iKBC F87 & F108 Mechanical Keyboards Review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing and First Look3. Testing4. Closing Thoughts5. View All Pages

To test the F87 & F108 keyboards I used them as I would any other keyboard – to play games, type reviews and for general usage as well.

While I would usually start with a look at the included software suite, the iKBC keyboards are slightly unusual in that they are completely software-free.

That is not to say they lack functionality, though – everything is simply controlled from the keyboard itself. To tweak each setting, there are number of special keys with secondary functions that are scattered across both keyboards – the keys with front-facing symbols which we looked at on the previous page.

For example, Fn+F4 will turn the backlight on, and from there you can tweak the LED settings to your heart's content. To find your desired colour (if you want a single colour, that is) F1, F2 and F3 work as red, green and blue (respectively) colour adjusters, allowing full RGB capability without any software.

Alternatively, there are many special effects that can be activated by cycling through the F4, F5, F11 and F12 buttons until you have found your desired effect. Some the effects include: wave, rain drop, ripple and aurora modes (with lots of colour choices for each effect as well)  so you really are spoilt for choice.

Another interesting feature that iKBC seem keen to emphasise is the ‘countdown' mode. This lets you program a countdown timer to the keyboard itself by pressing ScrlLck, and then setting your desired countdown time (up to 129 minutes) using the F-keys and number keys. Once the countdown has finished, the keyboard will let you know with a blast of flashing light that rivals the London skyline on New Year's Eve. I actually found this setting most useful when cooking – I would put something in the oven, go back to my PC and set the timer for when the food should be ready.

However, I have mixed feelings about the on-board control. It is very sophisticated, allowing a great many RGB effects to be implemented, but I do not think it is very intuitive. Essentially, what I mean is that it is relatively complicated and thus quite hard to pick-up. When I first got the keyboards, I did not bother reading the user manual (who does?) and just dived in, trying to figure out what-does-what using the symbols and Fn key. It did not take me long to realise that I had no idea what each key did – I could not even figure out how to set a simple static backlight.

Even now I still have to check back to the manual to remember how to activate certain lighting features, which is certainly not ideal considering I've been using these keyboards for a couple of weeks now. I would have preferred to see some software to allow easier configuration of the lighting. This way, the settings could still be saved to the in-built memory (enabling users to switch between PCs with ease) while improving the ease-of-use. It may be ideal however for Apple users who want a good mechanical keyboard to use with OSX (keys can be easily remapped).

That being said, the backlight itself is nothing short of fantastic. The light is very even across the keycaps, with great strength and vibrancy. There are also 10 levels of brightness, so the lighting can be as blinding or as dim as you like. The ‘RGB-all-the-things' trend may not be for everyone, but it is hard to deny that RGB lighting looks fabulous on a keyboard (where the light is actually useful, too).

Elsewhere, the Cherry MX switches are hands-down the best if you ask me. My personal keyboard is a Razer BlackWidow 2014 Tournament Edition, which uses Razer-modified, Kailh Blue switches – but every time I get to use the Cherry equivalents I am reminded just how good the Cherry switches are. They require slightly more actuation force than the Kailh's, but I prefer that as it feels sturdy and reassuring. iKBC also offer Red and Black switches, too, if you prefer a linear action, while the Brown switches are good for those who like the tactile feedback but do not want the noise of Blue switches.

The keyboards are also very well-built – although they are not quite at the same standard as the HyperX Alloy FPS (review HERE) with its steel alloy frame. Nonetheless, the thick frame does not budge as you hammer away at the keyboard, and it would be able to withstand a fair amount of bashing as well.

The keycaps are also perfectly textured which prevents your fingers slipping, while also providing a lovely feeling for your fingertips. Incidentally, they keycaps are double-shot PBT so they should stand the test of time very well.

I do have one final gripe with the F87, though. Due to its 80% form-factor, it lacks multimedia keys which is a real shame. It would also be impractical to add them as a secondary function to some other keys, given that so many of the keys already have a second function due to the way the on-board lighting control works.

The F108 does have dedicated volume control above the numpad, but there is no play/pause functionality there either. Considering the price-point of these keyboards, you really would expect both boards to have included these crucial features.

Become a Patron!