Right now, I'm typing up this post on the 8BitDo Retro mechanical keyboard. That's because, after using it, this keeb became my daily driver. The aesthetic is only part of the reason for my choice.
- We're curating the best Black Friday PC gaming deals
To address the elephant in the room, this keyboard comes with two Super Buttons and a Super Stick, which are effectively just extra toggles you can place beside your keyboard that you can assign custom commands to. My left and right Super Buttons are used to start/stop a recording and record the last 30 seconds, respectively.
Outside of this, the keyboard works both wired and wireless, with wireless split between Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz via an included dongle. I use the C64 version every single day, and though the thocks of the keys can be a bit loud, it offers a great typing experience, plus a sweet media dial at the top and a few extra programmable keys on the board itself.
Normally, I'm a little on the fence about wireless gaming keyboards, as finding a wire to plug in usually isn't a big deal, but the 200 hours of battery life you get out of this keeb is enough for it not to go dead every single week. The Kalih white switches are to blame for their rather loud sound, but I've never been able to deny how satisfying it feels to hammer away at late in the night when an idea has struck me.
The version above is the C64 model I use.
During the last Amazon Prime Day, I recommended picking the N edition over the C64 version of the 8BitDo Retro. That's because the C64 wasn't quite as cheap, and the main difference between the two (other than the aesthetic) was the inclusion of the Super Stick.
I had full intended on recommending the C64 version this time around, and yet Best Buy swooped in at the last minute with what is one of the best deals I've spotted in all of Black Friday. I couldn't honestly recommend spending another $20 for the C64 look, with that in mind. This time, the N edition even comes with its own brilliant white Super Stick.
As is the case with everything 8BitDo does, the retro aesthetic is certainly a tad niche, but it managed to warm my cold, nostalgic heart this year.
👉Check out Amazon's gaming keyboard deals👈
1. Best overall:
Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
2. Best budget:
Gamakay x Naughshark NS68
3. Best mid-range:
Ducky Zero 6108
4. Best rapid trigger:
Wooting 80HE
5. Best wireless rapid trigger:
Keychron K2 HE
6. Best silent:
Be Quiet! Light Mount
7. Best tenkeyless:
Keychron Q3 Max
8. Best low profile:
NuPhy Air60 HE
9. Best ergonomic:
Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB
10. Best membrane:
Roccat Magma
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
