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As we’ve said before, when you’re looking for a keyboard for your gaming rig or even just your WFH setup, there are no end of choices out there. For myself, I’ve tended more towards mechanical keyboards, due to the extremely satisfying tactile feel that they provide. But again, choices abound here. Switches, backlighting schemes, even the overall look and sizing of the board. If you’re a child of the 80s, then the MIKIT T80 in Hazel Chocolate is definitely going to feel very nostalgic.
What is it?
The MIKIT T80 is a 80% keyboard (so no number pad, taking up less space on your desk). Here, in Hazel Chocolate, it’s got this great beige and orange scheme that puts me immediately in mind of what would have been hooked into any of those boring beige PCs that showed up in homes, at school, and everywhere. OF course, nostalgia isn’t all we’re going for here, and there some thoroughly modern accommodations added in.
What’s modern about it?
Well, for one, the MIKIT T80 has a 16-Million-color RGB capability. While many keyboards require you to install a companion app on your machine to configure all of that, the MIKIT T80 keeps things delightfully simple. You’ve got two dials on the right-hand side of the keyboard. The upper one controls the brightness of the backlighting (when you’ve turned if off, or hit max brightness, the three LEDs next to the ESC key flash), while the lower one cycles you through the various lighting schemes. Sure, if doesn’t allow you to get things coordinated and aligned across your various RGB-enable devices, but I rather like the simplicity. It’s also helpful if the keyboard is your only RGB accessory, so then you don’t need additional things running on your machine.
Another nod to modernity is the inclusion of media controls. In the upper right, you’ve got a dial that allows you to increase or decrease the volume. Unlike some other keyboards we’ve seen, that volume control is not clickable, so you don’t use that to pause/unpause your music. For that, you’ll be relying on function keys (just like in the old days!). In our case, on a Mac, it’s just F8 (or Fn+F8 if you’ve adjusted your settings), so easy-peasy to work through.
Finally, you’ve got a variety of connection choices. In my setup, I just wired it in with the USB-C connection, and away I went. However, you can go wireless if you want, either via Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz wireless. For the 2.4 GHz, you’ve got a small USB-A dongle to plug in; for Bluetooth, well, that hooks in just like any other Bluetooth keyboard you’ve used. Using wireless, you can also have up to three devices connected, and easily switch between them using the function switches.
What about the key switches?
Those are a big thing with your mechanical keyboard choice. You’ve got to decide if you want super tactile and clicky, how loud (or quiet) you want things, and even how much you need to depress the keys before the press is registered. For our review unit, the MIKIT T80 came with their “Gold Brown Pro” switches, which they describe this way:
Gold Brown Pro is known as the “oil of all kinds” keyswitch. The rhythmic paragraph feel makes the mechanical keyboard more playable.
- Tactile / 45gf
- Feel: Light
- Sound: Medium
- Lifespan:
- 80 Million Keystrokes
When you add in the fact that they’ve got a silicone pad and some foam in the construction of the board, this is actually has some sound-dampening built in. For me, this resulted in a keyboard that was still clicky, but not annoyingly so. In fact, it was something that I did not feel the need to mute myself while on calls if I needed to type. Other boards, those clicks would come through, even with noise-cancelling. With the MIKIT T80, though, that was not the case, which certainly helps with those calls.
Oh, and if you’re not a fan of these switches, there are other choices. Or even if you want a different style switch under some different keys (for whatever your particular gaming or work needs are), these are hot-swappable, meaning you can change out the switches as you need to, without needing to worry about soldering anything
And the keycaps?
While these are modern on the MIKIT T80, they feel delightfully vintage. They’re double-shot, which means that the printing on them should not wear off, and they should resist getting those shiny surfaces you see on keyboards that have been in long use. In other words, these are heavier-duty keycaps, which just fits the look and feel of the board overall. It should be noted, you will not have the RGB lighting shining through the keys with this construction, so this is not a keyboard you’ll want to use in a totally darkened room, unless you’re perfect with your touch-typing. In a normal WFH or gaming setup, though, you’ll have more than enough light to work this, while still getting the extra flash from the RGB lighting if you have it turned on.
Would we recommend it?
In a word, yes. This particular configuration of the MIKIT T80 with the Gold Brown Pro switches make this a perfect keyboard for someone to dip their toes in the mechanical keyboard waters. If gives you that tactile and audible feedback without being so noisy that it annoys your co-workers (either at the office or on a call) or everyone else in your house. The easily configurable RGB lighting also means you can decide if you want to be under-the-radar (at the office) or have that additional fun burst of color. And frankly, this super-retro color scheme on the board scratches an itch I didn’t know I had. If you want to get one yourself, they’re available for $129 (and other board layouts/colors start at $99). Check it out over at mikit.store.
Features
- 80% Layout– Space-saving layout but includes all function keys you need
- Scroll Wheel & Rotary Knobs– Adjust Volume and RGB Brightness & Effects Easily
- Hot Swappable– Swap out the switches easily as per your preference
- Tri-Mode Connection– Bluetooth 5.1 / 2.4GHz / Wired
- Wireless 2.4GHz– Lower Latency & Consumption
- Bluetooth 5.1– 3-Device Connectivity
- Seamless Switching– Connecting and Switching between 3 Devices
- macOS Compatible– Function Keys Fully Compatible
- Long-Lasting Battery Life– Endurance of 50 Days with 4000mAh Battery
- (8 hours of use per day under Bluetooth connection with Backlit off)
- PBT Double-Shot Keycaps– Shiny-Look-Proof, Tactile and Tough
- Three Adjustable Angles– Developed for Better Experience
- RGB Backlit– Built-in 16-Million-Color RGB Effects
- N-Key Rollover– Unlimited Key Press
- Detachable Cable– Separated Keyboard and Cable Management
- Programmable Software Release Date: Q3, 20
Tech Specs
- Model: T80
- Layout: 80% | ANSI
- Type: Mechanical Keyboard
- Warranty: 12 Months Limited Hardware Warranty
- Frame Material: ABS
- Dimensions: 356 x 141 x 35 mm
- Weight: Approx. 950g
- Key Count: 83
- Switches:Gateron / TTC
- Keycaps Material: PBT
- Keycaps Profile: Cherry
- Legends Printing: Double-shot
- Larger Keys Style: Plate-Mount Stabilizer
- RGB Backlit: 16-Million-Color Modules
- Connection: Bluetooth 5.1 / 2.4GHz / USB-C *(Connect to 3 devices at once)
- Hot Swappable: Support
- N-Key Rollover: Support
- Response Time: 1ms (Wired & 2.4GHz) / 8ms (Bluetooth)
- Polling Rate: 1000Hz (Wired & 2.4GHz) / 125Hz (Bluetooth)
- Interface: USB Type-C
- Battery Capacity: 4000mAh
- Battery Type: Li-ion Polymer Batteries
- Rated Input Power: 5V⎓1A
- Compatible OS: Windows / macOS / iOS / Android
