8Bitdo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, Bluetooth/2.4G/USB-C Hot Swappable Gaming Keyboard with 87 Keys, Dual Super Buttons and Super Stick for Windows and Android - C64 Edition

There is nothing to dislike about this gem of a keyboard. I have long used an IBM Model M keyboard because I love the sound and feel of big ol' heavy clacketty keyboards. Forget all that squishy pad type key nonsense. Although not as heavy (or loud) as the Model M buckling spring keys, the action on this is very nice and very reminiscent of vintage keyboard actions and reminds me greatly of the C64. It is very pleasant to type on, even though my muscle memory is attuned to the Model M keys which are spaced slightly further apart. For anyone who had a C64 in the day, this will be a familiar experience, and a joy. Also includes multiple connection modes, wifi, Bluetooth and wired, all easily accessible via the dial at the top of the board which makes multitasking on and switching between multiple devices a breeze. I have mine set to wireless for my PC and with a simple flick of the switch to Bluetooth I can then type on my iPad or iPhone. The board has an onboard battery which is charged with the included USB cable. You can also set the mode switch to OFF, which acts as both an on/off switch in wireless mode and basically make the keyboard a wired device whilst it charges. Also integrated is a volume dial. Also included with the board are a pair of BIG MASSIVE mappable super buttons, and a simple -old-skool joystick. These connect through the keyboard rear panel. Up to four separate pairs of super buttons can be attached, which is great for gaming or to offer accessibility solutions. The buttons can be mapped to whatever function you wish, and are also mirrored to a pair of keys on the keyboard labelled A and B. You can purchase extra super buttons, and also available separately is a number pad unit to add a full number pad section to the keyboard that has its own battery, power cable and connection options (and a display to act as a calculator). The real bargain of this board is that it is priced very reasonably - it somehow manages to out-compete other similar quality boards price-wise even with the addition of super buttons and joystick. Even if you never use those extras, you have still snagged a VERY nice board at a steal of a price for its quality. THE ONLY DOWNSIDE: A minor niggle, but if you are in the UK or EU, you will have to simply get used to this being an ANSI keyboard with US key placements. It's not a major issue, and only affects a small number of symbol keys being switched around a bit. so I suggest switching your PC/Device keyboard mapping to ANSI or US in your OS settings so that what you type will match what is on the keycaps themselves. The only catch to that is that there is absolutely no UK Pound symbol, or Euro symbol, anywhere in US keyboard mapping, so get used to having a little notepad doc on your desktop so that you can quickly copy and paste those symbols when you need them! AFAIK 8BitDo have stated that they have no future plans to offer a non-ANSI keyboard. So, if you do lots of accounts, this may not be the board for you. But if that's not a dealbreaker then you will quickly adjust to the small number of keys in different places. Also note that there is no lighting in this keyboard - which is great because glowing keyboards are an abomination - and with the keys being dark they will be hard to see in poor lighting conditions. All in all, an awesome little keyboard no matter what you need it for, and a lovely retro-style option for those of us who are OLD and GRUMPY and look back with fondness on the days when everything was built like a battleship.

Great quality, sounds very good but fair warning it is very loud! Feels satisfying to type on and definitely has the retro look!

This is a fantastic product which deserves all the praise it gets. With the dual connectivity of 2.4Ghz or Bluetooth, it is perfect to be used on a range of devices and very easy to setup. The buttons have a very clean click to them, and feel perfectly responsive. I use it both for competitive gaming with games like CS2 and for general use like producing documents or writing emails. Love the style, love the product, 5*! I am just waiting for 8BitDo to release a mouse and controller in the same theme!

I'd seen 8BitDo's products around online for a while, and in particular the C64 style keyboard and the NES variant...was tempted for a number of months, especially after reading plenty of positive reviews, so I finally I decided it was time to treat myself and took the plunge. First impressions are that it is a real thing of beauty - it comes well packaged and presented, with a custom fitted box and clear instructions. Setup was literally plug-n-play out of the box, and I was pleased to find it was already charged as well for wifi/bluetooth use. The keys are satisfyingly chonky and make a wonderful clack as you type...very akin to the original. (Though not quite the same sound and feel I recall from my youth, but that could just be memory playing tricks on me to be fair!) This is very early-use impressions, but so far I have only 2 minor quibbles to gripe about when it comes to keyboard usage: 1.) The spacebar has a bit of a duller 'thud' compared to the butter-soft clacks of the other keys. It's not a huge deal, but given that I bought this to use as a writing instrument it will always be a niggle I can't fully get away from. 2.) There's no 'nubs' on the keys you'd use for typical QWERTY touch-typing. I think there may be a sligherly more exaggerated edging on them, but for a touch-typist it take s abit of (very short) period of adjustment to learn where to keep your fingers centered. That said, it is a JOY to type on...early days yet, but I'd say it's possibly the best keyboard I've every typed on. Probably going to spring for the side-number pad next month to complete the usability as a business keyboard...and then very likely going to save up for the NES variant in the new year. New collecting craze right here...

I initially thought this was a bit pricey but the reviews were good and I liked the look of it being a Huge Commodore 64 fan from back in the day :) However when I received it you can tell right away this is a Classy Luxury Product. It all starts with the Box .. ( 8bitdo never change your packaging ) The box alone feels expensive and just as much effort has gone into that as the keyboard itself which looks stunning and feels really solid oozing with quality. The keys feel fantastic and overall a real pleasure to use also with so many options for connection. I have nothing negative to say about this product although i really would like one of those transparent moulded plastic covers to pop on top of it to keep it nice and clean :)

It's gorgeous, and feels very premium to type on. I've had a lot of vintage keyboards in my time, and this is my second favourite after the legendary IBM Model M boards. Given the price, this is a primium keyboard for a moderate price. It's lovely.

Really enjoying this retro keyboard - the keys have a tactile feel, and it handles two devices (work laptop and home PC) perfectly. Switching between Bluetooth and the USB dongle is effortless. Minor gripe: no UK layout option, and I wouldn’t say no to a numpad. That said, brown is officially my new favourite colour.

Almost everything about this keyboard was great, solidly build, quite heavy and with nice quality chunky clicky keys that don't wobble! However a slight gripe is that the @ symbol, although indicated to be above the number 2 is actually located where the quotation mark (") symbol is next to the enter button, and visa versa... I'm not an expert so I don't know if this can be rectified at all, but it's not a major problem for me, you just have to remember this when using those two symbols. Also it is an american keyboard as there is only a $ symbol, not a pound sign. Again, not a major problem, but slightly annoying... It was more or less plug and play with the wired connection, but I've not yet used the wireless connections so far. Altogether 9 out of ten I guess. Not a bad keyboard, and it superficially resembles the old Commodore 64 that I used to have back in the 80's, so it's rather nostalgic. And the keys seem to be better quality than the original it's based on! Well worth getting I reckon...