.
I think it took away some of the high end noise, different but still nice.
8bitdo just announced a new version of this keyboard styled after the Commodore 64
It has ABS double-shot SA profile keycaps, and an additional analog stick to complement the Super Buttons
They are making a Commodore style keyboard that is identical in all but color scheme. Looks pretty sweet.
I bought 3 of the "fami" version when it came out (2 for me 1 for my wife), and havent looked back. these have been some really quality keyboards so far.
you have the voice of a god. love your content!
Weird, I've found that the v1 sounded a bit higher pitched in my K10 Pro when I tried my sample switches.
8bit-Do controllers are very good, specially if you play mainly on PC and want a no bullshit wired controller with a d-pad that doesn't suck ass for playing indie retro platformers and metroidvanias (and also Dark Souls and other third person games that were made for consoles and just won't deal well with keyboard and mouse in general).
I didn't expect it to be so good at this price point, even though I've been impressed with the quality of their controllers. I figured the stabs and spacebar would be overlooked, but nope. A new favorite for sure.
I think one of your complaints of the original Box Whites was also that they actuated before the click (iirc), and near as I can tell this doesn't happen with the V2s.
For the video comparing the sound of box white v2 and clickies, can you also include box jade/pink and original box white? And maybe the melodics?
Yah pinks please. Would love to hear how mine would sound in this thing.
I wonder if the aux jacks will work with roland foot pedals. Those use standard TRS jacks that can be adapted easily. Would love one in full size or 1800 layout.
That's the keyboard I have my box whites on, the awesome Keyboardio Atreus.
I tried the V2's, in all points its just that bit more clickier than the V1, just that much sharper tactility than the V1, and a tad bit louder.
For me, Apparently the V1's are a kind of holy grail. "they are perfect".
I've somewhat migrated away from clicky keys and into the tactile scene, but I cannot let go of these box white v1's, even tho at this point they seem so prolific that there is little to nothing so special about them.. But they still are puuuurfect.
What I did also try is the Box Brown v2's. Gotta say, I think they are superb. Somehow dont mind the 'blatant' scratchiness as they are unlubed, but they have a kind of 2-stage tactile action, with really good med-to-strong tactle feel.
They are not smooth, but that's okay. Not everything has gotta be smooth and lubed, but they are seriously satisfying. A good move forward from the 'blah' box brown originals, which underwhelmed me.
What do you think of the key legend position?
you have nice taste of keyboards.... could you recommend any ISO keyboards?
8:50 okay dude, pretty hot take there.
He had stated in previous videos that he finds controllers uncomfortable and horrible, but considering the fact that he plays 3D shooters - it's understandable. Controllers are indeed very limiting for them compared to keyboard where game designers have pretty much no upper limit for all of the different functionality that could be binded to any of the keys, even some basic stuff like fast weapon switching in relatively primitive Doom, Doom 2, Quake, Duke 3D and Ion Fury can't work on controllers as great as on a device where the whole number row is present. And getting used to analog stick is tricky, furthermore - it almost always will be worse than mouse anyway
Though I personally do like controllers for some games, specifically 3D platformers and a whole bunch of 2D action games including Hotline Miami, Celeste, Just Shapes and Beats, Len'en and Touhou Project and so on. And I even own 8bitdo M30 which is a Sega Mega Drive/Genesis/Saturn-like controller, made primarily for games from those consoles but it's generally good for all sorts of games that could make use of a nice D-pad and 6-button layout
It’s funny you mention the foot switch potential. The 3.5mm jack is basically standard for connecting electronic disability aids like joysticks, mouth switches, and yes, foot pedals, to PCs so that people with mobility issues can still use them. You could buy a real set of foot pedals to plug into this keyboard, which would actually great for people with disabilities who may have limited movement in one hand.
Hey, know you lile tactile switches. I found some that ive been using for a while. They're called T1 switched, 67g actuation so they are on the heavy side. Quite tactile, and are nice and smooth.
I thought I had a dead pixel in my monitor but there is a random white pixel in your video that really got me very confused (lets say at 5:57 on the "T" key) :) Anyway great video as always !
I have a theory.
I think what happened to the "custom keyboard" community can only be described as unfortunate. My working theroy stems from gaming boards are 2016, ones with click jacket switches, thin cases and witha bad "hollowness constant" (or so i call it). The extremely thin abs caps didnt allow any good or hell any decent sound to come out of the already tinny and plasticy mx green's "click" event. A thinner case allows less pressure absorbed by the pcb and plate assembly as there is less volume and density, further making these 2016 gaming keyboards sound less bassy. As for the "hollowness constant", it is in equilibrium; not roomy enough to amplify any good or deep sounds genrated by the switches, but enough where the "crappy" part of mx switches can be heard. A high "hollowness constant" essentially makes the case so roomy the sounds that any leaf contact/leaf ping is drowned out by the bassy tones of the actual switches being bottmed out or going through a clicky event.
What this caused is what can be described as losing a "50/50". This 50/50 had two outcomes. The keyboard community either would find its way to super thick, roomy, plastic cases, or try and supress the crap sounds made by mx swithes using foams and lube and mods and shit. As said previously, the later happened and dove modern keyboards into madness of mods after mods.
Do kaihl switches have a reputation for build quality? Replaced the mx blues in my hot swappable with kailh box navy and every couple of weeks another wiill start to double register. Causing me to have to replace them
yeah, I also have my doubts about kailh's reliability...
On the bright side, at least the board is hotswappable so you can just replace the switches
I haven't had any serious issues.
Their dustproofing adds a couple more parts to malfunction or stick on each other tho.
I would love for a full-size version of this keyboard. or at least a numpad you can attach to it via the back ports (A,B,X,Y)
It's *not* what I'm looking for in a keyboard, but I absolutely love it! The sound, the retro color scheme, the good value. Wow.
Chyros, how's the case flex? Also, is the case back screwed or clipped?
Case flex is surprisingly low! Can't tell how it's held together, there's no visible screws or way of disassembling tbh.
@@Chyrosran22 Thank you!
I'm making an alternative program for programming this keyboard, but it'll probably be command line only, and because it uses hidraw, it's specific to linux. But others will probably be able to adapt it to otther OSes or build a UI around it.
Oh, BOB SAGET! I bought the Fami and N editions on their Swedish release day. Truly magical!
I was holding out on getting a nicer keyboard until I could find something that matched nicely with my arcade stick since it basically lives on my desk. As soon as this thing was announced, I immediately knew it would be a must buy.
What a cool NES controller design. :)
Does the AltGr key work?
It's really well priced. Quite often you need to pay close to this for just the thick caps with this beautiful die sub print. I'd buy it in an instant if I'd have a need for it, but unfortunately I don't, and I'm not for consumerism nor am I a collector.
Same here - I **love** it, but I can't justify it despite the great price.
I'm so tempted to get this keyboard ahhh! my only reason is that I think I need a smaller keyboard haha.
Why? Without a numpad you could still comfortably put a mouse next to it. And personally I don't mind any height to be honest, my screen is pretty far off, as it should be.
@@owlsteadi do digital drawing for fun sometimes and i have a medium sized tablet i set on my already cramped table. i can manage for now but TKL will give me some space.
I do have one of their controllers, an M30 which I got mostly for my Pi, but have used it a lot on my phone for playing old Pokémon games, it's a truly wonderful little thing. One of my fave dpads on anything ever. The keyboard looks super cool, but TKL, ANSI and no built in macro keys does sadly kill it for me.
The 8bitdo M30 and the Neo Geo clicky controllers are by far my favorites. They also make a neat mod kit for original N64 controllers to use with emulators, NSO or the MiSTer. Sure, Nintendo also makes a controller for the NSO, but Nintendo goofed up big time with their weird choice of analog stick module on their N64 NSO controller, looks like they aimed for the worst of both worlds and hit that spot perfectly.
As a Wooting 2 user, the one thing that board can't give me is clicky switches. Something like this would absolutely scratch that itch. I like the idea of the on board macro functionality too
didnt they make a mouse version of this too
Are Kailh Box clickies still the best for tactility that's not costly?
I really like them but i’d be curious to know as well.
idk what other choices we got, but yeah probably 😅😅 or probably gateron melodics, but they costs quite a bit more, not by much tho. they use tiny weeny click leaf like in one of those alps clones and i think they sound really similar (in my chassis at least) but feels nicer imo. not as heavy as jades
Not so much the best, as the best you can get in wholesale quantities of a bagillion.
As a design choice they picked the best switch they were realistically gonna.
Tho if any company wants to single handedly start applying economies of scale to zealio clickies godspeed and bless them.
the video has a "dead pixel" around lower mid-right of the screen and it so freaked me out and hurriedly checked if I really have a dead pixel on my monitor :D
Loved the video....but major missed opportunity by 8-bit Do to use those $10 Novelkeys Giant MX Switches for the dual 3.5mm macropad Nintendo A-B buttons instead of just a regular sized switch(although I suppose that would have severely limited my ability to throw in one of about 50 different switches I already have so maybe it was indeed the correct solution) .....like those Giant switches that require a 4 inch tall by 4or 5 inch wide keycap that comes with each switch since you can't easily just buy a full set of these keycaps without searching for a while....with a big ole Stem/housing/Spring that fits in giant keycaps with the "+" stem where the switch goes into on the underside of the keycaps about the size of a quarter in circumference. (They make great switches to use for macro-pads you plan to use as foot pedals under the desk)
The pricing on this really does seem pretty good. I know there are cheaper options but pretty sure that a lot of the mainstream bit names are actually more than this.
I daily this board. Swapped out the kailh whites for some lube kings because i wanted linear. Also put on gmk susu keycaps and it is thocky. Very well built board, especially for the price.
The two rotary knobs in the top left corner are in that position to mimic the fighting sticks that 8bitdo also makes.
While that is good for brand consistency, I have to say that having the volume wheel on the left side, and so close to the escape key and power wheel is not the most convenient to use, compared to having it on the right by itself
Also, you really dodged a bullet by avoiding the software, because it's finicky as super hell
I had to use it because I wanted to bind one of the buttons to Play/Pause Media, and the damn thing never seemed to save my profiles properly
Also, I have to use different versions of the software for my 8bitdo keyboard and my 8bitdo controller, despite it being called "Ultimate Software", which is very asinine
That sound comparison sounded almost exactly like the track "Sabina Seat" by your fellow Dutchman Speedy J.
Hahaha that was pretty trippy! xD I get what you mean though!
I was tempted to get this, but I got the Logitech MX Mechanical Mini instead.
5:45 wouldnt be a proper chyrosan video without him mocking american measuring schemes at least once lol
Yeah.
I never tried box white V2,
but I tried Kailh Chosfox V2 Arctic Fox
which is the best clicky what I know as of this day.
It's smooth,
smaller (but not nonexisting) tactility for the faster fingers,
and the best clicky sound I ever heard.
What is better than chosfox arctic fox ?
Can we say, that is the best ? The most close to an ideal
general clicky switch ?
(I think that the green clickiez is way worse sounding,
the yellow is way too heavy,
and the gateron melodic is slightly worse sounding
while it is more heavy too.)
My wife and I did some blind sound tests when I made my last keyboard. The White V2 sounded better than the Arctic Fox (and others like Box Pinks, Noble Yellow, Pale Blue, White v1) to both of us, as we liked the deeper sound. However, the typing experience wasn't a huge difference for me, as I really prefer heavier switches in the 60-70g range. I prefer clickies, but I might also advocate trying the Gazzew Boba U4T tactiles. I have the 68g ones at work, and they are amazing for tactiles imo - worth the price. Add Maxkey SA profile keycaps, and they are extremely impressive!
@@aimson
Yeah.
Interesting, 'cause I found the arctic fox better in all means
than the other clicky box switches,
and in this video the white V2 seemed to be the weaker sounding one
compared to the original box white.
But eventually, I purchased this keyboard whit the white V2 switches,
so I will know it,
soon.
Hey! Can you make a review on the IBM model number KB-7993 keyboard? Please? This is a request.
Eh, it's just an old IBM rubber dome keyboard, there's not that much to talk about, I think xD .
@@Chyrosran22 come on man! You've got to! Trust me, I wanna see it!
@@Chyrosran22 you really should buy an IBM model number KB-7993 on the internet and make a review video on it. Please?
You had me at "foot switch".
I saw the picture and was reminded of the old Daffy Duck/Porky Pig cartoon.....'DONT EVER PUSH THE RED BUTTON!!!!!'
Good to see you Tom!
Please please please make a video playing an old game (commander keen maybe?) using the arrow keys and those ginormous A and B buttons.
Hahaha you tempt me! xD I'm so mega busy nowadays so don't hold me to it but honestly at some point I might xD .
Sad no full size KB! I live in the numpad.
The sound difference probably has to do with V2 using less plastic due to manufacturing changes and cuts to save money.
Redux with box navies when?
8bitdo controllers are great tbh, i have a pro 2 and it is Good
Too bad it comes in ANSI layout only but the aesthetics and those switches are lovely.
Clack clack clack for life. If the neighbor didn't hear it, it did not happen.
even here in the states most people like poking fun at "large boulder the size of a small boulder"
that account also posted the tautologous "small boulder the size of a small boulder"
For comparison, a large boulder the size of a small boulder is about four thousand and thirty twelve pizzaburger hotdogs
Rotflmao small boulder the size of a large boulder. Love to see a meme from my home state of Colorado.
Haha I really hadn't expected this to be a widely known meme to be honest xD .
There's something wrong with your camera bud. A little white dot is over the shadow of the red B key at 2:41, and you can see that dot throughout the rest of the video in that same position.
Yes, people have commented on it before. Didn't want to buy a whole new camera for it, but I just found out that there is a way to fix that with sensor cleaning so hopefully I can get it out for next time :) .
Great video and nice voice! I have one question anyone knows.. If this 8BitDo keyboard has "textured or smooth" keycaps? I hate smooth keycaps or else i will not buy this keyboard :P
The nice sound...the ping was hideous though (4704 and 5170 F AT).
If they sell those large buttons in different colors, then people can possibly order them in Red, Green, and Blue, and claim their keyboard also has RGB ;)
I like the sound, but the space bar manages to sound quite significantly different though.
But we still suffer from a bit of a 'retro keyboard with a modern mindset' problem: that is, the obsession with reduced layouts. There is only one reduced layout keyboard I have *any* desire to own, and that's the Model M SSK. Vintage or moern (Unicomp) would suffice. Beyond that, 100% or die. (edit:// well, I have to take that back; I wouldn't mind a Saturn 60.)
There are several 80s retro or outright 80s vintage re-issues now that are TKL only and that makes me lose my mind. See, for instance, the NCR-80. If you wanna go 80s retro, people, 100% is the way. (Cue Din Djarin "This is the way.")
8 bits are all i need
Please send me all the superfluous bits that you've left over :)
Doesn't come in ISO by any chance, eh? (edit: Right, you say it doesn't. Ah well.)
8bitdo's controllers are kind of mixed bag for me but they seem to have done a good job with this keyboard.
I just wish it had a numpad. That's the only reason I haven't bought it.
GIVE US ONE WITH A NUMPAD!!!!!
I think this time the review was rather short. The unboxing took longer….
I like this, but I'm disappointed by the A to Z key font. Not very NES at all... from what I remember anyway.
no iso version... 🥲
Alps SKCM > Cherry MX
i quite like it but it's not full size so it's not for me.
the eightest and bitest Do I ever saw
sexy board
The Japanese kana characters are on the Famicom version. Most Japanese people ignore those, using the "western" letters A-Z.
Source: "randomly" asked a dozen Japanese people in a office if they or anyone they knew used the kana. Apparently those kana might have been more used decades ago.
AutoHotKey isn't bad ...
You have something on your lens, appearing about two thirds from right and three quarters from the top on the screen. Otherwise I enjoyed the video.
Sorry but those vintage keyboard at 1:56 sound scratchy, squeaky, pingy, etc not for me
It's an acquired taste for sure, not for me either. That's the problem for Thomas, most people think Mx keys sound just fine. The dampening is not for getting rid of the sound, it is because we like more quiet keyboards.
@@owlstead That's the same thing xD . You want quieter keyboards, so you want to get rid of the sound xD .
@@owlsteadWho is Thomas, and why are you speaking for them? I think most people do not care much for the sound of a keyboard. That is why we are enthusiasts. I think enthusiasts have subjective taste, and my opinions is just like everyone else's rear end. But its mine xD
Your ears are broken bro :p
As new clicky switches are rather rare in the custom MX switch scene it's very odd that the Box White V2 flew under the radar for so long compared to how much attention the first Box White got (the V2 have been already out for over two years).