Page 4 - Conclusion
The LEOBOG K81 is a great contender for a 75% layout keyboard. The overall build quality is quite rigid despite the entirely polycarbonate build. The appearance fits a particular niche, so it comes down to user preference. Given the transparent design, RGB lighting effects shine brighter than ever, as there is nothing inhibiting the light. With some tinkering, I believe most people will be able to find a lighting option that suits their personal preferences through their numerous effects and color options. I personally found the design to be quite pleasing to the eye, even with the lights turned off. When it comes to typing experience, this is where we have something special. The K81 has a linear option in the Ice Crystal switches and a tactile option in the form of the Ice Soul switches. Both switches come pre-lubricated, making for a smooth typing experience. I found the combination of polycarbonate keycaps and LEOBOG’s switches to be quite nice in terms of sound, offering a decent clack. The sound is further enhanced by the foam placed between the switches and the PCB and at the bottom. Our particular model uses the linear Ice Crystal model, which offered a good typing experience and an acceptable gaming experience. The 2.4GHz connection was seamless, having no issues and being quite responsive. A drawback I found was the included 1m cable. It is not braided and quite short, so some users may have issues with routing their cable nicely. Additionally, when using the wired mode, the Fn Key constantly glows red rather than the color you intended for it. Furthermore, a small gripe I had was the usage of a tactile space bar. While this keyboard is hot-swappable, there was no included additional linear switch in the packaging to make all of the keystrokes consistent. Even so, at a price of $120 USD, the LEOBOG K81 is definitely a good option for anyone seeking out a 75% layout keyboard.
LEOBOG provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.6/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The LEOBOG K81 is a great stock mechanical keyboard that offers tremendous lighting potential and solid material choices.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. A Closer Look – Disassembly and Internals
4. Conclusion
