Gaming accessory brand 8BitDo is going old school with its first ever mechanical keyboard with a design reminiscent of previous Nintendo consoles.
Appropriately named the Retro mechanical keyboard, it comes in two different color schemes: one in black, gray and red to match the NES, while the other is based on the Famicom – the Japanese rendition of the console. With the latter, the red takes on a more rustic hue and white replaces the gray for a brighter look. The Famicom version even has hiragana on most of the keys. So this particular model could potentially act as a Japanese tutor of sorts, helping students learning the language become more familiar with it.
There’s more to this device than just being a pretty keyboard, and it has some interesting hardware too. Starting with the external parts, the Retro keyboard has a tenkeyless layout, meaning there’s no numeric keypad on the side. You will see that there are buttons ‘B’ and ‘A’ at the bottom. These two are programmable, allowing owners to add any macro they want, such as Control-C on ‘B’ and Control-P on ‘A’. This can be done through 8BitDo’s ultimate software app. Another cool design is the Power LED light in the top right corner with the analog buttons on the left, adding to the vintage 80’s look.
Internal hardware
Internally, the Retro keyboard is also quite impressive. Each of the keys are on top of Kailh Box V2 White switches. According to the manufacturer, the V2 Whites have “gold-plated springs,” which the company says have anti-corrosion properties, are dustproof, and offer “faster rebound” for a smoother typing feel. It is important to mention that the switches are hot-swappable, so if you want to install your favorite hardware, you have that option.
The Retro keyboard allows both wired connection via USB cable and wireless connectivity. You have two options for wireless: Bluetooth Low Energy or 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. A 2.4 GHz adapter is included with purchase. Battery life is set to “200 hours of use with 4 hours (or) charge”.
Officially, this device is compatible with Windows 10 and above, as well as Android 9 and above. A representative of the company told Engadget it will work on Mac, although they have not specified an operating system.
Availability
You can pre-order the keyboard on either one right now 8BitDo’s website or Amazon for $100 USD. The shipping date is set for September 10. If you pre-order, you’ll get a pair of programmable Super Buttons.
The Super Buttons are essentially a giant version of the aforementioned ‘B’ and ‘A’. These can serve as an extra set of keys for personal macros or perhaps as a controller for 2D style games. After all, there are a lot of them indie titles that scroll sideways. Pair the buttons with the directional keys and you basically have a giant NES controller.
We’ve reached out to 8BitDo to ask if there are any plans to launch the Retro Keyboard outside of the United States and for some clarification on Mac compatibility. This story will be updated at a later date.