Introducing Chilkey's Sleek, Low-Profile Aluminum Mechanical Keyboard
Unleashing the Chilkey ND75LP: A Compact, Low-Profile, and Customizable Mechanical Keyboard
The mechanical keyboard market continues to thrive, and the latest addition to the fray is the sleek Chilkey ND75LP. This marvel comes with a sturdy all-aluminum design, appealing aesthetics, and a 75% compact layout, making it a vibrant and practical choice for PC and Mac users.
The ND75LP is Chilkey's inaugural low-profile keyboard, boasting an elegant blend of style and functionality. Despite its compact size, it offers the aesthetic appeal that suits both Mac and PC aficionados. The typing angle is gently sloped, and while there are no adjustable feet, the default angle seems well-balanced and pleasing to most typists.
Each low-profile switch houses a south-facing RGB LED, offering 19 captivating backlight effects with adjustable brightness levels. The lighting mode can be easily personalized from the keyboard or tweaked using Chilkey's web-based app, which takes customization to another level. The app lets you remap keys, alter lighting options on a key-by-key basis, and even set up custom images or logos that match your taste or corporate identity.
The top frame and bottom plate are crafted from robust aluminum, with the top part held in place by ultra-strength magnets. The housing is removable and interchangeable, allowing you to swap it with other color plates to match your keycaps.
The Chilkey ND75LP features keycaps made of PBT with a low-profile design. These keys have a slightly higher profile than those on a laptop, but they are slimmer than regular mechanical keyboard keys. The switches used are hot-swappable with a POM stem and housing, offering a smoother typing experience. The keyboard comes with three connectivity options: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, and regular USB-C wired. The Bluetooth option supports up to three devices simultaneously, enabling effortless device switching.
Combining functionality with convenience, the ND75LP sports a tiny built-in LCD screen on its right side. This screen provides real-time status updates, including the battery level, connection status, and current time. With ease, you can adjust keyboard settings, like connectivity, lighting, volume, and OS compatibility, directly from the screen itself. Furthermore, the screen can be customized using Chilkey's web-based app to display your preferred image or corporate logo, adding a personal touch or corporate flair.
There are a few caveats to consider. Our testing revealed a slight lag after waking from sleep mode on macOS that might be somewhat more pronounced with the system's power management settings interfering with the keyboard's wake-up process. Additionally, the keyboard doesn't come with spare modifier keys for macOS, so users looking for that might need to look elsewhere.
The Chilkey ND75LP mechanical keyboard is available in five colorways: Pure White, Jet Black, Milk Tea, Sky Blue, and Lavender. If you wish to customize further or swap the switches for a different tactile feedback or sound, this is easily achievable since everything is swappable.
The Chilkey ND75LP mechanical keyboard is available on the Chilkey website for $99. Here's a quick rundown of its key specifications:
- Type: Low-profile, mechanical keyboard.
- Backlight: South-facing RGB.
- Hot-swappable: Yes.
- Stock switch: Chilkey Blue Lotus
- Per key RGB: Yes.
- Keycap material: PCB.
- Backlight modes: 19.
- Mount type: Gasket.
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, and wired.
- N-Key rollover: Yes.
- Polling rate: 1000Hz.
- Battery capacity: 3,600mAh.
- Dimensions: 322 x 138mm.
- Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Linux, Android.
- The low-profile Chilkey ND75LP, a mechanical keyboard, offers a customizable RGB backlight with 19 captivating effects, adjustable brightness levels, and the ability to remap keys or alter lighting options on a key-by-key basis through Chilkey's web-based app.
- The Chilkey ND75LP mechanical keyboard comes with a N-Key rollover feature, ensuring smooth input even during rapid key switches, and is available on the Chilkey website for $99.
- In addition to the five colorways available (Pure White, Jet Black, Milk Tea, Sky Blue, and Lavender), users can further customize the Chilkey ND75LP by swapping switches for different tactile feedback or sound, making it an attractive choice for typists seeking a mechanical keyboard with a low profile and customization options.
