REVIEW – I can’t cease reviewing mechanical keyboards. I’ve a grass-is-greener mentality, and I at all times marvel if the following keyboard that I overview shall be a mind-blowing expertise that may make me dump my present favourite board within the trash. This time round, I’m wanting on the SIKAKEYB Fortress CK75 Magnetic Swap Mechanical Keyboard that the superb people at Mechkeys despatched me to do my factor. Let’s have a look.
What’s it?
The SIKAKEYB Fortress CK75 is a mechanical keyboard with magnetic switches marketed towards players. Nevertheless, as a non-gamer, I can take a look at the texture of magnetic switches and the way this keyboard performs for on a regular basis use. So right here we go.
What’s included?
- SIKAKEYB Fortress CK75 Magnetic Swap Mechanical Keyboard
- GATERON Magnetic Jade switches (pre-installed)
- Braided proper angle USB-C to USB A cable
- Keycap and swap puller device
- 2 Rubber plugs
- Instruction sheet
Design and options
First issues first. I like the colour styling of this keyboard. The SIKAKEYB Fortress CK75 is accessible within the yellow model you see right here and in addition in gray should you’re not as shade adventurous.
It is a 83-key compact TKL mechanical keyboard. TKL stands for tenkeyless keyboard, which is a full-sized keyboard that doesn’t have a quantity pad. The quantity pad is the a part of a keyboard on the precise that has numbers and arrow keys.
The keyboard has a devoted operate key row on the high, together with arrow keys and different navigation keys round the precise edge.
The SIKAKEYB Fortress CK75 even has a knob that controls quantity by default (and toggles mute when pressed). The placement of the knob isn’t typical in comparison with most keyboards that find it within the higher proper nook, however simply the truth that this keyboard has a knob is a plus in my view.
The underside of the keyboard has 5 slim rubber toes should you choose to make use of the keyboard fully flat.
If you wish to regulate the peak – barely, the keyboard additionally has two stage folding toes.
Stage one.
Stage two.
Right here’s a aspect view displaying the important thing profile, the USB-C port, and the backlight on/off swap. The placement of the USB-C port is a bummer, in my view. I truly choose to make use of my keyboards hardwired to my MacBook Professional as a substitute of utilizing Bluetooth or a 2.4 GHz dongle (this keyboard doesn’t have a wi-fi mode by the way in which). Having the cable popping out of the left aspect of the keyboard simply appears incorrect.
One other factor that I discovered important concerning the SIKAKEYB Fortress CK75 is that the entire thing is manufactured from plastic. The case seems to be and feels low cost, which is unquestionably not acceptable, contemplating the worth of this keyboard is $200!
However how does it kind?
Initially, this keyboard doesn’t have a Mac mode. In order a Mac consumer, I had to enter the Mac settings and swap the Alt and Win keys in an effort to use them as Command and Choice keys. It’s not an enormous deal, however it’s value mentioning for all my Mac peeps on the market.
Word that you would be able to additionally customise the keys by utilizing HM Answer Driver software program. It is a proprietary software program that permits customers to customise key bindings, create macros, and regulate RGB lighting results. So far as I can inform, this keyboard is not going to work with Through or QMK.
I loved the primary few seconds of typing with this keyboard after which…
I discovered nearly instantly that the important thing structure didn’t work for me. I’m a contact typist and am used to a extra commonplace structure that doesn’t have the | key subsequent to the enter key.
The placement of the | key on the house row places an additional key between my pinky and the enter key that’s usually not there on 99% of the keyboards that I exploit and take a look at.
Each time I wanted to press the enter key, I’d truly find yourself sending a character as a substitute of getting a brand new line. As you’ll be able to think about, this grew to become very annoying in a short time.
I’m too set in my methods to relearn that I’ve to stretch my pinky farther than regular to press the enter key. As a quick typist, slowing down to do this stretch has pissed off me. Consequently, my most used key whereas reviewing this keyboard was the backspace key. Sure, I’m exaggerating, however not by a lot.
See and listen to it in motion
What I like concerning the SIKAKEYB Fortress CK75 Magnetic Swap Mechanical Keyboard
- Typing sound and really feel are good
What must be improved?
- Construct high quality feels low cost because it’s all plastic
- Key structure may not be for everybody (| key and enter key location)
- Too costly for a plastic keyboard
- I don’t just like the USB port location (left aspect)
- No Mac mode
Last ideas
Although I don’t just like the SIKAKEYB Fortress CK75’s key structure or the truth that the keyboard is manufactured from plastic, I do like the way in which it sounds and the texture of the magnetic switches. That mentioned, I’d prefer it a complete lot extra if it solely value about $80 or so! At $200, I can’t suggest it.
Worth: $199.99
The place to purchase: Mechkeys and Aliexpress
Supply: The pattern for this overview was supplied by Mechkeys. Mechkeys didn’t have a closing say on the overview and didn’t preview the overview earlier than it was revealed.
