The OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81 Pro, which was co-engineered with renowned keyboard manufacturer Kechror, offers a user experience that is just as fluid as that of the company’s smartphones.
OnePlus is expanding into mechanical keyboards in addition to smartphones and mobile accessories like the new OnePlus 11 and OnePlus Buds Pro 2. The company’s planned OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81 Pro may not be the most natural progression of its current offerings; rather, the launch of its first Android tablet, the OnePlus Pad, makes more sense. But it was developed with input from OnePlus supporters and created to match the high-end design of its other devices.
Together with Kechror, a business well-known among fans of mechanical keyboards, OnePlus co-engineered the keyboard. (Kechror is presently running a Kickstarter campaign for the Q1 Pro, its newest wireless device, which has the same design as the 81 Pro.) The awkward name is a result of the teamwork. The co-creation platform OnePlus Featuring’s first product, the Keyboard 81 Pro, has now been made available. The 81 Pro does sound like a well-balanced fusion of the two brands, based on the introduction.
Similar to other Kechror keyboards I’ve tried, the wireless Keyboard 81 Pro has a CNC aluminum body with an unique double gasket that deadens any ping and eliminates any hollowness. Instead, every key you push produces a pleasant tock.
Red linear or blue click switches are your options, but they can be quickly swapped out for different switches to alter how you type. Unique Marble-mallow keycaps are used to cover the switches, and OnePlus claims that they generate “a smooth bounce in each press for optimum comfort, increased hand-feel, and optimal longevity.”
In the keyboard’s upper right corner, there is a crystal-clear knob that may be customized. Similar to the alert slider on OnePlus’ high-end phones, you may quiet notifications by pressing the red Esc key and turning the knob. To remap keys or create macros, the keyboard also works with the open-source firmware QMK and VIA. Additionally, several RGB lighting effects can be set for the backlight. The keyboard can be used with Linux and Android operating systems as well, and a slider on the back lets you swap between the MacOS and Windows keyboard layouts.
In the upcoming weeks, information regarding the OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81 Pro’s price and availability will be made public. Kechror’s completely completed Q1 Pro, on the other hand, is up for grabs on Kickstarter for a little under $200 and is scheduled to ship in April. Take what you will from that.
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