UBOTIE Bluetooth Keyboard Review: A Colorful “Ad”dition
Retail Price: $39.99
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A few months ago while I was casually scrolling Instagram, I came across a few Google Pixel ads that popped up on my feed. While we’ve used plenty of Google Pixel devices here at The Sypnotix, what really caught my eye in the photo was the colorful keyboard in the background with vibrant keycaps and a modern design. A quick Google search and a handful of Amazon clicks later, the UBOTIE 100 keys rainbow keyboard showed up on my doorstep.
Cute and Colorful
To be quite honest, I didn’t consider form or function much when purchasing the UBOTIE keyboard. I thought it was colorful and would be a fun match to my current desk setup. UBOTIE essentially sells a handful of the same keyboards, but in multiple color variants. This tenkeyless keyboard has a white base and retails on Amazon for $39.99. I think this is the perfect price point for a keyboard like this - it’s fun, playful and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Other colors sold include purple, pink, green and blue. I’m a big fan of the rainbow color and really think this is a solid aesthetic upgrade to virtually any desk setup. The keyboard comes in a cute box and included are some stickers and a dusting brush.
The round keycaps and retro feel gives it a modern take on a typewriter keyboard. One immediate aspect I noticed were that the keycap letters were put on via a sticker and don’t look the most elegant. For $40, this is to be expected and keep your expectations reasonable if you’re considering this keyboard. It’s lightweight and portable but clearly very plastic.
Comfort and Usage
Although not necessarily the most comfortable keyboard to type on, you do get used to the circular keycaps after a period of time. There is a soft but satisfying clicking sound when typing on the keyboard and it emits a relatively tactile feel. I’ve been using this keyboard for over two months now and have adjusted well to it during my 12+ hour workdays. Although it’s not the most comfortable to type on for endless hours, it suits my needs for answering emails and Slack messages in between Zoom calls. As someone who has regular carpal tunnel issues, I needed to use a wrist rest with this keyboard for added height and comfort to make it ergonomic. I wouldn’t recommend this keyboard for those who game or do a lot of design work on their computers - due to the round keycaps and general layout of the keyboard, it’s simply not made for those types of activities.
The UBOTIE keyboard is incredibly convenient in the compatibility category and works on both Mac OS and PC (even Android, too!). There’s a convenient Windows key and command key so that you can alternate if needed between devices. You can also use this keyboard to type with on your Android phone or tablet too. I see this keyboard being really popular for college kids or people on the go, who want portability and ease of access.
Connectivity
The UBOTIE rainbow keyboard requires two AAA batteries and allows connection for up to three devices via Bluetooth 5.1. According to UBOTIE, the keyboard can pair up to 33 feet away (although realistically, who needs it that far away?) Although I went in expecting to love the aesthetics of the keyboard, I was pleasantly surprised to find that connectivity on this device was incredibly effortless and easy.
I hop between my MacBook Pro for work and my personal MacBook Air everyday and simply select the Bluetooth button corresponding to the device I want to pair it with. It’s seamless and happens almost instantly in almost every scenario. I’ve used plenty of Bluetooth keyboards in the past but have usually always had some kind of annoyance alternating between devices. I have yet to experience this with the UBOTIE keyboard. A blue light indicator above the Bluetooth keys light up letting you know which device it is paired to.
In order to conserve battery, the keyboard automatically goes to sleep after about 15 minutes of inactivity but reconnects fairly quickly after tapping a few keys. I’ve been using this keyboard daily for a few months now and have yet to see issues with battery and connectivity.
More Than Just Good Looks?
The UBOTIE rainbow tenkeyless keyboard is reasonably priced and adds color and aesthetics to any desk or computer. It makes a great gift for a college student or work from home employee. Although the quality isn’t necessarily the highest and some aspects like the keycap stickers can be better, this keyboard does exactly what it sets out to do and is both functional and comfortable.
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Lida
Always the number cruncher, the former narrative journalist turned data scientist, can’t help but find herself bursting with excitement with each new generation of tech gadgets. After all, predicting future trends is Lida’s forte. Any gadget that survives Lida’s torturous, adult working woman itinerary of over 700 notifications a day deserves praise!