RedThunder K96 Gaming Keyboard Review: Does This Still Need To Exist?
Purchase Price: $17.99
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Nowadays, everyone has a mechanical gaming keyboard. They’ve become so abundant and affordable that you can even pick up a really good one for less than $40. The affordability of mechanical keyboards have overlapped into the previously occupied non-mechanical gaming keyboard space that used to dominate the lower price ranges. It’s been a long time since I last reviewed a non-mechanical gaming keyboard and I definitely wanted to see if there was still a need for this kind of product in 2022. That’s what led me to purchase the RedThunder K96 for $19.99 on Amazon. While it definitely looks clean on my desk, is having a membrane keyboard to save $20, worth not typing on a mechanical keyboard? Let’s find out.
96 Keys
As the name suggests, the K96 has 96 keys which RedThunder markets as “mechanical feeling.” I don’t fully agree with that assessment, but the RedThunder typing experience isn’t bad at all. There’s an extremely muted click behind the input that I do appreciate in an office setting. I feel that the K96 has a bit more resistance when I push down on the keys than a lot of the recent mechanical keyboards I’ve been using. Whether you like that feeling or not is a matter of preference. I personally have come to enjoy less resistance as it feels as if my fingers are incredibly light when typing quickly. Still, I would say that the K96 is a decent typing experience overall. Standards in gaming boards like Anti-Ghosting and multimedia combinations also make an appearance here.
I’m not as big of a fan of the layout though. If I had to group this into a category, the K96 would fall somewhere in the realm of a 75% to a 90% board. Unlike say, the Redragon K688 that Seri reviewed with only 84 keys, or the Keychron C1 which was just short of 90, with 87 keys, the K96 has a footprint approaching a full sized board but retaining the same amount of tradeoffs as the aforementioned boards. We have a comfortably spaced num pad that detaches from the main set of keys. That separation is a quality that I do like to see on my keyboards. It makes it feel less cluttered. What we don’t have is a dedicated delete, home, page up and down, and insert keys. It’s a bit misleading at first take, as there is a column of what looks like buttons above the num pad that might have been a good spot to add these functionality keys. Instead, they aren’t even clickable keys to begin with. Instead, RedThunder uses this area for indicator lights, which actually isn’t the wrong position to be at. This is normally where your little LED lights will tell you if your num pad or caps lock is on.
What I don’t agree with is that RedThunder markets these button looking indicator lights as a design status to make the keyboard “look more simple and beautiful.” I honestly would be fine with just four little dots of color, like those on basically any other board, thus allowing the redistribution of that space for a delete key. I find a lot more value in my typing experiences having a dedicated delete key instead of using an FN function to accomplish the same task. If that space has a fake key molded anyway, they may as well use it for something.
There’s no need to go too in-depth about the built in RGB lighting effects as the RedThunder K96 is rather simple in that department. The keyboard lights up around and through the keys. I appreciate the letter passthrough as it makes it easier to legibly read the keys in the dark. The board doesn’t get too bright though, so it doesn’t fully emit that gaming vibe that many other boards exude. The ABS keycaps have this somewhat round edged font printed on them. The clear letter font makes some keys look foggy or blurry from some angles. For example, I keep thinking the Shift key has some sort of water dripping off it, but when I move my eyes closer, it goes away. I’m not too big of a fan of the keycap and font combination. However, I do like the dual color tone RedThunder chose to go with. Can’t really go wrong with a washed gray-ish black and a muted-white combination.
$20 Build Quality
There is one adjustable angle propped up by two extremely flimsy feet. The typing angle both flat and propped up are relatively comfortable to type on. The keyboard does wobble on the desk when a bit of force is asserted typing due to how light weight it is. This entire keyboard is made out of a hollow plastic piece that feels cheaply made. That’s clearly because it is cheaply made. Remember, this is less than $20. Creaking is inevitable. You can prop up the entire keyboard with just two fingers. However, from a distance, the board does have some physical appeal. It looks clean and I actually do like the vibe it emits. If I walked by this board on someone’s desk, I probably would have thought it was a mechanical keyboard and would have inquired about what it was. The built-in USB-A cable is a dead giveaway of the price point. Albeit there’s decent slack behind the cord, it’s a weak cord that looks like it won’t last too long.
Do We Really Need Boards Like This?
The K96 has been the main keyboard on my desk at work for more than a month now. Do I miss using a mechanical board while using this? Not really. RedThunder has produced something that at least on the surface, can cover enough of the basics of what a mechanical keyboard does. It isn’t as satisfying, nor is it as enjoyable to use, but the K96 is extremely affordable. I think this is a board that is much better than what you can pick up at a Miniso or TJ Maxx. With that said, I would absolutely pay another $20-$40 to buy a decent mechanical keyboard any day of the week. Those are also undeniably cheaper in 2022 than they were 5 years ago. Unless you really don’t want to buy a mechanical keyboard for a kid to use because you think it’s too advanced of a product for a child (it’s not), then I honestly don’t see why you would consider this over a mechanical keyboard at $40.
Alex
Caught in between the conundrum of his fascination with retro and the future, Alex has a very unique taste in technology. Never one to follow trends like his millennial peers yet constantly desiring to get ahead of the curve, he sees technology like he does his other love: comic books. Always looking for the best value or a hidden gem, his collector mindset reflects on some of his favorite gadgets: the Moto X (2015), HTC U11 and the Google Pixelbook. If there’s a good tech deal out there, Alex is on the hunt!