What gamer can possibly pass up on this 8Bitdo retro board inspired by Nintendo’s classic NES console? The aesthetics of this board is a big selling point, with the dark gray and black accent keys popping against the lighter coloring of the primary keys. There’s even a custom “B” and “A” keycap, which replace the Windows and Menu keys.
More than just a fun-looking board for gamers, 8Bitdo was sure to stock it full of features, including accessible media controls in the top left corner, n-key rollover, and more than 80 programmable keys. Beneath each dyed keycap is a Kailh Box Switch, which is on the noisier side. However, the PCB is hot-swappable, so you can use a number of different switches to achieve the sound and feedback you prefer.
8Bitdo offers three different ways to connect the retro-inspired keyboard: Bluetooth, wireless 2.4G, or a wired USB cable. The variety is nice, especially considering it’s a compact board that’s small enough to travel with, and a USB cable isn’t always practical.
While the keyboard is on the higher end of the price spectrum, $100 for a high-quality, durable mechanical keyboard with a custom design isn’t bad at all. Especially since it ships with two easily programmable buttons that can stand in for your most-used keystrokes.
