16bit.com Hardware Review: MT80 White Mechanical Keyboard
November 9, 2023
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MIKIT
June 24, 2023
Gold Red Pro
Yes
Yes
Yes
$129.00
80% ANSI
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MIKIT reached out to 16bit.com and asked if we wanted to review their mechanical keyboards. I did not get paid for these reviews, but they did provide me with two keyboards at no charge so I could try them out.
I am not a keyboard buff, nor was I familiar with MIKIT, but I do like playing around with gadgets with a lot of buttons to see if they're interesting. I would never have thought to buy a an 80% keyboard, mostly because I'm always looking for even larger devices with tons of extra buttons and switches. While this one is pretty straightforward, I did enjoy the form factor that reminded me of chunkier keyboards from the 1980s. I especially liked the volume dial on the right of the keys. MIKIT also did a nice job hiding a 2.4GHz USB dongle under a magnetic panel on top.
The Layout
If you don't like the numeric keypad and what to get back some desk real estate, this isn't a bad option. I admit I am not crazy about clear plastic due to how it can show cracks should you bang on it funny, or that sometimes clear plastic discolors, but it's great right now. The case reminds me a bit of some of the keyboards I used in the 1980s and 1990s, with a higher profile and no flip-out feet. There's no configuring that - but you can use the included pullers to replace keycaps and switches, which allowed me to remove the ALT keys for much more Mac-friendly CMD keys. Not all of their boards have that feature, so be sure to check before you buy.
The key legends seem to be painted on rather than molded in. After a few weeks of usage I can tell you they look fantastic. Depending on which light configuration you're using, you may see lights pop up from behind the keys, which is charming and seemingly a must when selling keyboards to kids these days. I found the 80% keyboard layout much easier to use than their 96% model, in part because the keys were much easier to read and because fewer keys were moved around. I admit the stuff on the far right did trip me up, because I assumed I would be hitting Enter and not PPGUP.
The Lightshow
Like many modern keyboards, this has an RGB light show behind the keys. Unlike Razer, you don't have to install bloatware on your machine to use it - the instructions showcase that you can hold the FN key and hit Enter and/or Shift to cycle through colors and how they flicker. You can even have plain white LEDs if you want. I appreciate having this controlled by the device because I dislike installing any additional software on my machines if I can help it. Good on you, MIKIT. It's also fun to have something to fidget with when you don't want to work right now, and I ultimately went with the mode that lights up in green when you press a key. I don't really notice it since I tend to be looking at the screen, though.
The Mac Factor
As a Macintosh user, buying new keyboards mean you're going to be reassigning keys - and you have two options. In this case, the keyboards have a user-toggle Mac mode - press and hold FN and then TAB for about five seconds. An indicator will blink on the right side of the keyboard. If you did it properly, the keyboard switches the ALT and WIN key functions to COMMAND and OPTION, respectively. MIKIT also included alternate keys, so you can swap out the default Windows keys for something more Mac-friendly. I love it! Stickers were also included in the box, but those have nothing to do with the keyboard or its function - it's just a nice extra bonus.
For some reason, I found this not to work with the OS X Keyboard control panel on my iMac. With a Razer keyboard, I had it swap those keys and it remembered! Here, only in wired mode, it forgets once you disconnect it. In wireless mode, it remembers.
I recommend using this in one of the wireless modes if you're a Mac user, and then never turning it off. If I unplugged it in wired mode, it forgot my settings. If left on Bluetooth or 2.4GHz, it kept my settings. I would very much like to see MIKIT find a way to "remember" it's in Mac mode for people that prefer using a wired mode, but I didn't see any lag with either of the two wireless modes. It works great, even from other rooms in the house.
Is it easy to type on?
I wrote this review on it, so I'd say yes. I am not as intimately familiar with switches as people who do this for a living, I can tell you it has a quieter sound than I would have expected and not particularly "clicky" or "bumpy" with its Gold Red Pro switches. It makes a satisfying noise and you don't have to use any real force to push the keys down, but it doesn't give the weird, satisfying click you may have experienced with Razer's green switches or some of those old IBM or Unicomp keyboards. The keys move smoothly without too much force, and it's a breeze to write quickly without any rollover issues. I'm tabbing between applications, controlling music, and browsing the web looking for videos.
Since I do most of my gaming on controllers, I can only assume if this would be great for gaming. Everything moves nicely, but I admit I would love to have extra keys to record macros or other specialized buttons or levers that make me feel like I'm a Gundam pilot. That's why I liked the volume dial - I would love to see other superfluous inputs because computers should be fun to play with, and this kind of thing is a lot of fun. It's fun to fidget with that dial and I'd love to buy a version of this with more switches, dials, rollers, and other nonsense.
Connectivity
You've got three options. A USB Cable (C in the back of the keyboard, A at the other end) serves to charge the device or act as a wired keyboard. It has built-in Bluetooth support, and it also has a 2.4GHz USB dongle with fantastic range. I could get it talking to computers across the house with no problem.
You may need to keep the user guide handy as the commands are anything but intuitive. Switching from "wired" to "wireless" mode using a switch on the back of the device is easy. If you want it to connect via Bluetooth, you'll need to quickly press FN and 1 to make an indicator blink. Then, press FN and 1 longer to make the indicator flash. And then it appears on your device as a Bluetooth device on your computer or phone, you can pick it and you're off to the races. For 2.4GHz, you just plug the dongle into your device, and push FN + 4 to enter 2.4GHz wireless mode - and it seems to remember it when you do it. And yes, I wrote all that here because I assume someone is going to be searching on Google for how to connect and this might come up once they misplace their manual. You're welcome.
I assume you'll remember these commands with time but I kept having to pull out the instructions. It would be nice if they just printed this on the big sticker under the keyboard, or an extra row of custom buttons to perform all of these functions. I think what I really want is a keyboard with even more switches, dials, and other things to manipulate so that it feels like I'm flying a space ship. The distinctive thud-click from the Gold Red Pro switches certainly helps.
It's worth noting that it boasts up to 50 days of wireless charged use, assuming you keep the backlight off in Bluetooth mode. I haven't had this keyboard for 50 days to verify this, but I'll update this review later if I find a problem. It's a hefty keyboard compared to some of the other ones I've used, so it stays in place on my desk just fine. I consider this a blessing.
Pros
+ It's distinctive - I've been going to stores looking at keyboards and this looks like a piece of lost 1990s tech
+ Multiple ways to connect to more than one device
+ Lightshow does not require you to install software
+ Smooth switches make a nice noise, but will not drive your co-workers crazy like a Razer Green switch
+ More wireless range than you will likely need
Cons
- I miss the number keypad. It's something I use and found myself reaching over to my old keyboard (pushed up on my desk) as I was entering dates and doing math.
- Keyboard won't remember Mac Mode if you unplug it or turn it off. Be sure to keep charging it in wireless mode.
- Availability seems to be limited to the manufacturer in China (no US Amazon, no eBay, no Microcenter, no Newegg)
Should you get it?
It's a good keyboard. I have friends obsessed with the late 1990s clear tech - iMacs, Polaroid cameras, and so forth. I think they'd enjoy this keyboard a lot, particularly with the colorful LEDs. There are numerous mechanical keyboards on Amazon and elsewhere for less money, but they don't have a big wheel on it and they're usually not clear. You're paying a premium for the whimsy.
I liked the layout with inviting keys and legible legends. As a second keyboard, or a keyboard to use to connect to multiple devices, or maybe even a keyboard specifically for a MiSTer, or Raspberry Pi, or a more whimsical set-up for kids? I love it! I haven't put it through rigorous months of testing to see how it would hold up yet (as that is impossible with a new keyboard and limited time to review it), but it's inviting. It looks like something college kids of the 1990s wish they had with their eMachines PCs in their dorms. I greatly appreciate not having to install specialized software to control its many functions or light shows.
Unsolicited suggestion for MIKIT: I would love to see this keyboard reissued in variant colors, matching the blue-on-the-bottom Bondi Blue iMac, the IBM Model M look, or even the classic Apple ][ beige with the dark gray keys. I'm a fan of retro hardware and software, and given the fact that any manufacturer will need to find ways to extend the life of its tooling to maximize its investment over time? More is better. Have fun with the molds.
I would recommend it with the obligatory adjustment period. You may not have a reason to upgrade, but being able to connect it to multiple devices is a nice touch as is the distinctive case and fairly traditional layout.
With 3 modes of connectivity and no forced-upon-the-user software, I found this to be an easy-to-use keyboard with no real adjustment period. The keys moved smoothly and I liked the distinctive noise, although it doesn't give me that crazy spring-click I loved on old keyboards. Other than a learning curve to figure out its many features, it works well right out of the box. I'd probably give it a solid "A" if it was an extended 100% keyboard or if it had additional bells and whistles.
--Adam Pawlus
November 9, 2023
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