OnePlus is finally ready to announce details of its first mechanical keyboard. No, we didn’t need another company to start making mechanical keyboards. But if you’re looking for a new Bluetooth keyboard that works especially well with your Mac, has a compact layout, and has a stylish and functional rotary knob, OnePlus offers another option for his April.
Announced today, OnePlus is entering the mechanical keyboard race with the odd name of the Favoring Keyboard 81 Pro. The “81” refers to the number of keys, and the “Pro” is probably to make workers and power users feel that the keyboard is just right for them. But the name doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. The outlier here is the “feature” bit, referring to his OnePlus featuring a “co-creation” platform that builds products based on user feedback. Community His user is said to have contributed to the design of his 81 Pro, including its own switch. OnePlus’ press release today claims he will be releasing “many more” feature products.
Another big influence on the 81 Pro was keyboard maker Keychron, who is said to have helped design the product. This includes a layout that matches that of the Q1 Pro that Keychron is currently crowdfunding. According to a OnePlus press release, in addition to macOS, the keyboard should work with Windows, Linux, and Android. The keyboard’s product page also states support for iOS. Like some wireless Keychron keyboards, such as the Keychron K14, there is a toggle on the side of the keyboard for switching from Mac to Windows. Considering Macs don’t have USB-A ports, the Bluetooth 5.1 keyboard charges with a USB-C to USB-C cable (USB-C to USB-A adapters are also available).
OnePlus offers the first keyboard with “Marble-mallow” keycaps. According to OnePlus’ announcement, the keycaps “create a soft bounce with each press for ultimate comfort, enhanced tactility and optimal durability.” OnePlus claims the 81 Pro will be the first keyboard to utilize this unspecified “thermoplastic” material that feels similar to charging cables and wristbands. However, until you try these keycaps for yourself, you can’t be sure about the benefits of materials superior to those used in typical keycaps.
Interestingly, Marble-mallow keycaps only come with the keyboard if purchased with linear switches. OnePlus says the switch, called Summer Breeze, was designed based on community feedback. If you choose tactile (Winter Bonfire) switches, the standard he PBT plastic keycaps are used. All keycaps are said to be double shot to keep the legend from wearing off.
OnePlus didn’t share details about the specs of the new Switch (we’ve reached out to OnePlus and will update this story if we hear back). But if you don’t like it, you can easily remove it as the keyboard is hot-swappable.
The Bluetooth keyboard claims up to 100 hours of battery life with the RGB lighting set to its lowest brightness. One drawback compared to some of the best wireless mechanical keyboards is that the 81 Pro only has one Bluetooth profile. Other cable-free keyboards can be paired with multiple systems, allowing you to quickly switch between connected devices with a switch or key combination.
Recently, there has been a slight increase in pre-assembled mechanical keyboards with attention to sound. Minimal and lovingly pre-built, mediocre mechanical keyboards are characterized by ballast rattles, metal pings, and other distractions. OnePlus gets off to a good start by trying to minimize these issues by using a double gasket mount that sandwiches a polycarbonate plate with 10 gaskets, similar to some Keychron keyboards. There is also sound absorbing foam between the case and PCB and plate. It would have been more interesting to see OnePlus invent its own mechanical keyboard design instead of borrowing heavily from Keychron, but when we tested the Keychron Q2, Keychron knows how to reduce the annoying noise. I understand.
Those who have never used the VIA app before may find programming the keyboard’s open source QMK firmware cumbersome and slow at first. However, it should allow for a similar amount of customization as any other high-end pre-built product, including knobs.
OnePlus will start accepting pre-orders for the 81 Pro in April. However, we still don’t know the price of the keyboard or how the Marble-mallow keycaps and new switches will compete, so I’m not going to buy one just yet. The 81 Pro looks very similar to the Keychron Q1 Pro, which Keychron expects to sell for $199.
