I’m a giant fan of how Keychron has made the DIY mechanical keyboard area extra accessible to everybody. But for many who need to take part within the clicky-clack universe with out going too deep, it may be arduous to discover a mechanical keyboard that isn’t geared solely towards lovers or players.

Surprisingly, NZXT, a model recognized in nerd circles for its PC parts, has managed to place collectively a mechanical keyboard that’s very approachable, notably when you’re an individual who desires one thing that’s no-frills. It’s referred to as the NZXT Function. It is available in three totally different sizes, together with full-size—what keyboard nerds name a 100% format—which begins at $150; tenkeyless, or TKL, which eschews the quantity pad and begins at $130; and MiniTKL, which smushes collectively the navigation buttons for a supremely compact keyboard. The smaller board prices $120, although it comes with out the full-size and TKL’s included magnetized wrist relaxation.

A comforting typing feeling

There is nothing extraordinary concerning the look of the NZXT Function. It’s much less gamer-y wanting than Razer’s mechanical keyboards, most of which function full-bleed RGB and appear like cockpit controls at the hours of darkness moderately than a colorfully lit keyboard. NZXT additionally emblazons its branding on the chassis itself, which instantly downgrades the customization of the Function keyboard. Compare this to a DIY keyboard just like the Keychron, a plain aluminum shell meant to function a clean canvas moderately than push one specific aesthetic.

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There is one thing remarkably calming and comforting concerning the mushy, mushy typing really feel of the library pc keyboard, and I used to be transported again to that point in my life typing on the Function. NZXT despatched over a mannequin that featured Gateron Silent Black Linear switches, that are among the cushiest springs I’ve ever typed on.

I at all times carry out somewhat typing check with every mechanical keyboard to see if it might sustain with my day by day submit. I clocked in about 110 phrases per minute each time I examined with the Function, my common pace if my fingers vibe with the keyboard. My most pace was 120 wpm, which is how briskly I kind if I’m on a roll. What actually helped is that I used to be ready to make use of the Function’s edited TenKeyless format versus a full-size board. My small fingers kind greatest after I don’t should journey throughout a complete board.

If my describing it as “mushy” made you wretch earlier, the excellent news is you may customise a Function keyboard by the NZXT BLD program with one other kind of change. First, select your chassis shade: black, white, or gunmetal gray. Then, select your switches, choices embrace Gateron Red, Blue, or Brown switches, just like Cherry MX’s sorts. There can also be the Gateron Aliaz Silent change choice, a extra premium tactile change with a heavy actuation level (here’s a video of what it feels like on one other board). Once you’re completed, you may select an accent and cable shade. The decisions are yellow, purple, blue, and crimson.

The unhealthy information is that when you select any of the premium switches—the Silent Black or Aliaz Silent—it is going to improve the keyboard value to a degree that you simply actually should ask your self if the aesthetic fits you. They value $80 and $60, respectively. The precise value of the board that NZXT despatched me retails for $240, greater than the model new Keychron Q3 with the identical TKL format and Gateron Pro switches.

NZXT Function boards with no fancy customization will prevent some cash. But when you select this route, know you’re getting cheaper-feeling, shiny ABS keycaps as a substitute of textured PBT ones, and Gateron Red switches are your solely choice. 

If you obtain the keyboard and also you’re nonetheless not eager on what you see, the Function additionally has a removable USB-C cable and a regular keycap format, so you may swap in one other set to see if it resonates. The field comes with a keycap puller and change extraction software, encouraging you to strive your hand at customization. The switches are additionally hot-swappable, so when you get an itch to transform to some specialised switches from someplace else on the web, you can also make a weekend out of it with the instruments available within the field.

Tiny little caveats

My main caveat with the NZXT Function is that it’s simply not my fashion. It’s a plain board with a design that’s paying homage to a PC builder’s lab moderately than a Tamagotchi-obsessed getting old millennial’s overly adorned room. Part of the rationale mechanical keyboards spiked up in recognition in recent times might be attributed to people like me aching to make issues look a sure manner. But the one factor concerning the NZXT Function’s look that matches my identification is its purple accent keys and energy cable.

That stated, there are some issues concerning the NZXT Function you would possibly want to the opposite choices on the market. Compared to Razer’s flagship mechanical gaming keyboard, the Function is only a smidge extra compact—I’m speaking a couple of comparability of millimeters, however the distinction is palatable as soon as you set both of the keyboards on the desk. On the flip facet, you’re additionally lacking out on some premium points of that Razer board. The RGB lights, as an example, don’t shine by as brightly as they do on boards with extra spacing in between the keys.

You may additionally like that side-scrolling quantity curler on the Function. It’s proper subsequent to the Esc key, which makes it simply accessible as you’re typing, and it’s much less overt than on the mechanical keyboards that go for a knob. There are three side-facing shortcut buttons going through outward, too, which provide controls for muting the amount, locking the Windows key, and adjusting the brightness of the RGB backlight.

And then, there’s the NZXT Cam software program. It looks like it’s extra strong than VIA, the open-source model of the software program you’d use to program DIY keyboards like Keychron, due to the variety of menu gadgets that propagate up on the left-hand facet. But you can’t entry a few of these respective options when you don’t have NZXT-made peripherals. The Cam software program’s PC monitoring performance additionally has an air of Ralph Wiggum’s “I’m-helping!” vitality, which is to say it’s principally ineffective.

A comfortable, customizable board

The NZXT Function is a strong mechanical keyboard, although it’s not one thing I might have picked out myself to pair with a set of artisan keycaps. Still, middle-of-the-line mechanical keyboards like this have a spot within the zeitgeist. They’re an choice when gaming manufacturers like Razer don’t provide the type of keyboard customization you’re in search of. And they’re one other consideration when DIY manufacturers like Keychron are restricted of their format choices.