Wuque Studio is likely one of the most fun corporations within the customized mechanical keyboard enterprise. Its keyboards are at all times modern, and nowhere is that extra true than with the Ikki68 Aurora R2. It’s the second spherical of the keyboard that put the corporate on the map and locations customization center-stage.
Beginning at $150, this mid-level keyboard equipment is designed for tinkering. It has detachable components that alter the typing expertise. In each sound and really feel, the tip aim of the Aurora is to allow you to craft a typing expertise that’s precisely matched to your tastes. It guarantees high-end sound and really feel at a mid-level worth, and so long as you don’t thoughts a barely extra difficult construct course of, delivers on that aim.
Ikki68 Aurora R2 Specs
| Switches | None included |
| Lighting | Caps Lock indicator, Emblem, Underglow |
| Onboard Storage | 6 (VIA) |
| Media Keys | Secondary features |
| Connectivity | USB Kind-C to Kind-A, Bluetooth |
| Cable | Braided, coiled |
| Further Ports | None |
| Keycaps | None included |
| Development | Polycarbonate case, silicone and PORON dampeners |
| Software program | VIA |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 13.5 x 4.8 x 0.8 (entrance) x 1.3 (rear) inches |
| Weight | 2.0 kilos (constructed) |
Design and Supplies of the Ikki68 Aurora R2
The Ikki68 Aurora R2 is the second launch of Wuque Studio’s groundbreaking unique. Customization is the hallmark of this keyboard, permitting new builders to get pleasure from a customized keyboard expertise catered to their distinctive tastes with out breaking the financial institution. This time round, the corporate is providing new colours, new PCB choices, and new plate choices to reinforce the customization choices even additional. Like the unique, it’s out there in wired or Bluetooth wi-fi variations and is totally programmable.
The Ikki68 is one among a rising variety of plastic keyboards aimed toward new customized keyboard builders. At $150-175 relying in your connectivity choices, it’s not the most affordable you’ll discover, however is nearly actually essentially the most customizable. There are a number of methods to tailor the sound and really feel precisely to your style. Whereas many entry-level keyboards act as a gateway drug to the broader keyboard passion and lead to follow-up purchases for a “higher-end typing expertise,” it’s totally doable to purchase the Ikki68 Aurora and use it for months and even years with out feeling such as you’re lacking out in comparison with costlier keyboard kits.
The Ikki68 incorporates a two-part polycarbonate case out there in 5 totally different colours: snow, fog, blue, pink, and clear. It makes use of a 65-percent structure, which does away with the Operate Row and Numpad, however retains devoted arrow keys and a number of navigation buttons. As a substitute of utilizing a straight column for the navigation keys, it places them in a sq. cluster for simpler entry and aesthetics. Between the cluster and keys beneath is a magnetic badge and an illuminated emblem chip for a little bit of further aptitude.
It’s a compact keyboard, however that doesn’t imply it’s lacking performance. As a substitute, all of its lacking keys are included as secondary instructions, accessible by holding a layer change button you possibly can assign with software program. The Ikki68 makes use of VIA for all of its programming, which is an open supply firmware that permits you to fully remap any key you prefer to and have whole management over the structure and features it provides. With this performance, the Ikki68 is ready to be extra compact than a tenkeyless keyboard whereas providing equivalent, and even expanded, performance.
Taking a tour across the case, our blue model makes use of a frosted end to diffuse its restricted RGB lighting and masks the internals. The coloring is superb, with a deep, wealthy blue that jogs my memory of the frosted plastics of the Nineties. There are not any tilt ft or further ports, making the design quite simple general. There’s a slot above the arrow keys for a magnetic badge, which seems fairly eye-catching when put in. Beneath that badge is a grid of 4 LEDs that gentle up a emblem chip. Wuque consists of one with their very own emblem, however because it simply slides beneath the plate, you possibly can simply make your individual.
Contained in the case, Wuque has developed a mounting system that turns the keyboard right into a veritable transformer. It makes use of a gasket mounting construction, so as a substitute of the PCB screwing into the highest or backside case, it’s held taut between layers of froth or silicone. This absorbs vibrations and results in a softer, quieter typing expertise.
However, as a substitute of getting set places for its gaskets like most different gasket mounted keyboards, the Ikki68 makes use of detachable gasket chips and layers of silicone all through its building. The gasket chips are small items of plastic that slot into trays across the edges of the board. There are three alongside the highest and backside and two alongside both sides. Eradicating any of those ends in extra flex in that spot and, when eliminated in parallel with the alternative aspect, a line throughout the keys. Wuque additionally consists of your selection of firmer silicone or mushy PORON foam gaskets to high-quality tune typing really feel much more.
This gasket system works hand-in-hand with the mushy polycarbonate change plate and layers of silicone contained in the case. There are a complete of 4 silicone pads that can be utilized. Three of those slot into the underside case: one giant pad that fills up nearly all of empty house, a battery slot insert, and a silicone cowl that matches into the middle of the massive pad. There’s additionally a layer of precision minimize plate silicone that matches between the plate and PCB. Every of those dampen the sound of typing and impression the acoustics it’s capable of present.
Mixing and matching silicones and gasket chips modifications the sound and really feel of the keyboard in significant methods. Briefly, extra silicone means a quieter, lighter typing expertise with much less flex. Much less silicone means extra quantity and the character of the sound being pushed by the switches. Greater than every other keyboard I’ve used or constructed (which is well over 100 by now), the Ikki68 encourages you to open it and tinker. It’s designed to be made your individual in a method only a few customized keyboards are and nearly no prebuilt keyboard might be.
Given its concentrate on customization, it’s stunning that neither model of the keyboard provides per-key RGB backlighting. As a substitute, the one LEDs you’ll discover on the highest are a crimson Caps Lock indicator instantly beneath the button, and 4 LEDs to gentle up a emblem chip beneath the arrow keys. On the underside, you’ll discover 16 down-firing LEDs that gentle up the underside half of the case. Except for Caps, these can all be colour custom-made and animate a collection of primary color-shifting lighting results.
In the event you do need RGB, Wuque has a PCB that provides it. In actual fact, there are a whopping half-dozen totally different PCBs you possibly can decide up with this board. All however the wired and wi-fi hot-swap variations are further purchases, nevertheless. The choices maintain with the theme of deep customization that runs all through this equipment. Some are thicker; some are thinner. Some have flex cuts whereas others don’t. Some assist soldering switches or permit you to use a devoted Wuque software program suite, however most assist VIA and hot-swappable change sockets. Most are wired solely, however two assist Bluetooth (with an undisclosed model). At $48 further every, it will have been good to see all of those out there to select from at buy, however they’re there should you’re prepared to pay.
It’s additionally value noting that the inventory PCBs additionally supply choices to customise the structure itself. Each wired and wi-fi variations assist hot-swappable change sockets, permitting you to rapidly change switches with out soldering. This often limits your capacity to assist splitting bigger keys, however right here you possibly can cut up each of the Shift keys and Caps Lock. You should use a stepped Caps Lock key, and should you go for the wired model, even cut up the Spacebar into three separate buttons for much more performance. Worldwide customers will even be happy to know that this is likely one of the few hot-swappable keyboards that additionally helps an ISO Enter key.
The choices don’t finish there, both. Wuque’s retailer additionally sells aluminum prime instances should you’d moderately have that extra premium really feel and heft. There are totally different plate supplies to high-quality tune the sound and really feel of your typing. You should buy a PORON foam dampening equipment to switch the silicone construction that comes within the field, additionally altering sound and really feel. There’s additionally the choice of a brass weight that may be added to the underside of the case.
Oddly lacking from the shop is a battery to energy the keyboard’s Bluetooth performance. Wuque doesn’t share specs on the battery you’ll want both, however they confirmed to me privately that it’s a 3543114 LiPo battery, 3.7v. Third-party distributors like NotJeffCNC promote these inside the US at low costs, however eBay variations usually require you to solder on the right connector. Wuque Studios does share prominently on the product web page that you simply’ll want to produce your individual battery, however it nonetheless looks like an enormous omission for the performance of the keyboard.
What you will obtain is a pleasant journey case to retailer the keyboard in and take it on the go. Wuque additionally supplies a colour matched, braided cable with an extended coil that’s just like the aviator cables common on the mechanical keyboards subreddit. The entire bundle is on-par with what we’ve seen from the likes of NovelKeys with the NK87 Entry Version and TheKey.Firm with the Portico75 and becoming with the mid-level pricing of the keyboard.
Assembling the Ikki68 Aurora R2
Assembling the Ikki68 Aurora takes place in a number of steps, and I’d extremely encourage each new and veteran builders to observe Wuque Studio’s glorious construct information. In the event you’ve ever constructed a mechanical keyboard, it’s not troublesome, however has further steps and issues to think about not present in different keyboards.
Wuque Studio provides you most of what you’ll want, however you’ll should deliver your individual switches, stabilizers, keycaps, and lube. The PCB, plate, and equipment are all saved in baggage within the prime pocket of the journey case. The keyboard case holds the silicone inserts and gasket chips. As soon as all the things is separated, you possibly can start the method of placing all of it collectively.
The place issues separate from the norm is with the gasket chips. These small plastic slices match into slots across the backside of the case. Eradicating them makes inserting the gaskets an easier course of. There are pre-cut inserts within the prime that make aligning them simpler and have tight sufficient tolerances to carry the silicone gaskets with out the necessity for adhesive (the PORON strips nonetheless use 3M). There are 32 gaskets whole to position alongside the highest and backside instances and may simply eat up half-hour or extra simply inserting them.
The following potential hurdle is with the stabilizers. The Ikki68 makes use of a skinny 1.2mm PCB whereas most keyboards use a normal 1.6mm thickness. The vast majority of stabilizers are designed round that normal and will not tighten sufficiently on the Ikki’s thinner PCB. The construct information advises wrapping a little bit of thread across the foot of the stabilizer to shut the hole or buying Wuque’s personal Aurora stabilizers that are assured appropriate. Utilizing Durock V2s, this wasn’t a problem they usually tightened high-quality.
The construct course of isn’t troublesome, however positively has extra concerns than your common DIY mechanical keyboard. Wuque’s Mammoth75 was equally quirky. These concerns are a results of its modern design, nevertheless, and are a good trade-off for the added customization choices constructed into the ultimate product.
Typing Expertise on the Ikki68 Aurora R2
For the reason that equipment doesn’t include switches or keycaps, the typing expertise will differ relying on what you select. Likewise, the extremely customizable nature of the Ikki68 implies that two individuals with the very same switches may have fairly totally different typing experiences. It doesn’t matter what configuration you go together with, I feel this keyboard provides an excellent typing expertise that’s mushy on the fingers and satisfying to the ear.
The design of the Ikki68 Aurora is such that you would be able to dial in sound and really feel to your particular style. Relying the gaskets you select, which gasket chips you retain in place, and which silicone dampeners you employ, you may have something from a agency typing expertise, that’s quiet and extremely dampened to 1 with a lot of flex and quantity that brings out the sound of the person switches you’ve chosen.
Over the course of scripting this evaluate, I attempted each silicone configuration and a number of gasket chip places, and it’s capable of ship a satisfying typing expertise throughout a variety of preferences. Utilizing the entire silicone, the keyboard may be very dampened and provides minimal flex due to all the fabric within the case. With no silicone, the keyboard is conscious of particular person keystrokes and feels particularly mushy to sort on. The additional house within the case permits the sound of your switches to bounce round and challenge extra, too. In the event you’ve picked a change primarily based on its distinctive sound, eradicating among the silicone makes that extra audible.
Putting and eradicating gasket chips additionally impacts how a lot flex you’ll expertise. Eradicating the middle chips on the highest and backside makes the typing keys extra bouncy. Eradicating the aspect items provides motion to the arrows and modifiers. It is a keyboard you’ll want a screwdriver helpful for since you’ll in all probability open it a number of occasions to make small modifications.
The Ikki68 Aurora is the primary keyboard I’ve ever felt paralyzed by selection over. How was the keyboard supposed to really feel? I discovered myself anxious that I used to be setting it up mistaken. However that’s the rub: there isn’t a mistaken. The keyboard is designed to grow to be precisely what you need it to be in each sound and really feel, and that’s not one thing every other keyboard available on the market can declare. It provides trial and error however almost eliminates the possibilities of discovering out the keyboard isn’t for you.
Irrespective of which you select, there are some core similarities that circulation via each configuration. The Ikki68 is a gasket mounted keyboard, so typing feels mushy beneath the fingers. Its polycarbonate case additionally rounds off its sound profile, eradicating any of the sharp clackiness you may discover with an aluminum mechanical keyboard. It’s a greater match for workplace work or gaming in shared areas due to it, however runs counter to the loud nature of clicky switches, so stick to linears or tactiles on this one.
Typing on the keyboard may be very comfy. Its entrance top is low sufficient to make use of and not using a wrist relaxation however nonetheless advantages from one. It’s effectively angled for comfy typing, however due to its lack of tilt ft, is non-adjustable. My common typing velocity is round 110 WPM and I averaged 108 WPM over a dozen assessments. I discovered the rounded, mild sound of typing on it to be very nice throughout each setup possibility.
The structure can be efficient at making typing environment friendly whereas additionally providing a singular look. The sq. cluster of navigation and modifying keys (in comparison with the standard column of most 65-percent keyboards) made accessing every of them simple and quick. It additionally provides to the distinctive character of the board, moderately than wanting like the entire different choices with related key counts.
Gaming Expertise on the Ikki68 Aurora R2
The Ikki68 isn’t designed to compete with the finest gaming keyboards and lacks devoted gaming options. Regardless of this, it really works completely effectively as a gaming keyboard as long as you don’t want superior features like timers, syncopated RGB lighting, or superior macros. It’s responsive, so actions really feel instantaneous, and because you select your individual switches, you possibly can tailor the texture of your keys to your individual style and actuation desire.
I’m a nighttime gamer and luxuriate in zoning out with first-person shooters earlier than mattress. Over my testing interval, I performed a mixture of Doom Everlasting, Battlefield 2042, and Name of Responsibility: Vanguard. If there have been points with latency or responsiveness, I’d have seen instantly, however there have been none. I didn’t discover any further lag when in comparison with my Corsair K100 optical gaming keyboard.
A bigger distinction between the Ikki68 and most gaming keyboards lies in its programmability. In contrast to with Razer and Logitech keyboards, you possibly can’t merely press one button to file a macro. As a substitute, these macros should be typed right into a textual content editor. That is high-quality for primary textual content strings however turns into much more difficult if you should add key combos, like Alt+1 or Ctrl+Shift+2. To perform these, you’ll must sort within the precise keycodes utilizing a syntax VIA can perceive. It’s cumbersome sufficient to easily keep away from doing until you might have a handful of key combos you should have that may’t be mapped extra simply in-game.
On the plus aspect, VIA permits you to map as much as six layers of key instructions and entry them in modern methods. This lets you have devoted key maps for particular person video games and to maneuver between these keysets on the fly. You’ll by no means should lose chat to make use of a game-specific structure once more.
This performance additionally bears fruit for productiveness, permitting you to map keys and shortcuts for core purposes onto secondary layers, after which entry them extra rapidly and effectively than would in any other case be doable. For instance, I mapped my layer change key to Caps Lock, however solely when held. When tapped, it nonetheless serves its regular operate, primarily turning this right into a twin operate key. Once I let go of Caps Lock, the keyboard robotically returns to its base layer with the entire bodily keys you’ve positioned. It’s quick and truthfully fairly enjoyable, too.
Software program
As I mentioned within the earlier part, the Ikki68 makes use of VIA for all of its programming, although it doesn’t require you to make use of it should you’re completely happy along with your base keys. VIA is an open-source firmware primarily based on QMK that permits you to remap buttons, assign shortcuts, and create a number of layers of instructions which are all saved instantly on the keyboard. There are few limits on what you possibly can remap and loads of customization for the way you entry secondary layers, making it a very talked-about selection throughout the mechanical keyboard neighborhood.
It’s necessary to notice that the wi-fi model doesn’t assist QMK by itself. As a substitute, it may possibly solely be modified inside VIA itself, eliminating QMK-exclusive instruments like QMK Configurator. A key motive for that is that Wuque has programmed Bluetooth controls instantly into the keyboard. On-line instruments like QMK Configurator can’t learn the “present state” of keymaps on the board, making it doable for customers to by accident overwrite core options, like Bluetooth Pairing. For most individuals, this received’t be a problem (you continue to have most QMK controls inside VIA) however should you like to put in writing your individual firmware,it’s positively one thing to bear in mind.
VIA is a robust software program suite, however its enchantment lies in its simplicity. You’re given a diagram of your present keyboard with the entire keymaps presently assigned. Under that could be a number of out there instructions to remap, together with all the conventional keys you’ll discover on a keyboard, and separate tabs for media controls, macros, layers, lighting, and particular choices like mouse controls, choose Home windows shortcuts, and F13-F24. Assigning a key is so simple as clicking the placement you need to remap after which clicking what you need there as a substitute. Adjustments are saved robotically, so there’s no cumbersome flashing course of. It’s quick and simple.
The place issues grow to be enjoyable is while you create separate layers on your personal distinctive wants. I hate having the Fn button on my proper hand, so I moved it to the Caps Lock button (solely when held). From there, I mapped all of my most used instructions round Dwelling Row, so I may entry arrow keys, navigation buttons, and media controls, all with out ever transferring my hand from a standard typing place.
The customization is addicting, a lot in order that it may be laborious to return to a standard keyboard after you’ve gotten used to your customized structure. VIA permits you to design your keyboard round how you’re employed, not work round how the keyboard is mapped. When you’re finished programming it, these modifications stay on the keyboard and can work on any laptop no matter software program, OS, or IT coverage.
On the similar time, it has some necessary limitations in comparison with software program suites designed to be run within the background on a regular basis. Although the Ikki68 R2 doesn’t supply per-key RGB backlighting, VIA doesn’t permit you to create customized lighting schemes even when it did. You possibly can assign keys to swap between the preset modes and customise them for hue and saturation, however assigning customized colours to particular person keys is out. There’s additionally no method to launch customized purposes or the big selection of Home windows shortcuts you’ll discover in Logitech G Hub or Razer Synapse. The whole lot you assign lives on the keyboard’s reminiscence and is carried out by its processor, so these software-based choices don’t apply.
Backside Line
The Ikki68 Aurora is an excellent keyboard. You’ll should be comfy opening and shutting the case a number of occasions to dial in its sound and really feel, however when you do, you’re left with a typing expertise that greater than earns its value of entry. For typing, it’s tops and is even fairly the succesful little gaming keyboard.
However, there’s no method round its increased worth. In the event you’re seeking to save a couple of {dollars}, the Portico75 from TheKey.Firm is a strong different with a barely greater footprint. If it’s the plastic that’s acquired you down, you possibly can decide up an aluminum prime, or flip to the KeyChron Q2 which provides the same structure in an all aluminum chassis (and consists of switches and keycaps!)
Neither of these choices supply the identical stage of customization because the Ikki68, nevertheless. That’s why, even with quirks like a barely extra cumbersome construct course of and needing to purchase a battery individually, it’s laborious to argue with the worth proposition. In the event you’re seeking to get into the mechanical keyboard passion and need a keyboard that may evolve with you, and doesn’t value lots of of {dollars} for the privilege, that is it.
