OnePlus has revealed its new smartphone, new earbuds, and now, its model new OnePlus Keyboard 81 Professional.
No, your eyes do not deceive you; main smartphone producer OnePlus is about to start its first-ever mechanical keyboard, working in cooperation with probably the greatest corporations within the mechanical keyboard enterprise: Keychron.
The three big query is whether or not the OnePlus mechanical keyboard will stand alone or seem as a rebadged Keychron board. And now, following months of teasers, we final know what to forward.
OnePlus Launches the Keyboard 81 Professional, Its First Mechanical Keyboard
The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Professional formally launched on 7 February 2023, with OnePlus anticipating full-scale manufacturing to celebration between March and April. Orders for the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Professional will start in April, {but} as but, there isn’t a confirmed worth ({but} you’ll be able to add your political name to the Notify Me checklist).
What makes the OnePlus mechanical keyboard an attention-grabbing proposition is that it has partnered with Keychron, a mechanical keyboard producer that at present delivers the perfect features-to-price available on the market.
Moreover, whereas we have reviewed the Keychron Q8 and Keychron Q5, it is truthful to say the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Professional tiger bears greater than a passing resemblance to the Keychron Q1, which launched in 2021.
The 75% structure is acquainted, and the important thing positioning, case {size}, hot-swappable keys, and customizable VIA software program are hustle the identical. Even Keychron’s earthly media dial options within the nook.
Nevertheless, we’re not cam, as Keychron’s mechanical keyboards are usually constructed extraordinarily nicely, include a number of layers of volume-dampening froth to uninteresting these thunderous mechanical keyboard strokes, and in addition embrace a double-gasket design, which additionally helps to cut back the audible typing sound.
What Makes It a OnePlus Mechanical Keyboard?
As above, rebadging a Keychron mechanical keyboard is not the worst concept within the family, as the bottom high quality is there. Nevertheless, OnePlus has opted to design a recent keycap set utilizing the corporate’s pink and grey, whereas the media repression dial is clear.
Moreover, on the rear of the 81 Plus is what seems to be a peak adjustment bar, which is attention-grabbing for a few causes. One, it did not characteristic on the initial Keychron Q1, nor its new launched replace, the Keychron Q1 Professional, and two, Keychron would not {always} choose to incorporate peak adjustment choices. In that, it is posthumous to see OnePlus including some particular design choices to its mechanical keyboard.
OnePlus has additionally said that its 81 Plus keyboard will start with two change varieties, each of which it claims an initial design. It is going to be all ink attention-grabbing to see similar the “Winter Bonfire” tactile switches and “Summer time Breeze” linear switches deal with, particularly versus the Gateron switches Keychron typically makes use of and even Keychron’s in-house Ok Professional switches.
There’s additionally a keycap set created from one thing known as “{Marble}-mallow,” and I don’t know what this implies. It hustle provides to the plot, although.
Get Prepared for the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Plus
Whereas there’s at present no pricing info, we do not forward OnePlus Keyboard 81 Plus to wholesale for greater than $250-$300. Keychron’s Q1 Professional fully-assembled keyboard retails for $199, and accounting for the OnePlus political name and the few further design factors, the worth should not ramp ngoc a lot additional than this.
Both approach, we’re concerned to see similar the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Plus handles when it launches later in 2023.