Ergonomic keyboards offer many benefits over conventional keyboards. They eliminate workplace stresses, remove stain from the wrists, and help improve efficiency by minimizing fatigue. Applying ergonomics in the workplace, such as an ergonomic keyboard, also minimizes the risk of issues like carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury, which are common complaints among office workers who spend most of their work day in front of the screen typing or using a mouse.
But as the concept of an ergonomic programming keyboard is growing widely in the workplace, so is the plethora of products in the market. This gives many choices to the user but also confuses them to the core when it comes to picking out the best option for you. One of our top ergonomic split mechanical keyboard recommendations is the RK Royal Kludge RK61. This keyboard is made to provide functionality and versatility to users in the workplace. Moreover, with the RK Royal Kludge RK61 review, you can find all you need to know about this ergonomic keyboard and its features.
RK Royal Kludge RK61 Review
Here is an in-depth review of the features and details of this keyboard.
Portability
For modern world office workers, portability is a serious issue. Because most workers are now working remotely or even traveling while working, they need a proper solution that doesn't compromise their work efficiency. When it comes to the Royal Kludge RK61, the keyboard is compact and hence portable. It is lightweight and can fit in most bags.
The good build quality also adds to the fact that this keyboard is reliable to carry and travel with. The multi-device pairing option also means it is versatile to be used in plenty of setups. And for late-night work adventures, the keyboard also has backlighting.
Comfort
Ergonomic keyboards are especially popular because they finally provide rest to your wrists in the most efficient way. This high-profile ergonomic keyboard does that skillfully. However, this one doesn't come with a wrist rest but has a design that can easily provide space and setting for an ergonomic wrist rest. You can also tilt the keyboard to a safe angle, enough space to accommodate an ergonomic wrist rest.
Build Quality
The craftsmanship is good. There is a variation with an aluminum frame; this variation has a plastic frame with a sturdy metal base plate. The sides of the ABS keycaps don't appear to be double shots, even though they flex a lot, and only the top of the keycaps appears to be a double shot.
The keyboard is supported by four rubber feet that do a respectable job of keeping it in place while in use. Sadly, the keys are easily shaky, which is apparent while typing. Overall, it's strong, but the unstable keys and cheap-feeling keycaps prevent it from having a more premium build.
Backlight
A backlight is essential in modern gaming and works with keyboards because other than just improved aesthetics; there are many benefits of having a keyboard with a backlight. This Royal Kludge RK61 mechanical keyboard has a promising backlight feature. Since the keyboard comes in two variants, the backlight is also found in two types. The white variant has a blue backlight, and the black variant has an orange backlight to improve visibility. You can also find other options with RGB Backlighting options.
Connectivity
The RK61 keyboard is both a wireless and wired keyboard. Royal Kludge RK61 Bluetooth keyboard can form a stable connection even from centimeters apart, and other than that, you also get the USB-C to USB-A connectivity option. Moreover, it also offers the option to change the cable to the right size based on what you need.
Additional Features
A few added features on the Royal Kludge RK61 enhance user experience. The backlight and brightness settings can both be adjusted using the hotkeys. The only difference we observed between the Mac and Windows modes is that the Mac option eliminates the F1 through F6 alternate functionalities. The Wi-Fi connection can be turned on and off using a switch.
Switches
If we talk about keys and switches on the Royal Kludge RK61, ten of the switches are branded switches. They are considered rattly by some users, but for everyday use, they work great. Although some customers claim that the switches could be a bit better in quality than this. However, you can find multiple switch options, which is a feature liked by customers. The options available include red, blue, and brown.
- Red: Because the Royal Kludge Red switches are linear, they will be quiet and smooth.
- Blue: The RK blue switches are noisy and clicky, which could irritate others.
- Brown: When pressed, RK brown switches have a noticeable tactile bump and aren't particularly noisy.
Typing Quality
Another integral feature of a keyboard is the typing quality. The typing quality of Royal Kludge RK61 can be considered decent. The keys are sensitive to touch and respond quickly. Also, they offer good feedback. And even though the typing is a bit slower than some other available options, it is still better than many. And for people who find the compact option of this keyboard a bit unsettling, the keys are reasonably spaced and don't crowd up the entire keyboard. However, some users complain about this Royal Kludge keyboard and the keys being a bit shaky.
Battery Life
The claimed battery life of 10 hours is accurate, though some customers claim that the keyboard works, give or take a few minutes. Besides that, Kludge also has an active energy-saving mode. The Kludge enters a sleep mode after 10 minutes of inactivity; it takes a few keystrokes to bring it up. Occasionally, waking the keyboard would result in connectivity problems. However, that problem doesn't occur as often, so it could probably be a one-time glitch. Although input lag is acceptable, when it comes to gaming, the wireless mode of this keyboard isn't the best option you will get.
Conclusion
In short, RK Royal Kludge RK61 wireless 60 mechanical gaming keyboard is a piece of interest if you are looking for a keyboard that is 60% mechanical so you can enjoy the user-friendliness and experience of working with a conventional keyboard, but also need a suitable option in little money possible.
This wireless keyboard with your choice of red, brown, or blue mechanical switches, the RK61, is available in black or white. Though the keyboard itself looks pretty flawless and offers all the comfort options.
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