So, recently I’ve been listening to Keyboard ASMR. The clicking keys in the background helps with my concentration. However, I quickly started noticing the fantastic keyboards featured in these videos. Some of which are vibrantly designed, with flashing lights. I usually use a Compact keyboard (which I bought for £5) that I have had for years, but I wanted to check out the feel of a different type of keyboard.
I love tech and gadgets. I especially love tech and gadgets that have a unique look and feel to them. So finding a keyboard that lights up or has a retro look to it was right up my aisle. Cue the EK-1 SADES Keyboard. Doing a little research into the makers of EK-1 I found that SADES is a company that produces equipment for gamers and sells almost everything, from chairs to keyboards, to headsets. You can find out more here.
Appearance:
Pros:
One of the things I worry about with backlit keyboards, at least from what I’ve seen, is that they have colors that jump around and dance. Strobe lighting and throwing down shapes like it was a Swedish rave, and my biggest fear was that there would be no way to turn it off. I can tell you now that I would get annoyed and tired of the keyboard within minutes. Luckily, SADES doesn’t have that issue. It has a static light setting, and a ‘breathe’ setting that allows the soft backlights to pulse slowly, and yes, there is the option to turn it off.
Con:
Covering a spectrum of colors from red to green, it doesn’t cycle through the colors, and while that is fine for me, you might not like that. The colors are static, and the ‘breathing’ option only allows the solid colors to turn on and off. There is definitely, no backlight raving going on.
Feel & Features
Pros:
The Typing is smooth, with the audible clicking that you would think of with a mechanical keyboard, and it just feels nice. The Keys are nice and springy. If you hold up the keyboard, you can see the underside of the keys. It comes with the standard number of keys, with Num pad and additional ‘Insert’, ‘Delete’, ‘Home’ ‘End’, and ‘Page Up & Down’ keys. The keyboard comes with a Function (Fn) key that helps with new extra commands, such as adjusting volume, opening your music player, muting your sound, stop playback, open email, and a few other keys which are right at your fingertips.
Con: None.
Mouse
The keyboard comes with a mouse, following the same style as the keyboard. It is backlit with a pulsating light of rotating colours.
Pros: Adjustable resolution in 4 steps, ranging from low to extra high, so you always have that perfect sensitivity right at your fingertip. Freely rotating scroll wheel, for a quick and precise scrolling action. Back and Forward buttons for quick navigation in most applications, or two extra keys to map for your favourite game, accessible with the thumb. These two buttons are out of the way during normal operation.
Cons: The forward and back buttons are individual and close together, unlike most designs that use a “pivot button”. This means until you have gotten used to it, it is fairly easy to press both at once. There is no way to turn off the pulsating light, short of disconnecting the mouse.
Neutral: I wasn’t sure where to include this, but it looks like a transformer. Some like that, some don’t. It is heavier than most mice, again something some prefer and some dislike.
Overall, I find the Sade Keyboards as a simple keyboard with a little extra for those who are looking for something unique, and functional. If you are interested in finding out more about this keyboard set, you can find it on amazon.